2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 6

Broke camp by 9:00am ready to drive to Woodrat via Crater Lake National Park, Kinda awesome to see what mother nature did to this mountain just 7500 years ago.

Reached Woodrat and joined Mike and Gail Hayley of Rat Race fame, who hosted us at their place.

Glass off at Woodrat from mid launch, Matt and I got up in some convergence then landed at Longsword but the winery was closed. Peter and Barry flew and landed at the regular LZ

Dinner in Jacksonville where Paul and Sy Murdoch joined us for a drink

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 5

Another blue say with light cycles. The wind direction is from the SW so we are divided between heading for Paulina or Rileys again. We decide to postpone a decision until at Brothers once the day has settled in.

Matt, Barry and Peter quickly climb out to 3000m then set off on course without us. Its good to see them setting off so confidently.

Conrad and I followed a little after. I went to Barry and Matt, Conrad joined up with Peter. Matt landed quite early after selflessly looking for lift for Barry and I. Barry made it to a little short of Brothers after hauling himself up from very low just past the powerlines

Peter and Conrad move east past Brothers towards Riley but a radio failure and a line of threatening cu's growing quickly persuade Peter to land,Conrad and I turned back to Brothers

Lunch at Brothers with Dixie. We did not fly the glass off but cooked up some rice and veggies at the camp site then played some cards

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 4

Brekky as usual then 10:15am departure to launch.Timely arrival for 11:15am on west launch, preparation then ready to fly at 12:00pm

More light cycles and a blue day, some cu's popping way in the distance on some high points. We set a goal of Riley’s, 117km downwind

We launched and climbed together in scrappy lift then a solid core came through as we all hit 3000m, time to go across the sink hole on the leesside of pine towards the high desert. Very heavy sink which grounded Barry and very nearly Peter and Matt. Conrad shrewdly kept a little to the south and missed the worse of it. 5kms out and the sink turned to lift with a broad band of climbs to 3600m.

Matt flew 55km then got sucked down by a big round crop field, he managed a PB of 3,600m, 12,000’ height.

Peter took 3 PB's - distance of 104km, height gain of 3600m and duration of 6 hours

Conrad made 112km, just short of goal and I made 107km.

Barb expertly found us all for a long drive back.

To late for the glass off so back to Bend for some supper and sleep

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 3

Internet and food at Wholefoods, moving into a routine here now. 10am departure to launch with the sky looking a little more predictable and docile. 11:15am on Pine west launch and prepped up ready to fly at 12:00.

Some light cycles and a blue day so we set a task to Brother's about 30km up the main highway.

I launched first to check out the air, felt good so the other followed. We all climbed out except for Barry who scratched hard but then bombed. Matt made goal and also reached 10,000 ft

After landing Barry reflew on his own to get away, Peter and Conrad flew 40km past goal.

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 1

Forecast for Washington and Oregon looked troughy for a couple of days so invested the time to drive 6 hours down to Bend and Pine Mtn,

Did some talking on the way, radio process, retieve system, radio process, retieve system, SPOT usage. Covered improving launch skills and chatted over how you could improve task starts

Got to Pine for 5:30pm, glass off was on so we hauled up to to the first bench then launched for a beautiful 2 hours in the evening magic air

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 2

All up and ready by 9:00am, we are camping at the Skania RV in Bend
Time to get some breakfast and wireless at the Wholefoods Health Store, relative word "healthy".
Met up with Steve Roti at midday at the Pine Mtn LZ then up to launch. Checked out the on Mtn camping and SW launch before going around to the West side.

Met 3 hangies, a local Ben and Ross and his partner from the east coast. Barry knew Ben from a chairlift in Chamonix - you need to be careful these days.
Interesting sky with signs of lots of different events impending - we sacrificed Conrad into a light W/NW which withing minutes turned into a strong W, he flew out and landed ok. We packed, watch the HGs then drove down
Some hard kiting at the Big Fly rec grounds then back for a pasta dinner cooked by Joy and Barb

2ToFly.com - US Tour 2010 - Day 0

Conrad and Joy have finished the Rat Race at Ruch and driven back up to Seattle with Barry. The new Ford 4wd looks great.

We have picked up Matt and Peter from SeaTac and escorted them around Walmarts for the shopping.

Salmon BBQ at Conrad's then an early night for an early start tomorrow