Some random pics of what we did during the Women's Worlds....

The organizers were great at finding group activities for us on every day that the task was cancelled without going up the hill.  One day a bunch of us toured a brewery in a nearby town.  

Timothy wanted a big gulp!

Of course, there was Neuschwanstein Castle.  Very impressive looking, but disappointing to learn that it was just a tourist attraction.  King Ludwig never lived there - he died before it was finished.  Apparently it became a museum just a few months after he died.

Our cable car passes also gave us free entry on the alpine slide.  It was the only place there was any racing going on.

Maria and I found bikes to rent and those were our main transportation around the village and to and from headquarters.  I started to feel like one of them.

And of course, Maria cooked lovely meals for us as often as possible.

And, when it was all over, I actually flew!!!

Every form of snow imaginable has fallen on us here at launch. We find
other ways to amuse ourselves.

Almost There

For the first time in more than a week it was starting to feel like we might do what we came here for.  The delay until noon was just enough to tempt us up the hill under at least partially blue skies.  We had nearly a foot of snow on launch and it was really cool for this California girl to set up in the snow for the first time in my 20 years of flying.  I was so excited to find that a task was set and the plan was to launch at half past two.  Unfortunately, not ten minutes after the task was set, the sky started looking very angry way out in front and the weather man told us it was coming in fast.  We all derigged in a hurry to miss the coming storm.  Although we managed to get the gliders under cover, the high winds arrived just as we were ready to head down the hill and the wind shut the cable car down for a while.  The restaurant on top was a great refuge to wait it out though and we relaxed with a cup of tea and apfelstruddel for a short while before the cable car opened up again. 

This morning’s sky looks quite similar to yesterday’s and currently we are on hold until 11:30.  But, as I sit typing, hail is falling :-(

Like no launch I've ever seen!!

I love Germany in Winter...

….oh wait, it’s May :-/  This picture was taken about halfway up to the Tegelberg launch yesterday.  So, you can imagine what launch looks like!

It’s hard to get motivated to write much of anything around here.  Day after day we wake up to dark skies and cloudbase near the ground.  I understand all too well how hard it is for organizers in these situations.  You spend so much time and effort making sure everything is prepared and together only to have no control over the one thing that can put a stop to it all.  Some have given up and left already and I can only imagine how disheartening that must be.  As of this morning, the forecast looks like we might have one day of flying, at best.  I hope my read is wrong.

Meanwhile, we all know Schwangau so well.  We’ve done nearly everything there is for a tourist to do here.  The organizers have activities planned for the cancelled days and for each evening.  We’ve had Bavarian night, Italian night and last night was flying films night.  During the rainy days we hike the mountains, sit in the thermal bathes and saunas, cycle, shop and work. 

Yesterday I hiked with a group two thirds of the way to launch.  The area is so gorgeous from the ground and I can only dream about the view from above.  Had I known that the practice day might be my only chance to see it, I might have savored it a bit more. 

Women's Worlds Day 2

It was hard to believe we weren't flying yesterday because the sun was shining and the clouds looked lovely.  In fact, it was the first day we had such nice sunshine.  However, the meteo guy was very concerned about the Foehn that was supposed to arrive.  We were apparently just on the edge of it.   

All of the girls went off in different directions - some to the castle, some working, some hiking up the mountain.  Maria and I got bicycles and decided for a ride out to the Swift field for a picnic as they were having a task. 

There were many spectators out at the airfield (mostly pilots wishing they were flying) and we could see much of the task from there.  We watched the guys race up and down the ridge and then land back at goal at the airfield.  Not surprisingly, Manfred came in first with a nice loop over goal.  Bob Baier was second and Steve Cox came in third.  Brian Porter and Jacques Bott both had difficult days and landed short.  

Now I am sitting in at HQ eavesdropping on the Class 2 meeting regarding the Archeopteris (I'm sure I've spelled that wrong).   From my understanding, it is a fairly new design by a Swiss company.  It has not been demonstrated to be foot landable and so it doesn't qualify as a Class 2 glider.  It seems it wasn't noticed before the comp started, so now after there has been a task it is unclear whether it should be included.  Interestingly, all of the guys here in the Class 2 comp want it included in the comp and they are discussing ways to get it in.  Heather asked who would protest if the pilot flying the glider won the meet.....they all agreed that they would not.  In light of the small number of Class 2 pilots and gliders, I think most everyone wants to find a way to encourage more of them.  

According to Section 7 rules, it must be demonstrated that the glider can be foot landed.  Brian Porter is currently arguing that there is no time period for making this demonstration and that if the pilot wanted to demonstrate it here, he should be allowed in the class.  I think the CIVL reps are very very reluctant to allow for this.  

