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Sunday, 12/16/2001

2 Tandem Flights from the Skyport
11:20 launch with Doug Norton, to Parma
1:30 launch with Carmelina, to East Beach
Galaxy

Doug and I took a ride from Carp with Brendan about 9:45.  Transfer to Brent's vehicle at Parma.

Big turnout, maybe 30 PG pilots and 20 HGs.  Most everyone seemed to be getting up, with very few flushing.

The high pressure had moved overhead, providing light wind, clear skies, and an average lapse rate.  Doug was using a gift certificate from an auction donation.  With both of us at 180 pounds, we were a tad heavy for the light air.  Doug started to get woozy, so we left the R&R with about 37 for a stab at the beach.  Short on glide.  Doug was felling better and wanting more airtime, so we turned back from the Monastery with 23 for The Round House.

We came up short below The Round House, but were able to get over to The Rock and connect back up.  Going through 2K, the motion was too much again, so we headed out for Parma.  Good landing, but I over ran Doug trying to run it out.

We didn't have a vehicle, and the day was young.  Doug called his wife (she would pick him up and go shopping).  Elizabeth Faoro dropped me at the stop sign.  Gene Winkler was the second vehicle by, and loaded my gear.  Gene lives in the house with the cross, just in front of the power lines below The Factory.  He's a sailplane instructor and runs a school out of El Mirage.  Took me all the way to launch.  Mentioned that our radios are a bit loud.

Tried to persuade anyone of the numerous HG crew to take a ride, but no victims willing to commit.  Hit on a 65 year old French tourist, but couldn't close the deal.  All the HGs launched and I thought I was going to have to drive down when a motorcycle pulled over to watch.  I pounced like a vulture, and they were game to go.  Both Dorian and Carmelina were aerobatic pilots.  Carmelina lives in Valencia and flies a Decathlon.  Dorian flies a Pitts and lives in Marina Del Ray.  Carmelina was a bit skeptical about driving the motor bike, so she got the poll.  With a little help from SA, we were airborne in 10 minutes.

The day was getting late, and the lift was fading.  Either my glider is getting old, or I'm getting rusty.  We were loaded light, but couldn't keep up with two of the other gliders, a yellow one and a white one.  We got a peak over the back from 4, but left when the second bounce broke up with 3,650.  Got to the beach with about 4 or 5 hundred to spare.  Carmelina tried some surges, but without much altitude, we couldn't demo any aero.  Good landing on the grass.  Bummed a buck from our Starlet, and Hammer dropped me at the bus stop on Coast Village Road a few minutes before the 3 o'clock #20.  Walked from the bus stop in Carp to my house.  In the door about 3:40.

Everyone I heard from reported a good day.

SD