Goin East from Chief

[Chip Bartley]

On Friday, Art, Andy, Ron and I headed to Chief with fast Eddie at the helm. We got up the hill to a nuclear launch and you could feel the anticipation in the air. Ron than Art were off and I launched 3rd with Andy close behind. The house thermal was working and we all got well above launch fairly quickly. Art headed off East right away and Andy was second. I was hanging out with Ron and trying to coax him in to a little XC. Found out later that it was Elizabeths birthday and XC wasn't in to the equation. I crossed to West repeater and got a little there to continue to East repeater. Heard reports from Art who was down at the college and Andy who was working the Santa Paula ridge hard. I started loosing alt and headed out toward summit school where I thought my day would end. About 400 over the ground I hit a little thermal and slowly turned. As I turned the first circle, I new it was something special. 5 minutes later, I was at 4,800' and headed toward the bluffs. went down tange with plenty of sustaining altitude and came in to Santa Paula ridge about 200 over. Took about 30 minutes to work my way up the ridge and I was studying Andys work and Dr. Air was on the radio with encouraging input from the college below. I finally made it to the summit and just snuck around when I found myself in some pretty gnarly conditions. Went on glide toward the town and was taking some really nasty asyms and other wing disfiguring acts of nature. I was loosing altitude fairly quickly and was torn between landing now taking the chance of not making the official Filmore flight for the first time or nuttin up and just keep going. I decided to keep going and ended up landing in Filmore, but remote. I was in an area where there were cattle and orchards and a lot of rocky ground. Landed fine and packed up. With no cell service and no responce on the radio, I started hiking toward the 126. I ended up at a veggie stand and chase was there in about 10 minutes. We ended up going to Marks launch and flying for the afternoon with the condors. Pretty cool day and one of my top 3 flights with a low save for the books. Got the flight on video and will post when I can edit.

Here are some great shots in Filmore. the one of me and the condor is real not photoshop. Thanks Eddie for the help

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9982.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9991.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9976.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9965.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9942.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9932.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9924.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9921.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9910.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9901.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9898.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9897.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9894.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9893.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9891.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9890.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9888.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_0010.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_0006.jpg
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_0003.jpg

[Chip Bartley]

This picture is crazy. Wanted to make sure everyone wees it. Thanks Eddie.

me and the condor nowe to nose

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z309 ... G_9932.jpg

[irene]

Cool pictures Chip ! Thanks for sharing.
irene

[Skippy]

That's one big condor, Chip... Is he on steroids?!!
:-)
Skippy