A flight from Colorado

gregangsten · Post by **gregangsten** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 7:33 pm

Our last day flying at Villa Grove. I launch and scratch hard to get up. Next you see Joe P launching then nearly sinking out himself before he hooks a good one low out front and leaves me in the dust.

Since I broke my PTT cord on day 2 and my phone wouldn't work there, I wanted to make it back to the LZ. Flew down over the bat cave to the hot springs, turned and ran from the shade back to the launch where I demonstrated how easy it would be for a low performance wing to get blown over the back. (Happened to a girl PG pilot who fortunately was found by the Sheriff 20 miles away in the next valley.)

https://vimeo.com/106991235

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 8:34 pm

Nice, Greg but you forgot to point out the cactus highlights at the end. And it seems that you were running faster than Petrosian usually does at 1384 ASL. Maybe next year...

gregangsten · Post by **gregangsten** » Wed Sep 24, 2014 7:05 am

Jim wrote:Nice, Greg but you forgot to point out the cactus highlights at the end. And it seems that you were running faster than Petrosian usually does at 1384 ASL. Maybe next year...

At least I didn't go face-first into it. We had lots of little friends like that one around there.

OP · Post by OP » Wed Sep 24, 2014 7:14 pm

The LZ there is 8300' MSL. The AGL of launch is 1400' and a few miles away. The alluvial fan between the launch and LZ is a mix of boulders and cactus. Those ground cactus can grow into significant paddies.
Army Joe came in 3rd and didn't break a down tube.
Will R. won the entire thing.
I did a 30miler and broke two down tubes in a cactus forest.
Lin and Marshall made successful landings at an altitude they've never even launched from.
Steve M. had the altitude of the day one day. He got caught in a convergence in the mid-valley. He couldn't get down and I guess he was sucked above 15K.