Skyport to Fillmore

From: T. Pipkin
Activity_Date: 4/28/02
Remote Name: 66.81.167.143

Comments

A large crowd & low cloud base was enough incentive to head east early. The flight was incredibly scenic following John & SD down range towards Carpinteria. The winds were light & the connections seemed easy. Diablo & I played tag team to the powerlines behind Carp.

John, Chad, Kendrich, Chris P., Diablo & I all arrived at Noon Peak at about the same time. As we all worked our way towards White Ledge, I flushed into Coyote Canyon. Landing seemed inevitable, the only question was where. Looking up, the gaggle of pilots circling 2k overhead reminded me of vultures waiting for the carcass to die. I kept thinking, one more fig. 8 & then I'll need to land. Looking at an ugly remote hike out, the pilots above were commenting on the collapses I was taking & the ground crew was asking where the hide-a-key was on my van. Yea, I was STRESSED. After many zero sink passes, I finally scratched my way out.

As Chris P. & I skirted around the front of W.L., I looked back just in time to see Ron land exactly where I just barely managed to scratch out of. Ron's a better pilot, but like SA says, its better to be lucky than good. "I need to buy a lotto ticket".

Once in Ojai, Chad, John, Chris P. & Kendrick opted to land. I pressed on to Fillmore. The flight east was never so easy. Rounded Santa Paula ridge at 5400' & took a glide to fillmore.

Diablo picked me up on the way through town & dropped me off at home. Thanks Tony.