[Home] to paraglide.net [SD Log] [Amigo] [Activity] [Photo] [Comments] [Incidents] [Weather] [SBSA] [SCPA]

Saturday, 11/23/2013 [Weather] and [Flight Articles] by [Dizzy] & [Sundowner]

Saturday, 11/23/2013
Skyport mini lap back to top land at the Skyport
~ 45 minutes airtime, 10:15 to 11ish
Trango

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

Wanted to fly all week as the weather looked colorful out my office window.  Hadn't flown in 4 weeks.  Wanted to go to Ojai, but Pam's car is in the shop so are down to 1 for awhile.  It wasn't going to be a stellar XC day, but it looked fun.  I waffled Friday night, finally deciding to pass and not prep my gear.  Was wanting again Saturday morning, but wasn't excited enough to take an early bus, so I want back to bed after checking the weather at dawn.  Pam woke about 7:30 and reminded me we needed to get Tess to a play date in SB at 9 am, so I scrambled to get a quick charge on the radio, log the weather, and post to the discussion forum.  Had time for a shower, but skipped breakfast to get out the door a little past 8:30.

Pam and Tess dropped me by the Rainbow Arch at east Beach.  Met up with Ron Faoro (the Spin Doctor) and Bob Hurlbett.  It was Bob's birthday.  Left his Honda at the beach and took Ron's truck to the Skyport.  It was oozing up at the Rock.  Nothing at the Bypass.  Light up at the Skyport in the shade under stratus, but a hole came through a little before 10 and it started cycling better.

First off at 10:15ish.  No joy at launch, so I hit on the SW spine of the Factory and wiggled up behind the power lines on the south point.  Gained a hundred, but lost it and there isn't much room for error thermalling over the lines, so I fished out toward the Bypass and then angled SE to follow the saddle out to the Antenna Farm on the Round House Hill.  Found a smooth weak thermal over the antenna point and climbed from 23 back up to 34ish.  Easy transition up to the Thermal Factory.  Climbed steady and smooth over the high ground of the Factory up to about 44.  Very little to no drift down lower, but a little more texture above 4K with light drift from the east.

Got to the R&R about 37 and climbed to 38, but it was getting darker and the altitude was fading.  Iterated gaining a hundred then loosing 125.  Bob had climbed up at the Factory after leaving launch a hundred below to work up the SW spine.  Ron launch later and was maintaining about 700 over the Round House Hill.  He tried to bench up to the factory but couldn't connect.  Kept an eye on Bob.  He was higher for awhile in slightly better light, but it was getting darker everywhere locally and Bob started sinking also.  When we were both down to about 35ish, I opted to head back to the Skyport for a top landing.  Bob opted to head out toward the beach.

Setup to approach up the road on the east side, but it was buoyant near the point and I missed high.  Super smooth and buoyant.  I could get a hundred over easily.  The Eagle van was unloading a full load and a half dozen HGs were setting up.  Boated around for 5 minutes and then went back for another approach, this time further back.  Easy standup no step landing in smooth air behind the buoyant zone.  The canopy accordioned down to the right side for a clean pickup and walk back to launch.

Was hooked in and ready to go again, but kept an eye on Ron.  The first Eagle pilot to launch got a little over, but then headed out.  Ron tired of circling and opted to fish out over the Monastery fan, so I elected to drive the truck down to collect Ron and possibly consider running back up for 2nd flight, but by the time I got to Parma it seemed to be getting darker and a number of pilots were approaching to land.  We incorrectly thought the day was done, and Ron had to prep for his party on Sunday, so we opted to rendezvous with Bob at the beach and pack up on the grass.

During our pack up, the sun started filtering through at launch and by the time we finished just past noon, the local front range was in full sun.  Rather than running back up, we opted to call it a day thinking Sunday might be better.  We checked the bus schedule on Bob's phone, which indicated it should arrive in a few minutes, but we were looking at the MTD #20 by mistake thinking it was the Coastal Express.  The Coastal Express stops at east beach, but the #20 stops at the Habbit before getting on the freeway a Milpas, so I was at the wrong stop.  When the bus didn't arrive, I called Pam to try and confirm.  She wasn't able to understand the schedule, but did offer to come retrieve me so that worked (I plan to get a smart phone in February when I'm eligible for an upgrade).  We went to see a movie in Carp (The Bet) at our local playhouse theater.  The matinee was a fundraiser for the Theater.  The Bet is a volunteer non-profit movie made entirely in Santa Barbara, so it was fun seeing all the local sights on screen.

Short flight, but colorful and low anxiety.  May try to fly Sunday also, but without a vehicle, not sure if I can swing the logistics.  Would prefer to fly back to SB from Ojai and drop into Ron's open house in the afternoon. 

 [Top of Page]  [Home]