[LASS Soaring] "Icon Rules at Cincy Today!"

[GordySoar at aol.com]

It was the best of days and the worst of days....
 
Cool and breezy to start the day off.
 
30 pretty darn good pilots, Icons, Sharons, Perfects,Supras, a lot of  
Supras...one or two Shadows,  Pike Superiors and the usual other  suspects.
 
MOM, and the new Mark Mech spliceless line...its about the same diameter as  
clothes line, no stretch at all, and faultless.
 
Soar club's own Karl Miller AKA IconMan was in the zone.  He was  focused and 
cool (most of us were having him keep our drinks in his  pockets  he was so 
cool today.
 
He flew his own air, and made perfect decisions flying his Icon.
 
The air began to change to clear with less breeze around noon, and with it  
some crazy air cycles.
 
I think it was third round, I was hanging in the top group, about 50points  
off the leader, figuring I'd make my move in the later rounds when I launched  
into something weird that caused me to pop off.  They had announced that  
first round would allow one popoff each (since we weren't used to this line),  but 
I was tired from airline flights and not much sleep, so forgot about that  
goofy rule, and yelled out "There's MY popoff" hit turned the plane, hit the  
landing flaps when I was reminded that I had to fly it out....for about 58  
seconds :-(
 
Needless to say that shot me down into the basement ;-)
 
At the end of 6 rounds I had clawed my way back to 6th place, behind Karl,  
Paul Siegel, Rudy Siegel, Ben Roberto and Dave Campbell.
 
Paul, Rudy, Ben and Dave were flying Supras!
 
While I had a world class save for a skyout and max, it was really Dave  
Campbell who clearly raised his game. He pulled most of the flights out of the  
dumpster, subdivisions and other potential catastrophes to earn his IronBalls  
medal.

Most of the guys who hang in that lower to middle group showed that  they 
have the right stuff to move up today, I saw some fantastic stick  work.
 
Steve Meyer flew his Perfect and Supra really well, Cap'n Jack, while a  
little out of practice showed that LSF5 definitely teaches you how to read  air.  
He was flying his new Perfect too.
 
Young Chicago prodigy Jeff Walters flying a Pike Superior was also amazing  
and fun to fly with.  He was calling for me when I did my big save.   Rich 
Burnowski in his mentor and it clear that he has been paying  attention.
 
Our own Tony Utley decided to practice for RES instead of contesting with  an 
Unlimited ship, flying his favorite AVA.  Louisville is lucky to have  him as 
a team mate, he is moving forward on the learning curve at mach  speed. 
Launches and landings were text book and his points showed it.
 
Every pilot flew some great rounds, we started at 10am and ended about  6:30, 
so plenty of flights.

Huntsville's bubba came up towing Don Richmond a lot, but had some good  
flights and some not so good flights, and both had a great time.
 
Wish you could have been there!  Tomorrow's another day of soaring,  but I'm 
on Honey Do's, flying out to New Orleans on Monday.
 
Gordy
next stop F3J in the Rockies!
 
 
 
 



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