A different and great day at Soboba…

Light favorable upslope breeze, had many pilots launching around 2 pm. Some timed the cycles well from the 800′ Mid-Spine launch, but all those using the upper 1450′ launch seemed to climb out.

What made today special is that after gaining some altitude in the thermic convection, then over the mountain top we entered the convergence formed with the wind from the back (I observed 14 mph at 7k). It formed a generously wide “pillow” of lift located over the large canyon to the SE of the antennas. Great view in the clean air towards Beaumont, Banning and snowy San Gorgonio.

Many pilots including myself wondered about the over-the-back wind possibly overpowering the thermal convection as we neared sunset and landed sooner than later. But the air remained gentle for those who flew until sunset.