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I slowly progressed to Byron and across the delta to Rio-vista, The ahead I saw the clouds start to disintegrate and OD, I proceeded only to find sink and eventually landed at Yolo County (40SM short of Williams)

Total distance 378km 5:42 hrs

Kenny retrieved me and I stayed the night at Williams. (THANKS KENNY!)

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WILLIAMS - HOLLISTER Friday 4/19/02 There were no clouds this morning, so I took my time and considered my options, until Peter Kelly showed up and asked what I was waiting for! I should be in the air! I told him I didn't think I could fly back to Hollister without my secure cloud markers, He said nonsense, follow me, I'll fly down the valley with you. How soon can you be ready! I got my ship ready and launched into the blue after Peter launched in his DG800, I found a nice thermal on tow and released at 3000ft, again the winds were 21 kts out of the north and the thermals were small and windblown. I was drifting downwind nicely (at least the right direction) I managed to climb to 6000ft and continued bumping my way downwind, then the wisps began to form clouds, and the going got easier. I hooked up with Peter somewhere abeam lake Barriessa and we exchanged photos.

 
click images to enlarge (photos by Peter Kelly)

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I crossed East of Travis and had a low of 3300, thought I was going to land at Rio Vista, Peter turned back to Williams from here (Thanks for the Help Peter, I needed that little push) I finally found the climb I needed all the way to 7500 I headed across the Delta for Byron where the next cloud street started. With the tail wind I got there in no time, and climbed to 8000 and continued past Livermore. The mountains across to Mt. Hamilton were blue, so I toped up at the last cloud and headed across toward the Oblic Observatories. I ran into strong turbulence and sink all the way, lost my final glide to Hollister, then south county, then Reid Hill... Now survival mode I thought of Gavin Wills, and my short NZ mountain flying experience (always polishing the rocks) "What would Gavin do"  1) check the wind speed and direction, 2) check the sun angle, 3) look for the terrain that had the best angle to the sun and 90degrees to the wind. Right, got it the mountain with the observatories had all 3 in its favor, I ran right to it at 100kts, and sure enough after all the sink and turbulence I hit rising air and then a big thermal! whew I needed that! climbed to 9000ft and started to breath normally again, I cruzed past Hollister and Bickle, before turning back and landing Hollister.

Total distance 323km 4 hrs

Flight Map and analysis by SEEYOU

GPS Trace click image to enlarge	click image to enlarge
Graph click image to enlarge	3D Map click image to enlarge
Flight Stats click image to enlarge

HOLLISTER - MOJAVE DESERT Saturday 04/20/02. Ramy was planning a straight out, and I jumped at the chance to follow, I assembled the family and drove to Hollister early, I hooked up the trailer for my Wife (Sandra) who had never crewed before. I gave her a map and suggested she follow Ramy's wife.
I launched late due to a few delays (at 12pm) - Unfortunately I ran out of time and had no water ballast.  Ramy was already way ahead at Panoche by the time I released. I took the 1st climb to cloud base and headed off at speed, the clouds were working well and I only took the strongest climbs when I needed, I got a little conservative around Hernandez during a patchy section, and Peter Deane passed me there, and gave me a nice tip to continue and not struggle in the weaker thermals. Off I went, now even faster, and this seemed to be working I flew 90+kts and only slowed in strong lift, turning only occasionally in the strongest thermals if I was a few thousand below cloud-base. I headed toward Taft where I could see Ramy and Peter.

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After Taft there was a  long stretch of blue until the Grapevine, so I slowed and flew conservatively, watching Ramy, I chose a more easterly route and turned out to be better, I found 2 blue climbs 1st one to 9,500 and the second 1/2 way up the grapevine to 11,500, meanwhile Ramy got low to 7,500 West of me, I was able to cross the grapevine over a field called Conover. My Battery was getting very low and I chose to turn the radio off and only check in with Ramy every 30 minutes. Ahead looked confusing the clouds over the mountains were low and the Mojave valley had a few higher clouds, and the LA valley also had a few higher clouds, I 1st tried toward the LA valley, and found the lift weak, I retreated, and tried the valley, this time strong winds 20kts and weak broken lift, I got low and headed back to the hills, where I struggled for some time low, before connecting to the lower cloud-bases 6000ft, I just managed to hop from cloud to cloud in weak thermals barley over the terrain with a strong wind. I continued toward Crystal Air which I barley had in glide about 60NM away, I kept loosing the glide and the clouds continued to get worse, I eventually got too low to stay over the terrain and bailed to the Mojave Desert valley, where I got nothing except turbulence. I continued to get low and eventually could not make Crystal, I turned downwind and retreated toward my alternate Palmdale Air force Base, on the way I noticed a nice Drag strip that would be perfect to land in the runoff area, however after arriving over it at 1000ft agl I noticed it was in full use. I could see the AF base and the fields between me and the base looked ok in an emergency, so I proceeded to bump my way downwind to the base, arriving on a 45 at 200 ft I passed the tower at the same altitude (remember no radio - battery to low now) I flew over an extremely wide taxiway that was landable, while I checked the approach of the main runway. No planes, in fact the place looked deserted. Since I had a 20kt wind down the main runway I turned at 50ft onto the main runway and flew in ground affect until the next exit where I touched down a couple hundred feet before the exit.

GPS Trace click image to enlarge  (large file)	IGC FILE
Graph click image to enlarge	3d Map (BY POV-RAY - and Charlie's converter software) Looking North West click image to enlarge
Flight Stats click image to enlarge	3d Map looking South click image to enlarge

 It took me a couple minutes to disconnect myself from the ship, (pee system, gps, logger, chute, etc.) before I even opened the canopy to get out. As I pushed the glider off the main runway I was greeted by 3 security vehicles rushing over. The officers questioned my reason for landing, I of course told them I had to make an emergency landing for safety reasons, and I was unable to contact the tower because my battery was flat. They checked my id and were most concerned I had a camera with me - which they quickly confiscated. They helped me push the glider to a tie down and after securing it I was escorted to the debriefing room. They were all very friendly and offered me food and drink. They checked all my credentials, passport (brought this incase I made it to Mexico :) drivers license, pilots license, etc. Everything checked out, and I was ok'd to call my wife to let her know where I had landed. I had several forms to fill out, and I was required to report declaring and Emergency landing to the FAA. Apparently I gave them a little surprise since I arrived under there radar and unannounced. But hey, I was happy to be inside (out of the cold wind)  eating and drinking for 1.5 hours until my crew arrived. The added bonus was I got to see the coolest pictures of all the military planes in flight, and I met some very fine air force individuals. They even met my wife outside the gate helped me load the glider in the trailer. I also have an aircrew survey for all pilots landing there to submit to the "Commander" (it will get a perfect score as far as I am concerned).

Total distance 503km 4:45 hrs

So my straight out was 243 SM, I called Ramy to find out a little while later he landed at Barstow-Dagget airport 295 statue miles from Hollister! Congratulations Ramy!, You got the NEW Mad dash record for Hollister! I had best flight out of Hollister ever, and I am very grateful for all your help and advice!

Brian Choate (N300GD)

click images to enlarge (Palmdale Air Force Plant 42)