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Saturday, 9/25/04 Took two vehicles to Pine with 11 pilots. Found conditions at the South launch blowing 0 to about 12 mph straight in. Punched off fourth and made good progress to about 10300 but had difficulty finding the source that Paul used to get a grand higher. Followed Sundowner to the West but, as usual, he went up and I went down. Limped back towards launch at 8k and connected with the house thermal to 11500. Sundowner reported 12 plus and Westbound into no-man's land while Art checked out for Ojai in the mid 11's with a 40 mph glide. Liked the sound of 40 mph Southbound so I grabbed one last core to 12200 and headed out. Was making good time but hit a nasty shear line a couple minutes out and things went sour in a hurry. By the time I got out of the rough stuff near Dry Lakes ridge I had lost 5000 feet and Ojai was looking kinda iffy, but I pushed on thinking I could fall off to the West end of Nordhoff ridge and connect near the Nuthouse. Big Mike had made a similar play but turned back to land in the campground North of the Matillija ranger station. I thought I had a better line on the Nuthouse than he did and figured I could turn back if it didn't work out. I kept veering to the West hoping to clear Nordhoff ridge where it slopes off to the gap for Hwy. 33, but the top was always just a hundred feet too high. Found a couple of thermals on the lee side but the wing wasn't happy being in the rotor so close to the ridge. I wanted to turn back to the campground but by now it was out of reach. The only option at that point for an LZ was the small avocado ranch (Walker Ranch) on the North side of the canyon so I pushed through the harsh air and S-turned my way down, somehow avoiding the power lines, barbed wire fence, newly planted trees, and two very pissed off dogs. Mrs. Walker came out and was very understanding of my choice for an emergency LZ, telling me someone else had landed there awhile back. I quickly replied that was a misfit named Dean and I was nothing like him. She then invited me in to meet the family and fold my glider, but the dogs were still having a fit so I thanked her and made my way off the ranch and was picked up in short order by Topa chase. OJ |
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