Crestline Calif Sunday Aug 20

[Dan T]

I got to fly Crestline in my new PG yesterday. For those not familiar with the area Marshall and Crestline are two sites above the Andy Jackson Air Park adjacent to Calif State San Bernardino. The Air Park consists of a big grassy LZ and a recently completed beautiful recently completed big pond that they call a swimming pool. I got there just a little too late to catch the truck full of PGs heading up to Marshall, the lower of the two sites. A few minutes later I was able to hitch a ride with a group of hang glider pilots heading up to the Crestline Launch.

On the way up I could see three of the PGs in the air, but by the time we reached Crestline and I set up for the first launch they were out of site and presumably had landed in the LZ that is not visible from the Crestline launch. Anyway I launched at about noon and found myself having a great time in the boiling caldera of the Southern Calif summer sun. Getting up was no problem. Getting into smooth air and getting down was another story altogether. I managed to land in the LZ a bit over an hour later after having spent most of the time employing big ears and other PG tactics in a largely unsuccessful attempt to get down. It was great fun, ha ha. It would have been more fun in a HG!

Dan

[Dan T]

Yesterday I flew Marshall Peak, the other site above the Andy Jackson Airpark. Launched at 4:30, flew to about 6:00 in bubbly but not over-active air. I managed to hold onto the lift until all 4 HG pilots who launched from Crestline and the PG pilot, my new friend Jeff, had landed. That way I was able to set up without worrying about the HG/PG approach protocol.

Jeff told me about Soboba. Apparently you take a Quad chairlift to the top and land in a huge field right at the bottom of it. I plan to try it this coming weekend. Has anyone been there?

Dan

[SHORTCUT]

Mr. Dan T .........(not to be confused with Dan Tuck)

It's tough to beat Marshall/Crestline for the Huge/Smooth Evening Glass; however, Soboba can be quite magical in the evening. There are several possibilirties there. The 4-Wheel ATV can carry a couple of pilots...and the Flight Gear goes in a trailer for the trip to the launches...there are four (or 5). Generally, I like to catch a rifde to the trail head..and then hike up without carrying the gear. Five bucks ($5) gets your gear there..and if your lucky..gets YOU there too (I like to tip the driver when that happens)

Check with Darrel Wood, Bob Coombs, and/or Jerome (local instructor) for some specific site guidance.....There are some hazards there to be aware of.

Their new Forum page :
http://sobobasoaring.org/forums/

Say Howdy to the Cool Kids for me.

-Greg "from Elsinore"

Southwest Facing...wait for the late afternoon...otherwise possible monster dust devils as the sheer passes thru.
I really like that place....ripped straight up to cloudbase in about 7 turns .. early February (2011)

Should be a lot of pilots there this week-end.

[Dan T]

Thanks for the tips Greg. I'm looking forward to the weekend.