Wed/1/30

From: Dan
Activity_Date: 1/30/02
Remote Name: 68.6.44.212

Comments

It was breakfast at the Mesa Cafe then skyport at 11:30. Wind was OTB but with hopeful signs based upon occasional up cycles. All Brendan needed was a couple of these teaser cycles and he was out of the bag. When he launched it was straight up to 5700'. Chad and Leann who were at Parma smoked the tires all the way to launch with Brendan's showing us the way. Tom launched next and did not fair as well but went to the AF and was on course to go x/c. Sharon was next and she was trying to get up but at last glance she was only 150'-200' above launch.

Sharon launched just when Chad and LeAnne were coming down the stairs. Chad let me set up over him and with the next cycle I was treading air. I gave up the high ground to head to the TF. I came in low and did not want to fight the SE flow so I headed a little to the west and caught some nice lift on the first ridge past the wires. I took it to launch's altitude and tried to go the the TF. Chad came in higher on the TF ridge but ended up coming down to the fattie I just left. I too came back to the well but much lower. I was scratching again looking for something that would work while everyone was skying out around me. Finally weak lift was at my wing tips and I worked it and as I gained in altitude it became stronger. Soon I was at 4000' and I went up to the top ridge of the AF. As I took the drift to the east I was able to top out at 5800'. Tom Pipkin was down range and I ended up joining him around Romero Peak. There we played in diminishing lift as it was nearing 2:00 pm and the peak of the day was gone.

I made a play for the next ridge but it wasn't going to work. I took the conservative route and headed out. I was going to land in the polo field but I did see some pony work being done in one of the back fields so I opted for a down wind field where I had a good landing.

Doug is the owner and we had a nice conversation centered around his life and his avacado ranch. He is an old surfer now turned rancher. He allowed me to fold up my wing in his drive way. Unfortunately, his wife who came out as I was folding my wing took an entirely different slant on my presence and without blinking an eye told me the next time she saw me she would have me arrested. So if you are flying and see a fairly large brown field to the ne of the polo grounds adjacent to one of the growers on the north side of foothill rd beware.

Sharon however had the flight of the day. When she flew over my position while I was folding my wing she was at least 1500' over me.

The real excitement of the day rests with Brendan. Have him tell you of the wild toads ride back to parma. It makes Jocky's siv course seem tame.