Sacramento Sunday Sept. 8th

Post by **XCanytime** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:24 am

Looking to fly the SAC Sunday. Looks like the winds will clock around from SSW to N as the morning rolls into the PM. Bacil

Post by **XCanytime** » Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:45 pm

Now the clocking is pretty rapid so the SAC looks awesome from noon on to sunset. Gonna go there instead. Bacil

Post by **XCanytime** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:49 pm

Awesome day at the SAC. Got there at 11 to cloudy skies with a few breaks of blue here and there. The wind was pretty straight in and wafting in around 5 to 8 MPH. Set up leisurely and waited for conditions to turn on. At 1:30 they did with the noise level in the trees increasing noticeably. Got ready and launched around 1:45. Turned right and stair-stepped my way above. After getting to 3K' MSL (1500' over) decided to make the run for the river. Had big plans of crossing the river and trying for Raven's Haven. Crossed the Klingerstown Gap with ease. By the time I got to the Pillow Gap, the wind had gone NE on the ridge and I got low. Spent a good time struggling with the NE cross and spotty lift. With the quartering tailwind didn't have to get too high since the tailwind would help me get across the gap quickly. It did and I found ample lift on the other side. Thermalled briefly with a mature bald eagle. Got low again at the "saddle" but went again with the tailwind and got across but below the ridge on the other side. In a pickle now because all the fields are in corn. Found some lift to get above the ridge but all the way down to Paxton no open fields. Looked OTB and spotted a cut cornfield within reach if I could gain enough altitude to make the jump. Surmised that the rotor wouldn't be too bad with the crossing wind so I went with around 400' over. Ran into some major turbulence which I think was just leeside lift popping off. Gained a little that enabled me to reach a better field. Landed in a strong headwind from the east (valley flow) just NE of Millersburg, about 22 miles from the remote start point. Charley Fager retrieved me yet again (Thanks Charley!). Back at launch pilots were specking way the heck out. Dave Black got to base at 3800' over. Doug Rogers, Jim Carroll, TR Johnson, Scott Keyser, and Joe and Karen Gorrie all flew and soared, save for Karen who launched late and experienced some turbulence that didn't allow her to turn into the lift band. Bacil

Post by **lbunner** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:34 am

Awesome flight Bacil, I sure miss that site (and you all too!). I'm relegated to flying the flatlands here in IL but share my good times out east with all who will listen. I'm hoping to get back there before too long.

Lostgriz · Post by **Lostgriz** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:40 pm

Thanks for the flight report Bacil and congratulations on a great flight.

Matt

Post by **XCanytime** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:07 pm

Thanks Larry and Matt. It was a challenging, fun flight. The run to the Susquehanna can be a milk run or it can be quite difficult. This one was more on the difficult side. I tend to write XC flights up in a manner encouraging others to fly XC yet keeping it real, reporting on critical decisions that are made during the flight. Flying XC is eXCiting

. Bacil

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