John Scott <>
writes:

Friday: despite the fairly strong NW winds, Tony Deleo was able to
get off launch and fly down the coast into Ventura (about 30 miles), reaching 8K
above Carpinteria.


Saturday: With the predicted moderate NE winds a couple of us attempted to break
SB's out and return record of 58 miles. I managed to make it to the existing
record turn point in Ojai, but was unable to go farther because I was blown off
the hill by the lower level NE winds. But I was able to loop around and get
reestablished in the mountains for the trip back home. Scott Angel joined up
with me for the return trip after tagging a spine just short of the one I used.
Unfortunately, the afternoon west wind established itself on our way back. At
about 5 miles short of goal I got tired of fighting it, coupled with the fact
that I was dropping like a stone, so I turned around yet again and flew back
east to my truck parked near Bates beach - a total of 60 miles. Scotty took his
altitude at roughly the same spot and angled out to land at the beach in Santa
Barbara. Most of the flight took place between 4 and 6k, with a high of 7k near
Lake Casitas - and yes it was cold; my Camelback was frozen the whole way.


Tony Deleo, on an Atos, didn't seem to have the same problem that I did at my
turnpoint in Ojai and so he continued on to Santa Paula where he did end up
running into a wall of wind and had to land (roughly 40 miles).


Sunday: Glad I didn't set a new out and return record on Saturday, because
Scotty went ahead and got it on Sunday (62.5 miles). They weren't getting as
high as we were on Saturday, but they had much more favorable winds.


Bo Criss took the day for the paragliders with an open distance flight to just
short of Piru (48 miles). He was out there Dean Stratten who landed closer to
Fillmore.


Bo also had a nice flight on Weds, flying west from launch for about 5 miles and
then turning around and landing in Ojai (roughly 35 miles).