Up and Down

Being that I have no idea what normal weather is anymore, I didn't know if I should believe computer generated squiggly lines which indicated soarable conditions at Diablo, despite an obvious marine layer. As usual there is only one way to find out.

The thermals were wind sheared, small and punchy which required putting the Sport 2 on it's tip.
Although the thermals were snakey they were abundant and consistant climbs were found.
High Cu's began forming, however, I was on the wrong side of the mountain to break through the 3200' inversion and I would never see their base.
I felt this air mass was on the verge of washing out the marine inversion. Teri called on the radio stating I had to call today "up and down" because every time she looked I was either up or down. Here I am climbing from down to up over North Gate Road.
The phrase "up and down" would be most poignant during my landing (attempt) at the 1000 footer. With South surface wind I made a usual high approach to avoid rotor and all looked well until 10 seconds into the video below. On short final I got popped, rocked and noticed I was going to overshoot the LZ. Instead of making a futile attempt diving it in, I went with the lift, got upright, overshot the LZ and turned back into the ridge for my landing/whack. Not too bad considering the conditions. Damn this LZ can be a handful midday in summer. Is it summer?

Late May?

A typical late May day would involve lift over the mountains, either high cloud bases or blue sky and an unsoarable, inverted valley. Today however, after yet ANOTHER strong frontal passage, the mountains were obscured in low clouds and the valley revealed wonderfully developed yet low cumulous, reminiscent of winter. Someone get ahold of Dr. Jack, this must STOP. Well, I'll play what I'm dealt so here's takeoff in "Juliet Hotel" for some low valley soaring.

A few minutes later I'm off tow at 2500' over Williams.
Despite a nicely developed sky the thermals are weak and cloud base is ONLY 3000.' I work towards Colusa and choose my next cloud carefully.
The valley is begining to dry up and I head back towards Williams. I follow "Delta Romeo" around a bit but its getting tough.
After only an hour I find myself low over Williams, struggling to stay up. At 1400' I lower the landing gear, perform my checklist and call "traffic, number two for landing." Circling the I.P. waiting for the pattern to clear some pilots would try using skill to prevent being prematurely decked. However, after several years of flying, I find luck to be much more valuable, so I break it out. A thermal drifts through and somehow I climb out, raise the gear and call "Williams Traffic disregard my landing intentions." I get back in the game and head South-West this time, to the foothills.
Cloud base gradually rises to 4000' near the hills and the thermals are just as soft so I don't wander to far. After playing in and near the hills I return to a completely blue valley after extending my flight to 3 1/2 hours. With a little luck I was fortunate to make the most of this challenging and unusual late May day.

Obama Says O.K. To Fly Diablo

I would like to thank The Office of The President of The United States of America for his timely departure from the San Francisco Bay Area on a soarable Wednesday. With a thumbs up from Barack I got a late day launch off Juniper. I worked above launch and headed towards The Juniper Overlook.

With moderate SSW wind I cruised the ridge lift above Juniper and went towards Moses Rock Ridge in search of thermals.

Over the ridge I found strong thermals and my idea of fun.
High above Juniper Launch in the thermic air Obama and his fighter escort were no where in sight. Although, Teri is still at launch as I can see my truck, the white speck still parked at the end of the campground.
After an hour on this late day session it was time to land. Although, I had altitude for other options I took advantage of my Sport 2's great landing qualities and set up for a high and steep approach into the fun 1000 Footer LZ.

Big Sky

A late and powerful low pressure system was moving overhead which brought amazing clouds to Northern California. There were areas of nice flat bottomed cumulous, over development, tall, wide, cirrus, you name it. It was an interesting day as I jumped aboard "Delta Romeo" for a local tow as a cell was closing in on the town of Williams.

With the cell coming for town, over development in the hills and mountains the nicest looking clouds seemed to point a path towards the Sutter Buttes.
I cloud hopped around the valley and choose my path carefully keeping an eye out for the bigger cells and their rain.
I Crossed over the Sacramento River near the very small town of Meridian.
I turned the Sutter Buttes which were shaded by cumulous and had the most fantastic lift of the day.
As mid-afternoon approached the development became more widespread so I made a large circular course to the North and back upwind towards Williams. Luckily lift was good and cloud base high as this part of the valley did not have a dry field to land in.
Winds had picked up at Williams, the sky was big and I decided to call it a day after only two hours playing in the sky. As I drove home through hard rain and hail I felt that it was a good call on this very unusual late May day.