[bb_archive/_borders/disc1_ahdr.htm]

3/22, Thursday, The Grade

From: BH
Activity_Date: 3/22/01
Remote Name: 4.33.112.238

Comments

I returned late from LA on Thursday watching cumis form over the Grade and the Camarillo Valley. Thanks to Art's periodic telephone reports, I decided to take a chance on conditions continuing into the early evening and arrived at the LZ around 4:00 p.m. As I turned off 101 I could see Brian Oblander's blue Nova X-Act in the air and doing well. I parked and raced up the hill (sort off) and launched at 4:30. I grew impatient on launch (been flying with Benson too much?!), sure any minute the 10-14 mph upslope breeze would begin to slacken, so launched from launch #2 into the end of a cycle. Mushed out right away and prepared to land as Brian continued soaring near the top of the ridge, just under cloud base. How embarassing.

Consoled myself with the sure knowledge that I'd arrived too late for any strong lift. As I scratched along the front of the bluff near the LZ about even or below the first launch, I felt the breeze freshen and began to hold my own. After 3-4 minutes of figure-8s clinging to the terrain the cycle renewed itself and, like riding an elevator, within 2-3 minutes I was on my way to 1500+ feet and heading for the quarry side. Over an hour later after cruising between 1500 and 1700 feet just below base, Brian landed. I soon joined him as the sun began to set over the ocean, only because I was too cold to continue, not because of any lessening in the conditions.

One of those great and unpredictable days at the Grade, similar to the one Brenden described in February.

[bb_archive/_borders/disc1_aftr.htm]