Not to bemoan the point but the weather really hasn't been as good as say, last year. But today made up for yesterday's showers. (Where else does it sprinkle down in mid-August???)
Anyway...today looked fabulous, cu's popping everywhere by 10 a.m. and of course I didn't finish with my last client til 2:30. I started making phone calls on the way home & had a ride secured for 3:15. Now that's efficient! My friend Monica & I launched in a hurry & made our way along the ridge to try & tag a local turnpoint about 5 km from the take-off.
I turned left, I turned right...blah blah blah. Monica was soaring around above me which made me determined to join her up there, despite all the lame little beeps I was getting. Then the SWEETEST thing happened. I was duking it out with a thermal, finding its edges & trying to stay in the core. All of a sudden I was in it - going up so smoothly and in the zone. It started getting hazy and I realized a cloud was forming around me. Cool! Not a big scary cloud, just a happy misty one.
I flew out and made a dash for the turnpoint but chickened out when I got low, despite watching the guy in front of me tiptoe over the tree tops (yes, he even made it to the next further point). Monica hung in there longer than me, caught some nice lift herself & made the turnpoint.
Someone (not mentioning any names) needs to cultivate more patience & then she too may finally make it. But what a fun lesson to learn. If tomorrow holds out & we get another sunny flying day me & my little sidekick patience will make it for sure.
