Finally!

We finally had a break in the weather today and got to fly.  It was a good-news, bad-news weather day.  The good: temperatures warmed up to the high 60's low 70's on the valley floor, and the sky was clear blue.  The bad: high pressure, which means the air is stable, and the lift that does exist tends to be in tiny thermals moving fast.  It's kind of like riding a bull in the rodeo...

After crossing the ridge in the fore ground, a group of us headed towards a rocky hill that looked like the plug from a volcano.  Most of us managed to get up there, but the rock-and-roll flying took it's toll; Bob and a few others put it down in the meadow and had a long hike out...

I moved on three more ridges and grouped up with three other pilots.  I thought I was going to make it, but then two of us zigged, and the other two zagged.  Turned out zagging was a better choice.

I flushed down off the ridge and landed beside the road (beats a long hike any day) and a local stopped to help me pack up and gave me a ride into town.  If you have to land early, that's probably the best thing that can happen.  Fun day!