Manilla to Gunedah

Manilla to Gunnedah
Firstly I would like to thank the always cheerful, Vicky and Tom, proprietors of The Royal Hotel, Manilla. We were treated to food, accommodation and cheerful banter making for a very comfortable evening.
After our little chat with the Manilla Police I thought that if we got up extra early we might get a flight at least to Lake Keepit. I let off a balloon it was S.E. it went pretty high before drifting from view. After a quick breakfast we cycled to Geoff Alston’s Farm strip after Andrew put in a call. We had both launched here during the world Paragliding championships in Feburary. I muffed my first launch attempt (the wind was just starting to get up) Andrew pulls off a textbook (show off) so I go again. Very dodgy I’m thinking abort! but no I’m climbing, I’ll get away with it.
I climb easily, the wind is head cross we chat about VHF channels and GPS coordinates. I trim up and get on course heading up wind and start making good speed. Andrew strays down wind whilst fiddling with instruments. As we pass Lake Keepit gliding ranch I suggest a landing, We decide to press on to Gunnedah. Andrew is back and lower than me and starting to get trashed in the increasing wind I go higher to avoid the Mechanical turbulence from a small range. I’m impressed with how well this glider handles. Andrew lands in a big paddock about 7 k’s short of Gunnedah I press on to the airport. I spy the windsock straight out bugger winds up on the ground. I’m making 80 ks down wind then park into wind. Not going to make the strip I decend to a paddock behind the airport and touch down ok and hit the quick outs. Only one side gets off cleanly the wind pulls the flyke over and I bend the cage.
I packed up and had a chat with the amused land owners, and get directions to town. I received a call from Harvey Stoneman our Relay for Life contact. He gives me the SP on the local situation and helped to get the cage welded. I get a good repair. Andrew gets into town and we do some media stuff then go for a break. We eventually get on the road to Gillgandra but just out of town my exhaust developed a crack. I call Phill Woodlands of Woodlands Engineering , who kindly welded up the cage, if he could help again. No problems bring it in. The help and service shown to us is very humbling. By the time I get back to Andrew and the Flyke its getting late so we decide to stay in Gunnedah so we turn around Andrew reports that his steering is Kaput. When it rains it pours. So in Desperation We give Harvey a call. A knight in shining amour if ever there was one. We have been taken in washed, fed, a workshop for use, a bed and the internet for this blog. Thank you Gunnedah!
I wonder what tomorrow will bring. I’ll need to find a tig welder for Andrews steering first thing.