Friday @ Pine

From: Dan
Activity_Date: 8/17/01
Remote Name: 24.8.188.224

Comments

It was Ron F., John Kloer, Zvi and I at launch by 11:30. Ron was first to launch in very good cycles and went straight up with little penetration. I was next on deck and right after I pulled my wing up a big cycle raced through picking me up and politely sitting me down facing the correct direction. I thought, I can launch from a sitting position when as quick as that thought came to mind I was jerked in the air and slammed on the ground. I was told the dust from the impact was quite the sight.

It took me a while to reorganize my thoughts after that launch. I had a very successful second launch and after ridge soaring for a couple of minutes I headed not too high to the house thermal on the spine to the right.

As soon as I got over there and found the lift source I was able to go from 6400" to 9500' in one thermal. I took the glide over the back doing about 35mph on the gps. I flew out to the bend in the road out to dry canyon and found another thermal that allowed me to get up to 11,000'. It kept me tracking over the ridge to the right of Guillermo Mtn and in no time I was into Lockwood valley. My glide was great. Eventhough the sink rate was 300-350 feet/min my ground speed was approaching 40mph at times. Forecast was for 20mph winds from the west and they were there. As soon as got into the flat lands I picked up another lift source that took me to 12,000' and for the rest of the flight next to Frasier Mountain I never got below 10,000'. Almost zero sink at 35-40mph the entire way.

Eddie told me about the quarry below Frasier and that got me back over 11,500. I was still even with Frasier so I stayed on the west side of the Mountain till I was even with the intersecting roads at the town below. I was concerned about going down the valley towards Hwy 5 so I thought, I will land here. I started loosing altitude and got down to 8000' and almost at the intersection of the roads I found another thermal that took me back to 11,000'. I stayed above the ridge to the right of Frasier, and took it all the way to Hwy 5. Again hardly any sink as I was just below 10,000' when I got to the Hwy.

Because my radio had died and I had no communication I decided that going any further may not be the best idea. I gave up the 5000' plus of altitude and landed next to the fire station.

Great people there. I folded up my wing in the confines of the cool station 28.5 miles from launch in almost exactly 2 hrs. My furthest flight so far. The day was so bouyant I could have kept the to the ridge and flown all day. Wishful thinking no doubt.

Chase left me because they kept trying to find me while I was still in the air. I was calling people to get in contact with Eddie et al and Tom P. without any hesitation said I'll come and get you. You are the man of the hour. Zvi and I both thank you. I do not think either of us have the talents Truax has when it comes to hitch hiking.

What a day....