Arriving in Idaho Falls by plane, I was immediately welcomed to the flying potato state by a local pilot. As I sat waiting for a ride to Arco with my new acquaintance, the yellowjacket promptly stung me on the arm and flew off, presumably to welcome other new pilots with this new technique.
 

Saturday
August 16th

First day of the competition, and the wind was blowing real hard when we woke up. Checking the winds aloft report, we observed that the forecast was for decreasing winds throughout the day.

Pilots meeting was at 8 am this morning, GW gave a good rundown of the comp, then Othar and Frank Gillette gave a King Mountain overview. Very informative. Newer winds aloft forecasts looked even better, so off to launch we all went.

Launch conditions were perfect, so task was called. King Launch to the Arco water tower, then back up the valley to Mackay Airport. Cloudbase was at about 11K, and most pilots went straight to it, some into it!

Down the ridge to Arco, there was a cloudstreet that most of us just bubbled along under, but most got real low at the turnpoint, with a few hitting the deck. Finally the lead gaggle kicked something loose and wound out of there, heading back to King with speed bars pegged.

Crossing the first canyon north of King made me think of the recent hang glider pilot death last month, and most pilots got good and high before making the jump. Cumulus development went all the way to the elbow and beyond, and was now up to over 12K.

After a very low save at Pass Creek where I actually ridge soared at below 7K for about half an hour, I finally connected to lift and climbed into a cloud and went on final.

Sunday
August 17th

Winds are due to come up, so the day was called off. Lots of free flying with the world-class pilots putting on a good show at launch with spiral dives, wingovers and loops all the way over. Now I see how they got the July calendar shot - these guys are really crazy!

A hang glider pilot thermalled too close to the hill and went in face first. He's in real bad shape, and had to be air lifted out to Pocatello. Ratty south wind at launch finally drilled the rest of us, so we went for a swim in the river.

Monday
August 18th

This evening we flew glass off conditions at 7:30 after a really windy day. As the winds started mellowing, we started launching. Slow, easy climbs up the tree covered slope behind launch, the up to the rocky crag outcroppings above tree line. Everywhere you went was lift, smooth glassy air that just lifted you higher and higher.

Watching Frank Gillette starting to head out front, I decided to heed his example and follow. As I flew straight out over launch, I noticed I had decent penetration, although I kept going up! Now over 10K, I looked back and noticed that Mark and Paul Ferguson (Ball Varios) were in big ears! Hmmm, I wonder why they were doing that? Lift was now very strong, and the sun was setting to the west. I pulled ears as well, and someone got on the radio and said that it looked like a Mickey Mouse convention up there!

The pilots that were grovelling below me before had gotten up, and were now following us out front, although they were now much further back. After many minutes in big ears, I realized I wasn't going down, in fact, I was still going up! Stomp on the speed bar, push it all the way and pull another A line, OK now I've got 100 to 200 ft/min sink. Held this while the ears flapped in the wind for about 15 minutes while I watched Josh Cohn do spirals then reverse direction and do a complete loop! Then he just kept on going, another loop, another, Jeez! Watching it from the air was alot different than watching him and the other world-class pilots do it from the ground the day before. He must really set up some G's when he does that!

Paul did a B-line stall, and went back towards the hill with the wind. When he let go, the lift was stronger there, so he gained almost all of the lost altitude back! I let big ears go, and tried a few spirals, but they only drifted me back towards the hill as I climbed! The surge when I pulled out of the spiral pegged my vario at over 1000 ft/min lift. That didn't work so well....

Finally, I got below 8K and the progress got a little better, but a little further on was a shear layer where we all got a bit of rock and roll. As I set up to land I looked at where Frank had landed, and set up for that approach. Big problem - I was going downwind! So I went to the other end of the lower LZ and ran into a headwind! Looked down again, and the dust was going out in a mushrooming pattern in the LZ. As I dropped like a rock, I avoided the area in question ??? and landed a short distance away with a thud, unhurt and glad to be on the ground.

It was nearly dark now, and the pilots who were low early and got up were now dealing with King Mountain's Nuclear Glass-Off! By dark, the last one had landed, and we all were talking about how unusual to be working so hard to get down! Arco was the first city to be powered by nuclear energy, and King Mountain is the home of the Atomic Lapse-Off!

