John and I flew the Lemon today.
We launched around 3. Got to 12K south of launch.
John had a burning desire to go out to Pusch Ridge, so we did.
Got back up down there to 10K and I glided to several miles east of 49er`s and Jlow landed at the school.



Eric

Eric wanted to fly Mt. Lemmon, and I haven't been there in something like 2-3 years, so off we went with Bob Crowley driving.

We found the Observatory gate locked so hiked our stuff around, and found it blowing in briskly, so set up. The cycles were a little wierd, but they were in and lots of birds were soaring. As Eric moved up to launch a large hawk set up in the ridge lift, perfectly stationary 25-30' directly overhead, checking us out for a minute or more.

Eric launched first at around 2:30, with a long run and lots of speed. He immediately got a couple of hundred over launch, and that hawk started attacking his wing! Eric flew out to the gap south of launch with plenty of altitude.

I launched into a real nice cycle at 2:45 and headed directly for the gap, clearing it by 100' or so. Those trees sure look big at that altitude!

We worked our way down the ridge and got into the first big thermal of the day, that took us to almost 12000. Lost that one, flew back southwest to the ridge, got another one just as high.

We were still deep in the mountains over what Eric called "wilderness of rocks," and it was, too, right in the center of the Catalinas. We needed to get further to the south. I lost the second thermal and headed back for the ridge again, but was in major sink the whole way, getting rotored. I cleared the ridge by less than 100'. I'm certain standing on my toes in my harness helped.

Now I was very low in the back of Romero and Montrose canyons, maybe 7600' msl, below the crest of Pusch ridge. Eric threw away 1800' of altitude to fly over where I was, for which I was grateful because I was getting a little panicy. Eric pointed out on the radio that running to the west along Pusch ridge wouldn't help, becase it was upwind and there was no friggin' place to land for miles.

But there was light lift in the back of the canyon, and we patrolled back and forth looking for the thermal that would take us up and out of there. There was even time to enjoy the incredible views. Finally, further southwest just above Finger Rock it came, taking us back up to 9800 or so, which that far south was enough to creep over the back. Eric took that thermal up 1000' or so higher and much farther back than I was able to, so as we headed southeast the difference in our altitudes got greater.

I got LZ-suck at a middle school with a large oval track with a grassy infield right next to the entrance to Sabino Canyon. I probably have made Sabino High, but that grass looked so good I spiralled down from maybe 2000' over to use it. Got 1.5 hours and a 9.4 mile flight, my first ever over-the-back at Mt. Lemmon.

Eric continued on maybe a mile past 49'ers country club, for 2.0 hours and about 15 miles.

Bob picked us up in no time, and we were back home before it was dark.

Beautiful day, and a *very* exciting third flight for me at Mt. Lemmon. I owe Eric a huge thanks for calming me down during that little soiree low in the back of Montrose canyon, and to Bob Crowley for driving for us and making the whole thing possible.

I posted a couple of Google Earth screen shots of our GPS tracks in my personal Album, album_personal.php?user_id=2.

Here's a shaky helmet cam youtube video of Eric's and my flights

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Wow John. I pee'd my pants a few times, and I was just watching the video.
That's too scary.

Eric- where the heck did you Land? There's no place to land over there!?!? Or did you land in the wash?

Sweet video john! Im glad you guys got some good flights! thats two site records for the this years xc contest isnt it? nice!

OK, I think this guy has you beat at 15ft above ground level.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XZxo7IznQnk

At least you are getting some good training for your big move to europe where you will be know as " st jion" lowery.

I dig the part where he swoops past the two skiers at about 8' agl.

I wonder if there's a separate compartment in that jump suit to hold the basketball-sized gonads.