Crestline to Valyermo flight, 34 miles

Good forecast for 10K+ with east wind all day convinced me to take a day off. Usual suspects in our team, Rebar Dan, Jonathan and our driver Greg. Launched at 11:42 into a strong cycle, went straight up, barely penetrating forward. Go to Pine Mt. and climb to 9.4K right away

Flying high over Pine Mt.

10.9K near Cajon pass, easy crossing

Flying across Cajon pass

Jonathan passed me on the other side of the pass, taking more north route. I prefer to stay over small ridge along Long Pine Creek Rd. There is good trigger point before Wrightwood the only problem it's always turbulent and this time was not an exception. There was a shear line on certain altitude and wing was all over the place, luckily no collapses. After Wrightwood meet with Dan, he was in the same thermal, but lower.  11.3K altitude motivated me to start flying faster, so I did not top out in each thermal (mistake #1). Then I saw Jonathan over Devils Punchbowl Park climbing well and rushed there, but could not connect with his thermal. Get some altitude after low save, but was not sure I can jump safely to the back range and since terrain is rising I would arrive there low.

Devils Punchbowl Park

Instead I keep going over small ridge hoping to get another thermal (mistake #2), which put me to the ground early. Right decision was to stay in thermal and slowly drift with it to the back range.

Landing near Valyermo

When I was done packing my gear I saw clouds start popping over the peaks and sure enough convergence line was bearing toward the back range exactly where I hit sink and lost most of my altitude. Hitch a ride to highway 138 where Greg picked me up and we start chasing Dan & Jonathan. Dan landed between Lake Elizabeth and Lake Hughes, 72 miles out. Jonathan made 88 miles, but landed behind a gate, so it took us quite some time to get him.

Gate to Tehachapi afterbay

When we was going to the launch I had a conversion with another PG pilot and say that if he want to fly XC he need to be ready for getting back home at midnight and that’s exactly when I got home that day.

My GPS track: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/675458

Jonathan's track: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/675456

Crestline to Anza flight, 61 miles

Just the next day after my successful flight from Kagel to Glendora we continue with brave XC attempts. Typically there are several days in a row with a great XC weather and you never know which day is the best. If you not there you will have to wait 1 year for the next chance. I met with Jonathan and our driver Wally at Andy Jackson flight park LZ around 10. Since upper wind was out from the north our plan was to cross Banning pass and fly toward Laguna Mt. I launched from Crestline at 12:20 and climbed straight to 7500, which means that we were late again!!! My plan was to fly back range to Keller Peak since I never try this route before. It was quite easy flying with strong fat thermals. It took me 1:10 to tag Keller and Jonathan catch up just before the peak.

We climbed together in 1000 fpm, but he left first bitten by turbulence, while I have to take it to the top. I glad I did. Its long glider to get out from there and I use most of the altitude I had.

After crossing highway 38 I got low and have to ridge soar for 10 minutes before I get out.

Jonathan was already flying into the pass. There was a small fire south of Banning and smog was very helpful to see wind direction and strength. It was light west through the pass. My options was to tag little San Gorgonio, get high there and cross

OR start crossing early with less altitude. I figured out I will not be able to cross on 1 glide anyway, but starting early will give me advantage to take drift toward pass, so chose this option. I was following little canyon along Bluff St. and found a good thermal.

My assumptions was right, drift was moving me exactly where I need to go while I was gaining more altitude. Downwind after first one I found 2nd thermal and took it. Now I was at 10500 between Banning and Cabazon ready to cross I-10.

I experience a lot of sink and some cross/head wind, but came over Jan Jacinto foothills still very high 6800.

Then I jumped over higher terrain, but keep a good margin between me and peak. Landing toward the San Jacinto Peak was problematic only tree lading. My bailout was highway 74. Even if I can’t make all the way to highway there were some landable fields toward this direction. I got a nice climb just before Idyllwild to cloud base 12200. There was a cloud street to my left and lonely cloud over the other side of valley to my right. That’s where I made my first mistake, which put me on the ground. I opted to go to lonely cloud via Lake Hemet, where Jonathan landed not long time ago. Over the lake I was not confident that I can clear Thomas Mountain ridge and change my mind turning to the left to cloud street. I did not have enough altitude and did not encounter any good thermal to make it there. After cruising another couple miles along highway 74 I landed on the road side. Developing storm ahead was a good consolation.

Wally and Jonathan were there shortly after. 8 miles short of record, but hey successful crossing of the Banning pass is achievement in itself.

GPS track: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/503185

Advice from Rob McKenzie concerning the Banning pass