Pilot with truck and driver seeks flight to beach for Xmas

[Robb]

Hey kids!
RaeLynn wants to ride her bike up Gibralter rd, so the plan is to drop her off at the beach sometime Christmas morning and she will ride up to launch and drive back down to the beach. I, of course, will have flown first to painted cave, then whiteledge, and back to the R+R before flying out to east beach for a fancy Christmas picnic. Or I may decide to take a sledder to Parma, and have her pick me up on the way to the beach. Either way, it starts with flying and ends at the beach. Would love some company-

You can see your family every day; Christmas flights are once a year!

Robb

[tom mayer]

Robb, I laughed so hard I split a gut! Your statement "You can see your family every day; Christmas flights are once a year!" is so surf/fly obsessive compulsive behavior typical of so many of us! We have lived by that mantra and have suffered the consequences of our behavior, but not having that self correcting gene in our DNA, we are doomed to repeat our foibles without regret or remorse. What shallow, happy fools were are!!
I hope your flight was great. I got 5 days of snowboarding in this week and 2 surf session on Christmas day, and didn't lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas! Merry Christmas to all , and to all a good flight!! New Years day fly in is a 30+ year tradition in SB and this year, weather permitting is no exception.
Aerohead

[Chris G]

8th annual Christmas flight for me. Met Robb, Andy D and Yee(?) from Quebec at 11. At launch by 11:30. Weak cycles but a few birds about. Andy D decided to have a go after waiting a 30 minutes. He struggled at launch before bailing to the AF where he hung on for a few minutes before flushing to Parma where he was able to hang on for another 20ish. I had launched as Andy was landing but spent the vast majority of the time at launch level or just under. Not happening yet so I sneaked it in for a top-landing. Waited another 25 minutes ish while Yee took a sledder to Parma but cycles seemed to be improving. Second go-around was significantly better and was able to get 100+ over launch. Took the back route to the R&R and was able to scratch my way to the top over the next 30 minutes. Very slow going. 3 Others had launched EJ Bowl but weren't able to connect at the R&R. After tagging 4k I'd had enough of swinging around close to very hard rocks and joined Robb, and one of the Windtech's that had launched EJ, at the AF. Got back to maybe 3k but it was a dead end. Down at Parma after an hour. Not easy conditions. Ojai would have been the call today with an extra 2º spread and much better BL Height but I didn't have the hike in me. Maybe tomorrow!
Not a bad way to spend a Christmas.