Tuesday
August 19th

Winds aloft report is considerably better, although still expected to be moderate. Launch window opens at 12pm and start tarp at 1pm. Most of the top pilots got off the hill early, although there were no wind dummys to show the way. At first they sunk out in front of launch, but soon they connected and climbed out. Soon the rest of us were in the air and getting up over launch. Start tarp opened when I was about 8K, but I went out and got my photo anyway. Paul and I returned to grovel at launch for another fifteen minutes before we could get out of there.

The rest of the course was a feisty ride of over 70 gps miles (see trace), and much grovelling at Pass Creek again! At the ridge before goal, I had to ridge soar for ten minutes before finally hooking a screamer back to final glide altitude. Then half way to goal, I hit sink and only had a 2.2 to 1 glide. Stomped on the speed bar and found a little high pressure thermal that I could stand the Minoa on its ear in to get some air back under me. I was the second last to cross goal, but I made it! 33 pilots made goal today, a great task!

Wednesday
August 20th

Winds are forecasted to be quite strong again today, but still quite light on the valley floor. Every day, GW still goes to the top to make the call there, although today most pilots waited in the lower LZ for the bad news, since we all expected it anyway. Strong and cross from the left (south), so he calls the day off.

Some of us went to watch a headcam video of the previous days that I had taken. We took over the patio furniture and TV section of Deare's Hardware and gave the proprietor an overview and birds eye view of paragliding. The folks here are real interested and quite nice, although most say they would never do it! Too bad, they don't know what they're missing.

Thursday
August 21st

Although today's weather was a near carbon copy of yesterday, there were indications of lighter winds and better conditions. The cycles were very light at launch, switching from south to west to north and sometimes going completely dead. Task was called from the LZ up the valley to Billboards and back to the LZ again, about 35 miles.

Launches were relatively late since the cycles were so light, and much scratching was done to connect to altitude. Finally most pilots got over the top of King Mountain before the start tarp was opened, and the race was on. Since the previous days were no problem getting up out in front from low down, many of us headed out early without much altitude, and there were many landings at the mouth of Ramshorn Canyon, only about 3 miles north of launch. I pulled in quite low, but managed to ridge soar again until a thermal came through. Climbing up with Paul and a few others, I left early again when the thermal got ratty, but that was my big mistake.

Today, altitude was your friend, and those who got high and stayed high did much better. I went where there was always lift on previous days over the rocks and knolls, but there was not enough there to sustain me and out onto the flats I went low to land in the elbow. I was not alone though, with at least a half dozen pilots landing within a mile, and later we found out - many more. Chase arrived some time later, and back to the goal we headed to watch the race.

Todd Bibler was out in front, and we watched him as he was drilled from a nice comfortable altitude to the deck only a mile or so from goal. Someone was just behind him, but they turned back to work something, only to land even further back! Next out of the clouds was Walter Neser, and we were amazed at his glide across the face of the last outcropping into a small canyon behind our view, then finally across the face of the ridge in front of launch onto the spine, where he picked up enough air to cross goal.

Chris Mueller was next, and Robbie Whittal came screaming across a few minutes later on a flame (intermediate glider!). Top three spots all taken by foreigners! About ten minutes later, someone spotted another red glider way high, and we watched as Chris SantaCruz produced collapse after collapse, then big ears, then more whacks as he pushed the speed to goal. He was the last to cross, although we watched more get really close, only to fall short from the headwind. Someone went behind the ridge in Ranshorm Canyon, and later we heard they got whacked real hard in the rotor!

Will Gadd told Mike Foster and I about an episode he had in the air where he took the wrap off his brake on the right side to be ready to grab his reserve, but ended up working it out. Maybe he'll write about it. Chris described taking a "break" up high back near Pass Creek where he sat back, trimmed his glider slower and ate a power bar, thinking that the next section was going to be WORK! He was right, but he made it. All in all, a good flying day, just a real challenging task!

Many of us went up again later for the glass-off, and ended up getting a real sweet flight in smooth air ridge soaring the ridge along the very top of King Mountain! We then headed out to Moore for a town-sponsored barbeque at the park. Most of us made the glide to within a block or two of the park, watching the sunset as we came out. Great BBQ with a near full attendance by pilots and drivers.

