St Helena/Stonyford 4/21/12

A very warm day for April with temps pushing 90. 11 pilots on launch. D5 driver Donna chasing, and a very good soaring forcast. What more can a pilot ask for!!

St. Helena launch, add 30 mns. to camera time for real time.

 Fred and I climbed out to 6000' pretty quick, I asked him if he was ready to go XC he replied he'd like another 1000' of altitude first. I said ok I'd stick around a bit and see if we could get it. It didn't happen we had a hard time getting back to 6000' after 20 mns. Finally we got it and with nice cumys popping just south of Middletown we went. Got there around 4500' and climbed to 6600'. Not much in the way of clouds out in front of us for the next 20 miles but nice clouds on Walker Ridge .

This is over Hidden Valley Lake on glide to the NE. looking toward the SE. Lake Berryessa in the far distance.

 We found lift on the hills behind HVLake and climbed to 6600' again. From there we headed straight for Walker Ridge. We had to cross over the Little Blue Ridge to get there but we had the height to do it and a nice LZ (landing zone) is on the other side at HWY 20 and the Cache Creek crossing. We came in on the Little blue at 4200' and hit some bits of lift which I stopped to work not wanting to get impatient and not have the altitude to make it to the beautiful clouds 5 miles in front of us on Walker. Fred was following me and staying in the game very well. After about 10 mns. of scratching around on Little Blue I had lost about 1200'ft. I decided there wasn't anything there and told Fred I was heading across to the base of Red Rocks just before Walker. He was a few hundred over me and decided to stay there to find a thermal. I came in at 2200' and with enough alt. for a search, hit the rocky face just above the LZ and found solid lift to 8400'. Fred meanwhile worked himself low and landed at the far eastern side of the LZ. almost a mile from the gated access area.

Looking west from 8400' above Red Rocks. Clear Lake and Mt. Konocti

 From here I had to decide where I wanted to go. I've flown down Bear Valley before to Stonyford but have always thought it would be fun to get up on Goat Mt. and onto Snow Mt. and then St. John Mt. Today looked like the day it could happen. When opportunity presents itself you have to take advantage. I went for it.

Indian Valley Reservoir with a few clouds popping down the west side looked like the ticket to Goat which is under clouds to the left. Bear Valley to the right.

I hit more solid lift half way down the lake staying high

Matt Epperson out of Williams Soaring joined me for a thermal before I headed up Pacific Ridge to Goat Mt. under the nice clouds. Snow Mt. in distance.

                                              Go to (older post) below to continue.

St. Helena/Stonyford cont'd

Over Goat Mt. at 10'000 looking NE to Stonyford and East Park Res.

From the replay on my flight instrument.

Snow Mt. under cloud. Letts Lake. St. John Mt.

Went right over the top. Not any lift over snowpack. glided on to St. John

Clouds above Letts Lake
Came in on St. John 300 below the ramp thinking I might have to join the paragliders at Fouts Springs LZ. They were having a flyin and I could see many of them in the air over Potato Hill. Found lift and circled up over the top to 8000'. The day was shutting down so figured I'd go out and drop in on Mary Quiberg our gracious landowner and friend in Stonyford.  Click on (older post ) below for landing.

St. Helena/Stonyford 4/21/12 cont'd



Heading out to Stonyford from St. John Mt.



East Park Resevoir from over Stonyford



Marys place. I saw her in the yard as I was circling down so dropped in on her. Donna and Fred were there before I got it in the bag. Dinner at Timberline Grill.  Landed at 6:04  4hrs. 19mn. 49.3 miles. Thankyou Donna

Diablo Flight 4/14/12

   A good postfrrontal day at Diablo produces some great flying conditions. With me on launch were Greg S. Bob. N. Robert M. Mark G. Michael S. and Kevin D. I had lined up The Big Guy and his sis Kathleen to chase for us, and Janet was there driving also.

 I launched into an iffy looking north side but with cu's breaking off here and there I figured I could keep it in the air.

   I almost didn't, sinking out  as I scratched down Eagle Peak to the last nob above Mitchell Canyon where I caught a solid thermal at 2200' and rode it up above Eagle to 4400'.

I caught this thermal off Juniper ridge then cruised over to get a pic of the boys on launch.

They were standing around waiting for me to show them it was soarable.

 I finally got one to 5000' over Juniper as the clouds started filling in toward Oyster Point above Blackhawk Ridge.

Shot this above Oyster from around 6300' looking SW toward Pleasanton and the south bay area.

This is from same spot looking SE toward the Altimont Pass. I dolphin flew at cloudbase till I got there losing 1300' in about 12 miles.

Stopped and shot this looking back at Diablo above the Pass. 12 miles in 15 minutes, I like this kind of flying. Effortless.

 I crossed the pass and found more good lift staying about 4 to 4500' under a nice street parrelleling the freeway.


Got greedy and got caught in some 20 mph north wind low in the hills and got flushed out to 5 where I put it down for
 47.0 miles. 2hrs. 30mns.
Kevin and Mark flew over my head an hour later and got 63 and 62. Spring is here Yeeha!
  Thanks Chris and Kat for making it possible.

St Helena to Potter Valley 4/6/12

A postfrontal day in the spring produces some of the best soaring possible. Hooked up with Reavis Sutphin-Gray, Kurt Niznik, and David The Driver. We headed for St. H. early to take advantage of it.

On launch with nice cumys already popping. Kurt went first and went straight up. Reavis got off next and did the same. I was off at 12:52 but it took me a couple tries to get to 6000' and start chasing Reavis who was over the back already. Kurt joined me

On course toward Cobb Mt. under clouds catching lift staying high. All these in air photos were shot by Reavis as I had 2 pairs of gloves on and didn't feel like fumbling with the camera.

Looking back at St. H. above the Collayomi valley where Kurt landed, and I almost did.

Me climbing up in good lift above Harbin Hot Springs on Boggs Mt.

Looking east from same location getting high, eventually to 8000'.

St. Helena to Potter Valley 4/6/12/ cont'd

Looking west from 8000' over Boggs Mt.

Over Boggs Lake looking toward Lakeport, following the cloudstreet in SE wind.

Clearlake and Mt. Konocti.

I headed for Konocti thinking maybe of jumping the lake and continuing toward Goat Mt. but there were no clouds on the other side so stayed with the cloudstreet heading for Lakeport. Flew right over Lampson field then up Scott Valley getting high at the end over White Rock Mt. 6800'. From there pretty much had Potter Valley on glide but found more lift along the way above the ridge east of Blue Lakes.

St. Helena to Potter Valley 4/6/12

 Here's where I landed. I climbed to 5500' and was looking at Lake Pillsbury and the LZ there but figured I needed about 1500 more to go for it, so burned it off as there was no where else to land I knew of.

The last field in Potter Valley before road climbs over ridge on way to Hull.

This lone oak sits in the middle of the field, I've often thought of landing by it on a flight from Hull.

The owners came out and were quite friendly. He had flown standards back in the day. The boys were there holding a streamer. I landed at 5:11,  4hrs. 19mn. of pure fun. 54. 1 miles. Thanks to all who helped make this day happen.

St. Helena to Santa Rosa 4/7/12

This is a flight I've always wanted to do but never went for before. There is a bit of wooded terrain to cross but there are a few landing spots. Now that I've seen them from the air I'll probably do this flight more often, when conditions permit.

St Helena from a few miles out.

Spring Lake from Rincon Ridge. I live right below the P in PM

Maria Carrilo High School and ball fields where I landed

St. Helena from 4000' on Rincon Ridge

Santa Rosa from 4000'.

Landed in the outfield of the baseball diamond. Walked home. Sweet