Nice day to fly like a boomerang

[DeVietti_Marty]

Quite the forecast, and matching crew at Nordoff High school for the 10:30 meet time. Ron F., OJ, Tom P., Andy, Chris P. and myself rounded out the crew for what looked like a great day for an out and return to say, Noon Peak?

According to Ron, the forecast suggested that the lapse rate would improve after 1pm, so Andy launched first followed by Chris who needed a low save to finally get up and away. I was right after Tom who climbed out nicely on his 'new' wing. Following Andy's lead to Cheif's peak seemed like a good thing to do first, into what should have been a headwind, but wasn't bad, where Chris P. managed to get all the way to East Repeater before we three headed back and tanked up over Nordoff Ridge and a bit deeper. Andy specked out and headed south to cash in his altitude for an easy glide and tour of Ojai. 6460' was my highest, but it was probably on the way to Noon where that occurred. Tom was first across the 33 west, and struggled for a long time before Ron and Chris came over (and back and forth for Ron). I showed up, reluctantly after seeing how hard it looked, but it was improving. I took an out front glide, and it served me well, as I approached the bumps. Eventually I got up and Chris and I bobbed along the back range past White Ledge, eventually to Noon for me, and just short of it for Chris. We made it back and loved the light west tailwind to the high school, where Andy had landed earlier and left, leaving OJ to usher us into the field by the Church with Tom P. and call wind after his landing there. Ron had made some laps to Chiefs and landed with Chris and me at the end of the day. Whew! Nice day.

Here are the pics from my flight coming back into Ojai and just before the hike...

https://plus.google.com/photos/110871143058661933036/albums/5853874301711828033

Thanks for the fun, guys!

Marty

[Faoro_Ron]

Four hours of big air for the Topa Topa crew. My hat is off to John Kloer, who - out of sheer respect for friends and manly endeavor - hiked up to the Nuthouse launch after five years in hike-up rehab. His outstanding effort inspired the rest of us. Tom Pipkin led the charge to White Ledge and got stuck on a bump for over an hour waiting for it to turn on. The high pressure air was gnarly and it got the attention of this humble pilot. There was one thermal where I was literally banking and circling to the right, only to be told by the thermal in no uncertain terms that counter-clockwise was the proper orientation. Sure enough, without any pilot input except sphincter tightening, the wing rocked back, did an extended wing-tip fold and - voila! - I was turning left. At the top of the Pyramid, there was that moment when everything went quiet, I started sliding backwards and I knew what was going to happen next: Weightlessness, puckered orifices and an alarming trip to the moon. You have to love a 30 degree spread in Ojai. But the pods had it as Marty and Chris showed the cowboy skills to honor OJ's big day.

John and Susan Kloer kindly settled me down with a beer and a more-than-healthy dosing of Patron to enable me to make the ride home.

[andy dainsberg]

eastbound from @6800 over chief

south from the high school

[Paul_Chris]

Thanks to Marty for leading the way into the pass. From the gap up to bump 2, the air felt pretty windy and ratty. I was about to give up and head out, when Marty cruised overhead, then climbed out at bump 3. Flying low along the back ridge feels a lot more committed than out front, but there were great close-up views of the north side, still covered in snow. After east divide, I could no longer hold the ridge, and had to swing wide to get in front of west divide. By the time I climbed out, Marty was already returning from noon. We took the front route on the way back. No big climbs, but the tailwind made the return easier. Really nice day with the snow covered peaks and big group out flying.

[Aaron]

Great flights! Thanks for the posts. We had a full eagle van to ej bowl for some windy scrappy soaring. Soarable everywhere though. I guess we should have bush surfed east and might have connected. Shoulda woulda coulda

Nice flyin ya bastards!