To Know and Not to Act is Not to Know

Here's Rich Deadwood helping me extract my Zulu from the pine bushes behind launch at Blue.

How did it get there? Well, the first stupid thing I did was decide that despite the fact that it was strong, gusty and cross from the north, I would launch in a lull. When I got on the box it was too strong to launch but I wasn't having any trouble holding my wing down. Then it got a little stronger and I had to really work to keep the wing on the ground. Then it lulled and I thought: "I should take this opportunity to gather up my glider and stand down".

But, for some stupid reason I didn't act on that thought, instead I just made sure I had a good grip on my C risers. Then it gusted again, just as I began stupidly teasing the A lines to get a nicer wall. Of course the gust and my pointless A line tweaking made the Zulu jump right up off the ground, taking me with it. I lifted off for a moment facing backwards while yanking my Cs before I touched back down on my feet a little ways up the hill. As the wing deflated, it fell into the nice arrester bush right behind launch. Pretty slim punishment for making so many bad judgement calls in a row.

After I got the Zulu untangled the winds picked up even more, so Rich and I went home. On the positive side: now my wing smells piney fresh.