Desperation Launch - Saddle South

Glad you found my new Blog Site. - I just felt I needed a change in name. Newbeeskypilot was not only spelled wrong but some have been suggesting that I may no longer be a Newbie. Fair enough, the reflections of my first year will hopefully grow into reflections of flight in general and of renown if fortunes strike.
As to the new name "Preacher" some of you know the story and some may not. You will have to stay tuned for the explanation post. The story is worthy of a crafted blog so stay tuned.
I also hope to post a recap of Valle soon but life, work and flying seem to take more time than the sun allows. This blog is for flying so - After a week of terafirming Friday's clamor rang the bell.
Doc S made the call for Saddle and we hit the road by 10:00am. - The winds were just right 8 to 13 the only problem was that they were due south over the back. - A quick check and a move to the alternate site, the South Launch at Saddle.
South at Saddle you ask?
Yep there is a South launch at Saddle. It takes about 45 minutes from the normal LZ to get to the top. You just head east from Mattawa about 22 miles and turn left up the hill to Saddle ridge and then back West to the high peak Wahitas. The key to South at saddle is the retrieve. It is no man's(sic.) land - long hike to the road. Rick and I got permission from the local orchardist to park my rig at the far NE corner of their property making a glide from Wahitas to the rig a possiblity.
We got to launch about 3:30 and found it blown out and snowed in so down we went with tails between our legs checking lower level south facing bowls as a lark. The wind died off and our hopes were raised. Back we went to the launch and we found favorable "cycles."
Rick's truck got a scolding for not making it the final 1/4 mile up the summit trail. But 5ft snow drifts gave it a reasonable excuse. Rick stayed with his truck and launched from the lower eastern most point of the summit complex while I hiked up and west to give my glide hampered 1-2 a chance for the truck.
Rick's forward went without problem but the top launch almost munched me. Heavy sharp rocks and brambles between them made for impossible footing and challenging line management. - Of course just as I was ready to launch the winds pick up to 12 or better making precision imperative.
A quick pop and stumble and over I went, the wind picked up and I had to pop my beaners to avoid a drag over the back. This launch was not a good idea so I bundled and trundled down to a nice saddle near but not at the very top. This worked well and off I flew - Tight and small hoping to make each ridge that separated me from my truck.
I could see Rick hiking by the time I launched and we joined forces at the truck just as I was folding my wing.
Rick says this site has been called "desperation launch." - You have to be desperate to fly if you find your way all the way out here in the middle of nowhere for a 6 min. sledder.
But We FLEW.

Valle Day 10

Just in case you forgot what I look like.
Wearing the Colors on the 20th.

Still worn down from all the flying. - Made a number of low saves round El Pinon and on the wall - hit the wall below the crest and did a very nice job working it and my faithful G spot up and out - thank goodness the G spot was calm today. -
Nice climb to cloud base and track toward Sacramatati but got drilled to the mesa and no hope for big tails.
Caught a ride out with a official of some agency that distributes blankets - very interesting and a free ride to town - bout 2 hrs. - Good tortas and watched another reserve deployment. 5 in total this week.
All is well with money to spare for the taxi to the airport in the morning.
Great new friends and lots of fond memories - Back next year.
Dave.

Valle - Day 9 : First to Goal

Late in posting - still no new pics. - Flying has been quite active. Normal for this trip the North Winds pushed the convergence right over launch and down the spine. I launched mid early and popped to 9k in one or two passes - left for El Pinon and got it just fine then on to the mesa.
Lift was good and strong but I didn't find anything towering. - Bill from Montana tells of his trip above the clouds to around 14k surfing up the windward side of the convergence. Wish I could say the same.
The lift was strong enough that I was able to tag Elspina and get back to Crazy at tree tops. Crazy at treetops takes lots of focus but after 5 min or so I was well over the G spot with lots of lift back to base. Up and down mostly up and cold I was set.
Now here is something I never though I would say. After about an hour I WAS JUST TIRED OF FLYING. - Those who know me you can close your mouth now.
I did go back for glass but it was so crowded that I bailed for the Pinon at 8400 and couldn't scratch it out and landed short of the Piano next to a bull field.
Today - Lake maybe and long - we will see then it is time for the big jet and home.
Making reservations for next year.

