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Saturday, 9/7/13 Flight Articles by: [Marty] [Ron Faoro] [David Teal]

Marty Devietti
Saturday, 9/7/13

Pine Mountain to the I-5 Truck Stop (Frazier Park Rd & I5) turn point (about 27 miles)
and back to Nordhoff High School (about 34 miles)
Total distance around 1 turn point ~ 61 miles

Pine Mountain!

Editors Note: click on photos with blue border to open HD size (1080) image
Cruising the coastal fog to get to Ojai and beyond…
Thank goodness for computers, because if I looked out the window for my weather, I’d have missed  this day!


Driving through coastal fog today was a cool way to start the drive up to Pine Mt and try to get high and go big.

The SoCal league was there to give it a go as well.  The first pilots got up and specked out at around 11am.  I got out there and was at 11k in no time.  As we crossed the badlands several got low but it seemed most everyone made it to the Lockwood Valley.
Lockwood Valley looking at Frazier Peak
It looks tame enough in the beginning, but this place is like a huge jet intake, and that little puff ball is the primer!

From there I suspect a few landed and some made the truck stop LZ turn point.  It was pumping at Frazier Mt. and cumulus began to pop all around.  I flew back with Ron who had a harrowing yet ultimately safe landing involving strong gusty winds, dust devils and power lines so he could land next to Bob.  Tom was there in no time to pick them up, having landed earlier, hitched back to his car at the sand pile LZ and raced out to scoop is all up.  After Ron's ordeal, I opted to speck out and try to fly back to Ojai and succeeded.
It was going off everywhere now so climbing to 14k was easy on the way back.

Truck stop at Frazier Park Road and I-5
Dean tells me if I ever land here, to head to the Mexican restaurant near the middle of this shot.

Looking North towards Bakersfield…Things are really cooking now!
Bakersfield looked like a safe option for landing, but what a retrieve that would be!


Looking South  ↑


Looking back (east) on the return leg westbound, it was hard not to continue on to the desert and chase Stephan who was way out there trying to make it to the Owens valley.

Topping off before the long glide out

Self portrait as I cross Reyes with the Badlands behind…
Have to get back to Oak View by 6 and pick up the kids from the Grandparents house…
so this was actually the perfect outcome for me.
I am gonna make it!

The glide was 7:1.  Boy, it looks so far away…
but it only got easier.

Crossing Nordhoff Peak south looking at Ojai and the coast
Got it made!
Nordhoff High School
I sent a Text to Chris G to see if landing at NHS was an option…Yep! was his reply then he got on the radio and gave me wind info which was very helpful!  Looking at my watch I realized I was going to land right at his meet time for going up for a glass off flight from pine.  That would have been too cool hitching a ride back to my car on top.  Fortunately, Ron, Bob and Tom were already on their way back with my rig and the others too. Thanks so much guys.
The things we do to pack on grass…
My landing was windy and turbulent right as I touched down but it was a soft landing and grassy for packing.
The guys on retrieve are kindly picking up my truck on top and driving it back to me here at the school where we met this am.
Ta dahhh!
Landed near 3 pm and could have thrown in with Chris with FlyAboveAll, who was loading his suburban for the glass off. Instead he called winds via radio for my landing (thanks a ton!) and I opted to let my truck come to me to save time. Thanks Tom, Ron, and Bob for the flying fun and for driving back my truck.

Looks like the glass off could be huge

Time to relax in the shade.
Cheers,
Marty

PS:  I have always wanted to try this flight, and it just unfolded in front of me today. Super sweet!

I understand today (Sunday) was similar or even better, and I can’t wait to hear what the hang pilots have to say when they tell their stories of flying back to SB from Pine…Niiiiiice!

Big props to Aaron and the SoCal league for taking the plunge and trying out Pine.  Thanks also to the launch crew on take off for helping lay out, and for Fast Eddie, (who wasn’t our driver this time) for keeping an eye on us every step of the way.  It gives me great confidence knowing folks are keeping an eye out and a radio on.  Thanks so much!

Great job to Dave Teal on his big flight, as well as Alex almost making the beach on the glass off.  I understand Stephan made goal on the league task and wisely flew past the 50/50 to the sod fields for some well earned grassy packing.

 

 

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