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Flight Articles from Saturday, 3/4/06 (in order of posting time stamp)
[Sharon Sweeney] [OJ] [Ron Meyer] [Bob Peloquin] [Randall McCormick] [Andy Palmer] [John Scott] [Kabir] [Dean] [Mike Preston] [Scotty]

Ron Meyer
Saturday, 3/4/06

Flight 1 - Skyport to Chismahoo Road for lunch.
Flight 2 - Relaunch Point to Foxtail Field

Launched second among 173 pilots at Skyport. Fought a 5 to 8 mph SE flow to Thermal Factory and benched up with Robb Milley and Bob Peloquin. Robb and I left for Montecito with 4200 or so and teamed up down the range, marking lift for each other. Deano was a mile or two in front of us.

Remarkably the SE flow eased up from Montecito eastward. 4200 seemed to be the thermal top for the most part and Robb and I arrived at Castle Ridge healthy and high. Occasional draw but little to no wind in the air.

As I approached the Powerlines, cumi's were beginning form. Left for the Noon Peak spine low but caught a fattie there and benched to 4400 under graying clouds. Left for West Divide and thermaled up to cloudbase at 4650 between West and East Divide. Left feeling high, fat and happy toward White Ledge, sure Fillmore was in reach. Time 12:15 PM.

Arrived on the east side of White Ledge in trashy air. I suspect some North was spilling over the top so retreated to the south side. There I was bucking a 10 to 15 mile west wind and couldn't connect to anything meaningful. The lower I got, the stronger the west got and the lift just disappeared. At 40 feet agl it became clear to me that it was as good as time as any to perform a Chismahoo road condition inspection, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. ;o)

Looked around, took a picture, had lunch, and then slung the wing over the shoulder and walked to the relaunch point. Relaunched and landed at Foxtail field where Tom Pipkin kindly picked me up. Thanks Tom!