friday at Blackhawk

[Tony Deleo]

Light conditions at takeoff-good for paragliders. By the time we arrived at Lucerne Valley there were clouds on both The San Bernandinos and San Gabriels. The forecast was right on the money. Light lift at takeoff feeding into the convergence. West bound to east of Ord and then northwest bound for the clouds running east and west from the Ord Mountains to Palmdale. Climbing to 14,300 westward bound to Crystal Air glider port and the bowing shear line off of the San Gabriels. There were clouds forming on The Libres,unfortunately the majority of the flight was made in over cast skys from the high clouds which later on shut the program down. Did not connect on The Libres so I headed out to the valley were isolated cumis were forming. West of Palmdale and down to 5500' I located a thermal and climbed back to 7500' with the termal drifting out of the southwest which took me back over Highway 14. Pressing upwind I landed at the 80 mile mark. Jonathon landed at Victor Valley college-25 miles.