Sunday, 12/28/03
Skyport
to top land at The Alternator
to the Windmill at Painted Cave
to Santa Paula Ridge and give up to land at St Thomas
~ 7 + 42 = 49 miles
Did the family trip to launch. Expecting a mellow weather day. Tried to coax Pam into a tandem, but she didn't want to leave her daughter for more than a couple of hours. Got lazy on the meet time and arrived at launch about 10:30, 20 minutes after it got soarable. Airborne about ten till eleven.
A bit weak at first. Had to scratch to get up. 43 at the R&R. Top land at the Alternator to say hi to a good size gang of HGs and PGs setting up. 43 again at No Name, but not as much at the VOR. Reached over to Painted Cave and rounded the Wind Mill with 31.
Stuck low at Painted Cave for 10 minutes. Didn't want to burn up too much time because we started late and would run out of time at the end of the day. Finally gave up and reached back east below minimums with 29. Got back up from 21 to 3K on the low west point of No Name. 38 at West Bowl and on course. Pretty easy going, making good time and occasionally getting to 4ish. 47 at Noon, 5K at West Divide. Took the back ridge east of White Ledge for a change, but think I would have made better time going around the front corner lower in the SW flow. A little NE up at the High Step and the Back Step.
Came in over The Nut House with 25, but nada. The bushes weren't twitching and there wasn't any wind. Searched around to no avail. Down to 100 over launch and a good strong core finally came through. Drove over to Spine One and got enough to dolphin to The Stooges. Needed to get up but could only muster about 34ish. Too low, but getting late so I went anyway. Came in extra low at Twin Peaks and was flushing to toward Thatcher School when a good one came through. Climbed from 24 to 5 plus.
Reached East Repeater even, but there were only weak scraps. Faded out front and went with the drift from the west. Got a good glide, so I angled back to the west side of Boyd's. Came in ok, but it was calm. Opted to play out front rather than commit to the east spine. Found a weak core and climbed back up form the mid 2s to 4 plus. Another good glide to Santa Paula Ridge, but it was getting late.
Down to 27, but worked some weak cores up the ridge to 34. Finally lost it and never got back above 32, and later topping at 28. Just too late in the day and too weak. Searched out front several times. Finally gave up after a half hour and flew out for a valley tour. Back to the College for a no wind landing on the grass at 3:50.
Cold on the ground. Made some calls (cell coverage up on the soccer field, but not down at the road) packed up and got down to 150. Caught a ride in 15 minutes to Nordhoff High School. Took Tom Pipkin's truck to Ventura. Tom had landed in Fillmore and was getting a ride with Diablo. Met Diablo and Carolyn for a boost back to Carpinteria. (Tony had to get his truck from launch)
Probably underestimated the day. Got to launch late. Could have been on course 30 minutes earlier. Reaching into San Marcos Pass for the Wind Mill at Painted Cave rather turning at the VOR cost another 30 minutes because I got stuck low. Top landing at the Alternator cost another 10. Made good time otherwise. The east bound crew a half hour ahead was getting to 6K over Puckers and Santa Paula Ridge, but I got there a too late and was blocked.
Fun mellowish day (it was high pressure, so there were a few sharp edges). After dealing with the wind on Friday and Saturday, it was nice to fly in low anxiety light wind. Super visibility and scenery, and not too cold. It's probably been years since I got in a 3 day flying weekend. Was home early on both Friday and Saturday, so I was able to rationalize the next day. Would have flown Monday despite the high clouds, but think I thoroughly used up my kitchen pass.