2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 15

The last day of the tour, we elect to cruise the day in Seattle and at Tiger to avoid a long day at Chelan, 4 hours driving each way.

A lie in until 8:00 followed by voluntary eskimo roll training from Rod in Conrad's back yard - Lake Washington .

Great instructing from Rod then we leave for Tiger. Conrad, Paul, Lindsay and Phil hike up, Toni and I take the shuttle for $17.

Tiger is pretty stable with top of lift capped at 1300m leaving us only 300m to play with above launch. We still mange to thermal for 90 minutes before bailing to shop at Fry's, a huge electronics store.

Rod has stood host for a farewell dinner at the Seattle tower restaraunt. This coincides with Conrad's birthday and a major celebration.

The restaraunt was excellent and we had amazing views of Seattle as the sun set; could not see Meg Ryan anywhere but.

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 14

A sunny day at Woodrat but the threat of increased wind. We elect to drive back to Seattle to position ourselves close by Chelan or Tiger. A leisurely camp pack and drive back to Seattle with the group discussing theory on XC and comps whilst we drive. Just when is the best time to take off and how can we improve our concentration during flight.

A lunch stop at Eugene beside the river then an overnight at Conrad's ready for the last day of tour tomorrow

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 13

An average forecast at Woodrat indicated 2100m base and winds from the SW again.

This time we stay at Woodrat where locals Rick and Hayden Glatte join us for the day.

We were not going to fly 100km here but today was definitely going to be technical and a test of our skills. I have been trying to get to Grants Pass and never yet made it, this might be the day.

Lindsay - 48km out and return

Paul - 42km out and return

Phil - 32km height 4110m

Toni - 17km

Rod - 15km

Conrad - 51km out and return

Brian - 51km out and return

Weather

NE followed by W/SW, 15-25kmh

Base 2100, blue

As expected a technical day, Grants Pass and back for most of us. Excellent flying in what was originally a meagre looking day.

Goal is the Longswords LZ, a winery that give a free glass of wine id you land at their shop. Paul and Conrad enjoy the free fare then Barb and Phil bought a couple of bottles and start a session which needs a cold swim to settle down

Joy and Conrad prepare lasagne for supper and we enjoy a balmy summer evening at Murdochville

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 12

Rick sees some potential in the day for Herd Peak, overlooked by Mt Shaster, It is an hour south and not flown very often but might be good in the SW forecast. Base is estimated at 4000m provided we get the trigger temperature.

Sounds like a great plan as we have not been down to the Shaster before so we plan for a drive across the border into Norther California.

Mt Herd belongs to a pilot who has done some serious work providing a good, clean paraglider launch.

The view to Shaster is amazing and after 20km picking through some trees over the back there is flatlands as far as the eye can see.

Lindsay - 10km

Paul - 31km

Phil - 8km

Toni - LZ

Rod - LZ

Conrad - 12km

Brian - 68km

Weather

Light SW changing W then NW, Southerly higher, 15-35kmh

Base 3200m, blue

A hard day working to get away from launch in a strong inversion which eventually broke 2 hours after launching. The trigger temperature was slow to be reached.

A site definitely worth spending more time at

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 11

A long but successful three days at Pine Mtn. Today we have to figure if we stay longer or move on to Woodrat. The decider is whether we can fly Mt Batchelor, a special event if it's possible. Steve Roti checks out the winds and confirms it's too strong so we pack to head for Ruch, Woodrat.

A beautiful 3 hour drive across the Oregonian mountains puts us on the west side and a totally different climate. The wind is on the strong side here as well so we take an early lunch at the Magnolia grill.

We catch up with Rick and Paul Murdoch. Paul invites us to camp over at his place, a generous offer which we quickly accept - Murdochville is very good

Paul takes us up to the lower launch of Woodrat for the evening glass off. Sometimes you can get 2000m in the convergence and fly back to Paul's place but not tonight however 2 hours soaring until dusk is a great intro for the guys to Woodrat

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 10

You know how some days test your metal, perhaps I am a little rusty

The only key we have to the mini bus gets locked in the bus at 8:00am. We call the local road service who sort us out v quickly.

On the way up to launch I drop the rear wheel of the bus over the edge of the track and we get stuck, blocking the road for all the PG

and HG aiming to get up the hill for a good looking day.

This is the best looking forecast of the last 3 days so Paul, Rod and Lindsay walk up to launch ahead whilst the HG pilots and PG pilots we are holding back work hard to help us clear the vehicle. Conrad, Toni, Barb and I get up to launch a couple of hours later. The forecast is for W/SW 15-20kmh, top of lift around 4500m. Some Cu's are beginning to form as we work on the bus.

A frenzied collaborative effort and we get going in time for the day

Lindsay - 12km

Paul - 149km - PB, 4700m (hypoxic happier still)

Phil - 45km PB height 4545m

Toni - 10km

Rod - 10km

Conrad - 25km

Brian - 45km

A tough, rough day decking most of us. Paul hangs on then pushes for his PB of 149km, just short of Burns.

Weather

W/SW, 10-25kmh

Base 4700m,

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 9

Another promising Pine day. A more SW forecast may push as a way from the I20 and up into the hills near

Paulina. Base is predicted at 4000m+ so we talk a little about hypoxia

Lindsay - 120 km - PB open height 4,200m, PB 2 * 100km flights in a row

Paul - 120km - PB height 4620m (hypoxic happy)

Phil - 32km PB height 4110m

Toni - 99km (after a reflight) PB, 4110m PB

Rod - 20km

Conrad - LZ

Brian - 120km

Weather

W/SW, 10-15kmh

Base 4600m, blue

Lindsay, Paul and I fly past Paulina to the edge of the higher hills - at 6:00pm we decide to land washing off 2000m as the terrain is getting difficult. Toni joins us much later after a relaunch and a great flight.