Here is the Archeopteris at goal yesterday.   

With the discussion coming to an end, the final decision is that they will not allow it to be included in the world championship competition, but they will do two sets of scores, one with him and one without.  So he could win, but not be the world champion.  He will also be allowed to line up with the other Class 2 gliders at launch time and he will not be required to launch first or last or have any less priority than the others.  It is interesting to me to see how fervently all of the Class 2 pilots are arguing to get this glider in the class.  

Another interesting tidbit I just learned....although Manfred arrived at goal first yesterday, the Archeopteris won the day because of the leading bonus.

The Foehn Returns

Yesterday gave us the small hope of a task so we all made our way up the hill.  We have a setup order here because there isn't so much space up top.  The alpha group set up, only a few of the bravo group did and those of us in the charlie group were slow and lazy - lucky for us.  They thought perhaps there would be a small window available where they could get the girls off the hill and on a task.  So, we waited for over an hour before the rain started and the wind came from over the back.  

It was a lazy coffee day for most.  Maria and I joined Tim and Linda from the US and Daphne from the Netherlands for the afternoon.

Today's forecast was for strong Foehn and dangerous thunderstorms in the afternoon.  The task was cancelled at the team leader briefing so we didn't have to head up the hill.  Otherwise, the day looks lovely so far - the warmest we've had yet.

In Lovely Tegelberg

From the heat and humidity of Florida to the cool, rainy alps....what a trip it has been.  I guess I forget sometimes that there are four seasons in most parts of the world.  I left the hotter of the two Florida seasons for Tegelberg where it is definitely still spring with a nip in the air and plenty of rain.  Thankfully, it's not too terribly cold and anyway it is so gorgeous here that I probably wouldn't even mind.  Although the rain is a bother, everything is blanketed with vivid green grass and wildflowers of every color in the fields.  

We drove down from Munich on Friday evening and I was instantly in love with the landscape.  We're on the edge of the Alps here so there's spectacular high mountains behind launch, but comforting flatland with huge landing fields everywhere out front.  What more could you ask for? (ok, well, sunshine would be nice ;-)

Today was the opening ceremonies, but also the only day for the next few that it looks flyable so everyone was up the hill for a quicky before the opening.   It was a perfect day...light smooth lift for cruising up and down the ridge to check out the area.  I couldn't have been happier with my first flight here....got the nerves shaken off and had a chance to check out Damien's handling after the baby daddy made a few modifications to suit the CIVL.  He's sweeter than ever, but not necessarily so pleased with new pink accessories ;-)

I hope to get some shots of the castle from the air soon.  It's a spectacular site and makes me feel like I'm at Disneyland.  

Ugly Sky

....sure hope things get better fast.

Day 6

The sky looks just awful this morning, not at all as was forecast.
Despite the look if things, the task committee is taking us up to
Moultrie, 231km to the north. In all likelihood it will end up being
an open distance sort of day.

Briefing at the Oh So Sweet cafe this morning.

Pippo wins the day!!

....at least a dozen at goal.

Young Alex is full of enthusiasm!

....first to go today, hopefully first to goal!

Finally we rally!!!

At last we get to move north. Today's task is Williston - 109km.

Riots breaking out here...

Most everyone has landed in the high wind and at last the safety
committe stopped the task. Look like we will hang out here one more day.

Not much lift....

...and plenty of wind. Davis is calling very light lift on the radio
and so far no one is getting any reasonable altitude :-(.

Sent from my iPhone

87km to the north!

Day 3

Wind is thankfully forecast to be lighter today, so I hope to have an
easier time with personalities and emotions at launch. But the task
call will be difficult. The committee is meeting now and trying to
find a solution to the west wind problem. Unless we push crosswind, we
won't be heading in the northerly direction we would like.

Should be interesting.

Day 2

Day two is looking very windy.  We have called a couple of potential tasks, one to the north and one to the northwest if we can get off the ground safely.  I'm not optimistic, but I wasn't optimistic yesterday either and we ended up having a very nice task.  The forecast is calling for 20 knot wind by launch time.  

Check out all the other blogs because there are heaps of interesting retrieve stories.  Shapiro landed next to an 8 foot alligator :-/

Here are yesterday's only two goal finishers relaxing in the pilot lounge at goal.  

Dustin and Jonny at goal

....they are likely the only ones there. Zippy landed about 2km short,
Carl about 20km short. I'm driving along the courseline now and seeing
many pilots down beside the road. OB, Shapiro and Derreck down along
with many others.

Sent from my iPhone

Hot and Humid

.....John Simon opted to skip the clothing.

