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Tuesday, 1/17/12
Skyport to the Round House to Cathedral to the Monastery
about an hour airtime
Trango

Sundowner's Flight Report, see also [Weather Archive]

Had taken a sled ride on Xmas Eve, but hadn't had a soaring flight since April.  The forecast for Monday looked windy, but the wind was not in the soaring zone and Monday turned out to be the better day.  Considered passing due to a lot of moisture at sunrise, but the cloud cover seemed to thin with a little sun, and since I was mentally craving some airtime, I opted to head up solo.  Out the door from Carpinteria at 9:20 with a stop for gas.

The Eagle Bus was scheduled for 10:30, but I wanted to get off earlier, so I drove up to The Rock.  Conditions looked good with plenty of sun out front.  A little light but building, so I opted to set up.  It appeared that launch hadn't been used yet this season, so I need to clear some tumbleweeds.  By the time I was laying out the gear, the cycles were good, but the sun was fading fast.  Got over the edge about 10:25 and hooked in, but the cycles were only a few mph by that then.  Sat on it for 10 minutes but it continued to shut down and got too week for even a pull up.

Opted to do a pickup and race back down the hill, trying to catch the Eagle Bus.  Ran into Marge and Aaron at the Monastery.  Stuffed it in the back and laid out again at the Skyport.  Airborne a little before 11:30.

Broke even on a single 360 at launch, then went fishing out to the Antenna Farm.  A few spots of sun further out front, but the mountains were pretty dark.  Found some weak lift over the Round House and climbed back to launch altitude.  Tried to bench uphill a few times, but it didn't seem to be working low on the Factory.  Eventually opted to try working up via the Tit and connected.  Topped about 34 and arrived OK at Cathedral.  Passed on some weak lift on the rocky face to press on to the spine, but eventually flushed.  Fell off fishing over the front point, and then back to the Holly Hills.  Worked a few scraps, but didn't get lucky.

My car was below the Monastery, so I opted land on the flat ridge and walk downhill.  It was a little deceiving from the air.  The Monastery Pad looked flat, but it is actually terraced downhill.  The high point is just south of a white mini-bridge.  Needed  to slow down into mush mode to avoid floating.  No wind on landing.  I had considered landing on the uphill driveway stretch, but on the walk back down, that looked like a poor option because the road is narrow without enough clearance from the hill for a wing to fit without catching a tip.

Stopped by to say hi at Parma.  Considered going back up, but still no logistics.  Home by 1:30.