Solstice Saturday

[Hammer]

John Scott called it again! Hooked up with John and Diablo with Carolyn and went to Pine. Turned out to be an epic day! Tony, as always, lead the way with myself and John tagging along in the dust. Diablo had the day as he set a new Pine Mt. site record of 208 miles. Congrats!!! Hammer's flight was a weak runner up...max alt. 14500, max climb 1400, max speed 49 mph, flight time 2:51:40, distance 110 miles

[Southside]

Disappointing day for me. These type of days don't come around that often, especially on weekends, so you need to take advantage of them when they do. I didn't. Left the mountains west of I 5 above 14k, but never found anything better than 0 sink out in the Antelope. Spent the last 3 1/2 miles turning circles 200 ft off the deck before finally giving up and landing just west of Lancaster (56.89 miles). Both Tony and Robert flew off of Frazier and took a more northerly route than I did out in the Valley. I split the difference between Frazier and Alamo and then crossed the north side of Quayle lake to the north edge of Neenach. Angled low over to Fairmont Buttes hoping that the relief might help out. But I when didn't pick up anything out front I knew that that would be it as I would be in the lee once on the other side.

Oh well. At least I made it home before 5:00 am.

Full write up here: http://socalxc.blogspot.com/2008/06/pin ... n-621.html

Advice from Hammer: Always stay well north of the 138.

John

The last 3 1/2 miles:

[Dean S]

I watched from the ground on Saturday as I was tooling around and couldn't believe the shape of the cumi's. The usual XC routes were dotted nicely with very defined, cauliflower shaped cumi's; the kind you know have an attitude. As much as like to share a story of my own from the day, I think from the look of the sky it might have been a bit crazy upstairs to be flying a bag. The fact that you all survived the heat of the day is a feat in itself.

Great flights. I can't believe Tony put down that many miles in so little time - really, really impressive. That has to be some kind of record.

Anyone get any shots from the air?

[BobA]

John's Cross Wind Climb Out