Most seem to be sticking, but conditions definitely aren't optimal.
Derreck Turner has landed :-(.

Flytec Race & Rally - Day 1

Not the best looking conditions for day 1. I guess it was asking a lot
to hope for the same great first day we had last year. It is flyable
and we have called a 67km task to the northeast around Lake
Okeechobee. But, Jonny T. has been up and there is little lift and a
fair amount of wind. Either way, we will make our way to Quest today,
by car or by air. Meanwhile, Davis is as (overly) optimistic as
ever ;-).

Short Again

Another gorgeous Florida day. 129km task to the northwest. I got off
to a very slow start after needing a second tow so I ended up pretty
much on my own most of the way. Luckily I hooked up with Alex halfway
into the flight and we shared an amazing low save from a few hundred
feet. Spectacular day even having landed 24km short. I love Florida
flying!!

Got to land with Mikey....neener neener neerer Maria ;-))

The 5km Short Crew :-(

Five Reasons to Take up Archery

Although Damien hasn't been on his best behavior this week, he was back in tip top shape today.  Unfortunately, I'm not exactly in tip top shape and have been thinking perhaps archery is my sport.

I'm not sure what else to do as I seem to find a new and interesting mistake to make each day.  Only two days remaining and if I can't redeem myself, I'm sure Carlos will be finished with me.

Meanwhile, we're having better than expected weather overall.  Instead of the wind that has plagued this meet for the last few years, we've just had rain....plenty of rain, but thankfully most of it at night which leaves us getting in the air each day.   The landing fields are huge, but many are swampy, so we're having to steer clear of the "sparkly" fields.  The next two days are looking great though and the conditions for first day of the Rally might be just perfect.

Choose your tandem pilot well....

With rain early today and no task, there are quite a few tandem instructors hanging around.  Two Brasilian girls arrived for tandem flights and the fighting over who got to take them up began.  Why not let the girls choose for themselves?  We lined up like a bunch of bachelors and the questioning began, but  I was quickly eliminated when they asked who could keep it up the longest ;-).  The finalists were the four young boys - Jonny, Alex, Zippy and Eric.  Jonny couldn't resist slipping in his world ranking and that scored him the first girl.  Alex's boyish good looks got him girl number two.  

Your time is all you really own in life....

Flying home from Salt Lake the other day, I read this statement on a blog.  I didn't have to stop and think about it at all.  It just was my truth...instantly.  There are times that I feel twinges of guilt for not having a big retirement fund, not paying off my house more quickly, not saving for the future in general.  Mostly I ignore them...I hate guilt and I find it especially easy to bury my head in the sand.  But sometimes they get the best of me and I spend more time than I would like worrying needlessly.  Culture, I guess, brings this on us.  

One of things I appreciate about the hang gliding culture is that I'm rarely less fiscally responsible than the next guy.  Spending the majority of my time with like-minded (read irresponsible ;-) people tends to make me feel less like worrying about whether I'll be 70 years old and broke some day because I think to myself "at least I won't be alone in my poverty"  and I remind myself that money is a renewable resource, time isn't.

The more I travel the more I realize that there is nothing that stays behind in my tiny little house that means much of anything to me.  No doubt, I love my home.  But home is spending time with Maxie (and his parents ;-), a game of Yatzee with mom and dad, lunch with Steve, the sound of the waves outside the door and the sticky Florida heat.  I've said a hundred times that the only possessions I care about are my hang gliding equipment, camera and photos.  The glider can be replaced.  The camera and photos amount to little more than memories and a way to make sure my ever failing memory can be jogged.  My real contentment and satisfaction come from seeing new places, meeting people and learning things about myself.  

Science Daily reported recently that buying life experiences is much more likely to produce long-term happiness than buying material possessions.  If time = wealthy, then I am, by a long shot, the richest person I know.  

Better than a Sharp Spike in the Eye

The USHGA went skiing today.  Seriously, half the Board was out there and we even allowed a few panty pilots to come along (only the cool ones though).  Today was Snow Bird, nearly as nice as Deer Valley and waaaaay too much sun.  What a blast!  One last day tomorrow and then back to (hopefully) spring flying conditions at home.

Even Better than my Favorite Shoes

I've never thought there was anything that could top hang gliding (and I still don't), but this week of skiing is coming a very close second.  A big gang from the USHGA board meeting stayed on in Salt Lake City after the meeting for some group ski time.

Yesterday at Deer Valley was about the most perfect ski day I could ever dream of.  I don't know how we can top that today, but we're gonna try!

Giant thanks to Paul and Barb Voight.  They organized a great trip and Paul is as great a ski instructor as hang gliding instructor and I wouldn't be having half the time I'm having without his teaching skills.