We had to move the trailer up to Buellton on Friday so missed a
good day of flying in Santa Barbara. Folks were back up at the Eliminator. With
the weekend upon us on Saturday we made plans to hook up with John Greynald,
Skippy, and others at the top of the Parma LZ at 10:30 AM for a gathering of the
pilots and drivers and car pooling to the top.


The air was not crystal clear as it had been for the last few days as the smog
was creeping over from Los Angeles to the east. Dr. Jack's RUC showed 20+ mph
east winds. Things just weren't that spectacular looking.


It was hot down at the Parma LZ, and not much cooler when we got to the
Eliminator launch. It was coming up but light. The other pilots wanted to go
higher so we went up to the E. J. Canyon launch.


We set up but the wind was tool strong out of the east after we were ready.
After too many remembrances of times when pilots got pinned down low we broke
down and went to visit the "Back of the Rack" launch and pass by the launch that
you use if you really want to launch over the back.


It was coming up good on the overgrown Back of the Rack launch with star
thistles. Only JR wanted to launch there. We came down to the Eliminator on the
way down the hill and three pilots decided to give it a try. It had been
wrapping from the east there also, but it was coming up launch now and then.


We had seen Double D and Scoot flying below us earlier after they launched from
Eliminator and they didn't get high at all. Other pilots launching there earlier
reported getting pounded and then landing in Parma. I decided not to launch and
drove another pilot's truck down the hill.


I got a chance to check out the territory north of the launches over the back.
It is pretty much inaccessible Condor country for thirty miles. This is where
they put the Condors hoping to restore the population. There are few if any
landing areas and just a couple of forest service roads in the valleys. Row
after row of ridge lines.


Cross country takes place to the west, northwest and to the east. Pilots can
also fly over this Condor country by getting high first at Pine Mountain (near
Ojai) when the road reopens and then gliding (John says it only take one glide)
to Santa Barbara.