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4/6/2001

Plowshares to New Cuyama
Bonanza

The high pressure was overhead with minimal onshore flow, so we took a chance and went late, and got to launch a couple hours early at 11.  Crewed Craig's truck down and back up for socializing and a snooze.  It started backing off and the birds were penetrating so I headed over to the first launch.  Not much point in hiking all the way out to the point if it's coming in strong.

I was first off at 1:15 followed by Tony deGroot.  Thermalled up right away to 1,500 over and tested the drift.  Mostly out of the north with some NE off the east and NW off to the west.  Left in the high 5s for the glide to Timber Top.  Only Bat followed along the mountains, everyone else took the valley.  Mostly getting into the 5s early on, 6 midway down, and 85 at McPherson.  Coming in low on the front points and staying out of the canyons.  The thermals were always there when I needed one.  The lift was a bit strong at times.

Started hitting some headwind around Cottonwood.  I bridged out nicely to the south from McPherson along an E/W seam.  Perhaps I should have continued out but I ran toward Foothill Road.  Got back up a couple of time along the way, but the lift over the flat lands was light and I was giving ground on the drift.  Tried to run for Salsbury canyon, but ran into too much sink and headwind down low and had to turn tale an find some zero sink to get back to the Oil Refinery.

Landed about 4.

Tony and Hesham were intimated by the strong cycles at launch.  They got too far out front and came up short of the river.  Doc was on Crew

SD