Not the typical XC day. We had a steady east base wind at Alternator and our crew was a bit reluctant to launch. We wanted to see more of a thermal pulse instead of the steady wind. Doug stepped up to the plate and showed us it was working enough. At the same time we started to see pilots high over the R&R, the trick was going to be getting there. I borrowed a vario from Cort - THANKS! - before launching at noon and Doug and I thermalled a bit getting higher and eventually we just had to push East. Buoyant glide to LaCumbre, but not much going up there. Decided to push on. (This was the story of the day). The R&R was going really good and 10 of us gaggled together, seemed like we were about a thousand over. A bit of love at the Thermal Factory and a bit more at Shadow. Montecito Peak was a bit flat till I got to the east spine. Got enough to make it to the next spine. Dave Bater was doing well in front of us so Doug, Michelle and I just kept pushing on. Seemed like I could get 200 feet of climb at each spine, then lose it all on glide to the next spine. I never got that high, but it seemed to keep working, spine after spine.
Doug decided to peal off and head for Padaro. He took Michelle and Dave with him and the beach suck was pulling hard on me. It's hard to keep going when all your amigos are heading out, but it also seemed like the day was working and this was my best chance at getting through the Pass in the last 2 years.
Got super low before the power lines and thought I might be walking, then on a desperate glide out I got the only organized thermal of the day. It put me back in the game and I was a couple hundred over the power lines when I decided to carry on. I never really got above the ridge line after that, it was a low game from spine to spine. Seeing Chismahoo approaching relieved the jitters of possibly landing out. The air got a bit spanky on the Whiteledge spine, decided to push on. The further east the more disorganized the lift. Nordoff High School was calling and all was well. Two and half hours from launch to landing.
The retrieve:
A quarter mile from Nordoff is a Von's, out in front is the Bus stop. $1.50 gets you to Ventura - every hour quarter past the hour, ask for a transfer. With the transfer and another $1.50 you can catch the Vista Coastal Express bus in Ventura at the corner of Santa Clara and Oak in downtown Ventura. $1.75 more for the SB MTD. From the SB bus station I took a bus down State Street and got off at 154 Hwy. A mile walk later and I'm at the T. Easy as pie. Flight was 2.5 hours, retrieve was 6 hours. The adventure was nice.
Good resources:
Vista Bus (Ventura to Santa Barbara)
http://www.goventura.org(800) 438-1112
Santa Barbara MTD
http://www.sbmtd.gov/(805) 963-3366
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 9:13 pm