Below a daily write-up of my first Cross Country experience at Air Sailings XC Camp, 11-15 June 2001
I participated with 4 other BASA members in this event: Harry Fox, Jonathan Hughes, Mark Schmidt (and his dad) and Brian Choate.
Unfortunately Daniel Ruegemer had to cancel, which brought us in the luxury position that each of us had a glider available full time.
Brian flew the HGC DG300.

Saturday 9 June
Preparation of ships and equipment in Truckee.
Mark and myself aerotowed  9JH and 15M to ASI.
This route was new to me, so I towed to a safe point with a clear visual on ASI. I released at 11500 over Stead (needed 9500 for a final glide to 2000 ft pattern at ASI)
This was actually my first XC flight. Quite scary. I arrived at something like 10000 over ASI and had ample time to explore the 2 runways from the air.
The wind changed direction continuously, which made it difficult to make up my mind for a runway to choose.
I decided for 17 and made a nice landing on the dirt runway.
During ground transportation in the dirt, we lost the 9JH tail wheel. It appeared that the bolt had been rusted through and the little remainded broke of in the dirt at transportation without the tail dolly (which was still in Truckee)
Harry and Jonathan arrived safely with the 2BA and 1LV in the trailers at ASI.
There was a little hick-up in the accomodation arrangements (no sleeping trailers available) so we decided to go back to Truckee as we also needed to pick up cars, ship trailers and equipment.

Sunday 10 June
ASI XC camp orientation day.
We attended the orientation lectures and field ground exploration.
Spend most of the rest of the day on trying to repair the 9JH tail wheel.
After consultations with Stan Davies and Rex Mayes, we managed to chisel of the glued tail wheel rubber sleeve that holds the small tail wheel.
Drilled out the remainder of the sheered off bolt and replaced with a new bolt for a one-time fix. The assembly was glued back on.
A second hand replacement assembly was ordered from Rex.
No flying on Sunday.

Each morning from 8:00 am till 11:00 am was filled with lectures from  experienced pilots in this terrain. These lectures (although sometimes frightning) are extremely valuable for a novice in XC, especially mountainous XC.

Monday 11 June
After the first lectures, I felt quite insecure about venturing out in this terrain (despite the easy arrival at ASI after the aerotow from Truckee).
So, I decided to accept the offer of Mike Green to join for a dual flight in his ship.
Tiny Hans with Mighty Gorilla (MG) in the incredible Duo Discus.
The conditions where not great, but we were able to venture out to the Tracy powerplant at I80 and back.
Despite the fact that all of this was still in glide range to ASI with this mighty ship , it gave me the first real impression of XC in the mountains.
It was a good terrain orientation for the days to come.

Tuesday 12 June
Wheather conditions were deteriorating. High winds, no thermal activity.
No flying. We did some ground surveilance of local airports and outlanding places.

Wednesday 13 June
Significant NE winds. The tow pilots do not like to take off up- hill into the higher terrain without safe outlanding possibilities after rope break.
This meant down wind / cross wind take off.
I felt this was too dangerous, so decided not to fly.

Thursday 14 June
First day with favourable XC condtions. All pilots up and away
My very first, really real, solo, all by my self, nobody who can save me, scary XC experience starts.
I decided to virtually stay on the tail of my lead pilot, Steve Smith.
Easy way up to 12000 on the red rocks, venturing over towards Virginia Peak, crossing the Pyramid Way valley.
Of course serious sink in this valley. Following lessons which means, increase speed (speed-to-fly) and push forward.
The first anxiety starts to develop. Vario pegged at -10. When is this da..... sink going to stop ??  Is there really a thermal at the other side ??
Then the big relieve,. Yes, there is a thermal on the other side !!!
Venturing further south and uphill toward Virginia Peak. Staying high over this mountainous terrain we reach Pond Peak.
In front of us the deep I 80 and Truckee river gouch gaping at me. We were already warned, big sink in this valley.
No visual yet on our target (and escape) Silver Spring airport. Tiger field is just around the corner (barely visible for a novice without GPS)
I am hanging out over the Pond Peak, trying to assemble all my courage, seeing all the others leaping over the edge (figuratively spoken, actually more like jumping to the next ridge)
This is really it, the point of no return. I am quite stressed, but I am too busy to see if I am actually shaking. I did not yet look back to my safe haven, ASI in the distance, but all calculations say it is still within final glide
Finally I decide to also jump. As predicted, vario pegged at -10.
There was a thermal at the end of the previous -10 experience, so why shouldn't be there one now !!
I keep an eye on my lead pilot. When I see him shooting up, I immediately follow.
We made it the the other side of the valley. A clear visual on Silver Spring Airport. What a relief !!
We head further south to actually turn at Silver Spring and start heading back home north.
The Douglas Valley is benign at this moment. Not too much sink.
We fuel up over the hills and mines, cross I80, back to Pond Peak, back to Virginia Peak, ASI within easy glide home.
All landed safely, no outlanding, no serious situations.
A very good first solo XC experience and a good feeling: " Wow, I can do this !!!!"

