Wintry Sunday, 1/13/13

[Faoro_Ron]

It's uncommon to have two frigid days in a row over Santa Barbara (on a weekend, no less!) that are suitable for soaring. For those of us who missed yesterday, we lucked out today. For all those that did fly today, never worry about tackling Pine Mountain in the summertime - the lift was just as strong on Sunday as what you are likely to experience at Pine on a monsoonal August day. For the 13th day of the 13th year, luck held up.

Less than a dozen of us rode in the Eagle van ahead of the FAA van. It was blowing in at both Skyport and EJ's. We started launching EJ's at 10:40 AM. I turned right to La Cumbre Peak and within minutes was near the wispy's cloudbase at 6,300 feet. I headed east and picked up Andy Dainsberg at the R&R. He can relate how he scrambled and hitch-hiked to make a similar launch time to mine. It only took seven thermals to make it through the pass to Ojai: La Cumbre, Montecito Peak (6,400 ft), glide all the way to Powerlines where Mr. Monster boosted us back to 7K, Noon Peak, Divide, White Ledge and Bump 2 - all in the high sixes. Andy took the back ridge after flying mostly out front to the Powerlines and I took the middle road. It was the perfect day with lift everywhere and a tailwind giving us ground speeds of 25-35 mph.

Old Man Winter had a lot to say. Like, "Can you fly without any feeling in your fingers?" Actually, it was better when they turned to stone; it didn't hurt as much. If Andy hadn't been pushing ahead, leading the pack, I would have cashed in my chips after having my butt kicked at Bruce's in a thermal so big that it caused a distortion in the space-time continuum. I was briefly catapulted back in time and found myself crying for my mom until the sink outside the thermal brought me back to the present of ice-cold, wooden hands. There was stupendous lift to be had in Ojai. But there was also massive sink in places. My sink alarm is set at 1,000 feet per minute down and it went off a couple of times. Easy come, easy go in these conditions. Andy got the thermal of his life at Stooges. We got up to the mid-7's at Chief Peak and even a bit higher at the Topa Topa Bluffs. Snow covered all the shaded areas and the top of the bluffs. Hammer caught and passed us at West Repeater. We had a nice glide cutting the corner and quickly got back above 6K at Santa Paula Peak. There we decided to opt for bus transportation home (Andy has the buses dialed in, with schedules on his smartphone) while Bob Anderson zipped past on his way to Magic Mountain.

Just one minor detail. While I wanted a warm drink and a way home, Fillmore was going off. The whole city had 400-500 fpm up and we couldn't get down to the Von's LZ. I finally found a little sink over by the "F" for Fillmore and stopped ascending (from 2,400 feet up to 4,100 feet) so I could reach the LZ against the 10 mph wind blowing up the river. Andy bought us some coffee and we boarded the Vista for the two hour ride home. Benson picked us up at East Beach and graciously boosted us back to Parma. Dropped off Andy at Padaro at 6 PM and came home to eat everything in the refrigerator.

Forty-some miles, three and one-half hours. Someone else let me know max lift; I'm a little beat.

[timobarker]

I launched a couple behind Ron and followed his lead to La Cumbre, where I topped out just under 6,700. I wanted to follow the movement East, but family and commitments held me from following that gaggle. I opted for the west route to see how far I could get. As Ron mentioned there was some big lift out there. But, as I ventured further west I found the lift dampened and flattened. Although it was still everywhere.

