Soarers take to skies

Event continues

this weekend

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Although it was a bit windier than they'd like, members of the Minnesota Soaring Club took to the warm, gusty air over Sleepy Eye Airport Friday afternoon.

About a half-dozen sailplanes glided gracefully and silently over the countryside, while soarers on the ground waited for the tow plane to bring them back aloft.

Leon Zeug of Delano enjoyed the shade behind his sailplane between rides into the wild, blue yonder. He was dreaming of riding his sailplane for hours on a thermal (a rising air current caused by heating from the underlying surface) which is a soarer's best friend, as long as it produces clouds.

Zeug described his flight.

"It was a little difficult at lower levels with the (20-25 mph) wind gusts. It's really a better day for wind surfing on a lake," Zeug said. "You try to find the core of the thermal and center on it. Today, it was like bubbles or fingers touching you."

With the right tailwind, the soarers would have been gliding to area airports and calling for tows instead of soaring around the middle of Brown County before landing on the grass runway at Sleepy Eye Airport.

It's the airport itself, particularly the wide, grass runway and ample facilities at Sleepy Eye that the soarers enjoy.

"You've got to do all you can to save this airport. It's a gem," said soarer Phil Schmalz of Rochester. "I love the runway here. It's so wide and smooth. Except for the lack of rain, the grass here is in pristine condition. We hate landing on cement or tar. That's how our planes get beat up."

A once in a year,dream day for a soarer would go something like this. Take off at about 11 a.m. on a calm, sunny day and climb to 5-10,000 feet, before gliding 3,000-5,000 kilometers in about five hours.

Stops might include Faribault, Windom and even Lake Mills, Iowa. The soaring club is based in Stanton, which is halfway between Cannon Falls and Northfield.

Zeug enjoyed the Sleepy Eye airport, as well.

"We land at some airports that are pretty small," Zeug said. "Some barely have a telephone and pole barn. After landing at one small airport, I had to find the maintenance man to come and unlock a gate so I could get to a telephone."

When they can't find airports, soarers land in fields, which sometimes creates excitement with passersby wondering if they crash-landed.

Weather permitting, the Sleepy Eye Soaring Weekend will continue until 3 p.m.