Top finishers in sprint Class (women): Martina, C.J., Sarah, Susan, DebbieI think it might be C.J.'s ninth consecutive year of attending the Rat Race, a paragliding competition held at Woodrat Mountain in southern Oregon near Medford. Many of the regulars at this meet are convinced that it's the next best thing to a guided paragliding tour to a foreign country: expert advice, rides to launch and retrieves, good flying every day, not to mention snacks, drinks, and parties.. Even better, for us, is that C.J. pays the entry fee and I piggyback the same benefits by working part-time as a volunteer.
17 Jun, Fri - We left home around 0930 (but then turned around to pick up our collapsible water jug, expected to be needed if we camped at Whaleback after the meet), got gas at Covington, picked up a replacement radio antenna at HRO in Tigard, gassed up in Eugene, and arrived at HQ around 1815. We filled out all the forms and waivers, bought our Woodrat annual visiting pilots membership ($30) and drove out to Barbara's yurt. This year there was a real bed and the ceiling and floor had been insulated. The fly in the ointment was the ants under the pillow, a real nest of them with eggs and all. We dumped them outside and put our sheets and covers on the bed. Even with the new insulation it was pretty chilly with the temperature in the 40's.
18 Jun, Sat - Practice day. There were lots more pilots than Mike, the meet organizer, had expected, but with a full-size school bus plus a number of private vehicles we all got to launch. I took off about 1150 with rain visible to the west. There was very little lift and I landed 12 minutes later along with Dave Wheeler, Brad Gunnuscio, Matty Senior and a few others. C.J. landed as I was finished packing my gear. We got back to the HQ and then drove to Costco in Medford for lunch and for C.J. to get her glasses adjusted and new clip-ons for me. We also picked up some ant spray at Fred Meyer and then went back to HQ for some meetings at 1800. After the volunteer meeting (I'm in charge of garbage removal at HQ and have some other short-term jobs) and pilot meeting we had a baked potato dinner at HQ then drove back to the yurt.
19 Jun, Sun - Since parking at HQ was limited, Mike requested that some people park at Fiasco Winery and take the shuttle to HQ. We got up and left the yurt early enough to catch the last shuttle in time for the pilots meeting. We put our wings in a former bread truck and rode up in one of two full-size school buses after the meeting. I launched early (around 1145) during the pilot meeting. I sank from the N launch then got up above take-off over the main spine. I lost the thermal and sank to mid-launch where three wings were climbing. I didn't seem to be able to coordinate with them and tried other areas but did not find lift. Over the LZ I found strong lift for a moment but ended up landing into the wind uphill to the east. All the other pilots landed right after I did. I walked over to Fiasco to pick up the car. Then I hung around HQ, checked email, visited with Martin, USHPA Exec Dir. C.J. showed up around 1630 having made goal at Hart LZ. We returned to the yurt to wash up then at 1800 went to Cantrall-Buckley Park for a benefit dinner. We thought the Cuban sandwiches and two fresh salads were very good, but not everyone agreed. We had a chance during dinner to catch up on what our friend Scott Ernst from NM has been doing. He reported no flying in NM due to high winds, and no Alamagordo fly-in this year). Back at the yurt we did the best we could to repair C.J.'s blown-out speedbar loop - should hold together until we can buy or borrow a replacement.
20 Jun, Mon - We parked at Fiasco and shuttled again but there were only a few pilots that did. We were all up on launch by 1030 and I took off around noon (about 15 min before the Race) from N launch, worked the spine with a few others then left for Woodrat peak. I got to 5200' w/o any gaggle and crossed to RabiesLW on 1/4-bar arriving slightly above the ridge. There was no lift until I passed the cell tower on the way to Fiasco and then I climbed to over 4K and went to Rabies. There was no lift to tempt me to do the WoodLN-Rabies-Burnt-Rabies-HartLZ task. I went back to the cell tower and climbed again to over 4K, flew toward FlyAir then crossed SR 238 along the Cantrall-Buckley Road, then S to Longsword Winery for about 53 min. I ate lunch there with some Spanish red wine then got a ride back to Fiasco after watching the two big gaggles (160 pilots in the two-part meet this year) merge as the Race pilots returned to WoodPK while the Sprint pilots swarmed above WoodLN waiting for the start clock. C.J. made most of the course but had to land 4 km short of the goal. I hung out at HQ, napped, emptied some garbage and later sat in on Jeff Farrels"comp mindset" mentoring session (Remember "Whatever!" for collapses, and "being Gumbi"). I helped setup and serve dinner (the scholarship fundraiser), dumped some more garbage and then we returned to the yurt about 2100.
