From my perspective, I messed up the exit. I did an extra count or something that made us unstable for a second or two. I did my practice touches and started my turns. I think my turns went well. I couldn't remember how many I did, but I did them until Nick indicated it was time to stop. I tried to relax. I waved off and pulled as planned.  

Before I tested out my canopy, I did some rear riser turns with the brakes locked. I unlocked the brakes and tried again. It was more difficult with the brakes unlocked. I felt like I did a fine job of getting into my landing pattern and everything was going well as I began my final approach. I explained my fixation on the two wooden stakes. I panicked. I flared too early. I did a PLF.

It was Nick's turn. He said that my knees were up a bit when we exited. He released me after my two practice touches. I did five 90 degree turns and I had excellent heading control and speed. I pulled as planned at 5,000 feet. I had minimal radio assistance as I executed the flight plan. He asked me if I knew my flare height. I had no idea. I didn't even think about it. I was so fixated on those two little wooden stakes. We discussed things I could have used to determine my flare height. We also discussed hitting an obstacle in the middle of a desert. When you look at an obstacle, you naturally start moving toward it. Look away from it and you move away from it.  He told me I was at about 25 feet when I flared. In addition to flaring high, I flared really fast. 

It was an adrenaline induced "super flare". I asked him if that would be my nickname. He said maybe, but only until they could think of something worse.  Great. I read his notes in my logbook. They basically summarized the above, but he added: Awesome free fall. Review flare height...not cleared from radio.  It felt like a step backwards. Time to watch the video...