I pulled into Painted Cave around 4100 got a boost to 5100 and headed west over the 154. The going was slow as the headwind was around 8 -10 mph the whole way. As we all experienced this side of the pass, the wind started to clock around from S to SW to WSW to NW to N. By the time I made it to Lizards Mouth (almost an hour later), I was crabbing west while facing almost due North. At the gun club I got boosted again from 4,700 to 6,600 and thought I'd have broadcast made no problem. But as I started to venture that way, the wind said "not today," as my ground speed was 2 - 6 mph.
So, I opted to take my altitude and make a beeline down wind to Parma. I left Lizards Mouth at 12:15 and by 12:30 I was passing west bowl. I pulled in tight to La Cumbre and got nailed by a hefty 1000+per minute climb that left me ragged and ready to head home. Everybody was either way out east or on the ground at parma. I realized really quickly that I also wanted to be on the ground, as the wind was gusting up to 15.
Landed nicely, almost parachuttal and enjoyed the hooting and hollering, backslaps, high fives, and good times had by all of us at the LZ!
What a day! Loved every moment of it. It was really fun to draw my own line today and fly solo. Can't wait to hear about some of the big flights east BObA? Hammer? Still driving home? Still in the air?

[BobA]

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/712731

Met up with Jon at the beach, left a car, and caught the Eagle van for a ride up to EJ Bowl along with Ron and Timay. Nice flying and nice posts! What a day, it was awesome! Not exactly the kind of day we all wanted but exciting to say the least! Ahieee! The lift was strong and the west wind was strong - not a pleasant day to run laps but a serious day to fly outta town! It can get pretty uncomfortable in our comfortable spots on strong days, and sure enough it was more comfortable down range, down wind rodeo style! Woohoo! - buckle up boys, it's gonna be a live one! I took a live one from out in front (and to the SE) of La Cumbre peak, the drift took me to nearly in front of EJ bowl and under a large cloud...10+ tailwind. I flew behind RnR a bit, then the same at TF but veered out to fly under a cloud SE of the top. A few turns and Montecito was assured...came into the Road Cut at Romero low - fished around a bit. Seemed light! Took a drifter across the canyon and dolphined it to Castle point - same thing - low drifter thru the gap to the next ridge - no downdrafts at these spots - just WSW wind chopping things up...connected a few spots low over the top to the wires and found a beauty to 7k' into wispies drifting close to Noon. I went on to West Divide to find light lift. I took a few pictures until I began one handed wingovers. Headed into East Divide fast and flushing but alass light lift. Drifted it a bit then fell off the lift diving on Whiteledge, lots of sink on the way but the wing yanked into the huge lift waiting there seconds after I was past the edge (over bottom) of the white slab. Ran down to Bump Three but wasn't rewarded. Dove onto the Nuthouse launch with a few hundred - worked ridge lift for a few spines climbing but deep and low. Hammer zipped by (never below 4k' until at I5 where he arrived at 1800' and climbed back to 7400'). Willy flew on top of me. I chased him a round a bit but had to fly out front. I found a solid one leading back toward Nordoph peak. High again I aimed for Willy about four spines down, out on front points, nearly in front of Chiefs. After a few quick up and downs along West and East Repater Willy dissappeard. Finding the fat lift it was clear he beamed out and headed for Santa Paula ridge. Cutting the corner a bit coming into the back of the shadowed ridge didn't matter much as there was converging lift there to over the spine and all along the dragon's back to the other end!...I hit 7k', Willy had hit 7.5k there and Jeff nearly the same awhile later. Andy was landing in Filmore when I flew by - said he was gonna catch the first bus back and concerned that Piru didn't have a bus stop - stoked to be high, and I since I hadn't thought of retrieve to this point, I told him I didn't care. Andy gave me the 'copy that' and that it was 'good day to go for it'. With tailwinds about 12 with occausional WNW gusts to 20 it was easy to get past Filmore. Back in the hills a bit past the radar towers fat lift was good to 6250' or so before getting weird. I went on a long glide to past Piru and grovelled in the foothills along the 126 before a final thermal lifted off that sheared at 5k'. I took a few pictures as I headed to I5 and Magic mtn. I crossed I5 for prosperity in low lift but the urban landscape and rocky terrain had me turn tail back and land next to Willy - 61.9 miles from the Eliminator. Jeff came in just shy of this field while Hammer landed in Sand Canyon at 71 miles out for the flight of the day! Phoenix provided precision chase, while Hammer collected us all, took us to Taco Bell, and on home. Many Thanks - we're stoked! Terry was out there and others but not sure where they all ended up.

