Friday Skyport

From: Chris
Activity_Date: 3/8/2002
Remote Name: 209.144.103.203

Comments

Chris P, Mike and I met at Parma and got to launch around 11. Sat around for a bit contemplating the cycles and the lint in our navels but saw no real reason for any further delays. Cycles were coming up nicely and there were cumi's forming just to the east of us. Mike was the first off and headed for the AF. Found a bit of turb and no real lift so headed out for Parma. I was the next off and didn't find anything meaningful at launch so I too headed out. Lots of nasty rotor and turb but also some workable lift on the way to the AF. Once at the AF it was nothing but up. Violent, strong, punchy up. All the way to 4k. It was the kind of thermal that would pick your inside wingtup up so fast you couldnt seat steer to the inside. Chris P joined me not long after and decided to head down range. There was a significant southwest wind which made things easy for him. I took my 4k feet and headed for Parma. My GPS had just died and I didn't want to get caught with my altitude down. In the distance I could see wings being kited at the training hill and it looked like people were getting above launch. Very tempting to try for it but the wind was too much. Parked it at Parma and watched Chris get lower and lower over the foothills toward carp. He eventually put down and we ran retreive. Definitely a unique day. Turbed and windy but plenty of lift to be had if it didnt scare the wits out of you first. On the way back to Ojai we ran into Andy and his wife at Bates. She was managing to maintain and while it looked tempting, there isnt room for two.