Wow, how appropriate for the Beast to be there. I have work thursday and friday. I'll be there saturday.

I'm planning on being there Saturday if the weather holds.

Hope the weather does hold - looks like the easterly flow could quit?

I really want to be the "driver" that takes the Beast down the mountain for the last time.

Is anyone planning on camping Saturday night?

Or should we commute if the flying looks good for Sunday?

ADDS has the 6000 and 9000 msl winds aloft as basically L&V-ish, 0-5 morning and afternoon all weekend.

Dr Jack predicts significant cloud cover both Saturday and Sunday, with corresponding weak maximum lift. The weather channel has the chances of rain at 30% from 10 AM on Saturday. I tend toward the optimistic so I'm hoping those forecasts will improve as it gets closer.

John

I'm planning on just Saturday at the moment, but I thought I'd check the weather update this evening and see what other folks are planning.

I'd love to join you guys, but I've got a miserable cold. I hope you guys get some good conditions.

The Dr. Jack's forecast has improved quite a bit, lower cloud cover and much higher max lift and top of lift. I expect it will OD, though, so am planning on going a little bit early.

I'll plan on being at Houghton and I-10 at 7 or so if anyone would like to meet up to ride-share. I'll be returning after flying Saturday, maybe drive down again Sunday if it looks good.

John
520 444 8105

Great! Meet you in the LZ around 8:00 - 8:30. If you head up the mountain before I get there please dummy lock the gate.

Rafael/Debbie

There doesn't seem to be a lot of consistency in the forecast, so I guess we'll just find out what the conditions are when we're at launch. I'll be at Houghton and I-10 about 7 unless there is a change in plans.

I also plan on being at Houghton & I-10 at 7. See you there.

Count me in, see you at I-10 @ 7:00



Andy

The forecasts had the winds from just about every direction and at highly variable speeds. When some of us met at I-10 and Houghton it was strong east, but this had decreased to light SE by the time we got to the Miller LZ. What had started as a mostly cloudy morning was also starting to clear. When we got to the SE launch it felt like it was light over the back, so we headed to the east launches to find it splitting the north and east launches with a base wind of about 5 mph. As we set up, a rapidly building and rapidly darkening cloud began to form over Miller and Carr Peaks. I rushed to get suited up and was the first one on the east launch. What had been nice straight in cycles had now become intermittent light cycles with the base wind crossing from the right. I took the first available straight cycle and found myself in ragged, difficult to work lift. I managed to eventually scratch to about 1,000' over while everyone else formed a launch queue. Andy was off next and after some initial scratching worked his way above launch and above me. Tom followed but was only able to get some intermittent lift over the LZ. I think Terry may have been next, but ended up with his canopy in the manzanita bushes after an aborted launch. Rafael powered off and immediately went up toward the darkening clouds above. By this time I was sinking toward the LZ and watching a thunder shower over Bob Thompson Peak. Meanwhile, it was getting darker on launch and Rafael reported rain as he also headed toward the LZ. He and Andy landed almost the same time, as Eric and John took the last launch cycles before the storm. They landed just about 5-10 minutes before rain, lightning, and thunder arrived in the LZ. At the same time, Debbie, Whitney and Terry were heading down from launch in a cloudburst of rain and hail. The rain was just ending as they arrived in the LZ and we emerged from the shelter of our vehicles to finish packing up some very wet gliders. It was definitely a Miller monsoon experience. A great big thanks to Whitney, Debbie, and Terry for getting the vehicles safely down the mountain and rescuing us in the LZ.