Oh, First to Goal - I bugged so early that I made lunch at Jovans before anyone and got the number 1 chip.
David

Valle Day 8

More great flying - 2.5 hrs or so. Got a great save at the base of the Pinon, well below the rock 200 or so over the trees. Caught a wiff of smoke from a small fire in a farmers field and I was on my way. Very tight very little but just enough to turn my flight from a 30 min disappointment to a great flight to 12k or so with a landing at Jovans for lunch. Great thermaling in total white out over the mesa all by my little lonesome. This place rocks. Today I to almost no pictures until glass off. It was nice to focus on only flying.
Glass off was amazing this time. - Nice thermal action let some sky over the back. I stayed with the pack and in the end we were ridging it. - Nice tight action at the top just like Temple back home, including the top landing except you come in from the right instead of the left. Wadaya think bout that doc.
After my little landing I popped out and was last down while the sun was setting and the crew was packing up. Thanks for the ride Eagle.
The other news is that the trigger has been pulled for my new wing. - Fire colored custom sized Airwave Cobra. - Happy camper here.
Two more days - what will happen next is anyones guess - love to catch a lake landing again but we will see. The north winds make it almost impossible for my 1-2.
More pics tomorrow.
David

P.S.
I think I have figured how to filter my spot tracks so only 24 hours show up. Should work better so there isn't a big glob of overlays from previous days. - check it out on the link above.

Valle - Day 7

Got going a with the early bunch which was great because launch kinda shut down due to winds. Heavy winds made big xc a bit dicey for me. When you push a line LZ's can get a bit ??
Anyway I decided to work thermals on the wall till I got tired. 2 hours of up and down from 7k to 11k and I ran for lunch but found myself drilled and landed the corn fields. - Big smiles and then snorked a ride with Eagle for Glass and had a nice flight but missed one turn and found myself down and out early. - No worries great fun and dinner with great folk.
The British team moved in today and the Japanese.

Valle - Day 6 - More and Different

The Kids - Note 3 kings in background

The day was big sky - many got lift to 13k or better - I was limited to just over 11k but made it far. I went out to the 3 kings and beyond apx 14 miles before I landed in a little town called zocasonnopan. Great flight and lots of fun. - Big air - big thermals cloud streets and another 2hrs for the log. - Tomorrow flight 300 and if I am lucky my 100th hour.
Big air.

Three Kings to the left

Valle - Day 5 - Classic

Friends on Launch

Great clouds, super air and lots of sun made for a great 5th day. My goal for the day was to go for El Pinion, the big rock in all the pics, then over the back to the mesa and then down the ridge to the end, after that back to the convergence and work the line and finish with a lake lz landing.
The hard part was accomplished and the easier stuff, working the convergence, turned out to be more challenging.
I should have stopped at the wall to tank up on the way out - I would have had an easier time. I found myself stuck at the pinion for quite a while working up and down in ragged thermals.

I final caught a good one and topped out at 9900 and went to the mesa. Check the Video!

At the east end I caught a sweet ride to base and worked a cloud street to the end of the ridge.A the end of the ridge it took 10 to 15 min of no guarantee scratching to get back up and then along the front of the ridge to crazy thermal. It was!

After topping back in the clouds I went via streets to sacramacati where I dirted up on the plateau just behind la pinetas.
Believe it or not there was very little lift under this cloud.

Great place to land but a bit of a hike down to the road. - Luck was with me as a 17 year old young man came and helped with the wing and hiked it out for me. -(50 pesos) Lots of down hill trail work for my tired old legs.

After the hike I caught a cab to the lunch stop and then into town to arrive at 5:40. Cab rides total cost including one to launch: 110 p. or about 9 dollars. - Room cost 23.50$ - food and beer priceless! - AMAZING
Great flight - enjoy the pics and check out the track on Leo.
Summary: 11,010 or so. Flight time 3:02hrs.
Distance over 11 miles of flight and a sweet FAI triangle score.

