Patience

From: Benson
Activity_Date: 3/3/01
Remote Name: 207.113.61.189

Comments

First round I launched behind Spin Doctor and Sundowner into a weak cycle. As soon as I got in the air I knew I had made a mistake not waiting for a better cycle. I got about 150 over launch out in front but couldn't connect with anything to get higher. Finally I got spit out into some sink and couldn't regain the highground. The flush was no fault of the Firebird Matrix on its second mountain flight; it handled beautifully in the semi-punchy conditions. Meanwhile Bob launched in a better cycle and got several hundred feet over launch immediately. I had a good landing at the Nut House with less vehicular confrontation than usual. While packing up I saw SD making a beautiful glide to the range SW of 33. Later Ron tried the same glide, starting from a lower altitude in his old Atlas. He came in on a point that might have been workable, but the difference in the performance of the 2-3 vs. the 1-2 was stunning. I stopped traffic from the South for Bob's landing but some jerk in an old Nova wouldn't give any ground and almost caused BH to go into the Orange Grove. Just as BH and I got to launch for our second round the wind speed went from 7 to 15 out of the E. Hooking into my harness, after chasing the canopy around launch some, I was wary of just trying to keep it on the ground until a lull or change in direction. Having no patience I pulled the canopy up into the strong E wind and got hammered. The canopy came up to my left and twisted into the wind. I dove under it in an effort to equalize the pressure on the right side. I got the longest ride through the bushes I can remember. I kept applying more and more break in an effort to get it to lift me off the ground. My biggest fear at this point was a vision of hours of picking the wing out of the bushes in a strong wind. I exited the bushes over a 50 ft drop and the canopy surged into flight, I was relieved to find myself flying. The relief didn't last; it was the most turbulent air I have ever experienced (besides flying in rotor at White Ledge). In front of launch I took one big collapse after another, the washing machine was on Heavy Duty. Bob waited for the wind direction to change and had a good launch and smoother air. John was at the LZ and he handled traffic control as we landed in succession.