Two years ago at this time we were getting to 15k in the desert, flying north of 100 miles, the Santa Barbara season a distant memory. But here it is the middle of May and weatherman is calling for 5,000 ft snow levels. A post-frontal day in Santa Barbara? Unfortunately, a bit too much moisture and winds in the wrong direction kept us out of mountains, but Bates was there as a fall back.
From the Avenue I was hoping to bridge over to the Santa Susana mountains for points east. There were some wispies above the foothills but once I left I found nothing but turbulent sink. In the past I've left the Avenue lower and have gotten out on the Oxnard Plain further.
And then, of course, there's the landing. It was pretty rowdy, but it didn't help that when going for the down tube my hand got caught on my rear wire. I tried to fly it in holding on to the wire, but as you see I wasn't very successful.
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4 comments:
I think your flare timing was off?
Your flare timing might be a "little" bit off. A little work at the training hill may be in order?
Always wanted to watch a flight from Bates to Ventura. Was the wind coming on too strong to go and land at the beach? Thanks for sharing... I've been wanting to do that flight for a long time.
What flare? Once I got my right hand caught on the rear wire I was hoping that the wind would allow me to float it down to the deck; the gradient quickly put an end to that.
I always go to The Avenue with the hope that I might be able to get established out over the Santa Clara river basin. I've made it over to South Mountain at the start of the Santa Susanas once, but wasn't able get any further.
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