Tony De Groot
Tuesday, 4/14/10
2 flights from the Eliminator to Parma
28 minutes on the first flight & 2½ hours on the second

As for myself and a number of others the early launch with low cloudbase got us scrubbed to Parma.  If you didn't drift when one of the big OD cycles came and followed it downwind there wasn't much left and then you have a SE side headwind to Parma.  I did try the rock area but just couldn't find enough to keep me up and landed after 28 minutes.

With the day off and an early landing Jay and I broke down and drove back up in my car.  People were now getting up everywhere and the day looked much better.  Bob A was still at launch and had waited for the change in wind direction and cloudbase to rise and we launched and got up at launch and flew around the local fishbowl.  Bob was out climbing me, out gliding me and choosing better lift lines on two separate jaunts, one to Thermal Factory were I was rebuffed and another time as I stretched for the Holy hills and was rebuffed AGAIN only to watch Bob sky out!!

As I left the Holy Hills I wasn't even sure I'd make Parma but there wasn't much sink and I ran into a convergence over the Monastery that took me back to 3700 feet.  Still there was NE pushing me back but later in the day around 4, I felt the convergence move from the green water tank to the round house and got to 4100 there and easily flew over Thermal Factory.  Ahhhhhhhh, that's what it looks like....finally.

Bob A said he'd give me a ride back up and I had to auger down from 3600 over Parma.  Second flight was over 2.5 hours.  Thanks to Diablo for the ride up and for Bob for the second ride up.  Jay landed at Parma for the first time and again later so two times in one day.  Amazing how it got so much better later with smooth lift and pretty scenery with the shadow lines on the hills late in the day.

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