Pine on Saturday 8-7-10

[dteal]

My flight sucked. I want to hear every detail from Aaron L., Bob A., and Tony D. because that's what I'm doing next time.
DT

[Tony de Groot]

Dave, your flight didnt suck. There's a learning curve. And I'm learning its hard to type with a broken finger and a broken elbow. The seven stitches in my finger that was smashed from my nose plate into the asphalt is hard to type with too. I'll let aaron and bob give the glorius details as it was a really fun flight up to my landing/crash.

[BobA]

James Zender, Dave Teal, Bob Ramey, Fast Eddy, Marge Varino, Aaron Laplante, Tony The Tiger, and myself all piled in James rig from Nordof HS to Pine. Not expecting much, it was an exciting day...many thanks to James and Fast Eddy for putting together the day trip and making logistics work out. Aarons portable mobile radio works nicely, too bad the rest of our radios were a little shakey, We all flew, we all got up , and we all went OTB. Launch conditions were good. Various straight in cylces coming thru with an occasional boomer.

Cloudbase

Cloud street pushing out toward New Cuyama Peak from Pinos

good view of the 50/50

It was a good day but not easy in that we were not getting high above launch...Marge and I both got to 10k at one point, myself above the campgrounds drifting up from the knob. however we ended up lower and later went OTB. My preferred route is to head to Guermo Peak from Reyes peak to find the convergence lift. Since it was blowing from straight South, and I did not have the altitude to dive so deep, I peeled off that route and aimed for the Badlands just on the other side of the roads that lead down to the Ranch OTB, on a line to Pinos. I picked up lift just beyond the Ranch roads, saw clouds forming out West at the beginning of Badlands up from Dry Canyon. Tony and Aaron were in tight circles down lower difting East from that area. I turned toward the forming clouds, climbing ever faster as Aaron and Tony drifted by to the East. Then it was easy pickings for lift across to the 50-50 area and the real cloud development above. Tony flew behind me while Aaron zig zaged out front. I flew the roads into Lockwood Valley, then turned North into the foothills, following Aaron to remain under the clouds, climbed out to cloudbase and escaped cloud suck back to the bluehole South over Lockwood Valley. Could see Tony at cloudbase over the entrance to Lockwood Valley in the middle of a cloudstreet that extended from New Cuyama peak to Pinos Mtn to Fraiser Mtn. Turned to Fraiser coming in from the Northwest. Meet up with Aaron in the usual mixed up lift at the East side of Fraiser. Finally left with 10.6k. Landed across I5, on the road to Quayle Lake in stift South breeze.

Tony and Aaron both made Quayle Lake only to find the usual ugly swirling air currents that plague that entrance to the Antelope Valley. Gusty South winds spill over from the Libres in mixing fashion and cross the area rather than form predictable valley winds parallel to the 138. Aaron found intense pops on final numerous times only to fly much farther down the road East of the Lake before setting it down. Tony looked to land just South of the Lake and road but was popped up backward over powerlines, fences and the West end of the Lake, turned to the West then back South, popping up over a barbed wire fence, positioned over the road around the Lake, out of momentum to flare he nosed over when his base tube caught asphalt. Then hit his elbow down and the noseplate caught his finger.

So being the first time Marge and myself fly PGs from Pine, I proceed to show her how a real Topa pilot gets air borne...After accessing the ever growing cycles and getting layed out, Marge opts to watch with Arron giving a reassurring nod. 'Course a strong cycle is brewing and after a little wall building and reset, I pull up with the A s into a boomer...Six feet off the ground with the wing still coming over, I am frozen in time as I fly up and toward the HG launch. Still in my reverse launch poise, Aaron yells 'FLY IT ! FLY THE GLIDER !" Snapping me out of it, I spin around into (an unchecked) left hand turn into a wingover aiming back down at launch, I managed to apply some right break on the spin, but still had the left break to release as I elevated skyward. I swung under the wing in perfect unprecise diving fashion over Marge and Arron ducking for cover and released the left brake. This corrected the turn, parking into a boomer. A few passes later and a couple of hundred over, I crabbed over to the campgrounds and began my flight.

'course the day was fraught with calmity, and when picking up Aaron, the gliders were getting blown off the top of Zender's rig by gusty winds. Eddy was holding onto the gliders, on the down wind side, up a step off the ground when a glider blew off onto his shoulder. He got knocked down a step down with it to take a big hit on the shoulder. dislocating his shoulder he doubled over in pain. After spinning around screaming in serious pain for awhile he grabbed my hand and told to reset his shoulder with a strong pull on dislocated arm outward. After the second pull, much stronger than the first to prove I'm a man, the shoulder popped back into place and Eddy doubled over in even greater pain and then proceeded to vomit a few times to proove it. fortunately it worked and off we went.

[JimmyZ]

Yup... was a fun day at Pine. I also was able to hit 10k over launch early in the flight then went OTB around 8,300 as I couldn't get back up over 9k after some bobbing around Rayes peak and launch. Flew over the valley, couldn't see where enyone else ended up (not knowing that they were somewhere NE over the badlands) and boated around the valley for a bit. I haven't ventured over the badlands to Lockwood Valley and I certainly wasn't going to do it solo if everyone else was going to end up not going over there. My mistake.... I ended up having a buttery landing at Scheideck as Bob Ramey was packing up his rig.

Fast Eddy quickly arrived, we loaded up, and headed to Dry Canyon to pick up Dave Teal and Marge (who had a great first flight at Pine!)

**the LZ that Tony the Tiger landed in is one of the most insane places to set down a hang glider (or paraglider for that matter) I have ever seen. No glider wreckage... must have been a sight to see in those SUPER switchy and bumpy conditions. Kudos to you Tony for avoiding a potential catastrophy. Have a quick recovery my friend.**

Let's do it again!!!

