Tour End

It was the last day of the Slovenian Tour and weather looked doubtful, so we traveled south out of the Soca Valley back to Lijak, near Nova Gorica, on the front range of the Alps where the weather patterns were likely different.  From there, if one gets height, you can see the Adriatic Sea in the distant southern horizon.

As it turned out, we arrived at the launch in almost dead-calm conditions, with partly cloudy skies...yippee, we had a chance for a flight.  After hanging around the launch for 90 minutes, two of us became impatient with Mother Nature, and launched in very light winds.  I had forgotten my boots, so I flew in sandals...not the smartest thing to do, but this was my last day and I was going to pretend I was in the warmth of Costa Rica for this last flight.  As one might guess, there was no ignificant lift, and I headed out to the landing zone (LZ) for a "sledder".  What the hell, I thought, at least I flew today.  To my surprise and delight, I felt a bump of rising air near the LZ and rode a mild thermal up for for 15 minutes back to the elevation of the takeoff.  By this time, the thermals started to work, and an otherwise short flight turned out to be the longest flight of the tour, about 2 1/2 hours.  Only after enduring cold toes and fatigue, I decided to come down.  I was giddy with joy after the most satisfying flight of the trip.  Reaching cloudbase was a totally unexpected outcome for the day.   It actually took another 24 hours for me to overcome the sensation of of being on a rocking boat.  

This was a wonderful tour.  Slovenia is a beautiful and delightful country, and the people I met will pleasantly stick in my memory.  I must fly here again.