The Turtle wins Bright X Alps over the Hare

I wanted to get as many pilots knowing of my Journey to get to the Redbull X Alp's 2015 so I organised a little fun X Alp's experience here in Bright.

We decided to start the hike and fly from the centre of town at the clock tower.   To encourage more pilots along we had a late start of 8am but only started with 4. The international contingent were running late so they caught up only 1 km up the road on Bakers Gully road after getting a lift from an ex-comp pilot Craig Collins. Then there were 8.

 From Baker Gully Road we headed up a direct line following a few faint forestry trails left over after the side of the hill had been cleared of Pine trees.

We decided to take it reasonably casual and as I was to realize later how casual it really was!! After about an hour Wendy called up and was on her way up to where the track met the main 2WD road up the spur line. The internationals thought this was how the Aussies did it tough! When we got upto this cross over we were very appreciative of the ice cold water and sports drinks Wendy had in the back of the vehicle.

Such a casual mood we stopped for a photo opportunity.

Names of people have been forgotten Sorry except for Oliver Peyre(the one with the ears) who is traveling around the world on a bicycle. His travels are documented at www.flynroll.com

Nadege on the left has accompanied Oliver for part of his journey and also his good freind on the far right.

We managed to get to the top and a show of how unfit I really am when Nadege started to push upto the top and then the boys egos took over when Oliver and his freind started running up the steepest part of the hill at the top, packs and all!!

After sitting around to mend sore muscules, Oliver suggest we start the race from this launch, Check Point 1 Clearspot fly onto the Check Point 2 Mystic Landing Zone then upto Check Point 3 Mystic Launch and then onto the Goal at the Wandiligong Pub!

The start was at 10:30 am but the winds were fical. Oliver got an opportunity but was a little early. I was ready in an Alpine start position just in front of the point of interest dial and asked Phil Ling to kick the dirt when there was a slight air flow up from the north.

I went for it and was rewarded with a nice launch and to my supprise and to Oliver's frustrations a nice 1m climb to the east. 

I got up above launch with Oliver still trying to get off I was on bar accross the Bakers Valley and over the top of Mystic onto the Landing Zone.

I packed up my gear quickly and rang up Wendy to see everyone was going. She told me that Oliver just got off and Phil Ling was still trying. I was at the bottom of Emily at this stage and was relieved to hear how far back they were.

It was to my supprise that about half way up Emily Spur after just looking behind me to check any progress of anyone else I could't believe it when I heard this French accent Ehh Bonjour Mr Andrew. Oliver was running full belt up the spur line and caught up to me like I was running backwards!!!

I thought that the Hare, Oliver had it in the bag!! I said to him to not hold back for me so he wlked with me for a while and after giving me his last bit of water strode off like I was falling down the hill!!

I was  saying to myself its about the journey! It's about the Journey!!

After seeing the end result of a reserve deployment landing just up above me just before the launch I was resigning myself to just get to the end thinking of what it would be like to just get to the End in Monaco in 2015. To my seprise Oliver was still on launch feeling a little spooked after seeing the reserve throw! So I have a hope here! I am local and know the hill so use it to my advantage ( I'm not Competitive!!)

I got off just after Oliver and noticed he went straight for Emily spur got up a little and then went for it. To low I thought so feeling tired and just wanting to get there took my time got up to about 1200ft and went straught to the landing paddock at the pub! I buched up my glider, jumped over the sty and ran upto the pub asking Wendy if Oliver was there yet, "No, no he isn't" said Wendy well then the grin came onto the Turtles face!! :-))