Alphen aan den Rijn    August 26 2012   

ritzdeluy@hotmail.com     www.glidinginternational.com     www.soaringcafe.com

Hello dear friends back home and back to “normal” again!
What a great time I had in Texas, but with all those MANY kind remarks, I felt for a few days another person in another world! What about

“world famous reporter”…..

“I can unequivocally say that Ritz, on her own, has “MADE” the WGC 2012 for me. Almost everything I have watched, followed and enjoyed regarding this incredible contest, has been through her blogs and photographs. From the parties and the parades, to the ceremonies and the contestants, to the tasks and those awesome “tuggies”, to the ships and the sand storms, to the triumphs and the tragedies.  And, yes, even to the heat. It has all been right there in living words in her amazing blog postings. Never before have I been able to have such a rich and rewarding soaring experience by vicariously attending an event taking place over a thousand miles away. Thank you Ritz… I am forever in your debt !!!”

THANK YOU, for all the positive reactions, I got the feeling I did something really good this time.
Glad I could do this job and could keep you WELL informed about all what was going on in Uvalde.
THANK YOU to Bill [+Carol] and Rand for inviting me,  straight away after I mentioned to them that the WGC organizers on my request to finish my career as WGC- blogger in Uvalde, had written me they had already somebody else. They came back on that later but then I was committed already to Soaringcafe and my plea to combine things and co-operate did not work out unfortunately.

With Carol, Bill and Rand.

 I will look back in today’s blog at soaringcafe, but mention here some personal high lights as well.

—Meeting my idol Ed Kilbourne,[ country and western singer with fabulous text about gliding and glider pilots ; his  cd’s L/D and Cloudbase are in my cd recorder since I am home!] , just sit with him and talk about “things” , the way he dealt with a brand new text on one of his songs about the USA and Aussie pilots, the way he song along with Rebecca [ David Jansen’s daughter] , a truly interesting guy. You should hear his funny song     ”  the 65 dollar LS4 ” and the more sad song “CLOUD BASE”  about his and our mates we lost in soaring.
Very pleased I met him.
www.edkilbourne.com

—meeting my hosts and founders of SOARINGCAFE  , Bill and Rand. Knew them only from mails got to know them both in real and found in them soul mates. Carol , Bill’s wife is a sweetheart and all I could not do cause I was sitting in the tent and observing and writing,.. she did,.. she was my eyes and ears. Friends for EVER!

With Rand and Bill.

—catching up with my ”  flapped- glider- friends” ,  I  had not seen for several years due to writing at the unflapped comps. The friendship continued as if not 6 years had gone.
Also with friends I had not seen for more then 25 years involved in gliding but not in this competition. Jos Jonkers now living in  Canada and Ralf Holighaus from Germany , Karin Schlosser now living in the USA and 21 years for Rick Walters.

—the warm welcome by the USA soaring team and TC Dennis, taking me under their wings as one of them. Sharing their “team-hut” , walking with them in the stadium and wearing their shirt WITH my name on it!!!!

Dennis in action at the USA/SSA  party.

—The vendors in the the big white tent, [ I shared  after I was “moved ” out of the office] buying tea for me [ they all seem to drink coffee over there] , sharing their thoughts and being always KIND, taking care of my bike and laptop when I had to rush to the briefing or the field ! As well as the lady , selling local craft and the famous Uvalde honey,  who offered me a pillow to sit on as the bank was pretty hard.
The parents in law from one of them, Les and Kay, my land lords, what great people!!! Such a comfortable bed and pillow, a real” little Ritz house” , it was.

 

Les and Kay, lovely new friends!

—all those friends/readers not knowing me , but taking the opportunity to see the UVALDE WGC and me. “Are you Ritz?”
FANTASTIC!!!!All the drinks they offered me and the food I had to refuse to keep on my weight! By the way I lost 2 kilo, finally I am back om my normal weight from 5 years ago.

Ole from Denmark , on a holiday in Washington with his brother Jörgen and his wife came to visit the WGC.

—my 2 day extra holiday in San Antonio offered to me by the SoaringCafe team. What a great town, loved the RIVER WALK and the great Alamo as well as the cathedral. Celebrated Art’s birthday there with a real guiness in an Irish pub, together with Kimberlee who drove me from Uvalde to San Antonio.

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ART!!!!!And the GREAT ALAMO HISTORY below!

 

You were NOT alllowed to make pictures inside, but history there is GREAT.

 Last but not least a THANK you to my hosts for organizing a SURPRISE  “send-off -in-style- party ” as editor AT location during WGC’s, for me and for the guests attending and going to bed a tad later then normal. THANKS!!!!!

THANKS!!!!

Next Wednesday back to the normal blog you are used to. CU then , cheers Ritz