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Sunday, 9/5/04, Labor Day Weekend The Casitas Pass Parade Congratulations are in order for:
My flight was low stress but still very rewarding. Big altitudes, easy climbs, easy connections and great views. West bound from Chiefs with 9.2K. Back up to 8k at Nordhoff peak. Jumped the river and connected at Bump One with 5k. A lazy thermal drifted me over White Ledge topping out at 7.4k. Half way to Divide Peak I hit the strongest lift of the day that shot me back to 8.4k. I boated down the mountain range behind Carpinteria with an east tail wind, still stinking high. It was great fun hearing reports from Brendan, John, Sharon, Ron, Dean, SD & Casey all doing well and on course. Rode a fatty at the west end of Castle ridge and another at Shadow Peak. As I rounded the corner at the Thermal Factory with 3.6k I could see the hangies hanging out at Liminator. The day was on, why weren’t they flying? I headed back into the canyon towards the Sky Port launch. I thought it would be a kick to fly by the hang pilots at launch and wave. Half way there I stumbled into another sweet thermal that drifted over the R&R to 5.5k. It would have been hard to get low enough for a fly-by, the canyon in front of launch was going off! I stayed above 5k from the R&R to the alternator. I was climbing through 5.7k at the V.O.R. when SD reported in. He was several miles past hwy154 and scratching low at 1900’. He figured he was in for a long hike out of a canyon. I’ve hiked out of that neck of the woods before (Tecolote Canyon), I think I’ll pass. Eddy was reporting S/W wind on the ground. Back tracking to the training hill from the V.O.R. would be S/E, a quartering tail wind, so I turned back. I hoped the strong head wind as I left the mountains was just an isolated draw so I pressed on. No such luck, It was still S/E all the way to the 101 so I turned back with 1600’ for a soft landing at Cieneguitas. The ride home was festive. Everyone was high on endorphins and sharing some great flight stories. A damn near perfect day. |
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