Valle - Day 4 All Alone at the Lake

Today is a challenge to report. Not because the adventure was stale or bad things happened but because the author won. – It just seems strange to write about ones own good fortune, but thus was the story of the day.


A combination of factors led to decisions as follows: It rained very, very hard last night. Wet ground = late lift so we texted our driver to push back an hour. – Best guess is that the driver, a very experienced local pilot didn’t get the message so he showed up on schedule at 9:00. The problem was we figured he got the message and would show at 10:00. Well, he waited for us to come out and load up at 9:00, we didn’t and the connection was lost. –
North East winds and heavy skies had already made many wonder if flying would happen at all and conversation shifted toward a ground excursion to the butterflies.
The capper was that the driver “didn’t show at 10:00” so it seemed that the local expert pilot was confirming the decision to go for a big hike and see the touted insects.
Being an extremely slow hiker and a totally addicted pilot I determined that after hiking 2 hrs. I would meet the crew on their way down from the butterflies and there was no logic in me going on the vaunted hike.
I returned with intentions of grabbing my kit and heading out solo but on thinking about the effort to go alone I decided to explore the city.
Just as I left our compound I saw Doug coming from the cab stand with the report that he had tossed the hike and had a connection to launch so the day was on for an attempt at flight with my renowned instructor.
On launch we found no one flying and many unsure if the day would work at all but the worried winds were wondrously wistful. Flow started and the wind dummies began to soar.
I took a number of launch videos of Rob’s crew and slowly readied for launch. Cycles were just fine and the lift off launch was smooth and solid. – One continuous climb put me near 9,000 feet over launch as Doug called for OTB (over the back) on topping the climb.
I was 150 under him and figured an extra turn in feathery lift would be good and as I came around I got an even stronger (beep beep) while I watching Doug head out and DOWN!. – The line he took just slammed him and I continued to climb. After 3 more turns Doug was coming back to climb again and I was topping out at just over 10K.
Having watched his line succumb to dreaded sink I took a line more to the left and down a ridge.
The decision to wait and climb, watch and adjust, work with amazing benefits. My glide to Sacramatati was full of 00’s and -100, I got to West point of the hill with 8K or better. The hill looked good so I went right but that was sink so I back tracked to the West, up hill and closer to the ground but was rewarded with wonderful rising air that took me to the convergence.
Once in the clouds it was sweet. I set course for the north and rode the line out of the clouds. After going back for a second pass, and out again it seemed the lake was even closer. I called to Doug that I had lake on glide and tucked it in for some video work on final glide.
I was 1500 or better over the lake and threw down as best I could with a cranked spiral and a couple of marginal wingover before landing a cool line over the city. One of the hidden sweetness’s of the day was that the butterfly crew witnessed my approach on their way back into town and came with high fives to the lake LZ. I was one of 8 to make it to the LZ today and the only one without a pod.
The moral of the day was “Only those on launch get a chance to fly!”

New use for Stuff Sack / Rain Coat

Out For Dinner

P.S. The day ended with dancing down stairs -

- This morning is a mixed bag - Great Skys, Great Food but the bummer that most of the crew is driving to Mexico City this evening. - Tim, CJ, Roger, Darline & Derek thank you all for a great time. Till we fly together again. The Aerial Crew is alwasy great but this selection was particularly special.

Big Air Today

Dave

Rain Rain Go away

No rain early in the day but fear of such was always with us. No lift and none expected caused a few fledglings to launch for the piano LZ for sledders around 10:30 a.m.
I joined them and had a nice little ride.
When we got back to launch the word was go go go a few were above launch maybe 30 wings in the sky.

I launched as soon as I could and was just about the last to get any lift at all then and within 20 minutes there were no wings in the sky. - I did have a near miss just off launch - best guess is that I was watching a near wing as was my fellow near miss pilot. We didn't see each other until it was close - but a quick yell and turn and no worries. - Only we were close to launch and became a topic for general conversation.
Ride back to town was fine and lunch was wonderful.
Big Air tomorrow - Raining tonight.

David

Valle Day 2 - 12,303ft new alt. best - Converg!!!!

Picture of my folder on Day 1

The short report on Day 2 is that it was magic.

