The Snowbird X-C Competition is turning out to be the best flying for me this year! I really like the format where we can launch anytime, and the object is to go as far as possible from launch.
     This is not always as easy as it seems, just ask Kevin Biernacki - he went about 60 miles in a roundabout route just to get 15 miles away from launch! There is no 'goal' so it is not a race, it is more about staying up, trying to connect the lift to get as far as possible.
     You can take all day to do it, and some pilots like Todd are staying up past 7pm to get his 89 mile flight. Emphasis is on safety, and the caliber of pilots flying this year is very high.
     It is a real challenge to keep up with some of them, and sometimes I think I do better trusting my own judgement rather than following the gaggle. I get time to think while turning in the abundant lift, watching the sky ahead for forming and dying clouds to plot my route. The sky has been really active here this year, and it fascinates me to fly in it for distance.
     Overall, the thermals seem to form in all the right places, over the ridges and peaks, and the thermal strengh has been good and strong, with soft edges mostly, due to all the moisture.
     Thermalling in these conditions has got to be one of the best things in life! Add 30 of the best pilots to fly with and a dedicated chase team and you've got a winning combination.
     Every day creates anticipation of hearing where everyone went, and often find pilots still airborne long after we've landed, still going up the range! Ryan was still flying last night after we had returned to Snowbird to retrieve our cars. He ended up going over 70 miles straight north while we went NE. If we could only have stayed up that long, we would have gone 100 miles or more.
     Arriving at the top of Snowbird, the wind was more obvious as we left the tram. Chip launched almost immediately, but the wind kicked in strong. Bo and Brad launchd next, but it looked like they were ridge soaring at 11K - not really very attractive! They could not connect with anything but broken and rowdy air, so Ken called it off at this launch.
     Watching Chip land was interesting, after a B-line stall and a bunch of wingovers in punchy air, he put it into Mineral Basin while Bo and Brad went into the Snowbird LZ.
     So off to Inspiration Point we go again. Approaching Inspo, we could see a huge thunderstorm right behind launch. Looks good, you go first! Actually, we will likely not be able to get above 9K, due to high winds aloft.
     The wind was blowing hard at Inspo, and the development out in front of launch was now falling out, so we play the waiting game. Finally a meeting is called at 3pm, and the day is cancelled. Thunderstorms are everywhere, and the wind goes from zero or blowing down to 20. A day of parawaiting, at least it came after three really good ones.
     Back at Kevin Biernacki's house at the north side of Point of the Mountain, we experienced a huge gust front around 7 pm from the south (over the back on this side). Good thing we didn't fly today, the windspeed of this monster was over 40 mph!
 

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