[Amigo] > [Hansford flight index] [Sunday's Article Set]

Hansford Cutlip
Sunday, 8/7/05
Pine Mountain to Lockwood Valley

I (Hansford) was the newbie in question and I appreciate the feedback (reference from South Side's article).  I tried to get some bearing on my situation from the other pilots around but I didn't have much luck.  There was obviously a lot of thermic activity in the area; my main concern was being high enough to hook into it.  If I had hit a lot of sink or a stiff headwind as I went down in the chute I might have been in trouble but I was getting a pretty good glide and encountering no headwind.  Finding that thermal guaranteed (in my mind) making it out to the valley.  It was pretty OD'ed by the time I got out there and the closest sunlight was to the southeast back away from the road.  I felt some rain and figured that it was only going to get worse considering my position so I decided to land.  I made it close to the airport and landed just as the rain really started coming down.

Then (as SD later pointed out) I made my biggest mistake, getting into the chase vehicle to follow the ~100 mile gang out into the desert.  After several hours Eddie and I parted company.  I jumped into Diablo's ride in the hopes of getting home sooner.

I made it back to Buellton a little before midnight.

3rd flight at Pine