We are From the Same Tribe....

What a wide range of vivid memories from 3 incredible weeks in Germany – the 'harmonic convergence'  of many friends, common contacts, wonderful hospitality and shared joys and disappointments.

Socially this was a wonderful contest – The facilities were excellent  including a large breakfast every morning in the club house for 4Euro, which would literally keep me going for 12 hours until dinner time in the camp. And then of course there was the beer tent in the evenings, which we made good use of on the rain days and the final evenings and awards ceremony.

 The club house – The CD oversaw his entire domain from this mighty perch.

Downstairs was the indoor bar and breakfast service

The Extremely Important Facility for the closing party underneath yet another Thunderstorm.

The Beer Tent.

The Post-Deluge Rainbow – Sodden Wind-Blown Tents.

Some of the special friends I made or renewed this trip. Notable for me of course were all the pilots from Der Dingel (Ulrike and Johannes' home club) who I spent a wonderful two weeks camping with.

I had many happy hours getting to know some great people and great pilots – sharing frustrations, lessons, approaches, and past experiences, not just limited to gliding – in the wee hours at the beer tent when the contest was over – a finer group of folks would be harder to find.

If it was not for Ulrike and Johannes' camp, with club members competing from their home club Der Dingel, camping would definitely not have been workable – they provided the critical mass and helping team to make it a thoroughly enjoyable time, even when it rained – and rained – and rained.

Ulrike Teichmann and Johannes Bick, dear friends and lynch-pins of Der Dingel club

German Champion in 15m was Matthias Sturm, freshly transferred into 15m from Club class (WGC last year) and flying an ASW27, the perennial Michael Sommer in Open class flying a EB29, and a very talented young Michael Streit in 18m, beating out both Robert Schroder (2^nd, making a return to competitive soaring) and Reinhard Schramme, the elder statesman of German Soaring.

One key difference between German and US Nationals is that they allow team flying – which was used by several pairs including the French and Italian guest teams to good effect.

  

Kai Wicke (18m) and Michael Streit (18m champion) both flying ASG29's –

They team flew the contest.

The hospitality was endless – At Langenlonsheim, Andreas' home club and the location of the LS10 I rented from Stefan Doernemann, I was given a bed and breakfast for 4 nights by a club member and got to know Andreas' family (Andreas I had met first last Fall at Williams of all places) I feel blessed to have had this time here.

However – all good things must come to an end. Packing the tent on Thursday morning and piling all my stuff back into the car, cleaning the glider and trailer prior to returning it, took some time, but eventually it was time for the many sad farewells.

I shared many happy hours talking with Klaus Wengler (LG) on wide ranging topics not just restricted to soaring. He has a Keen Wit and is an eye doctor by profession.

Franzi and Me

This was the most difficult of all, saying goodbye to all my new friends -  We're hoping for future visits to San Francisco not only from Franzi but all my other new flying friends as well..Kai, Klaus, Ulrike and Johannes.  Andreas will visit in November with Lufthansa and I'm looking forward to that.

Saying goodbye, Klaus' words will stay with me forever – He quoted an old American Indian farewell -

“We are of the same Tribe – We will meet again at the next Stampede”. 

Few words of parting have made me happier.