Another long and late retrieve - Barb, the SPOTS and the Nuvi are doing a great job

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 8

Pine Mtn is an imposing site, it stands 1000m above the semi arid high desert of eastern Oregon. In the distance you can see the snow capped peaks of Mt Bachelor and Mt Jefferson. The air in front of launch can be fierce so we must take care.

It is looking good today for some distance. A westerly forecast will help us to fly along the I20 towards Bucks Creek 70km away and we have a predicted 3400m. the first 40km before

Brothers is usualy the toughest.

Pine Mtn video by Toni Skeritt

It is relatively cold on launch so we know to rug up for the height that might come. We launch at 1:00pm, the day starts slowly but soon opens up and we can stretch our legs a little

Lindsay - 164 km - PB open distance

Paul - 40km

Phil - 63km PB

Toni - LZ

Rod - 20km

Conrad - 35km

Brian - 120km

Weather

W/SW, 10-15kmh

Base 3,200m, blue

We stage the short retrieves at Brothers where Rod finds some home made apple pie. Riley has some real cowboys with spurs who like Pepsi cola.

Lindsay flies a great 164km PB, landing

shortly before dusk and we have a late dinner in Burns after a long retrieve

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 7

An easy drive into Bend where we catch up with the local guru and old friend Steve Roti.

Small panic when we find the State Trailer Park is full so a swift relocation to a park in town is called

for.

After setting up camp Steve comes by and we

drive down to Pine for the evening magic lift. Pine is remarkable with a very consistent evening glass off.

Perfect conditions as we arrive, a drive to the LZ then a small bench up to launch and then climb to the top of Pine and fly till dusk.

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 6

A front is moving in and will give us the opportunity to drive down to Bend and Pine Mtn for a timely change of venue.

We break camp and load Conrad's Sprinter with the camping gear. He hitches up the trailer and we load up the mini bus with the flying gear and the pilots. We know that we have a 2 non XC days so we aim for Hood River to overnight with T.

Some XC theory and tactics on the drive down then we meet howling wind as we get towards Hood River, a local Mecca for windsurfing and kite surfing.

BBQ at T's looking over to a snow capped Mt Hood then bed down ready for a drive into Bend the next day

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 5

A bigger day still has been forecasted but with wind coming from the E-NE, an unusual direction for Chelan - 4000m+ base. We go up to launch suspicious of what we might find.Winds are light but definitely from the NE. Dust devils are breaking off all around the launch every 5 minutes. Conrad launched, crossed the rover then landed. A HG tandem launched after a 30 minute wait, he climbed out way over near the river.

Dust devils still going off and we decide to go with the locals and drive back down.

Internet and swimming with some lunch at the local diner

At 4:00pm the sky shaped up and looked awesome, base looked like 4500m. I reckon we could have launched at 5:00pm and still skied out however we chilled and readied a BBQ. Chris tries some vegemite on corn cobb and brian tries a burger for the first time.

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 4

A bigger day still has been forecasted, more light winds with a 3500m+ base

Some animated discussion over flying north to Canada or east for more triangles. Triangles prevail.

Lindsay - 101 km flat triangle - PB out and return

Paul - 88km flat triangle- PB 5 hours duration

Phil - 61km dog leg PB, PB duration

Toni - 60km dog log

Rod - 80km FAI Triangle

Brian - 120km FAI triangle

Weather

Light and variable, tending from the W/SW

Base 3,700m

Toni has compiled a movie of our days at the Chelan

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 3

Today is the first big flying day - XC Skies is forecasting 2800m+ and light winds.

The guys all get across to the flats, Lindsay and I get to Sims and nearly get back, Paul, Conrad and Toni take Farmer and still make Sims. Phil lead out across the gorge but decked it on the rim.

Flights

Lindsay - 91km flat triangle

Paul - 75km dog leg

Phil - 10km dog leg

Conrad - 71km dog leg

Toni - 76km dog leg

Rod - 69km dog leg

Brian - 93km flat triangle

Weather

3200m base

SW turning W, 5-15kmh

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 2

Camp has been established at Beebe State park beside the Columbia river. Chelan and the launch is 10 mins away.

Showers are good but beer and wine is drunk from coffee mugs - state park rules

no alcohol.

A little windy today although they are SIV'ing on the lake, we chose not to fly but to get over the jet lag. Some the guys go hiking at Winthrope on Sun Mtn and we have a BBQ whe they get back

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 1

Picking up the guys from SeaTac went well - An intial Walmart frenzy for tents and bags then we had everybody showered and tucked up in bed by midnight after a salmon BBQ and salad on Conrad's porch. An early start today to get to Chelan and some flying

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2009 - Day 0

We have finished the Rat Race at Ruch and driven up to Seattle to get ready to pick up the rest of the guys.

Conrad, Joy and I have shared the Sprinter. Paul and Lindsay have found a lift with Chris Amonson

We have to pick up and prepare the bus. We have ordered a 15 seater so that we have heaps of space for all the gear and pilots

Tonight we pick up Toni, Phil, Barb and Rod from the airport and settle them into Conrad's for their first night. Lindsay and Paul are already here and ready to go.