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

Finally writing my narrative about 6 months after the flights, so my memory is a bit fuzzy.

The day looked like it might offer record distance potential.  The night before, both Logan and I (independently, unbeknownst to each other) had studied the Santa Clara river crossing route along Oak Ridge behind Simi Valley and Northridge.  We got an early-ish start, but not super early because we had wait for the north wind to block.  Logan loaded me in Carpinteria for the posted 9 AM meet at Parma.

It was blowing down hard enough at the Skyport when we arrived that we opted to drive up to the ridge line to take a look.  Daylight time had only clocked forward a few days prior, so 9:30 was like 8:30, so we had plenty of  time.  We had recently cleared a new Brotherhood north side launch suitable for PGs just west of the steeper HG launch.  The wind was a bit stiff and buffety, but I wanted to christen the new launch, so I opted to setup.  Logan was a good partner in that he could see my knees knocking, so he provided a valued sanity check.

Popped up a couple hundred over right away, but the north wind seemed to be fading and I continued to get incrementally lower.  If I was on a HG I could simply go OTB and hang on tight, but I didn't feel comfortable diving into the lee side rotor at ridge height.  I sensed that I was in jeopardy of flushing on the north side so I opted to land on the ridge crest near takeoff.  Got out of my gear but stuffed the glider back in the truck without packing up.

Down at the Skyport I was all set up and ready to go.  I mentioned to Logan that due to our late start we likely didn't have enough time to fly 100 miles but we could still reach the interstate.  I didn't notice a significant stick in my lines until I topped out about 700 over launch.  I was bothered by a nagging turn during my glide to the RnR.  I hadn't noticed during my initial climb because the turn was the same direction I was circling.  Several attempts to clear the stick made it worse as it simply slid up the lines, reefing them together and deforming the sail even more.  I was going to have to land to clear the snag so I angled across the canyon toward the Bypass launch.  By now my ability to steer away from the turn was severely hampered and I was worried I might stall the wing if I needed to turn tight on approach, so I disappointedly opted to run for Parma because I wanted a bigger LZ that wouldn't require tight maneuvering.

I was packed up on the corner of Rockwood when Sarah arrived from the Skyport in Logan' truck.  After a couple iterations of increasing arm twisting Sarah acknoledged that no wasn't an option and boosted me back up to the Skyport.

Had to reach downwind to the Factory to get up.  I sensed my first thermal had some drift from the east up higher,  so I opted to head west after reaching 4400 with the intention of tagging La Cumbre Peak for a start point, but I ran into increasing wind from the west just west of the RnR.  About that time I also became more aware via the radio that pilots were already making good progress eastbound despite some headwind.  I turned and went into race mode eastbound.  Seemed to making good time with a tailwind, but I wasn't closing the gap.

Finally spotted a glider (Chris Lorimer) low in front of Twin Peaks.  Didn't know who it was.  I'd heard someone had launched from the Nuthouse, so thought it might be that pilot.  It was obvious they weren't familiar with the terrain or the optimal course line   I was trying to keep an eye on them as I climbed to 6K on my way to the East Repeater front point.  I was hopeful as the meandering pilot climbed out from low (2K MSL / about 700 AGL above Thatcher School) but then rather than staying with the thermal or running for the West Repeater front point, they opted to leave the lift with 3K and fly out front toward the lower foothills.  Fortunately, the pilot was able to frisbee along in front of the Repeaters and get a better climb into the low 4s drifting over Boyd's.  I lost sight of the pilot as I raced ahead to top just under 7K at Santa Paula Peak.

Logan was connecting across the river, but there was more wind by the time I arrived over the F behind Fillmore and frisbee fizzled a little ways past Piru just short of the county line.  I had an opportunity to make one last play for a windward face near the county line, but if I didn't connect I might have to land in the scruffy river, and the wind was building, so it was hard to pass on a big green field without any significant upwind tabulators, so I opted to throw the anchor and live to fly another day...  note: there are lines running across the field but they are easy to avoid.

Made some phone calls.  Can't recollect the sequence, but Sarah had collected Willy (who landed somewhere near Piru) and they were in pursuit of Logan.  Brian had landed a bit past Piru across the Santa Clara river.  Kelly collect him, me, Chris Lorimer, and the visiting pilot who had launched from the Nuthouse.

We kept a keen eye on Logan's inReach satellite track on the way back to SB with a stop at Chris Grantham's house in Ojai to drop the visiting pilot....

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