John Kloer (aka OJ)
Sunday, 12/11/05
Chief's to Bump 3 to Lake Casitas
~ 12 miles, 1 hour 40 minutes

After lots of calls this morning that alternated between "Yes, let's go" and "No, too many clouds" we finally put a crew together for a 11:00 meet time.  Eight pilots (Brendan, Sharon, Randall, Bob H, the Spin Doctor, Riss, Fast Eddie, and OJ) with Tom P running chase arrived at Chief's around Noon.

Conditions at launch were ideal with a nice cycle coming in every couple of minutes.  I went third after Ron and Bob and tried to make the top of the spine work but saw them doing much better halfway to Twin Peaks and joined them.  Smooth, convergence type lift to 6,680 and Westbound to Nordhoff Ridge where Bob and Ron were running a search pattern looking for the altitude to jump the gap.

I floundered big time on the front points while Brendan came across and set up camp over the Nordhoff tower.  After 10 minutes or so a good pulse came in that took me into the mid 5's so I jumped the gap, connecting with a low spine that leads up towards Bump One.  Felt the need to play it on the conservative side since Ron and his Mustang had rodeo sex here the day before.

Hooked a smooth one to the top of the ridge and was relieved to not encounter the rotor that Ron had.  Worked over to Bump Three with 4,800 and paused to assess my situation.  The day felt like it was getting late and another band of clouds was moving through.  A run through the pass at that point seemed possible, but the odds of a land out back there appeared to be 50/50.  Well... that's not good enough for me since I don't favor walking and I had the SCPA Christmas party to go to.

Cashed in my altitude and made a run for the lake, landing at Foxtail Field where Susan was waiting with a ride back to the high school.

Vario log: 800 fpm up, 760 dn, max alt 6680, 12.0 miles in 1hr. 40 min.