Roldanillo Day 5

My game plan for day 5 was to try and work on my gaggle flying and be a better team player. My starting ability has really improved, partly due to the features of the Compass Cpilot. I started again beautifully, and was positioned well on the first glide. I was behind Brad G who was leading out, and having a nice glide... Most of the gaggle was to my right, either at my same altitude or higher. Not 5 minutes into the first glide, the air mass in front of me seemed to just separate. I found myself in serious sink while Brad, less than 500 meters in front of me, was in zeros or better. The entire gaggle to my right was also doing just fine, but my situation was quickly changing. I couldn't dive back in under the gliders to my right, as the terrain situation wouldn't allow that as a safe move - just nowhere to bomb out in that direction. Instead, I was forced to fall off to the terrain along the valley floor, and then work to get re-established. I took the biggest drilling since I'd been in Roldanillo, also finding the strongest wind I'd experienced as well. I was literally down to almost not penetrating with as much speed as I'd dare to push. I eventually rounded the ridge really low, and started the long process of getting back in the race. It was a struggle, and by the time I had recovered, I was more or less out in the valley, while most of the field had disappeared on course in the mountains. It was slow going from there with no gaggle to work with.

It was another great racing day, and there was no catching up to be done with such talented pilots gaggled up and racing strong. Myself and a few other stragglers brought in the red lantern to goal just barely making it when the sea breeze came in strongly across the valley. It was one of the more tense moments I've had here as I found myself with 3 others on a ridge well into to some light to moderate terrain, with only sketchy hill side lzs as possible landing options. There were better fields out front, but a huge power transmission line was just before. A safe landing became the top priority, so we started ridge soaring to gain enough altitude to go over the back to a safer landing spot. Just when the heart rate was starting to climb, we spotted a gaggle of vultures in front of the ridge who were struggling to keep good form in a huge thermal that was letting go. We all just rocketed to cloud base and were able to make the final glide to goal. I left on a 3 to 1 glide and only had 150 meters or so left over the goal....

From 8th overall to 104th on day 4, and up to 83rd on day 5 - whoo hoo here I come!! The heck with the score - the flying is so beautiful and fun here it's hard to get too bent out of shape on the results.... tomorrows gonna be another great race day!