Redemption in SB, More Mesa to--> Wilcox “Stinkin High”

[Parma Chris]

Saturday after watching Ron, Bob, Andy, and Art fly away from Skyport. Chip, Mike and I missed the cycles and drove down……..

I decided to try to redeem the day and get out to More Mesa to meet Alex, and our More Mesa Ridge Ambassador “Jerry Elwood” for some afternoon ridge soaring.

Upon arrival there was a super light breeze coming from the SSW. After about 20 minutes of watching, the breeze was strong enough to launch. Alex goes first I’m second to go and Jerry stays back helping a German guy from Pasadena Launch. Having a blast and buzzing around in perfect SSW conditions Alex and I are yelling.. “We should go to Wilcox”

So I take off and Alex is behind me…And let’s just say, by the time when we got to the point we were “Stinkin High”. I go around the point first and Alex soon follows… Wind was a very nice 12k+ knots from the SSW. Making the rare run down range I look back only to see Alex turned back…. I think who cares I never made it to Wilcox from More Mesa im going for it……

As I’m heading down range I was now higher than I was when I was “Stinkin High”. What a view, I could see all the wings on the training hill long before I got to the restaurant. Now at the restaurant I’m thinking do I turn back and make the run back now?... Nah I need to go all the way to the Wilcox launch and then I will work my way back… Oh did I mention I was “Stinkin High”?

After I turned back from the Wilcox Launch I now have a better idea of what was a 12kts+ was now a bit higher so I start on the speed bar…. Ok a little more speed bar and I’m penetrating fine but it takes me a while to get back to the gap lagoon/restaurant. Now I realize the wind is still picking up in speed so I pushed WAY out front… FULL speed bar I’m slowly penetrating OK but im not going down in fact did I mention I’m “Stinkin High”. After a few minutes of this I find the zone where I start to descend on FULL speed bar way out in front of the restaurant. Slowly taking the elevator down as I get down to about 200/250 feet I start to descend a little faster so as I ease up off the speed bar and it starts to back me up toward the beach. Now, at about 150 feet I’m off speed bar and I take this very nice smooth elevator ride to spot land on a nice flat little rock in front of the restaurant. Turn around kite my wing 50 yards back to the steps and Whoo hooo! That was a first for me!

To make things better as im folding my Wing, Dave’s wife Dianna (soon to be P2) pulls up and asks me if I need a ride back to More Mesa… Thank you Dianna for the ride.

What a great town we live in!

Miss a thermal flight in the AM only to get Redemption in SB, More Mesa to--> Wilcox “Stinkin High”

[Dave Baldwin]

Yeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

[Chris G]

I was at the T.Hill when you showed up at Wilcox. You were well above training hill height. That puts you at least 360ft MSL and at least 260ft above the wilcox launch. Might have been enough to run to the training hill from wilcox!

[Alejandro]

Dude I was behind you and way above you before we turned at Hope Ranch and thought, I am higher than him so we are cool to go all the way to Wilcox. I could see all the wings ontop of the training hill and though we could go to East Beach! But soon after making the swith to go on the straight away to Wilcox I got slammed. My wing started making all kinds of jerking motions and I was rocked hard. I was thinking "this is ridge flying???" I decided to put my tail between my legs and head back to More Mesa. All the way back towards More Mesa I was getting tossed and turned like in messy thermals. I looked back and you were SUPER HIGH, I thought you could have gone to the Training Hill Easily! I finnaly made it before the gap at Hope Ranch and kept going up. I tried everything to get down hoping for a bach landing but could not.
I went way out over the water and kept going up and Andy Palmer's Story about his convergence at Wilcox a month earlier started to play in my head, and play LOUDLY...
I saw that Jerry was playing it safe, staying at the NorthWest side of More Mesa. He could not see Chris but could see that I was way over the water and kept going up barely penetrating...With what was happening to me I began to worry about Chris since I could not see him and thought he might have tried to go to East Beach!
Then by the time to got to the trees the wind died and I top landed as if were a normal day. The wind die so quickly that Jerry and the German dude landed on the beach.
I quickly called Parma Chris and was happy to hear he was well and SOTKED!!!
Question for Chris Ojai or anyone else..."how do you apporach going to the training hil from More Mesa to Wilcox? I have heard that it can be a very bad idea...?"

[Chris G]

I've never done Wilcox to the T.Hill but you definitely have to be "stinkin' high" or you'll face some nasty rotor and surely some sink over the road. If it's west I'd probably start from as close to Henry's as possible so as to have a quick downwind leg instead of a painful crosswind crab.

[Alejandro]

thanks Chris. Yeah I definatly thought Parma Chris could have gone for it he was STINKING HIGH