        3D Map and the Thursday and Friday traces

Friday 15 June
Even better weather forecast than yesterday. The bold ones start talking 300k.
I would be satisfied with reproducing my yesterdays experience and building more confidence.
Late start but still good lift. Easy way up on the Red Rocks, Further up at the radar at Virginia Peak. 15000 at Pond Peak.
This must be enough to cross over I 80 to Silver Spring again. On the way over I start getting bold and divert west over higher terrain towards Pine nuts.
Some folks are already over there, but it is a bit too much of a challenge for me.
I am at 12000 over the high terrain and decide to move on along the ridges west towards Virginia City, where the cross over to the Pine Nuts is narrower.
From 12000 over the mines I pass through serious sink (-10) again and end up at Virginia City at 10000. No signs of any lift.
I hear others on the radio scratching along the other side of the valley (south) over Dayton Airport.
Now the real scare starts setting in. I realize I am in a dead end street. Reno Class C to the north, cold Tahoe air to the west. A unknown valley with cold air to the south and serious sink to the east. I cannot recognize Dayton Airport which is closest. I hear on the radio that some are preparing for an outlanding.
I start feeling very uncomfortable and decide to head back over the high ground. Did I get over-confident ???
More sink. I start to sh...... all colors (Dutch expression when you are in deep trouble). I am at 8000. Where did that da...x!??!X@@ lift go.
Rabbit Dry Lake is in sight but awefully and scaringly far away (although downwind)
I am sweating gallons, trembling and all. My god, what did I do ?? I am few hundreds of feet over the mountains. Nobody around to rely on.
Then the relief. Over a nice bowl I hit a big one. +10 up from 8000 . After this experience I decide to milk this one out to the maximum. I get back to 15000.
I am still shaking of fear and decide to head home immediately, staying up high. This was more than enough.
Straight over Tracy Powerplant back north over the west ridge, turning out a few more thermals to the max to stay high.
I arrive at ASI still at 15000. The fear is fading a little bit away. I decide that it is too early to land and venture out to Stead, to learn about the area for the return flight to Truckee the next day.
This was a maximum learning day (you learn most from your mistakes that work out just on the right side)

Saturday 16 June
We have to get all equipment back to Truckee and/or Hollister. Everything ready to go.
Excellent weather forecast: 18000 ft, moderate west winds.
Harry decides not to fly, which means that Mark (15M), Jonathan (1LV), Brian Choate (HGC DG300) and myself (9JH) fly the ships back to Truckee.
Truckee is 1600 ft above ASI with lots of mountain in between.
I will try to claim this flight for silver distance and silver/gold altitude. Last year I already got my silver duration.
I am launching as the last one and get up at the usual place, the Red Rocks. I hear the other calling out 17000 at Stead etc. I am still strugling at 12000 at the Red Rocks. Decide to cross Palomino Valley over to the Dogskins, but I am shot down at -10 again. Arrive at 10000 at the Red Rocks with no lift to be discovered. Have to head back to save the day and pump up to 15000 over the Red Rocks again. Now I can move forward and encounter moderate sink. There is a little cloud street over Stead . It takes me up to 18000. This should be enough for final glide to Truckee, but Verdi peak still looms out there in front of me. I am not feeling comfortable, even at 18000 after yesterdays experience.
Again hefty sink between Pea Vine peak and Verdi Peak.
Tim Mathison shows up in the 1-34. This gives me some confidence. If the 1-34 can do this, the Pegasus (and I ) can do this !!
Yes, it works. We are all back in the Truckee area. I hang out a bit more in the area above Mount Rose, Northstar and Truckee before landing.
I am claiming my 50 kilometers (silver distance), 1000 meters (silver altitude) and 3000 meters (gold altitude)
We still had to go back to ASI to pick up all cars, trailers, equipment .
In the late evening we were safely back at Truckee.

This was a great experience of collective learning. I can recommend this camp to any XC novice.
I want to thank the organising committee for the perfect organisation of the ASI XC camp.
I also would like to thank Jonathan, Harry, Mark and his dad for the extra mile they went in shuttling ships and trailers as I don't have towing capability.