Am 17.01.10 21:36, schrieb Jim Logajan:
I'm afraid I still don't see anything in the sentence I quoted and what you
write above that are mutually exclusive in such a way as to indicate the
quoted sentence is "wrong."

Funny. If you don't understand the difference between the bottom and the
top of the next thermal, then I strongly suggest that you profit from
these cold days and read Reichmann's "cross country soaring" again.

seems sufficient to answer the OP's question. However, a Google
search for the term by the OP, if he had bothered to even try it,

Considering who was the OP, I strongly assume that he wasn't even
looking for an answer at all.

The FAA handbook's brief discussion seems adequate (IMVHO) for definitional
purposes.

How can a wrong definition be adequate?

What would you recommend as authoritative that defines the term to your
satisfaction?

The abovementioned Helmut Reichmann's "cross country soaring" would be a
perfect starter. (Since the book was written 1975 (translated to English
1978) you may consider it somewhat vintage, but on this side of the pond
it's still considered *the* standard, and as such it's regularily
reprinted.)