21 Jun, Tues - This morning there was a free pancake breakfast at Fiasco followed by the a.m.
pilots meeting at 0830. A lunch of BLT sandwiches was served on launch by the Hangar Crew, a group of retired men, friends of Mike and Gail. I took off at 1215 and thermalled along the spine with others getting to 4400, crossed to the cell tower near RabiesLW but did not find consistent lift and went out to land at a thermally Longsword LZ after 35 min. I ate lunch there in the shade then walked to Fiasco, returned to LONSWD for my wing then hung out at Fiasco until C.J. called on "memory 24" to say she had landed in the LZ. [C.J. had had a big collapse high over Woodrat, on recovery the wing had surged far in front and below her. She fell though and the wing reinflated and she flew away and continued flying for a while.] We returned to the HQ and hung out until time for Jeff's mentoring session then went to Las Palmas in Jacksonville for the Mexican buffet. We visited with Rick "Doc" Shallman and Maryanne and Bob Peloquin of Santa Barbara at our table. Back to the yurt by 2130
22 Jun, Wed - Only the four of us Humbug residents showed up at Fiasco to park and take the shuttle. The advantage was that we got to leave our gear on the white bus shuttle and take that to launch a little earlier than was the case with riding the school bus. I launched north and got up ; at 4800+ I crossed to RabiesLW on bar. I arrived low and caught a thermal and worked back up to 4K and flew back toward Rabies until I got down to 3.6K. Then I turned around and headed back to the tower in choppy air. From the tower I went west a short distance, not even to the next ridge. Suddenly my wing fell behind me and I fell back: a full stall! I did not think or react fast enough (or even remember the right move) to hold the wing in the stall until it stabilized. Instead, the wing inflated, flew forward and down in front of me and I fell through the lines, just as C.J. had the day before. The wing inflated with a really loud CRACK and started to spin to the right. I went "hands up" and then added right brake to recover without a big pendulum. Back in normal flight mode everything looked okay and I flew for another ten minutes without finding any good lift before going out to Fiasco where I set up across the creek 
and landed in the parking lot extension safely away from the power lines. No one was around so I hung out in the shade and ate lunch before driving back to HQ. C.J. rode down when the task was stopped for the Race and cancelled for the Sprint group after the winds picked up strongly. While I was at Fiasco I watched many wings flying overhead on the way to land at LONSWD, the goal for the day. Later we attended Jeff's mentoring session and then went to Mike (Steed) and Paula's wedding party at Fiasco. There was a great catered dinner with Fiasco wine and a crowd of mostly pilots.23 Jun, Thu - We found no lack of parking at HQ when we arrived at 0815 for the 0830 pilots meeting (which started late). On launch lunch was hot dogs grilled by the same Hangar Crew. I launched around noon and was able to thermal by myself getting up to almost 5000'. The second time, above MID, I crossed to RabiesLW on quarter bar but I was really nervous about any twitching of my wing and after only a short time returned to land at Hunters LZ with Maryanne P. We got a ride back to HQ with Dillon and I hung out there the rest of the day until C.J. arrived. Then we went to Fiasco for a catered BBQ ribs/fried chicken dinner by McKee Bridge. We headed back to the yurt early enough for us both to get cleaned up.
24 Jun, Fri - Chris A. had been staying at the yurt with us since the second night but last night he stayed in town after picking up Patricia who would be joining us. After another 0830 meeting we had Andrew, the new RR photographer, set up a group photo (small part of the group with C.J., left). Then, getting to launch early, I took off and got up enough to cross to Burnt (first turnpoint/start cylinder). I came in above the TP and worked spotty lift until a sink cycle put me below the ridge. I went to the bare spine and caught a good one that got me to 5000+, then I crossed to RabiesLW. I didn't find anything there; it may have been too early. Back at Hunters LZ I hit an unlucky thermal and landed downwind fast enough to have to do a PLF roll.25 Jun, Sat - Last day of the Rat Race. The meeting was at 0900 and once we got up to launch I took off at noon and got up on the spine above MID. I crossed to RabiesLW but lift was broken and rough. I got up twice before leaving to fly past FlyAir and then south over the low ridge across the Applegate R near Cantrall-Buckley. LONSWD was my final landing zone and I hung out there for a while, ate lunch and then caught a ride with a Portland pilot who was a friend of Hakan, Dwayne, Law, et al, back to HQ. While I was checking email Gail asked me to drive the Civil van and I made a couple of runs to LONSWD to pick up those who had made goal (or just landed there).
Later we had a lasagna dinner, live music by The Hired Guns, beer and margaritas before the awards ceremony. C.J. got two certificates - one for being in the top five women in the Sprint and one for being on the winning team (Team WWCJD - all pilots who had CJ as their initials -or JC in Josh Cohn's case). C.J. passed up a chance for a t-shirt as a prize and instead got what she really wanted - a new speed bar. I continued to try to keep the garbage cans from overflowing and also did some dinner cleanup and dishwashing. We headed for the yurt around 2200. Chris and Patricia weren't far behind.
(Photographer Andrew, Dean Stratton, Chris A, Josh Cohn, Rich Hass
Marty Divietti, C.J., Mike Haley, and CJ Brockway)
26 Jun, Sun - We didn't sleep in late because all the yurters were meeting CJ(b) and Derek in Jacksonville for breakfast. We cleaned up the yurt and went to the Mustard Seed where we had quiche and scramlets on the patio. Chris treated everyone (including Vikram from TX and a HG from Elsinore) at the table! Then Chris and Patricia caravanned with us up the scenic route to Crater Lake (after stops to buy fresh strawberries at the field, and gas at Costco). At the entrance (where there was a slow line of cars) we switched passengers so we could use our "golden geezer" cards for free admission.
Snow was piled up alongside the road where we stopped for a cookie break and was several feet deep at Rim Village where we got some photos from the overlook. Chris and Patricia continued on alone since they had to get back to Seattle for work on Monday 
while we meandered around stopping at several (snow-covered) viewpoints. Then we descended from the rim (east rim drive was not open) and took US 97 north toward Bend. At a stop for lunch near LaPine (Gilchrist Mall) we called the Rotis and got an invitation to join them for dinner and stay the night. In Bend we made our usual stop at the Outlet Mall and C.J. found a new rain parka at Columbia while I found some heavily discounted cargo pants at Eddie Bauer. Dinner was lots of fun with Steve and Tina and some of Tina's friends - delicious food and wine including buffalo burgers.pork loin, appetizers, salads, and cucumbers in rice wine vinegar. The shower and Murphy bed was also much appreciated.27 Jun, Mon - We drove home through Central Oregon, stopped at a WA State Park 25 mi N of the border for lunch, got gas and groceries at Costco in Union Gap. We stopped at a couple of fruit stands but didn't buy the expensive early cherries. We were home by 1600.
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