[Amigo] > [Andy Palmer flight index]

Andy Palmer
First Owens Valley Flight
10/22/05

I was riding up to Walts point with Bob P, Marian, Dean, and Dimitry, and marveling at the eastern Sierra's, it was only as we stopped at launch that excitement really hit me.  After dropping some ballast behind one of the granite boulders over the ridge, I followed Deans instructions to layout, gear-up, and launch after him.  Dean launched first into a fair cycle that plucked him 8 ft off the edge, I followed shortly into a similar cycle, and Bob P was next.  Dean had been scratching and never quite got it and had to dirt for a quick retrieve, Bob and I were soon climbing and were at 12.4 west of launch but couldn't cross the first ridge due to a big sink hole.  Within 20 minutes Mitch (from Tahoe) was up with us, and the sink hole was gone, so off we went.

We shot the gaps and found abundant lift over the southeast facing ridges, some rough edges and strong cores, but mostly pretty friendly.  Mitch was flying a sig6 same color as mine so we had Bob a little confused at times, but we usually topped out together and flew in formation.  It was amazing to look over and see us flying over and next to those massive granite spires.

I had one fairly low save before the portal road crossing because I been puckered at the previous recharge station and left a little early, but after getting to the north side of the portal road I went up fast and it felt as if I could have benched back to Whitney, but that idea ended when I replayed the preflight briefing from Bob that went-don't get stuck scratching in a high canyon!-so back into the formation I went.  We made the next series of crossings easily, and heard Dean radio out that he was hot on our heals.  Before the Onion valley crossing Mitch headed out to Independence, Bob soon followed, I headed to the next ridge and climbed back up to 10k and headed out.  It was at that time I wished I had been wearing a depends-high capacity.  We all landed in or near Independence.  Mitch was calling out that he was going to land at the high school so I went there and to my surprise I didn't find him, but rather the homecoming football game was being played, so I diverted over to the airport and then to a dirt road next to the little league ball park.  I packed up in the grass at the ball field and walked over to 395 and called Marian who was waiting in Manzanar.  She picked up Bob and I, then it was off to get Dean.  On the way we picked up Tomas who had dirted closer to the mnts..  Soon we had Dean on board and headed back to LP to get vehicles.  What a day, my first OV flight, longest XC-25 miles-and highest altitude-12.4k.  Vario= max up 1243, max down1150, time 2:53.

I love this place.  Thanks go to Dean and Bob for much help, and education, and to Marian for retrieve.

Andy