Happy Canyon Sunday

From: BH
Activity_Date: 5/6/01
Remote Name: 4.35.216.195

Comments

Ron, Jeff, Bella and I arrived at Happy Canyon at 4:00 with strong but managable SSW winds already starting to diminish. Ron and I flew north and west along the ridge beyond the first major drainage, hoping to find our way toward the peak overlooking the valley. We turned back to avoid a long hike, spending a fair amount of time on the north end of the bowl, 200' over one minute and dodging yucca stalks, a local bambi and the occasional oak and conifer the next.

Jeff and Bella soon followed, Bella easily recovering from a 50% collapse in unusual turbulence in the bowl. Kevin and Glen arrived at 4:45, too late for any sustained flying but time enough for several meaningful flirtations with the cycles.

Although we encountered inconsistent results in the air, we were mesmerized while returning to the cars by a full moon rising over still-green hillsides tinted by the final blush of California poppies. Course, several bottles of SLO Brew didn't harm the ambiance.