James

[Tony de Groot]

I got up as well initially to 9600 but, as we waited for everyone to get togethor it got worse. I left first at 8400 as I didnt see anyone circling or climbing. Clouds were in the badlands a ways in and I cut the corner rather than following the road and found some pleasant rising lift and started slowly climbing. I reported my lift but maybe I was keying as no radio worked on this day. Aaron came to join me and later Bob and it was really fun and consistent beautiful flying with clouds (an unexpected bonus). I let Aaron and Bob lead and I pimped through the badlands.
At lockwood valley the convergence made a semicircle to the left and I saw Aaron, and later Bob take the straight line to Frasier while I took the long way following the clouds. Later Bob got to the clouds and followed the southern edge of them and eventually I lost track of him. It took me awhile as I was bucking a headwind. After three thermals I hit a real strong leeside one, put my cowboy hat on white knucled my way to cloudbase and ran the clouds to the northern edge of Frasier and low and behold their was Bob and Aaron just a bit north of me. Bob took off at about 10200 but Aaron found lift and was topping out while I found the lift that was feeding the last cloud in my vicinity. I watched Aaron go on glide and I topped out at as well and after some roughness enjoyed a very smooth glide with a four mph tailwind.
I looked and looked but I never saw Bob land. Ariving at Quail lake I didnt think I would make it to the far side and so set up over the road, nice and high. As I dropped a bit lower the wind speed picked up dramatically. I was kind of thinking, oh man, does it have to strong winds,....it would get much worse. Soon I was somewhat parked and it started to get rough and then I started hitting lift. I tried moving a bit but couldnt get away from it, then I thought maybe I could climb in it and look for a friendlier LZ. Then the windspeed increased stronger without the lift and I saw the road come into view, the telephone wires and soon the LAKE!!! I was being backed up and I realized my primary landing field was gone, but it wouldnt be the last field I missed. I started looking behind me and to the sides for a quick alternative and choose another area to my right. Even though it was smaller their was a large hill to the right and if I had to I could do a fly on the wall there. As I set up over the new landing area the wind was ferocious and turbulent and I was doing figure eights trying to hold my position as any turn downwind was, ugh, bad. I finally got close enough and slipped it in but the ground was falling away and I couldnt get that ffffinng glider on the ground and soon a six foot fence approached and telephone wires and the 138. The strenghth of the wind changed my mind on tuning to the right so I banked hard left and ate up the LZ going in the other direction. Now some bob wire fencing appeared and I didnt see what was on the other side untill I cleared it. An asphalt road, a three foot high road and the fffiinng Quail lake ITSELF!! Water is death, I was already at stall anyway, there's no way I was going into the lake, so levelled the glider, no flare. I rememered to let go with my right hand, the impact was sharp, very hard, and my left arm, that tried to ease the glider in was instantly broke at the elbow. The right hand that I did let go of was thrust forward and my middle finger was guillatined by my noseplate whacking in. I was now pinned on my broken elbow with blood straining out my right glove. As I looked out of the corner of my helmut unable to move two rough looking illegal fisherman approached me. "Oh god" I thought, "They are going to finish me off and rob me." They didnt. Broken elbow and finger. It was my longest flight at Pine though.

[Dizzy]

According to NWS wind (in mph) at Sandberg (1 mile from Quail lake) was

07 Aug 4:52 pm S18G26
07 Aug 3:52 pm S20G26
07 Aug 2:52 pm S20G26
07 Aug 1:52 pm SSE16G25
07 Aug 12:52 pm S17G23

[craig]

Wow Tony! I am glad you are ok. Every time I have landed out there, the wind is either cranking and turbulent or lite and switchy. It is hair ball!

[Lew Riffle]

Tony most every-time I drive by Quail Lake I am glad that I never had to figure out where to land there. Looks friendly but the wise pilot can see that there is a lot of unfriendly situations that you can get yourself in. Inside the fence at Quail lake is the U and G in ugly!
Sorry for your injuries but you handled it ...did not hurt anyone else or property and did not end in the lake with all the consequence. One of the marks of a good pilot is what they come up with after they realise they have made a mistake.
LEW

[Tony de Groot]

Thanks Lew, Craig, James and everyone for their kind words, calls and visits. The doctor says that he doesnt like the look of the fingernail. You know the one, the one that is over the boken finger next to the seven stitches. He looks me in the eye and tells me we have to take it off. "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT, WITH PLIERS?" The doctor smiles and tells me, "See you tomorrow at eleven!" Which is today....

[BobA]

Ouch !

[JimmyZ]

Dude... Good luck at your 11 appointment! My brother had his removed last week...

[Tony de Groot]

OMG That was really tough. I feel for your brother James.

First the needles are laid out in front of you.....which I hate, then the bag of tools that he's going to use to take my fingernail off.

"It's finally off!!!! Whew I'm done!!! That was knarly painfull. '' "No you don't understand." "Now we have to SEW the nail back on!!" I almost passed out.

[JimmyZ]

Oh shit!!!! Double whammy... My brother didn't have the luxury of having it put back on. Sorry you had to go through that amigo. Looking forward to a fast healing...

[John Hesch]

Tony, I have not cringed as much when reading a report in a long time!! I'm glad you had a great flight..., not happy to read about the landing. I hope you heal well and quickly and look forward to more flying adventures with you in the future(without landing drama!). Take care, John

[DBLD]

tony
sorry to hear about your injury. landing in the high desert has it's problems. hope you recover and know that you are not the first or the last. this too shall pass. call me

dd