This is what happened to me –
At High Cap take off couldn’t get any decent height because of the inversion but tried a few times and ended up slope landing near the bottom and having to walk back up
Decided once I got back up to the highest point I’d reached earlier I’d glide to Man at Edge.
2-3 others had made it across but were all decked. Paul was away by this point and Gary was just leaving. Got in a few beats but not enough to jump back – so slope landed and walked toward Muska Hill. Through a gate and up a rising before Muska - smack into wind with some thermals coming through. Watched Gary land next too Ali Wolf on Muska Hill and the two of them attempt to get off in the thermals Gary did and Ali went down and was near the top again when I took off in a thermal and flew over his head waving gleefully
I flew around the side then edged in behind, heading to the next hill facing into the sun with a scree covered slope. Classic thermal trigger – but nowt doing, so landed as close to the top as I could. Wrapped my wing around the only thorn bush and spent 15 mins trying to extract it
Again waited for a light thermal to come through and launched off to get a nice glide toward the North end of Melmerby Bowl. Skimming over gullies a couple of fences and a wall and just avoiding a field with a large bull Gary had now spotted me and was trying to talk me to death on the radio, blahh, blahh this, blahh blahh that.
Keep asking him questions distract him, slow him down but I was onto you my son I packed up my glider and decided to climb up towards Melmerby Low Scar where I now had a visual on Gary, a good 200 metres higher and with a half hour lead on me. (very impressive for someone who couldn’t walk 5 month ago – hats off to you for getting up there as quick as you did) 
Off I stomped (not running) following Gary. Then I heard Kay on the radio just landing close to where I’d taken off. We both agreed we were having a great time even though Kay was ‘sad to admit it’ We were both suffering after forgetting to bring along any water, and Kay scoffing a bag of Crisps then had to fly down to the pub at Melmerby 
(which was shut) 
I reached the small crag at the top of Melmerby Bowl just as Gary took off, he was just maintaining height while I got my kit sorted out but he then managed to get a couple hundred feet above but didn’t jump over the back and ended up on the deck again as the wind dropped off at the same time I tried to take off. Gary got off quickly as soon as it picked up again and disappeared from view. I launched got a few beats up and down the escarpment while a walker took some pictures, and I posed with a wave as I flew over his head. God you feel good at times like that
Thought I’d better get after Gary and chase him down for 2nd place egg cup so I flew East looking for Gary – I spotted him heading toward the ridge running along the road, I could see it wasn’t working so decided to head straight over the back directly to the aerial. I past by Millers leap lower down the ridge on a suicide glide, flying over the hummocks along the way and landed with a clear view of the aerial to secure 2nd place victory (speech prepared following Paul at the presentation night)
Walked to the road and hitched a lift from the first car passing by to a locked up Shepherds Inn at Melmerby to be joined by the rest for a drink at opening time and the end of a brilliant day
I’ve got a suggestion for those who have read this far – based on the X-Alps style challenge why don’t we set a XC/hiking route (say from Cross Fell to Castle Carrock Pub) or similar elsewhere (eg Money Laws to East Hill) or any other suggested routes and see who can do it in the fastest time over the summer season and winter season.
You can select any weekend to have a go but need to inform the comps officer and register the attempt and record this on a gps and have some support/retrieve in place.
I’m happy to do/help with organisation or have a crack at a suggested route, if anyone’s interested.
Count in The Myerscousers Too 
