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Sunday, 4/21/2002
Chief's Peak (Ojai) to Cathedral (SB) to Tee Time (Carpinteria)
32 miles + 14 miles ~ 46 miles
Bonanza
Sharon offered and I accepted a lift to Nordhoff HS. We rode up with Tony and Carolyn. 3 other vehicles followed with crew; Edward, Mike, Dan. Got'a love those injured pilots. Light wind on the ridge, but steady at Chief's. Launch about 11 and check it out for about 10 minutes. Got a hundred over in front of the first bump. Took 2 approaches to get down for a colorful, but clean top landing on launch.
Off again about 11:15. Took it down the spine and over to The Stooges. It was a little early, and I had to fish. Finally was able to drift back to the spine behind with a thermal that was coming off the east side. Got into the upper 4s and over to Nordhoff.
Didn't find anything, but the low level flow was from the east, so I continued on. Was down low, but finally hooked up and moved over to Spine One. Topped about 41a bit out front, and tried the glide across 33. Had a good down wind seam, but encountered lower level draw from the west and had to get on the bar for the last few hundred yards. Got to the low ridge with a hundred to spare.
Dolphined up the ridge. At times I was parked against the draws, and at others there was on wind. Finally got up to 3K and headed further in. Bump 3 worked good down low and I climbed from the high 2s up through 5K. 62 off the high peak on the ridge. Kept going with 55 behind White Ledge. Got back to 6 on East Divide. The upper flow was drifting from the East. Missed the thermals at West Divide and Noon. Kept going downwind and didn't stop until just past The Wires. Was down a bit low, but connected back to ridge line and kept going.
Castle Ridge was ok. Was getting a bit above the ridge and taking downwind glides. Passed Scotty at Montecito. Pilots in SB were getting into the mid 3s. Went for Parkers from Shadow Peak with about 31. The front points were working. Started encountering a little wind from the west. Pressed on and turned at Cathedral and headed back downwind.
A few low connections, but mostly easy going. It was still early, so I didn't need to rush it. Encountered the east again around the middle of Castle Ridge. Headed out with 37 on an East / West seam from behind Castle Point 4. The lower flow was onshore from the west, so the glide was good. Stretched it to the Tee Time driving range. Landed on the grass about 3:30. Packed up on the putting green.
Tony (landed at the beach in Summerland) and Carolyn pulled up a couple minutes after touchdown. In the bag and mobile 5 or 6 minutes after touchdown. Margaritas and food at Cabo's. Home by 4:30.
Sundowner