Kagel to Brian Ranch Airport, 37 miles

Forecast was for 10K+ cloud base, light SE wind for front (San Gabriel Mountains) range and NNE wind for back range changing to SW (and NNW) later in the day. When its east wind Marshall is more preferable, but since I did not have a driver for Marshall and my wife Karina volunteered to drive if I go to Kagel I choose Kagel. Got a ride on 10 am track, we were packed like sardines in the can, but starting early was very important. In fact cycles on launch was too strong and I was concerned I could not even launch, but wind during lulls was light and lulls last for few minutes, so I did launched successfully at 11:46. No problem with penetration climbed to 5.5K and went for Big T. SE wind there was much stronger then predicted in forecast. I could not go east even on full speed bar, so I turn around and fly back to west towers. I got to 8.2K there and consider jumping west to Oat Mt. or north-west to Santa Clarita.

Flying high over Sylmar

By that time most of Sylmar XC crew was in the air over Big T. discussing plans where to go. Jonathan went east on the front range and the rest of pilots jump to the back ridge aiming to fly OTB (over the back) via Mount Gleason. I was dreaming to try this route for a long time, so there was no question any more where to go. Ron reported 11K+ on the back ridge with other HG pilots joining him. I was last to commit and even though I had 10.4K it’s was one of the scariest move in my PG career. There is a 10 miles stretch with no place to land from Big Tujunga canyon until you get to Gleason. It took only 20 minutes to cover this distance and I arrived at 7.5K (1.6K AGL) over the last ridge near Gleason. As expected there was a strong thermal out there and I took it all the way to 13.5K, but higher I was getting the stronger north wind become, so I have to leave thermal and fly upwind toward the highway 14.

Flying over San Gabriel Mountains

Plenty of LZ after that point, but with north wind my progress to the east was slow. Most of HG landed at Crystal airport, but when I got there they was gone already, so I landed at 6:25 near highway 138 and 18 intersection for easy retrieve.

Landing near highway 138 and 18 intersection

Enjoyed beautiful sunset and stars, Karina get there around 8:20, back home at 10:00 pm.
My GPS track: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/675959

Kagel to Glendora flight, 33 miles

I landed almost at the same spot as last year and repeat my mistake again. Its essential to get as high as possible over Monrovia Peak before gliding over relatively low terrain eastbound. This time I try to push low as far as I can because I know there was quite a few good landings down wind, but generally speaking it was bad idea, punchy thermals, windy, no fun. I landed near Glendora Equestrian Park:

 Jonathan, Bud Rob and Seabass landed few miles east on San Dimas Golf Course, well HG has better glide, so no surprise, but they made basically the same mistake. Only Ron who take time to get high over Monrovia Peak was able to make Rancho Cucamonga.
My track log:
http://paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/593176

Kagel to Glendora flight, 32 miles

Since Kagel is my nearest flying site I was dreaming of a long flight out from it. My farthest flight so far was out and return to Mt. Lukens. Next target was Mt. Wilson and beyond. Today was the day to make it. Jonathan picked me up in the morning and we headed to Kagel LZ, got ride to launch and I was first in the air at 1:20. I climbed to 5900 right away, which means we were late at least by 1 hour. Easy going to little Lukens where I stuck for 20 minutes and Jonathan had chance to catch up.

Then we flew together until the end of the ridge and he went straight across Arroyo canyon (highway 2) while I slow down to get more altitude before this critical transition. Up to this point there are many options for landing, but this canyon looks scary. It’s wide with power lines and other (east) side looks even worse. Long, gentle slopes and then houses to the right. The only friend is a steep ridge deep in the canyon Brown Mountain.

While I was trying to convince myself to continue I find a weak thermal right above highway 2 and drift with it across the canyon arriving almost at the top of the ridge. Tank up more and continue toward Mt. Wilson. Just before Mt. Wilson I met Jonathan again, he tagged it was coming back. There was nice cloud street behind Mt. Wilson shaped as arc into the wildness. That was my ticket to make Marshall, but I was not ready for such commitment and refuse it. Instead I keep going along the front range. On Monrovia Peak ridge I did not top out thermal, which was a big mistake. After this point it was pretty much final glide. I had an option to fly low over little ridge after crossing highway 39, but it was windy and I can’t see good landing spots ahead. On the other hand it was already 4:00 pm and day start to shutting down while I made only halfway to Marshall, so my chances to make Marshall was low. I landed on huge empty field, which looked nice from the air, but after all had a quite high fence.

It was interesting feeling when cars slow down to see better how I was trying to get over fence with my PG bag. Big thanks to my wife Karina for retrieve and Jonathan for ride to LZ.

GPS track: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/502847