???? Arrived around 11A to a work party going on.? Joe Gorrie, Shawn MacDuff, Lenko Kovach, Pat, Christian Titone, Gary Cargen, and Jim Carroll were sticker-whacking the slot.? Winds were 5 to 10 MPH varying from NW to N.? After putting in streamers in the slot, I borrowed some loppers from Lenko and did my part until 12:30P.? By that time cumies were popping across the valley and the winds had picked up to near soarable velocity.? Joe, Jim, and Shawn went for some lunch while I leisurely set up.? The conditions picked up to pretty strong by the time I launched into STFI winds at 2:15P, with Gary, Shawn, and Jim assisting.? Got elevatored out of the slot, turned right, and stair-stepped my way up above the ridge.? Lift was strong, punctuated by small bullets.? Went east to my customary turnpoint opposite the gap in Good Spring Mountain, turned around, and noticed a distinct NW cross on the ridge.? Passed by launch and pressed on to the Klingerstown Gap.? Caught a nice ripper just before the gap, getting to 1500' over.? Bailed and crossed the gap with ease.? Noticed to the west some haze, and what looked like a different airmass (the upper level disturbance mentioned on the NOAA weather station).? Midway between Klingerstown and Pillow caught another thermal, this time much mellower.? Got to around 1500' over again before it petered out.? Cloudbase was much much higher.? Headed towards Pillow and the air got downright nasty.? Flew through major turbulence, keeping the speed moderate and the bank angles small.? Might have been the two airmasses rubbing against each other.? Had altitude to shoot the Pillow Gap and did with ease.? On the ridge there was absolutely nothing going on, and I got low just before the "saddle" gap in the ridge.? Bailed off the ridge and landed in a plowed field around 3:30P.? Around 15 miles.? While breaking down a passerby offered me a ride, which I accepted, even though I set up a retrieve with Gary.? Left a message on Gary's cell.? Passerby returned with his dad, and Gary calls and says he'll come and get me.? Chatted with the father and son while waiting for Gary.? While waiting for Gary, the sky gets decked over above us, and spreads east towards launch.? Get retrieved, go back to launch, and nobody's around.? The conditions aren't too bad at launch, but the sky is dark.? The missing pilots had started setting up when the conditions backed down some time after I launched.? The conditions ramped back up and the sky got darker from the west.? They bailed to a restaurant on Rt. 125 called Jacks of all things.? Gary and I went to Jacks, joined up with the rest of the crew, and got some chow.? When we exit Jacks around 7:30P, the sky has cleared, and it's still blowing nicely on the ground.? Big thanks to Gary Cargen for the retrieve.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Bacil
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Bacil
Sacramento Saturday
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