Sunday, September 25, 2005

Canungra Classic Begins

Hi well after a long two weeks of flying before the comp it finally started yesterday. There are about 70 pilots here competing from all over Australia and even the world. We had an opening ceremony friday night and we were all blessed with a 6 feet wedge tailed eagle that flew in and opened the comp. Today he might even be our windtech on launch then the owner will try to go for a tandem flight so that he for the first time will be able to soar with his eagle. Well the first day brings us light nw winds so we all raced up to mount Tamborine and set up and prepare for battle. The task comittee consisting of Rohan, Davo and I set a 72km semi trianlge with goal being just in front of takeoff for a nice short retrieve. The Climax boys all started at 12:30pm and then Atilla, Dave seib and I among many others did the 12:45pm start at around 3,000 ft. After a couple of thermals Atilla and I were out in front leading our start, then infamous Dave comes blazing back in below us and climbed up to our height in a good thermal. We decide to cross over to the next ridge where the c4 boys will climbing up some 10kms still from the first TP. I came in about 500 ft below them and hit a 700up and climbed straight through them and the inversion for the first time getting to 4,500 ft. We all topped out and then made another valley crossing to the TP finding a 500 up about 3kms short we all stopped and topped up again. I lead out to the TP then once I rounded I went back to the ridge where I hit another good climb. Dave seib came in just below me and kept heading up the ridge toward the 2nd TP getting lower and lower untill bang he hits agood one. By the time I get there he is about 500 ft higher than me and pushed on again I hung back a little then he hit another good one just down the ridge, so I pushed on and cstarted climbing up below him. The rest of the gaggle had gotten high behind us and will now catch up and come in at the same height as me 10kms from the last TP. Dave pushed on low to the last TP and also Atilla who was out in the valley a little more. I followed and rounded the last TP then I saw dave hit another good climb a couple of kms after the Tp so I quickly glided there but was now about 1500 ft below him and Atilla. We all crossed onto mount Mahomet but did not get any lift untill the foot hills on the NE side where Davo Staver who had been out in front all day after an earlier start hit a good climb. By the time I got there it was not that good but was forced to climb as we were anticipating a sea breeze at goal. We all went on one more glide toward the Chicken shed ridge and found a climb about 10kms out from goal. Dave seib was first to go on final and beat Atilla in by over 3 minutes with Davo next in followed by Cameron tunbridge, Adam parer then me some 6 minutes behind Dave seib. I think there were 11 pilots that made goal including Rohan holtkamp, John Stricland, tony G and Missy. Well that is all for today it is time to go fly the 2nd task now.
Thursday, September 15, 2005

Home Again!!!

Well after a long trip I finally arrived home to some good flying. I think that is just what I needed to get over the jetlag. I arrived back at home thursday night and woke up friday morning and decided I should go for a fly. It was a light westerly so I went upto to Tamborine and set up. I took off and climbed out with big jon and I decided to go over the back towards the Gold Coast and then fly up the east side of Beechmont over my house then to launch. It was a great day with cloudbase about 5,000ft I continued heading into the Lamington National Park crossing over into the Oreilly's guest hose then glided out into the Lost World. I got low there so I turned around and headed back to Canungra and landed next to my car for a nice 75kms round about through the beautiful mountains that this area has to offer. After landing I had just enogh energy to drive home and go to bed so that I could get up and do it again tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Changhi Airport

Well I have to say this is by far the nicest airport I have come across in my many travels. It has everything you could imaging from fee internet and games, movies, swimming pool, massages, hotel and lots of good food and shops to make the 6 hour wait go by very fast. I just had a nice long hot shower and a late lunch at a vegetarian indian cuisine. I only have 2 hours left to wait now before the last flight back home!!!

Almost Home

So after a couple of long nights in Sao Paulo with Menin I boarded the plane in route for London. Some 12 hours later I arrived in Heathrow airport where I stayed in transit for another 5 hours before boarding my singapore airlines flight to Singapore. I have now just arrived after another 13 hours of fun. I think that this would have to be the best airlines I have flown with so far, the meals are great the service is really good and I even managed to get a whole row of 4 seats to myself. If that is not good enough you then also have you own tv with about 30 movies to choose from and you can start them anytime you want. This was great but I had to decide between staying awake watching movies or making use of my perfectly flat bed. they also have free wireless internet on board but you need your own laptop!! UMM I guess that will have to be next toy. Anyway I am going to check out this airport and maybe even the swimming pool for a nice relaxing swim.. talk to you all soon..
Sunday, September 04, 2005

Survived Rio

After a long couple of nights in Copacabana drinking and partying we went for a nice sightseeing tour. I took Gabor to the take off and then we went along the top of the mountains surrounding Rio to the big Christo that stands 700m above the ocean below. We took lots of photos and then decided to head back down to the big city before it got dark. Stupid me did not look at the map before leaving and about 15 minutes later we were driving through a favela in the back streets of centro, one of the worst spots in Rio. After some adrenilin pumping sights we finally made our way back into the beach of Copacabana. we stayed one more night there then went and stayed with Marcelo who lives on the top of takeoff in small little hut. We did some sightseeing of the beaches to the west and it was very beautiful. Marcelo decided that he wanted to take us on a favela tour the worst one in town just next to the takeoff. It was 1 am in the morning and we got stopped by the police and searched even before we entered the favela. He then persisted and took us into the deepest darkest streets of Rio untill we went past anotehr police man going down a one way street the wrong way. They quickly pulled out the automatic guns and stopped us dead in our path. Once again there was a full on search all of us out of the car hands in the air, a full body search and also the car inside and out. The police asked what we were doing in the favela's at this hour of the morning and Marcelo told them that we were Aussies and he wanted to take us on a tour. Well the police told him that he was absolutely crazy and that we should not have been there at any time of the day let alone at 1 am.. Once we got out of there alive we ended up at a street party with hundreds of people and we had a couple of drinks before returning home still in one piece. We now just did the 5 hour drive to Sao Paulo were we are staying at Menins house so gabor can have one last party before jumping on the plane tomorrow to return back to the great land of OZ..