wrote:

have already enjoyed some wonderful thermals in the southwest (USA).
But I think I've had only a few that averaged 10+ knots for more than a
few thousand feet. (I've had a couple that averaged ~8 knots from 1500'

Are you aware that here where I fly the average thermal is between 1 and
4 knots and the average working altitude something like 1500 feet? (If I
get a 30 knotter for a couple of thousand feet, then it's usually within
a cloud.) But nevertheless, we routinely fly 300 km and more.

Stefan