Memorable Day at Woodrat

[faoro]

Tom Pipkin and I met at 4:45 AM today, with a destination of Medford and our fourth Rat Race. It took several Red Bulls for us to maintain consciousness over the two hour layover in Salt Lake City. It was nothing but cumis all the way from Utah to Oregon. We touched down at noon and headed for launch as soon as we picked up the rental car. Rae Lynn told us conditions were booming at Woodrat. Everyone was flying the 15 miles to Grants Pass on an out and return. They were getting up to 6,000 feet.

That was nothing. Tom and I got a ride up the hill on the shuttle and launched just after 2 PM. Tom took three whacks just off launch and lost 50% of the wing on the side of his "bad wing." We got up to 8-9,000 feet, hooked up with Dean, cruised the bowl and froze our limbs off. We got the distressing news that SA had deployed and crashed in the trees, but the news update late tonight is that he's OK, just bruised or cracked ribs. Don't know whether he'll compete tomorrow. But the conditions were the best ever here in the four years of competition. It all starts tomorrow!

Check Pipkin's reintroduction to mountain flying here:

http://www.Pbase.com/randr_resort/image/61009622.jpg

[Dean S]

The weather has turned ugly on us and the last couple task days were cancelled. Other than that the flying has been unreal. The rest of the week isn't looking too promising for flying up here but I guess it's no worse than June gloom in SB. I only have a few photos for now but I'll post more later.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fllspdahd ... /my_photos

[Forger]

Was 20th after the Day 1 task and was 2nd on the Day 2 task! Awesome job!!!

[Bo]

Had a lot of fun up in Oregon last week with some great flying and a bit of rain. I've posted my pictures at:

http://www.circlinghawk.com/ratrace2006.html

Congrats to Dean and Ben for some great results!

[Ron M]

Nice pics Bo.

You always do a great job capturing the trips you go on. Please keep up your remarkable photo/storytelling work.

Ron

[Dean S]

I posted another 75 shots from the Rat:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fllspdahd ... cd&.src=ph