Day 4 tour 3

The day looked nice enough, but I'm hoping for significantly more sun. 

I had a massage last night right before bed and it was amazing.  Playing with my 8 and 9 year olds really took its toll on me in the month before arriving here. Fortunately Martha is skilled in chiropractic, deep tissue, and who knows what else. I had no idea how messed up my poor neck shoulder and back has been. She gave me a full hour and I felt like new after nearly coming to tears with the needed work. She assured me my next visit would go easier for me. I completely trust that to be true.  I will see her again the day after tomorrow. 

Last night while I was sleeping better than ever, at around 1 am Juho woke to a burglar stealing his two phones, computer, sunglasses and headphones!

He gave chase and then ran to the reception to summon the police. This is a first for our many years staying here. The police examined the video surveillance and asked for some money from Juho to expedite the apprehension, driving to the suspects residence and recovering all but the headphones. Marité and her mother Teche talked with the police and wanted better results and a refund of the "bribe". 

Juho wasnt the only one it seemed as several of the Swiss pilots, also staying at the hotel reported missing smartphones that have not yet been recovered. 

Boris was driving for Flacko today as he is home with some bruised or cracked ribs after stumbling and falling against a branch while trying to help rescue our treed pilot from yesterday. He was ok and met us on retrieve later today. 

I'm flying tandem with a newer pilot named Joe today and am taking nothing for granted as usual.  We have many incidents so far and virtually no injuries. We will be on high alert to keep it together for the final days. 

The day looked the best so far this week. 

Brian took to the sky first on tandem with Juho since he had been up all night. 

Marité and Crhris launched soon after and the day officially started (after longer than usual waiting again today).  Many others launched and then the sky darkened and made soaring difficult and forced everyone to be patient once again

Once the sun came out again, big cloud development grew behind our mountain to the north, threatening to rain near or on Laa Unión. 

Joe and I finally launched late with Rob and Dave, waiting on an up cycle to get away from the hill. We went right to cloud base and moved into position on the end of the ridge as the others who had been low and struggling finally started to climb out in the now full sun. 

Dave reported rain as did Randy who is in my group. I asked that all pilots top out their climbs and glide to the valley to avoid getting too close to the growing clouds behind us. 

Everyone pushed out to the flats and some landed right away while others got weak climbs that eventually allowed some of us to continue on to Zarsal.  Brian and Juho landed on the bumblebee tandem and kept us appraised of the deteriorating sky and wind conditions on the surface. 

Janelle landed below me and Randy opted to spiral down to keep her company though he had the option to climb out and go on glide with the rest of us. A few others landed as well just to be safe. 

We had Zarsal made and could have continued on, but opted to spiral down after reports from Brian confirmed that the west and/or a gust front had started on the other side of the valley with wind gusts of 25mph.  We landed uneventfully ahead of the wind and rain at the military base.