Sean Eckstein:

My turn to fly again, Peter has been nursing a back problem for the last few weeks.

This Saturday looked good for a long flight, the weather blip maps showed there would be high altitudes all along the route, and also some weather to deal with.

I got air born at 11:15 thanks to Chis. I took a high tow because the mountains were mostly in shadow, and the light grayish clouds that were developing were looking like they would soon let loose with some virga. I climbed above 13k and headed toward the upwind leading edge of the clouds on course. As I was leaving the mountains the cloud above me let loose with some heavy rain but I was close enough to the edge I didn’t loose much altitude.

Gliding across the desert was very smooth, but I made good time with the tailwind. Arriving at Silver queen at 7k there still wasn’t a bump, not even a teaser bump. I could see all the clouds in the mountains straight ahead just out of reach, and only one wind turbine turning on the desert floor indicating lift. I flew toward it hoping there would be a thermal, and as I arrived it stopped. (Murphy’s law) Luckily there was still lift that allowed me to get into the mountains.

I climbed above 11k close to Cache peak and headed toward Kelso airstrip in the high ground. The hills SW of Kelso had virga and I ran into some heavy sink until I connected with a thermal east of Kelso, climbing above 13k.

From Kelso to Olanch peak was a blast, strong thermals, cloud streets with no turning required. The Sierras ahead had heavy virga and pilots were reporting some lighting. I left Olanch peak above 15k and angled across the valley towards the Inyos arriving just below 12k.

The Inyos were working great. I connected with a thermal, climbed above 15k and headed to Westgard pass. Now heading toward the Whites I could see some virga, easily avoidable by staying on the west side of the cloud street. Arriving at Boundary peak above 17k, I had to avoid some virga and pick my path toward Mina.

On course to Mina I kept looking toward the west, it was solid gray, and I couldn’t see any sunlight reaching the ground. To the NE was clear and sunny with more good weather. Arriving at Mina I had Gabbs made and headed head toward Pilot’s peak hoping I could connect with a cloud and take a straight line towards Austin. Well that didn’t work, and now I’m lower.

I decided rather than risk a sure thing, Gabbs, I better head towards a small line of decent looking clouds in the hills north on Luning dry lake. The virga to the west was not an issue yet and was moving very slow. I worked a thermal that took me from 12k to above 17k, I had Gabbs made and altitude to try to work my way past Gabbs.

With everything in shadow, gliding toward Gabbs was smooth as expected. Once I arrived at Gabbs I looked toward Fritzs dry lake which I had enough altitude to reach. Smiths and Fritz dry lake were in the sun, but the hills north of Fritz had a line of Virga, and I would need more altitude to make Austin. I didn’t want to land on Fritz with the chance of a gust front, so I pulled spoilers and landed at Gabbs at 5:27.

Temperatures during my flight were very comfortable, I kept my vents closed most of the flight because being at cloud base in shadow got cool. A big thank you to Peter (6PK) for driving during the heat wave, over 100° on the ground.

Richard Smolinski:

Day looked interesting from the beginning.

Thanks to Julie and Chris to get me in to air around 11:30 just ahead of the rain that start when I was taking off.

I got to Mt. Lewis and started my claim but was interrupted by thunderstorm coming from the east. I made mistake going west and it caused me to end up at 10K on Lewis again. Big loss of time.

I got up to 14.5K and start the desert hop. On the way not even a bump. Get to Silver Queen at 7K and after making another 1k, head up toward mountains with nice clouds on top.

Another little lift by Cross Mt. got me to 9k and keep moving north. At Smugglers, finally got to 12k and keep going toward Inyokern. North of Owens peak lift got me to 16K and overdevelopment start growing so I made my jump to Whites by Lone Pines. Conditions were excellent. I climb to 16k and start racing Whites toward north. Lots of Virga and other gliders on the way.

Past White mountain and seeing that weather deteriorate fast, I decide to go toward Mina before reaching Boundary Peak. There was Virga coming from the north and from the south so I sped up. Unfortunately I got pulled into the clouds and hit hard by hail and rain, and after10 minutes have to dive to the deck feeling ice start building up on the controls. I lost few thousand but made it to the sun part. Behind me a wall of clouds.. Got to Mina at 11k and kept racing Virga from the south east. Finally decided that with margin of 2K it was not worth the risk to push forward to Gabs.

I needed to wait out wall of dust storm on the ground, and my crew warn me about strong gusts on the ground, so I waited it out and finally landed.