Tim, Roger, Matt & Doug loading

I launched early and worked the nasty lift in front of launch forever. - Over time all were in the air and we started to work what was working. The day had a cirus layer that kept the valley lift from rocking early.
As the flight progressed more were working their way to 10k and above. I never maxed the gaggle but did well. 4 or 5 from Doug and Stefan's crew were near the top and two or three departure waves formed.
I was in the last wave and after 5 min on glide I was at the back and worried about going low again. I was patient and when a beep beep gave me hope a couple of near gliders and I started to work lift before we made Sacramacata(sp?). This was a great call. I climbed back up to over 10k and had the hill on easy glide and before getting there the famous convergence had taken over and I was in white white white.

I responded with big ears on my first entry into cloud. This worked fine and then I figured what the heck we are in Mexico - soooo. I picked a compass course and let the white win. 3 or 4 minutes later I came out of the cloud with the lake on easy glide and the convergence to my back. 2 hours had passed since launch and I wanted more so 180 and try to get back in to it.

But my hopes were dashed and the zone shifted away and I fell into major sink.
I kept trying to chase wings but they tended to be comp or at least very high and fast.Then the little possee found me as Doug called out "lift over here Dave." But the truth was we were all on the ground in 4-6 minutes.

I wasn't sure which way the wind was going so I am thankful that Tim's downwinder a minute before my landing left a masive dust ball. -

All is well all landed with smiles and more will follow - looking forward to day 3.

The Preacher. - See my flight on google earth via leonardo and check out utube top right this page.

P.S. I did get some great gaggle video but it is a big file and has to be edited - more soon.

Valle - Day 1

The first day of flying is in the bag and our stellar crew of 9 made it up and down the hill with various levels of acumen. Most went over the back with at least 9 different stories to tell. –
Mine is the only one I can tell with certainty and its clarity may be a bit in question.
Launch was uneventful – Many, many pilots, not as many as in days past but well over 70. The air on launch and in front was thermic but no guaranties. I only felt like I might drop out once and then that feeling was warmly removed by a nice little pop of warm air.
Round and round we went up and down. After enough time of leaning left my neck was tired and I was ready to leave. I got to the top of the gaggle and was a happy camper as more folk started to talk about leaving. – Just as they worked up to 9K plus – my top was 9350 or so, I fell out and hit a bit of sink – no worries but then another miss turn and I was 4 to 500 under Cj and Stephan as they headed out. –Dam – do I chase from below or do I let them leave and get back the altitude I just lost prior to heading out. Worried that I might loose my guide I fell in line but 400 feet low. – The combination of a slower wing and lower altitude was enough to separate the Men and Lady from this boy. I found myself two low to catch ride up la casa and went for the “little rocks” below.
The scratch session lasted – it seemed like 30 min but eventually gravity won out over wind and wit.
My landing zone was perfect, protected on two sides with high-tension power lines and 50 foot trees on the base leg I crabbed in over a hut, pig pen, laundry on lines, smoke coming from a cooking fire and little children crying. The landing was hot –no wind to maybe 4 mph tail but all was well and 4 children folded my wing their total age was 10 and the oldest was 5. – Very cute.
Matt Cone was my ride to lunch, having snagged a cab from way up past the Messa and out to some unnamed hamlet with many more children. We had mucho cervesas and great food then our driver took us back to the lake LZ. 50 peso later we were on top of the lake side site ready to fly. One quick sledder and a sweet landing and it was back to the B&B for a change of clothing and more food.
More tomorrow, hope for some video – no flying pics today – that is another story.
For the flying among us the air was lighter than normal – thermals had almost no edges with a top at about 10K. I logged 2hrs 20min in the air. The convergence was marked with a large cloud band and those who made it up had a great time working it. – More later (thanks for the computer Matt.)

In Route

Well off I go to Valle. The non-stop turned into a one stop in LA - hope the wing gets to MEX
Watch my spot tracks

More Posts to come but for now I wanted to let my friends and family know that you can find me via my SPOT. - Just click on the link to the right and it should take you to my SPOT page.

SPOT is a GPS/Sat transmiter that send my location every 10 min to a web page. COOL!