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5:30 weather check, anticipation, and the planets had lined up. Sound the general alarm, all hands on deck. I had a new glider, but my radio had been on the fritz, so I opted for company. Sharon and I got to Parma about 15 minutes past the 8:30 meet time. We loaded Frank, Ron Faoro, and Bob Hurlbett. On launch about a quarter past 9. The Rock looked soarable on the way up, but launch was still, so we took our time and were airborne about 9:50. Despite nice looking clouds, it was weak, and we had to hang on above The Rock. Finally got to 26 and toured over to Parkers. Found one that got us near cloudbase, but it looked dark to the east so we opted to try westbound. No luck over The Round House, and fizzled down the spine below the Holy Hills. Bridged back low across the canyon behind St Mary's and got to the Monastery about a hundred over. The convergence zone gave up a rabbit and we rode it back to cloudbase, about 36 behind the Antenna Farm. Ron and Bob were down range to the east. We were a little low to play for Shadow Peak, but didn't want to zig out to Parkers. Took a direct but poor line behind Parkers, and another bad direct line behind the lower front ridge below Montecito Peak, then flushed off San Ysidro Point to landing. Edward had gone monogamous on us so we called Frank. Collected Bob at the Practice Polo Field. Jonesin to get back up, so I had to bump Frank from his drivers seat. Needed a quick stop for gas, but fumbled with an inoperable pump. Back at Parma about a quarter till noon, but Frank needed to pay his gardener at noon. Couldn't just give him the check at a quarter till. Sort of a ritual thing. Number 2 for launch in the slow line, but finally off about 12:35. Seemed to be a down cycle. Everyone flushed off the high ground. Finally benched up to cloudbase at The Factory and was on course. Needed to double pulse the east spine of Montecito. Ramero let off a sweet one to 38. Worked scraps along Castle Ridge. Down low in the hole below the Power Lines, but wiggled up and over to Noon for a marginal intercept. Noon worked and it was pretty easy going through The Pass. Cloudbase was in the mid 5s by now. 47 at Noon and the low 5s at West Divide. High 4s on the SW side of White Ledge, but didn't like the strong thermals and drift away from the hill so we took it around the corner. Came in extra low below Bump 3, but held on to a bullet and climbed back up. Easy crossing 33 and bobbed over from The Nuthouse to Spine One. Got above 5 and skipped Nordhoff because we didn't like the air. Needed to get up at Stooges. The thermal was strong, but not too bad once we mapped the center. Opted to pass on landing at Chiefs due to the textured air. Didn't stop at West Repeater so we came in real low on East Repeater, but drove right up. Opted to skip The Bluffs because they were off line and left Puckers with about 53. Santa Paula Ridge worked up to 45ish, but wasn't able to stay above the crest and had to fall off around the front. Committed into the back of the canyon about 1,200 below Santa Paula Peak and worked the ridge lift up the SW face of the canyon to just under the summit. Couldn't get above the peak. No action in front of San Cayetano. Came in low across the Sespe and got spanked off from below Oat Mountain in the throat of the venturi. Fell back across the river for a windward face to stay in the game. Took an ESE line for a final reach across the river and came in above the main LZ below Mark's Launch. Got there in a lucky cycle and thermaled up to top land at Ron & Mark's place about 4:45. Kicked back for awhile on the front porch. Too late for the last bus. Airborne again a little past 5:30. Soarable, but couldn't get more than a hundred over. Bobbed upwind toward town and pulled a glide to Hwy 126 just east of town. Trying to force it in next to the small park, but the surface wind had some holes in it and I burned off a little too much energy to avoid overshooting. The landing was not graceful, but it was nice to pack up on the clean grass. Impact just before 6 PM. Dan Keyser drove out from SB to rescue. Dinner in Carp and back to Frank's for Topa Chase. Home about 10ish.
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