The AHGA's XC Contest 2009

On July 11,the streamers were out of the N.E. And at 11:40 am and knowing theres a thermal to my left, I cleared Linny off. The glider dropped,with a hard right correction, the flew straight again. I love this stuff. It didn't take long to find a thermal, Mingus Rocks, big time. At start around 600-800 f.p.m. it quickly turned into 1000-1200 p.f.m. lift. Rode it up to cloud base & topped out at 14,000' M.S.L.Flew over to Woodchute Mt.for the first time couldn't for the life of me find a thermal. At 11,900' I desided to go for it straight North. Riding on a good glide, just not finding any thermals. Kept getting lower & lower. Heading for goverment canyon,just crossed the river & low,6,400'. Know desperate for a thermal.Got a light one,hang in there. Yes got it, wasn't much, but gained 2,000'. That got me out of there.Glided West a couple miles to good place to land,in Bear Canyon.Linny was out there in contact & heading my way.Had a good landing right on Perkinsville road,in a 3 to 5 m.p.h. out of the south. Moved the glider off the road, & walked by a Boonsfarm strawberry wine bottle.This brought back some High School memories.Any way this day was a get-up and glide out & land. Thank you Linny for chasing me. It was really nice to drink a cold beer with a on such a hot day.Happy landings,Andy

On July 5 with cloud shadows calling me on my cell,on launch & ready to go. Nicole noticed my drag chute exposed. I had for the first time accidentally pulled the handle.Backed off,slipped off my CG-1000,repacked the chute.It's getting late & I'm the last one left.Back on launch & ready to rock&roll. Clear I'm off,finally at 12:45pm, went to zip up my harness & it blew out. I couldn't believe it,not me, not now. So had no leg support,its going to be colder, hope my leg's don't cramp up on me.Found a thermal,got up to 14,000' M.S.L.Headed N. had a good glide all the way to Wagontire Flat.Down to 7,400' pulled my hook knife out & made two cut's,the zipper then the pull line. Now I could get my leg's out to land,witch didn't sound bad at the time.A few min. later hit a good one to 14,600'. I blanked out the harness problems,and though now is the time to go Balls to the Wall.Linny was passing throught Chino Valley.Headed N.E.over Bill Williams MT,over I-40,up over Hwy.180. Then snagged strong one to 14,800' just past Shit Pot Mt.I was able to glide all the past Cameron. Ran out of film at Gray Mt. Linny was going a great job of keeping up,& our radios were working great. Just past Cameron about a mile & down to 7,200' sniffed out a weak thermal at start.The higher the stronger,now 6-800 F.P.M. up.It had a weard drift to it. Drift East,then head N. back E. again then N. & so on it went. Topped out at 16,200' M.S.L.At 12,000' A.G.L.I didnt have my oxygen,radioed to Linny I'm getting light headed,as I was crossing over the painted desert.I stayed quiet for 10 min. or so,linny got worried,& called me on the radio,hey you O.K. Yes I was trying to hyper ventilate. I was able to stay on glide for a long time.Trying to cut every line,& glide as straight as possible. Came in over Rare Metals,worked light lift along 160. Linny was right under me,great job, Linny.Glided past Greasewood lake,the wind had shifted from the N.W. Glided as far as I could. AT about 400' dropped a smoke bomb,& not sinking much.Kept gliding & looking back at the smoke.At 80' A.G.L. turned left & had a great landing just S. of 160. Could not have flown another 1 tenth of a mile.Linny was back at the smoke & wondered what happened to me. I had dropped below the horizon. What a great flight.Had long glides between thermals,had a Hang 5 chase. There were people in there auto's pulling U-turns to watch me land. Even if Nicole didn't notice my drag chute.I have the ability to dump it at a moments notice. While on glides,I'd fly with my left hand & hold the right side of my harness in to Max. my glides. Thank you very much Linny. Special thanks to Nicole for her help.What can I say I am truely Blessed.I love you guy's & gal's.Happy landing's Andy Rockhold.

Launched at two o'clock got a low save out front . Paul W. and I left strong lift at just under 14,000 went up 89a through rotor sink got back up at sunset crater. All the other lift was broken in the rotor from the S.F. peaks and a bumpy glide out to just inside the Navajo reservation. Watched Andy R. on glide go over and squeak out ten more miles . Carol , Lenny, Andy, Paul, and Bruce C. and I had beers and dinner , Good friends and good flying, My life is truly blessed.
Cheers All D

Launched at 12:30 pm.Shot up to 10,600' Flew S. climbed up to 11,900' flew down Fain rd. Mike A. wasn't far behind, he landed in Dewey & I was able to have a good landing in Mayor. Frank & Mike showed up 30 minutes later. A good first X-C flight for the year.

Sunday, July12 takeoff at 12:10 into mostly cloudy skies. Partly sunny with cu’s in Cottonwood to Sedona and to the rim.
Scratched to 2 grand over with Kris, we were met with rain drops and a light rain shower over Mingus that stranded everyone still on launch. This forced us out into the sun and good lift along the shadow line. We met up with Rick over the west edge of Cottonwood and the three of us made a quick run to Sedona. They both spun down to land at the airport (with lots of complaining about no sink and rough air).

It was an easy decision to head toward Munds Park and easy glide from 13,000 to the golf course and the first meadow west of Mormon Mt. arriving at 2,000 agl, I would not find anymore real lift for the day. Hopped to the next meadow and then on to the very south tip of Mormon lake.

Thanks to driver and former hang pilot Jim Afinowich for chasing.