Pine mountain 7-5-10

[dteal]

On Monday (7-5-10) several Sylmar pilots flew Pine Mountain. Joe Greblo, Andy Beem, Fast Eddy, BJ Strand, Jay Devorak, Greg Dewolf, and me. Kris Greblo was the driver. We met at Andy’s LZ in the upper Ojai valley and it was socked in with marine layer. Andy said that it was pretty much the same as the previous day, and most people had sled rides (launching from the repeater). Fast Eddy said that Pine was the call – wind direction would be good and the altitude looked like 9500 to 10K. So, we headed out, checking the various bailout LZ’s on the way. Got to launch and it was blowing in nice. I launched about 1:30 or 2PM and headed past the knob to the first bowl and dolphin soared for about 10 min back and forth there, then headed toward the sand pile. I didn’t get much of anything until the rock ledge above the sand pile – found a nice one that took me to 8000 and I headed back to the range. Got there at 7500 and was thinking about punching over the back, but figured I’d get lee side rotored into the trees, so I cruised the range looking for lift - didn’t find squat. Back to the rock ledge again and it’s going off pretty consistently for the next few hours, taking us up to 6500 or so and back down. I was only there for about 30 more minutes: as I was getting low I followed a thermal back toward the range but was kind of in it and kind of not. As I turned around to look at the rock ledge, I’m way back and equal to the top of it, in a low area like a bowl. Panic sets in, and I head for what looks like a gauntlet that I might be able to sneak thru to the north of the rock ledge (see pic below). I make it thru that gap with about 25 feet above the brush & rocks. Turned left and had to get over a few more bumps but made it – barely. I can now see the road and it looks like I’ll be landing on the curve. I finally start hitting some lift and made it past the road curve to an area just north of the actual sand pile and landed in a bush beside the road. After thinking it over and talking with others, I should have gone downwind to TJ’s instead. Anyway, no damage to body or glider, but had the *&%# scared out of me for sure.
DT

[Fast Eddy]

Yep I got to fly a Falcon 195 and Sausage d myself into a Harness. Thank You Joe G. and Andy B for the Gear!

It was a o k day, however; the charts were Off from what was posted. The lapse rate just was not there on the mountain. Out front was working well. I flew all the way down to the second knob area and hit one thermal that Most people could of turned in on the main spine. I intercepted above the bush line in the ridge lift. However with my tore up shoulder turning that hard left and pushing out was NOT a option. So I went cruising around.

I too came up short on the rocky Ledge and was not going to clear it. A quick call to Andy B. for a wind check and it was 10 to 15 out of the S. Leaving me a good option to Turn and run down wind toward T.J's. I however Cleared the ledge higher than Dave and came out right on top the road at close to 4400 4500 in the bobbles. In which I hooked one back to 6K. I topped out well down wind of the Sand pile I was actually right over the last Ledge of rocks. I flew back up almost to where Dave came thru and had lost almost all my altitude and hooked another easy climb but it was short lived.

So I usually like to land at T.J's and I was setting up my approach at about the 30 ish minute mark. The Sand Bar that you can just see on the left edge of Daves pic had a Thermal kicking off it. So I stuck it in behind the Berm and Hill side in the middle left edge of the picture right next to the road. Easy walk up the hill side in the tire tracks and minimal stickers in the shoes.

I broke down on the road and laid in the shade of glider for 45 minutes waiting for chase to show up with my bags.

Fast Eddy