friday

[andy dainsberg]

Chris P and I launched Nuthouse at 1130. There was more SE than was predicted - kind of turning spine 1 into trash-city. Pushed onward and got out in front of the Pyramid. It was SE 20+ up to 5600 in parked/turby conditions. I feel like working it back and higher was possible but felt sketchy. ~Instead, took the slo-mo valley glide out to the HS. 1+ hour.

[Paul_Chris]

Some photos...

[sd]

Went to Double D’s farewell last night. SB pilots reported reasonable altitude, but tough sledding against stiff flow from the SE above ridge line. I think Hammer turned around at Ramero. Sounds like the Ojai crew struggled through the hard part by bouncing up in lee side wash behind Nordhoff Ridge. Chris’s photos show him across the 33 working toward Bump 1, perhaps a bit low? Seems like it would have been downwind westbound. I would have expected you could connect higher up across 33 with 5600 and a tail wind, or was there a pesky south component, or did Chris leave lower? Did Chris get back to Nordhoff, or need to use the Diversion Dam? My strategy on stiff days is typically to avoid getting boxed in where I might need to go upwind.

Looks like a little peach fuzz on launch? Are the bugs still biting this time of year?

[Paul_Chris]

I didn't get as high as Andy. I caught a thermal to ~4500 on the ridge behind the nuthouse, but with strong drift away from the ridge. I took a couple of big whacks on the way up, and was reluctant to get back in the lee. Ended up low in front of Spine 1, then went back to the gap with the intention of landing near the car. There was some workable lift on the foothills west of 33, but with the strong east there was not much penetration back out. Launch is very nice right now...no bugs and a layer of very short green grass.

[andy dainsberg]

I would have expected you could connect higher up across 33 with 5600 and a tail wind, or was there a pesky south component

I know! we were talking about that... there was pesky S in the SE, but i think it was possible to work it back and higher from my point in front of the pyramid and get on that xc conveyor.. (any words of wisdom appreciated!)

-the blips had given me some hope on the day and in a way it was what we wanted, why we were in ojai in the first place; only the SE was double+ predicted and it was v trashy... Sometimes the Bumps and Ledge seem like shark jaws instead of serene thermic oases to me. not sure coulda pushed outta there had lift disipated; my upwind glide to the HS took 1/2 an hour! as it was, the sky almost totally scudded within 15 minutes of hitting the ground... the nuthouse launch is perfect, gods bless her soul.