Day 2

After a great night at Seminole-Lake with live music from Sol Varrion and a very nice dinner from Texas Roadhouse, it was time to go flying again. The day did not disappoint. Sunny skies and a nice breeze greeted the pilots.. Bo Michalowski was out early as the official Seminole=Lake photographer taking pictures of the early sunrise. We are still in corona virus lock down, meaning limited large gatherings and no pilot’s meetings. We did put out coffee and donuts this morning, and they all got taken! It is a different world being at a contest where there is limited personal contact. One of the reasons we find this so enjoyable is that we get to be with friends doing something we love. We are lucky that Seminole-Lake is in a rural area so that the possibility of catching the virus is a little lower. A good number of locals called to see if we actually were having the contest and were happy that their kids come out and watch again.
Seminole-Lake Gliderport is very happy to host one of the best attended contests in the US. We value the support of our neighbors that invest their time to make this event and this location perfect for the contest. There is a couple we owe a lot to, that lives nearby. Billy and Karen put so much time into performing gelcoat repairs, gear door replacements, grid painting and maintaining the property in a manner that is truly outstanding. Ken is our lawn cutting specialist and has received a number of comments on how great the property looks. It’s always better to rig your glider in short grass.
Today, the pilots started launching a little early due to the good weather. Climbs were 3-4 knots to about 4,300 ft at the start. The 2:45hr TAT took us for a tour of southern Florida. First, we went to Myakka Head to the southeast, then Frostproof, Gore, CFI Plant (by Tampa Class B airspace), Grass Roots and Finish. Phil Gaisford set the pace today by winning another day! His raw speed was 65.20mph over 183.44 miles. Second was claimed by fellow Brit, Bob Fletcher with Tom Holloran in third. Overall, the standings are Phil Gaisford in first, Tom Holloran in second and Rich Owen and Ken Sorenson tied in third. The discussion in the office today is when we are going to call a rest day. As you know, this contest is for those of us 55 years old or older. We need our rest. My vote is Wednesday since St Patrick’s Day is Tuesday! Stay tuned.
All of us at Seminole-Lake hope that you and your family are safe and well tonight. We hope to keep you entertained via our posts. If you want additional information about the contest, just let us know.