SoCal XC Laguna

[Robb]

Sounds like the place to be this past weekend was Laguna and the SCXC. As always, Dean put on a great task Saturday (Sunday the weather was not so great) and we all had a blast. Saturday we went to Laguna, with a very impressive view from launch. Two weeks earlier I sunk out to the desert floor, while others went on to break the site record. Saturday I made up for that with one of my longest flights ever.
The task was set with one start cylinder and goal 48 miles north. Your time started when you left the start cylinder, so we didn't have to worry about getting everyone in the air all at once.
The weather was expected to set up a convergence in a SW-NE line as the day progressed, and if goal had been Borrego Springs we would have had many more in goal.
Most pilots made the transition to Granite mountain, about 5 miles from launch. In my usual stellar paragliding fashon, I was the last to get there, but after cursing and swearing I generated enough heat to get over the top and into 1200 up that took me to 10,200.
In the site intro, we were told the next point to go for was vulcan, a N-S line of hills east of Julian. The nice thing about being last is you get to look around and see what works and what dosen't. Only one pilot bulldogged his way to vulcan, top landed (?), and was grumpy about being given bad info. Lesson: look around at what everyone else is doing!
I took the western-most line of the pilots that continued towards lake henshaw and the warner plain. Sailplanes were everywhere (at least they were when I stopped to notice once I was back to 10k) and really were fun to watch.
As I came farther north it was decision time: more east following the convergence and into tiger country and on to goal, or stay on the west side of the ridge with the green fields, paved roads and cold beer. I wasn't born yesterday (and I've flown Blackhawk...) so my decision was easy. I picked the greenest of green fields, next to the cemetary and beside the chapel for my LZ. By the time I packed up and walked over to the shade trees around the chapel, retrieve was waiting. Did I mention Dean runs a fun comp?

Aaron was the only pilot in goal, but everyone had a good time (except the guy on top of vulcan wondering where everyone else was)

I love flying Pine, but I can see I'm going to love Laguna every bit as much. My second flight there and further than the truck stop with out any of that rocky, caldera covered moonscape between dry canyon and Lockwood. If you get a chance, come to San Diego and try it out.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/600447

1,200 up
10,200 max alt
2 hours
29 miles

[Aaron]

badass! thanks for posting. nice flying!