Chris Lorimer
Tuesday, 10/1/2019

Skyport to Ojai

Reference: [IGC Text Data File] and [Google Earth KMZ File] or [Ayvri Web Animation]

Article Submitted by Chris Lorimer via SBSA Telegram Chat

Had a great day flying around the mountains today and even achieved my season goal to fly to Ojai.  I thought I would write up a trip report incase any other fledglings wanting to make their first flight to Ojai might find it useful.

I launched Skyport and immediately got about a hundred feet above launch but was having trouble finding which way the thermal was drifting so I decided to go towards Thermal Factory.  I came into Thermal Factory pretty low and messed around in the hills just above the road without having much success.  I then made a run to Round House and I had some luck in the lower bowl below Round House.  This was one of the tougher parts of the day.  I was really close to bailing to Parma or St. Marys but I was able to gain 50ft here and there - just enough to feel good about continuing to fly until I found a better climb (Lesson 1- Be tenacious but have an escape).  I eventually made my way back up to Thermal Factory and and worked up to 4.9k.

From here, it was pretty uneventful until the Power Lines before Noon Peak.  Up to this point I was doing a good job about patiently climbing high before leaving for the next trigger.  Here Andrew Byron caught me and we flew together for a few minutes until I tried to make a glide at the same altitude as him and came into the next peak very low (Lesson 2- Fly your own flight.  I should have continued to climb before gliding).

Near the Power Lines I made a bad decision to turn left into lift instead of right near the top of the ridge.  Because of the southwest wind, this blew me to the northside of the ridge for a moment into some really sinky air.  I was in need of a climb and loosing a couple hundred feet really set me back.  I spent the next 40 minutes in a valley desperately scratching to get back up onto the ridge.  I was eventually able to gain the ridge and continue to White Ledge.

I came into White Ledge a little low but was able to work my way up the rock face to the summit with some effort.  From White Ledge I picked the loftiest line I could see and glided to Ojai.  I was hoping to land in the field near Nordhoff High School but was having a tough glide with the wind.  I decided to play it safe and land in the riverbed near the 33.

Condition wise- it seemed like the SW wind helped me along most of the way with a bit of North higher.  Coming into Ojai, wind was mostly south which made getting passed the river tough with the line I chose.  Today was very active and required a good amount of glider management.  I had about 4 small collapses after East Divide on my 4.9 aspect ratio glider, all of which sorted themselves out quickly but one and lots of pitch control practice which I really enjoyed.

I had to fight hard and dig deep at times but I was able to stay within my comfortable margin of safety and made my goal.  I couldn’t have had a better day.

Thanks Garcia and Andrew Byron for all the teachings once we landed!

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