Irene

West Divide

One Handed

Down Range!

Piru

Hwy 126

Cheers!

[NMERider]

removed by author

[andy dainsberg]

you mean we cant file these posts under "friday at Bates?" lol... Bob, i could hear the joy in your voice on the radio! Way to send it! For me, when over Fillmore, i always feel this strange pull to decend. its the convenience of the big fat starbucks sitting right across from the big fat grassy vons lz and the big fat bus station right across the street --- its "the Fillmore Triangle," if u will, that tends to pull me down after xc hours!!!--... but the gods had a different idea today, it was damn hard (as ron told) getting down into Fillmore. of course the 3 acrobatic airplanes looping and stalling nearby were helpful.! i imagine it'd be hard to "dial-a-flight" past Fillmore anymore perfectly than the set-up today tho! (on weekends, i believe, there's the "dial-a-ride" in piru to get us back to fillmore...)

wow what a cool i mean cold day!.. Gordon from Seattle dropped me off at skyport and i had launch all to my self.. besides the numb fingers, stuffed into thermasilk liners and the biggest baddest snowboarding gloves i have, it was pleasant flying.

hooked a boomer off a knob before the powerlines up to 68 and into a plane of serene confidence crossing into the pass. i had great lift sequences over the high step and the bumbs and flew straight over the pyramid. trashiest lift of the day @ nord ridge and bruces. connectd 3stooges at peak level and got my best 3stooges thermal ever, just smokin lift-, being drawn up toward chief-- all the way up to almost the point in the road. plugged in to another and was well over chief peak. took the tail wind over W repeater, tracking over the topa bluffs close to 7800. connected santa paula ridge pretty high and the traverse to the peak was easiest ever too, just staying high over ridgecrest in all that tail. i had 69 when i went on glide to Fillmore. fun flying with you Ron.

the warm embrace of the bus home

[DeVietti_Marty]

Wow, Great flights by all, and braving the cold as well, brrrrr. Love the photos and posts. Glad you guys got it.

I wanted to go big and play but had voluntarily anchored myself at home so others family members could go out this weekend. As it turned out, I was feeling flu like all saturday, and though I thought it was best to stay home and watch the little ones (one, of which is also sick), I was hoping for an update (thanks Andy) so I could confirm my forecast hunch that it would be both big and cold. In my weakened state, I couldn't imagine being up at altitude for any length of time Saturday...instead it was NAP central for my little ones and especially for me.

After all the posts, I felt like I was there, thanks to the great recollections and photos.

Maybe next time,

Marty

PS: Must have been a 24hr bug...I feel great now. Go figure?

[Aaron]

I concur w marty, awesome huge flights by all and great reading all of them several times. Looked like another killer day today!

Is bobA's flight the first PG to the i5? I remember a few coming close but none that i can remember across the grand 8 lane concrete divide.

...and hammer to the 14 w a few young guns in tow... amazing!

Nice job timmayyy! pushin upwind across san marcos pass!!

Plenty of downrange days left this week/month/season if anyone wants to get a lunch break in we can leave a car in carp for eficiency. 886.1435 If you havent gone up or downrange before and have the urge, these are some pretty easy, fun days to fly to carp or goleta. i would be more then happy to cruise along with you and help get you around if you want. hg or pg welcome. i have hg racks on my van if we leave that in carp for retrieve.

[craig]

Sundowner flew past I5 I think at least twice, didn't he end up on the news for landing in the prison? Also his record flight of 69 miles in his PG.

Sounded like a bitchin day!

[JimmyZ]

Wow... great job everyone. Wish I was able to grow some ice on my knuckles like you guys. Maybe some fun flyying this weekend? I'm going to be able to pull away from the new baby for some airtime. :-) See you then!

[sd]

Link to SDs comments
http://paraglide.net/log/amigo/0_occasion/13/01-13/2_weather.htm