Tony Deleo (El Diablo)
Thursday. 2/16/06
Elminator to short of Hyw 5
~ 57 miles (LFSD score 52)

Takeoff at 11:00 just as the "high clouds" started to move in.  6k at the RR, unfortunately I had performed numerous repairs to my glider including removing the sails.  When turning the inboard wing would drop and I would have to apply opposite bar pressure to hold the inboard wing up.  Reminded me of the old flex wing days high siding the glider.  To complicate matters there was a 10+ mph west wind which made centering more difficult.

Flushed off the power line crossing and was able to climb out mid way out with the thermal drifting me towards Divide Peak where I topped out at 6k.  At Twin Peaks in Ojai I climbed out with 2 condors almost colliding with one.  Got stuck at Puckers, finally leaving with 6k, arriving at Santa Paula Ridge with 4500'.  Arriving at Fillmore with 5K east bound to Piru in weak convergence lift along the foothills.

There were clouds east of me on The Santa Suzanna Mountains which would have given me the altitude for Kagel.  Unfortunately upon crossing the Santa Clara River to The Santa Suzanna Mountains I was in a different air mass but continued gliding to what appeared to be favorable relief which was not working.  This detour cost me the altitude to make the Interstate and I flushed back to the foothills north of Highway 126 to low to make them work.  According to Carolyn, driver, the wind was out of the north at the Interstate.  Upon landing there were small cumis forming over the Interstate which probably would have given me the altitude for Kagel!  Oh well!

All and all a great day even with the high clouds and screwed up glider.