Barb ,

Perhaps "routine" isn't the right word, as like you, it's not something I
see our fellow (local) pilots doing. I have however heard several of them
talk about contests where the only way to a particular turnpoint was to fly
a stretch with no known landing options from the top of the lift, and I
*have* heard at least a couple of them talk about "no option" situations
they knowingly entered. (There are parts of GW's flight from Turf to
Moriarty in April where I have no idea where he could have landed without
another thermal, and I recall him mentioning something to that effect in his
discussion of that remarkable flight.)

Of course, I've participated in only one sanctioned contest, so the
frequency that competitive pilots (not to be confused with me!) actually do
this, and how they handle it, is something I have to accept at face value
from other competitors.

-ted


"BMacLean" wrote in message
news:zJMWc.60231$wo.50491@okepread06...
I fly with the same group as you Ted and I wonder where you get the idea
that it is "routine" to fly with no landing options, even in hardcore
competition. I don't believe this to be the case and I agree with Eric.
I
have found that when a pilot is relating a story of some scary situation
they got themselves into and I ask them where they would have landed, 99%
of
the time they have an answer.

Barb