Wednesday, 2/26/03
Tandem with Randall
4 flights to nowhere (4 different LZs) Edward on Crew
The Bypass to Montecito Peak and back to Lower Parma
The Bypass to Parkers, back to The Tit, and flush to Upper Parma
The Skyport, sled run in the shade to Saint Mary's
Upper Bates to Lower Bates
Tucan
Dragged Randall up from Santa Monica, expecting to be able to head east with a postfrontal tail wind. The Skyport was slow to block, so we headed back down to the Bypass. Airborne a little after 10:30ish? Around the Round House and over to East Spine above The Rock. Weak climb to the mid 3s. Some drift from the southeast down low, and NW up higher with a little sheer in between.
Headed eastbound, a little out front, and ran back in at Montecito Peak. Tired to follow a weak draw up the west spine, but had to fall back down to the front hills above the power lines. SE out front, so heading over to the east spine was not an option (we used our spare altitude looking up the west spine). Didn't find anything substantial out front, so fell off across the canyon back toward the lower SE fingers of Parkers. Nada on the first one, but found a wiggly thermal on the second one. It was drifting from the West despite the base wind from the east. A little leery of tracking back to the East with it, so left for the west point of Parkers only to find east wind again (probably should have stayed with the wiggly thermal drifting against the wind).
Ran for The Rock, and came in on the spine above the horse pad. Fizzle down the spine and have to run out for landing at Parma. Tried to set up for landing at upper, but missed the approach and had to go into lower.
Round 2. Kristi and Sharon had done well, with Sharon reaching cloudbase. Got up easy this time, and followed Christian over to Parkers. Still had plenty of east in it, so we threw in the towel and went downwind to The Holly Hills. Got up enough to check The Tit, but it switched off and we were all in flush mode except for Bob H who had stepped out to town and was climbing in the lift under the clouds that were shading in the mountains. Dane went into Lower Parma, Christian down to Saint Mary's, and we managed to power upwind to Upper Parma.
Round 3 from the Skyport was a sleader in the shade, but the launch was interesting. Came up in a right turn (seemed like a line was pinned by a grass clump), but the canopy got overhead and started to build energy. We brushed the tree going by. It was pretty buoyant in front of launch (but not soarable), so we tried for the Round House despite the east wind because it had the most recent sun. Ran into sink past the power lines, and was even with The Bypass going by it. Finally fell off for The Holy Hills, but got there low and fizzled into Saint Mary's.
Picked up the cars an my house and headed over to Bates. The conditions looked excellent. Nice velocity, straight in, and low tide. Due to the good direction, it was rotoring on top, so we went below the edge for launch. Got to 400 msl right away, but figured we could get more before heading across the freeway. Unfortunately, it was shutting down. White Shark informed us after landing that we were 15 minutes too late.
Still only mid afternoon, so home in time to get my door painted, but the wind came up late in the afternoon.