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Ron Faoro (The Spin Doctor)
Saturday, 2/4/12

Nuthouse Yo-Yo

Article copied from http://scpa.info/bb/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2413

Loserville

Hey, fantastic flights for the Big 5! But what about those other guys? Bob H. and I struggled up the hill in the midday heat. Bob's fatigue and diabetic worries turned him around at the one-third point. The sight of gliders specked above 6K heading westbound kept me crawling up the trail, but I was spent when I popped over the top at launch, looking at Sparky, Sundowner and Not-So-Taliban Chris all suited up and ready to go. It was just before 11:30 AM. Then the disappointment, horror and gasps as Truax and Pipkin went up and down in the washing machine, front loader style. SD pulled off a save in an unlikely spot: middle of the low ridge right across the canyon from launch - straight to 5K or more. That made Chris G. launch at the magic spot - 11:45 - and took the house thermal up and over the 33 while Tom P. found the Nuthouse parking lot.

Only me and Robin (not flying) left on launch. Auspicious conditions, watching Chris G. Robin helped me get off just 20 minutes after Chris (I was still in the bag, stupidly). Ripping now at launch and hard to just keep the wing on the ground, the wind and thermals whipping it around. Cravatted right wing tip told me the day I was going to have after launching. Got that figured out as I sunk, screaming over the back, up the canyon. Then managed to fight my way back to launch against the east wind. Hooked a strong thermal to 3,700 and started across the canyon, but it was too low and still in the draw up the canyon. Had enough to go to Spine One, where I was smacked sideways, lost 500 feet to almost terrain level in 30 seconds as my friends disappeared toward White Ledge. Then began an hour of not knowing even which way the thermals were drifting, whether they were even thermals or just wind and hot bubbles and not getting back above 3,600. Without a doubt, the most frightening air in my experience. Frontals, wing behind me, parked, falling - everything but organized lift. I kept thinking the day would mellow and organize, but I never left the blender. Must have been the new wing!

Persistence didn't pay off and then came the fun part of being whipped every which way, popped up and down as Bob and Tom stopped traffic on the 33 and I tried to find safe haven. The landing was just as scary as the flight. Thank God John and Susan Kloer had plenty of beer in the fridge and helped put that nasty wing back in its bag.