Driving down Saturday afternoon, I expected to have missed most of the serious fun, but was keen to meet some locals and then hopefully fly on Sunday. I picked up local HG Jason as I turned into Carr Canyon Rd around 5pm and learned the promising conditions forecast hadn’t yet translated into any xc. The hunt was still on then for honor and trophies. I was even more surprised when we reached the campgrounds that no PGs had launched, although I couldn’t find out why as none were around to brief me.

I set up tent and headed to the main campfire to settle in for an evening of tall tales and beer recycling. King Allan, Jerry and Bad Randy rounded out the visitors at camp and together with local HG Randy and his wife, and a few others (apologies for not naming everyone) we had the perfect small group for keeping everyone in the same conversation. Keeping with honored tradition, what’s spoken around the ancient ring of fire stays with the ashes, but it’s always an enlightening experience.

Next morning I crawled out of the car, where I’d taken sanctuary from the cold, around 6am just as the spectre of Bad Randy was drifting by. He said we’re going to watch sun rise, wanna come? Sure I mumbled, clearly not certain of my commitment. As he sprang from bank to bank of a small creek leading to a waterfall, Allan his dog Pearl, and I stumbled along behind. I’m not much on morning strolls, especially before coffee and after a bad night’s sleep, but it was well worth it as the sun creeping over, what I think was, the Chircahua Mts was spectacular. We took the long trail back passing 20ft hills of quartz carved from ground by prospectors a century ago. Thinking of their daily grind makes me feel all the more soft for my earlier hesitation.

Breakfast was a cornucopia of culinary delights -- fresh fruit, eggs, hash browns, hot cakes and, for those interested, an assortment of dead animal parts. My heartfelt appreciation to Randy and his wife for their herculean efforts and steadfast refusal to take money from visitors.
As if on cue, after being well fortified for the day’s real task, the first breezes rustling through camp whispered, it’s time to fly.

Given the previous day’s mysterious grounding of PGs and keen not to miss the morning window, I decided to hike to launch. The wind was coming fairly straight into the SE facing HG launch and holding around 8-10 as the first truck of HGs arrived. Local Randy pointed me towards the PG launches, a few hundred feet further Nth where there was initially a bit of cross and potential rotor from the Sth winds wrapping around an outcrop. We discussed conditions by phone and I agreed that unless things improved I’d be a spectator.

Fortunately the developing thermals strengthened and the cross abated in between cycles, so I set up and enjoyed a smooth launch just after 10am. Initially I stayed in front of the cliff face and found some nice lift to climb a few hundred over. At this point, anything more was gravy. It’s a stunning view in every direction and the slowly building lift was plenty with which to explore the site. Mindful that the border Zeppelin was pointing due Sth, I didn’t venture very far past the HG launch, wary of rotor.

As the thermals became stronger I followed them behind launch a few hundred feet and topped out at 8924ft, 1300 over launch. I’m guessing it was about 40mins into the flight when things began getting a little “sporty”, taking a few 20% asymmetrical collapses and feeling a bit like a cork at sea. I’m not new to big air, but my comfort level was reached and so I pushed out front to see if conditions were calmer on the ridge over the lz. The prevailing Sthly was making it hard to fly due E and forced me to keep correcting to ensure I stayed Sth of Carr Canyon Rd, which I had been warned was the edge of the restricted airspace.

Still +7K over the lz and with no one posting an xc it seemed well worth heading out. I radioed for suggestions and Allan replied that the Copper Top School was the standard first target, so I continued ENE with nothing to lose but elevation. The sink was constant until the houses near E Ramsey and S Mesquite Tree Ln, where a reasonable thermal took me back up to 6K. I drifted Nth with it a little but it disappeared as the Sthly started blasting again. It was strong enough to whip my turns and so I returned to task but now seemed to sink faster. Trying to stay Sth of the houses on E Madera was becoming difficult and eventually required full speed bar facing Sth to keep over the open green space. My flight was soon over, an hour and 5.14 mi from launch (N31 28.437, W110 21.902). Allan arrived soon after I landed to take me back to the lz (under that crusty bag-ist exterior beats a heart of gold).

My moment of basking in a potential outright victory was passed at somewhere around 11K by Bad Randy heading xc. I figure he could have beaten me on glide, but I was much happier that he kept finding lift and I think had his best flight this year. Hopefully he’ll share his experience, but it looked awesome from the smile on his face when Alan and I caught up with him in Benson. On the drive back Randy spoke to Eric Smith, who confirmed that ours were the only two xc flights and so the trophies were waiting.

What a day, what a trophy (my first ever) and what a wonderful weekend. A huge thanks to Eric and everyone at SAHGA, for staging the event and being so welcoming. My humble opinion is that it is on par with Mingus, although obviously the PG launches aren’t quite as manicured. I’d go back with a group anytime anyone is interested and provided they have a heated tent (or we stay in town).

I've posted a couple of photos and look forward to seeing those taken by others.