The AHGA's XC Contest 2009

Launched at 10:25 AM. GOt good lift right in front of and a little to the East of launch. (Two locals with me, I was top of the stack. ) Worked it up, little bumpy to 3500 then smoother to 4999. Encouraged by "If you go we'll chase", I headed out ESE, sorta diverging away from the hill. No significant lift untill I hit the boundary of the park and the houses, got me back to ceiling. Crossed I-10 at the 202 on glide and it looked like I was going to dirt a mile or two past there. First low save! At the edgo of a blacktop parking lot and a ball field, i was geting ready to set up to land and hooked a clean, mid-strength thermal at 1900. Went round in circles for what felt like 10-15 minutes and got back to 4000. Went back across I-10 towards the South end of Firebird Lake, hoping to get up and get gone, but it was not to be. Decided I didn't want to land on that side of the freeway and since I got some lift over I-10, I headed for a field north of Queen Creek Rd. Set up thinkingwind at surface was the same as wind aloft. It wasn't and I ended up landing downwind.