Well, some things just don’t turn out the way you expect, and that was certainly true for today.  The weather forecast called for 4000-5000′, decent thermal strengths, and maybe some chance of Q’s.  What actually happened was low, wide Q’s with lots of spreadout, and an overcast layer above.  There was just enough lift to get the launch off, and a few people made it most of the way around their respective tasks, but all in all it was a bust day.  I had planned to take a rest day today, but got suckered into assembling and launching with the forecast, only to get shot down within 30 minutes of taking off.  Oh well, I needed the assembly practice anyway.

The highlight of the day was the welcome dinner hamburger dinner tonight, along with the Budweiser keg trailer.  Good beer, good friends, and good food – doesn’t get any better than that!

A story that came out of the dinner conversations was told by Henry Retting (R) on himself. Henry took a rest day yesterday (Saturday), and was helping out on the line.  After the launch was over he goes driving around the airport in a golf cart, depositing wing wheels by trailers.  Everything is going fine until he gets to one labelled “EM”, and he realizes he  doesn’t recognize the comp ID and can’t find the trailer.  After a complete circuit of the field (and Perry is a BIG place!), he gives up and takes the wing wheel back to the hangar, figuring the owner will eventually come to claim it there. He  goes to bed and at 3am the next morning wakes bolt upright, suddenly figuring out the problem.  The wing wheel didn’t belong to “EM”, it belonged to “W3” Tim Welles, who has been parked right next to Henry’s trailer for the last three days!

Tomorrow’s forecast (as far as it can be believed) is for decent soaring conditions, with the possibility of some poor weather moving into the area late at night.  Stay tuned!

Frank (TA)