The forecast was for NW 6mph, 600fpm and blue. It was not far off except for the 600fpm, it was soft due to the rain the night before and periodically cool breezes blowing through. Herb and Lon were there when I got there and it was a little W cross but launchable. I rigged the glider and waited for a little stronger conditions as the high cirrus drifted SE and the valley started to cook. Herb launched first and had a nice climb right off but slowly settled into scratching a couple hundred over. Occasionally he would climb higher and he played around for the better part of an hour before heading over the knob in back and top landing. Lon went down to pick up Jim and park a vehicle and Jeff showed up and everyone got set up. The cycles were improving and no one wanted to be first so I finally said the heck with it and dove off.
I got over the ridge fairly quickly but only by 50' and made numerous passes before finally falling to a lull and sinking out. Jim went next and immediately got over the ridge and stayed up at least 15min. then came in and had a decent landing in bumpy air and we packed up. Herb, Jeff then Lon launched and all got up in improving conditions or patience waiting for the right cycle and all got 1/2 hr to and hour.
After Lon landed he brought us back up and Jim and I flew again. Jim got a sledder and I waited for a while until it cycled up again and launched into a mini wonder wind. I could only gain 300' on the ridge and had a very small lift band but as I probed out it was all zero sink. I didn't want to miss my ride back up so after a half hour headed down the ridge for the church, lost 60'. Ok fly back up the valley to the bail out LZ, lose 60 more feet. Fly out over the road, down to the hospital, over the church back to the ridge, and still had to burn altitude to land. Great fun.
2 flights
45min.
max gain 300'agl
fun factor: 8
