SAC Saturday 4/23

[XCanytime]

Looks pretty good. Anybody interested? Bacil

[Dunegoon]

Interested.

The launch slot has been slightly widened, cleaned up and looks very good. Some of the larger trees out in front of launch have also been topped. Special thanks to the Hyner club members and the "caretakers" Joe and Karen G.

Last weekend we had an impressive turnout at the Sac training hill. Not sure if it will be available this weekend, but it might be a good option for those wishing to refresh their FL technique.

CF

[Blaine]

Interested. If nothing else just to see a new site.

[A.Lloyd]

How far is SAC from HighRock?

[A.Lloyd]

Please disregard. I see Sacramento on the guide.

[XCanytime]

As good as it could get for the SAC tomorrow. Bacil

[Ward Odenwald]

Wind direction looks really good but its speed and surface variability could be issues. Waiting for tomorrow's AM casts.

[XCanytime]

Got to the SAC launch at 9:30A. Moderate to strong conditions on launch and a cloudy sky. While I set up there were plenty of mild cycles that lasted a good 30 seconds+. By the time I was ready to go the sky had broken up upwind and blue patches were heading our way. Had a good launch at 10:40A in a moderate cycle with Joe and Charley's assistance. Got up easily to the east and radioed Charley to join me, but he volunteered to drive for me. Chased the resident mating pair of bald eagles for a while to the east before heading west with the goal of ridge hopping to Carlisle Airport via Berry, Peters, Cove, and Blue Mountains. The air was not bad at all until after I jumped the Klingerstown Gap. It got pretty turbulent as I climbed in strong shots of lift west of Klingerstown. Got to 3500' MSL and used that to jump the Pillow Gap. On the other side more turbulent, strong shots of lift but as I got higher it smoothed out and I climbed to the bottom of a pancake shaped cloud at 4100' MSL. At this point a downwind run to Berry Mountain would have been a piece of cake, but I feared the fact that conditions on the ground would get progressively worse as the day went on. And with such a low CB at noon, and the surface temperature predicted to only rise 2 degrees more (CB total rise maybe 500' more), I didn't feel comfortable with the relatively low CB. There will be another day. I spied the Lykens Valley Golf Course in the middle of the valley to my right and committed to landing there. I've always wanted to land there, so here was the opportunity. Easily made it over there, but thermals were ripping off over the course. Lined up with a fairway with a visible golf cart on one side and came down thru lots of turbulence. Went right of the cart and rolled it in, not noticing another cart under a tree to my right. Surprised the hell out of the golfers. They were cool about it. Broke down in between 2 fairways with plenty of trees for wind shadowing. Walt and Charley came to fetch me. Thanks again Charley! After some food and drink in Berrysburg we checked out the training hill that Joe has secured. It's nice. Faces due north. After a visit with Joe's wife Karen at their house we went back to launch around 5P and listened to it blow strong until we bailed at 6:30P. Bacil