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9/3/2001 Monday, Labor Day

2 Flights from SS Pine
To Ozena
To St. Thomas College / 19 miles / 13,000'
Bonanza

We were expecting some od, so we stayed local. The wind was light with some forecasted ESE.  Diablo, South Side, myself, and Carolyn for Crew.  10:20 on launch and airborne at 10:55.

Had to struggle to get up in small cores.  Got above 8 drifting from the ESE and went upwind to Reyes.  Got to 10.  Good street both directions, but low base.  Was hoping to get over to the Caliente's.  I could have run the street toward Cuyama, but I was worried about getting low away from the road due to the low base.   I opted to cross the river right away, and went for a cloud to the north.  It  fell apart on the glide over.  Hit the deck at Ozena before noon, in building upriver NW, 5 to 10. 

Broke down on the grass and got the sign out.  Caught a ride to launch with a Mexican family that didn't speak much English.  Tony and John reported the deck at Dry Canyon.  Airborne again about 1 PM.

Easy climb to base at 11K.  It was 100% od otb and dumping heavy.  Chase reported large hail on the NS.  Had another dump over by the North Launch, with thunder and lightning. Colorful.  A sharp sun line half way out to the Sespe was moving south..  

Got a little above base, 11.5, but the compass seemed unresponsive.  Might have been the electrical charge??  Took the altitude and ran for Ojai, but the headwind was hurting my glide.  Down below 8 over Tule Creek and it looked like I was comming up short, so turn back.  Arrive over 33 with 63 and find good action on the sun line.  The thermal got better, drifting from the SW.  Got to 13 this time and pointed south again.  12K over 33.  Used full speed bar pulling away the draw, but down below 6K the wind backed off.  Poor glide overall, and clear Nordhoff at 5 grand.

Off the east end with 45, still above the action.  Get to Three Stooges with 35.  Find the top of the lift at 37 and continue on to Twin Peaks.  Came in real low and work up to the top of the lift, 37 again.  Not much wind, some thermal draw up the spine, but drift from the NW outside the thermals.  Claw up the spine.  The sun line was moving out to Topa, so I was hoping the storm would start to feed on Ojai.  It tried, and I got to 5 at the middle bump, but the storm started falling apart after a couple of nibbles.

The west wind started to pick up, and I ran downwind.  42 at West Repeater, 39 at East, 37 at Boyd's, and the high 3s again off Puckers.  A good downwind glide over to Santa Paula Ridge, getting there just below the first point.  Fizzle out to the College.  Land about 3:30.

SD