Sunday, 12/8/02
Nordhoff Laps
Across 33 to low on Bump 3
Back to The Stooges
And out to the High School
3 hours
East all day on Nordhoff Launch, so it was easy to get off. Took my time getting ready and was airborne about 11:35. The first wave got into the low 5s and went west. I topped a little over 5 and followed. Ron & Kristi went past Spine One and were down lower by the Nut House. Art made the connection across to Bump One. Looked over the Pyramid on the way, but it was a glide from the main spine in front of launch. Only 4K crossing Spine One, but came in ok near the top of the ridge below Bump One
The lift was weak. Art was a higher up on the Bump. He transitioned over to Bump 2, but came back. I finally got up to 3K+ and headed over, Art followed lower (too low?) and had to fall off to the low front points and limp back toward the river. Found a buoyant spot on the west side and it finally opened up. Left for Bump 3 with 32. Came in low and didn't connect. Had to follow Art.
Down in to low 2s working back down hill toward the river, but was able to latch on to something and drift back toward Bump One while climbing back up to 25. Stuck there forever, but finally got back up to 29 and headed for the Nut House. Came in even with launch. It was weak, but finally got me up to ridge line and over to Spine One.
Spine One was also weak, and I couldn't climb above about 32. We had some light wind from the east, so I looked upwind out toward the east point and connected up above 35. The lee side of The Pyramid was working, but I was leery about going upwind into the lee against increasing east wind. Went out front a bit and got around the corner, but the windward side stuff wasn't working. Left The Pyramid upwind for the west end of Nordhoff Ridge 300 feet lower than I got there. Went into the lee, found the draw, and worked a lee side thermal up to the top.
The sun was coming back out, and the thermals were small and sharp. Worked over to Bruce's Point and got back to 53. Looked downwind up toward launch, but didn't find anything worth working. Launch was still coming in good. Got on full bar and headed upwind over to The Stooges. No wind lower, and little movement. Arrived a couple hundred over and searched all the points on both sides a couple of times, but continued to loose altitude. Finally headed out from the lower front knob of the west spine and found a good thermal. Tracked it back up to 47. It was drifting from the SE higher up.
With full sun, the day still had a little left, but the last ride north was done at the Dear Lodge, so I headed back downwind toward Nordhoff Ridge, got back into the high 4s off the west end and headed out for the High School. Got there high and did a smooth spiral down. Land at 2:35 and was in the bag in 5 minutes (help from Edward). Dan Keyser got me home by 3:15.