Karl Sommer

I was off first 11:31, then Sean, Richard about 50 min later, thanks go to Chris and Crew.

I left the Mountains a few feet short of 12k at 12:19 following Sean who got high sooner, and crossing the desert it started to get buoyant. Met up with Sean at Silver Queen. He went more towards Cal City, I opted to try the Kelso route, finding my low 7.5k there. Found better lift on the mountain W of Kelso, 12k running to Boomer, arriving at 12.4k.

Had no trouble running up the ridge to Olancha Pk at 12.8k. Clouds were too far W for my taste, and starting to OD on the Sierra. Connected strong lift at Inyos, 13.8k with nice cloud street to the Whites passing White Mtn at 17.6k.

I noticed Radio misbehaving, no more answers on my transmissions (new batteries ordered today).

Boundary Pk, 15.7K. By now, Sierras blowing up, and Hawthorne all clouded, but Gabbs looked still sunny. Then a small storm with rain in the hills NW of Gabbs. Back to 17k past the 360 Hwy intersection, sent a text to Rose and landed to the N in wind that looked like 12-15kts. Austin was in dark OD as promised by Blipmap.

Posted on OLC, a 6:17 Hr flight, not too many mistakes.

After a while Sean landed, and then Richard, 3 Pilots 3 diamonds.
We had a Visitor Ed Traub (Cowboy Hat, Pic Sean posted) who is drilling for Oil W of Gabbs.

Everybody packed up, Sean and Peter to Hawthorne, Richard Anna Bishop, Rose and I set up camp next to the Hangar.

Got the stove going, took a shower while Rose set the table and minded the cooking, Spare ribs and a Casserole my Mom used to make (Noodles, onions, smoked ham chunks, milk and lots of swiss cheese) Desert homemade plumb pie.

We relaxed by candlelight sipping beer enjoying the stars, the quietness, the balmy clean air, nobody around, no mask and having a good conversation.

Karl

= = = = =

Sean Eckstein

There were 3 X/C flights this Saturday, C3, TW and myself, we all made it to Gabbs airport.

The weather for this weekend looked really good.

I got towed at 11:45 to the second ridge and headed out on course above 12k at 12:15. Arriving at 6k south of Backus, there was very little scratching. The desert was working and I found a nice thermal that took me to 9k.

The mountains heading north to Olancha peak were working good, but there was some virga just west of Olancha peak, and the Sierra mountains were all in shadow with virga. I got pushed off the range just south of Olanch peak but found good lift working my way north, then headed towards the Inyos.

There were great looking clouds on top of the Inyos and no lift out front so I had to work in close. I kept my speed up and made a couple of S-turns gaining good altitude. Once I had the altitude to make a safe 360 I was able to climb above 14k, and there was a great cloud street all the way to Boundary Peak.

I left Sheep mountain just south of White mountain peak above 17k towards Mina with a huge margin. I encountered a lot of sink on my glide, but as I arrived at Mina the valley was working. I headed towards Pilot peak, climbed from 11K to 15k and had an easy glide to Gabbs airport.

There was some virga west of Gabbs, and also to the east towards Austin. I decided to call it the day and landed at Gabbs.

I got broke down and my crew and I headed to Hawthorn to get a couple of rooms, and to be safe dinner was plastic wrapped sandwiches from the gas station.

Congratulations to Karl and his dedicated crew Rose for another diamond flight.

= = = = =

Richard Smolinski

Thanks to Chris who got me in the air by the 1220, and after a single house thermal that took me to 11.5K I was on my way through the desert.

I got to Pontius at 6500 and I after a shear line arrived it took me to 8500k that put Cal City in range. A little bump above the 14 freeway intersection got me up to 9500, and having Cal City in range I kept going toward Inyokern. Another thermal above a mountain took me to 10K and I had Inyokern in range , and some clouds on the horizon became my target. Little bumps kept me going until I reached the mountains near Inyokern, and I just slid onto the ridges looking for better thermals on the west side of mountains. It paid off very soon to 14K, and I used a cloud street to get to Lone Pine. I started crossing, then strong valley lift took me to 11k, and In few minutes I was climbing on the Whites where the real ride began. I got to cloud base with max forward speed, to 17K, and from White Mountain, go for Mina.

Mid-way, I found some weird lift with no clouds, just a steady 4 knots plus that took me to 18K, and I was on the way to Gabs with a lot of backup. I though of going to Austin, but decided to join the bunch at Gabbs AP to celebrate Karl’s achievement.
Great day and great company…

Let’s do it again.