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August 8 2010

Page history last edited by PapaFox 13 years, 7 months ago

Back to Stories and Pictures

 

 

 

Eric  (N1K) gets the Boomerang back from Dillan (AE)

"gi'me that Boomerang". (Eric wins this time)

 


8/8/10 - Eric Lambert and Dillon Krapes

 

The Boomerang Saga

Sunday, my plan was to fly from Merlin to Garner and claim the Boomerang! The day looked too good to miss so Leonard Walker and Bob Bergstrom both offered to crew for me and Leonard launched me in N1K at 13:17 hrs. It wouldn’t be long before the Boomerang found its new home at Merlin. 

14:00 hrs. N1K over Petersburg @ 4,700' announced on 123.3 "N1K over Petersburg in route from Merlin to Garner" Big mistake!! Little did I know, this set of the panic button at Garner and initiated an all out response. John Mittell HF and Dillon Krapes AE decided to make Merlin the goal for the day to ensure the Boomerang did not leave Garner. John, realizing he had his only hope for retrieval in his pocket (his car keys), he was forced to turn back. However, Dillon was determined to keep the trophy in Garner. He headed for Merlin taking off at 14:35. At 14:51 we passed each other over Zuni at around 3,700' N1K heading for Garner and AE heading for Merlin. 

I had made a decision to land at Garner and have Leonard come for me with the trailer, for those that have never done it crewing is fun, most of the time! I landed at 15:06. As I climbed out of the glider, I could smell the victory. The victory, however was short lived. I was quickly informed that Dillon was on his way to Merlin to claim it back! 

Dillon, now soaring over Merlin at 16:30 with 5000' and a question. Do I have to land at Merlin? The reply was "to claim the boomerang, yes". However, if I (N1K) had not yet landed at Garner, there would be no boomerang to claim because it would still be in the hands of Garner. Dillon, thinking surely I knew what he was up to stayed in the air until 18:44 (3 extra hours) to wait for me to land first. I had landed at 15:06. Fooled you Dillon, I'm not that smart, maybe next time. 

However, Dillon was in for a surprise. When he landed and spoke to a local, who came to his assistance, he was devastated to be told he had not landed at Merlin and Merlin was another 5 miles. The local was Bob Bergstrom ( whom I had called ) after landing at Garner to play a little joke on Dillon. (He was in fact at Merlin) Just a little bit of payback for Dillon not allowing me to bring the Boomerang back to Merlin for at least a day. After the initial disappointment Dillon saw the lark parked to the side of the field and knew he was at Merlin.

Yes, Garner claimed the boomerang back, HOWEVER, Merlin held the Boomerang for 3 hours 38 minutes. With it never leaving Garner thanks to Dillon! 

It's not over yet. Leonard arrived with the trailer at about 17:30 and we packed N1K into the box for the return to Merlin, at the same time John Mittell was busy trying to make the electrical system work a decision was made to fix the electrical system once at Merlin. A harder job than we had anticipated, however with the combined expertise of Bob, Leonard, John, Dillon and myself AE headed back to Garner at 22:30 

The day was a boomer with 5 knot thermals all over the sky and bases above 5,000' 

The Boomerang is still at Garner


Great fun 

Eric
N1K

 

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