Sunday, 1/13/13 [Weather] and [Flight Articles] by [Bob A]  [Ron Faoro]  [Andy Dainsberg] [Tim Barker]

Tim Barker
Sunday, 1/13/13

EJ Bowl West Bound to Lizards Mouth and back to Parma

Article Copied from: http://scpa.info/bb/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2746#p8263

Re: Wintry Sunday, 1/13/13
by timobarker » Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:57 pm

I launched a couple behind Ron and followed his lead to La Cumbre, where I topped out just under 6,700. I wanted to follow the movement East, but family and commitments held me from following that gaggle. I opted for the west route to see how far I could get. As Ron mentioned there was some big lift out there. But, as I ventured further west I found the lift dampened and flattened. Although it was still everywhere.

I pulled into Painted Cave around 4100 got a boost to 5100 and headed west over the 154. The going was slow as the headwind was around 8 -10 mph the whole way. As we all experienced this side of the pass, the wind started to clock around from S to SW to WSW to NW to N. By the time I made it to Lizards Mouth (almost an hour later), I was crabbing west while facing almost due North. At the gun club I got boosted again from 4,700 to 6,600 and thought I'd have broadcast made no problem. But as I started to venture that way, the wind said "not today," as my ground speed was 2 - 6 mph.
So, I opted to take my altitude and make a beeline down wind to Parma. I left Lizards Mouth at 12:15 and by 12:30 I was passing west bowl. I pulled in tight to La Cumbre and got nailed by a hefty 1000+per minute climb that left me ragged and ready to head home. Everybody was either way out east or on the ground at parma. I realized really quickly that I also wanted to be on the ground, as the wind was gusting up to 15.
Landed nicely, almost parachuttal and enjoyed the hooting and hollering, backslaps, high fives, and good times had by all of us at the LZ!
What a day! Loved every moment of it. It was really fun to draw my own line today and fly solo. Can't wait to hear about some of the big flights east BObA? Hammer? Still driving home? Still in the air?

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