Sunday, 1/4/04
The Rock to Top Land at the Rock
about 1/2 hour
The Skyport to Fillmore
about 3 hours 50 minutes
~ 44 miles
LFSD Challenge Score ~ 44
Met Chris Paul and Sharon at McDonald's a little after 9. Collected Frank and Art at Parma and headed uphill just after 9:30. Convicting up light at The Rock. Blowing down at both the Bypass and The Skyport. Too light for north side launching at The Brotherhood, so back down to The Rock.
Third off after Chris and Art. Got almost 300 over several times, but couldn't connect up the spine. Topa Chase was headed back up after collecting Art and Chris, so I threw in the towel and top landed at launch.
Up to the Skyport. The switch was on and pilots were coring up in the house thermal before we got there. Airborne about ten till noon. East bound. Ran down the pack across Ramero Saddle. Couldn't shake Pipkin. He was going to school on my moves. Plugging into the good ones and avoiding my missed plays. He found the core at Noon. We got to almost 45 and headed across for Divide.
Worked up to 47 at West Divide. Nothing at East Divide. The SW knob below White Ledge worked. Not much wind crossing 33. Didn't like the stronger stuff at Nordhoff. Got stuck at Twin Peaks. Arrived at East Repeater a little below, but climbed into the mid 4s. Mid 4s again past Boyd's, and 5K at Puckers.
Did ok on the glide over to Santa Paula Ridge. Scratched up and got on top with 48+, but couldn't hold it. Down below Santa Paula Peak, but was able to work back up to 48. Headed toward Fillmore, but seemed to be a little headwind, so I detoured over to San Cayetano and climbed from 4K to 53. Probably should have gone for Oat, but no chase, so I angled for Jack's Place. Did ok on the glide, but started encountered a little SE wind on the way over to the Satellite Dishes. Fell off for the Shopping Plaza. Sweet landing on the grass behind the gas station. 3:40 pm.
The Pratt's had spotted me and drove over to say Hi. Mark offered to boost us back to SB. Waited a bit for Chris Paul to hike out from the Santa Paula Mountains. Grabbed Tom P in Santa Paula (he landed at the College and Chris Grantham boosted him out to 126) and Ron Meyer at Bates (Ron landed out behind Chismahoo on his first attempt at the Pass). Home about 6.