Monday, 4/7/03
Nuthouse to Santa Barbara
Landing next to the fountain at Fess Parker's Double Tree on Cabrillo
25 miles from Spine One to the Mission
23 miles from Launch to landing
~ 2 hours 10 minutes
Bonanza
Was expecting to be out of action longer after my shoulder surgery on 3/21, but the day looked good and the shoulder felt ok after my physical therapy secession and icing. Would have met earlier, but a 10:30 meet was the best I could do, and I was 10 minutes late.
Taliban, Tom P, and myself were planning to grab Edward for crew and take Tom P's suburban up, but his truck quit at the High School. We tried CPR for about 20 minutes, but finally gave up and opted to hike. A nice hot day with plenty of wild flowers on the trail, along with the bees, mosquitoes, no see-ums, and other assorted intimate party goers. Not the best conditions for redheads. The trail improvements helped a lot, and I reached launch at noon. Cycling in about 8 to 12. Off about 12:20.
Easy up and out, drawing from the SW down at our lower altitude. Due to the stiff conditions on launch and the good lapse rate inland, I thought we may have a lot of wind on the ridge line, but it wasn't a problem. Took the SW flow eastbound and got to 36 in a convergence halfway over to Spine One. Powered upwind to Spine One and found strong lift, but more east. My arm was felling weak and I didn't like the upwind obstructions, so I looked out front. Took a smooth core up to 63+ and crossed the river with 6K.
Over flew bump 3 with 42, but didn't hit a thermal (very unusual). It was downwind so I kept going, but had to work up the back ridge to the lower knob below The Backstep. Got into the low 5s and moved over to the High Step. Got into the mid 5s and continued downwind through the saddle behind White Ledge. Back to 56, and mostly easy going.
More east wind higher up, and less down lower. Skipped down the range making good time, getting a little below ridge line along Castle Ridge, and 500 above. Topped in the low 4s behind Tunnel Tit. Could have kept going, but my shoulder had been aching and was getting worse. Pilots were reporting stiff west down lower, so I thought I was on a good line for the Beach, but it probably would have been easier to reach for the training hill because I was crabbing against the east until I was down to 2K over the Rose Garden.
Got to the beach on a stretch with a few hundred to spare, but didn't have enough to reach back to the east end. Pulled up for an approach to the Fountain at Fess Parker's. Ideal landing conditions for an easy accurate approach. Touchdown just before 2:30. SA boosted me back to my house. In the door at 3 PM. Left my Toyota in Ojai for the Topa Pilots to bring it up Tuesday night.