Friday
August 22nd

The forecast for today was slightly milder than yesterday, so a very long task was called. King LZ to Challis Airport - A race to goal! Distance is some 70 miles up the valley with a slight summit crossing. I was not going to make the same mistakes that I made yesterday. I took off early and got high over King with the gaggle, but left when they drifted back deep, and went to the other side of launch and got up there, since the start tarp was going to be slightly less upwind. Flew out with Walter when the tarp opened, and got it done within five minutes.

Back to King again to get up while the lead gaggle turned and headed for the Ramshorn Creek crossing directly from their tarp photo. I wanted the extra insurance of altitude, and soon had it. On the second ridge, the air was rowdy, but about half way down, the chimney cut loose and some of us climbed out to over 14K. That made crossing the elbow much better than the day before.

Unfortunately, Bill Belcourt had gone down on the red face cliff area just west of Pass Creek, and Robbie, Todd, Will, Josh, and Chris landed to assist him. The chopper was called, and he was airlifted out after bieng carried down the hill. The last we heard, he has a broken neck, and will be in a halo for three months. Our chase told me that everything was handled, so I kept going around the corner and up the valley.

The wind was from the southwest, and rather strong on the deck. I opted to stay high, and was glad since so many were landing east of Mackay. The going was easier after Castle Peak, and at Willow Creek Summit, I got up to 15,600 feet. I must have been hypoxic, because if I had used my oxygen, I think I would have made better decisions (like never leave lift!). I flew out from under a cloud that was still 2000 ft above me and proceeded to glide out and land about 13 miles short of goal. Only three pilots had made goal, with a few more between me and Challis.

I flew with Mark Telep for a short time, but he drifted further back than I was comfortable with. I should have stuck with him because later I saw him headed for goal while I was landing. Mark was not in the competition, but I'm sure he had a great flight! I sure did, but there was one big problem - I flew for so long that my chase crew had drank all the beer! I suppose I can't complain though, they did pick me up only ten feet from where I landed! My thanks to the Ball Varios Team.

Saturday
August 23rd

We wanted to fly. We went up the hill to fly. But the weather was not cooperating. We woke up to thunderstorms and lenticulars, but by 9am, the sky was clear. So off to the hill we went. Lennies off in the distance confirmed Wiggy's Weather Report of high winds aloft - 43 knots at 18K. On King launch, the wind was cross from the left and even sometimes east. After about an hour, the day was called off and we went back to the lava caves - this time with flashlights! We crawled through some very tight passages that almost got some of us stuck!

At 7:30, GW Meadows proceeded with the awards ceremony, and the volleyball, footsack and frisbee games had to be suspended. I did manage to get into the top 20, and enjoyed it when GW recognized us to the group. The results for the top places will be posted at GW's site as soon as he can get it done, but here's the top dogs:

First Place: Othar Lawrence
Second Place: Robbie Whittall
Third Place: Dave Bridges
Women's First Place: Mary Anne Karren

Othar won both the National Championship, and the Open Competition. Congratulations Othar! Great flying!!

Looking back on the week of flying at the nationals, I have thoughts for those who have considered it, but decided against it. Even if you do not consider yourself an accomplished competition pilot, coming to the Nats is even better than attending a thermal or cross-country clinic. Here's why:

1. Every morning, you have the best minds analyzing the weather. The winds aloft forecasts are given, along with explanations of what they mean (for those who this is new information). The soaring index is often obtained, as well as the cloudbase estimates, general forecasts and developing trends. Pilots who have experience with the site offer their input as to whether the day will be flyable, marginal or unsafe for our chosen recreation.

2. On launch, there is a flight task commitee comprised of some of the best pilots. They design a task specific to the day, taking in mind the prevailing winds, expected altitudes and physical terrain on the site. It is usually a challenging test of skill, and each day is progressively more difficult. They also call a day if it is unfavorable for flying. They are not trying to see if you have the balls to fly in rowdy air, but rather giving us the best chance to demonstrate our ability.

3. Once in the air, you willl be flying with the finest pilots there are in the US, and often with the best pilots in the world. The decisions they make, how they fly, where they go, follow them and learn from them. If they are going where you are not comfortable going, stay out front or wherever you feel you are safe, but watch them.

4. After you've landed, the group is constantly discussing the day, the conditions, what so-and-so did here, how I got up with a low save there, what was working, and what wasn't. There's often an abundance of cold beer, and lots of post flight activities for fun.