We Made it Work

With a morning marine layer and moderate West wind Gerry, Mike and I decided to take our chances at Diablo with hope that an incoming low would provide soaring. I followed Gerry off launch who was slowly falling down the mountain on what I feared would be an extended sled ride. If this guy couldn't make it work I was doomed. I found myself approaching below Gerry as he was barely hanging on.

I hit an OK thermal but made it work for a rare view of the top of Gerry's glider.
Not to worry, he soon climbed past me so we could return the world to right side up. I followed below and worked the challenging conditions back up to launch level where I played out front in finicky thermals. With wind on the deck we were concerned about the 1000 Footer LZ. I was on the lowest performance wing so I got to lead and when I found myself in position, I penetrated up wind across Pine Canyon.
The usual Pine Canyon sink, head wind and Sport 2 combination put me pretty low but I managed to eek out a little circling once across and even pulled into Macedo Ranch with enough altitude for a pattern.
Gerry and Mike arrived higher and worked Fossil Ridge before landing at Macedo so trusty Teri could have one stop on the retrieve at our choice of the easy South-West side LZ.