Pilots:  Robin Hastings (HG), Doak Hoover (PG), Lee Boone (PG), and Had Robinson (PG)

Below: Robin is getting ready to fly.

Conditions were good in the afternoon for benching up from Agave Hill to the top of the Franklins.  Robin volunteered to be the "wind dummy" and launched first in what seemed the best part of the afternoon cycle as it appeared conditions were weakening.

He was able to get above launch but ended up in a sled ride to the LZ.  We all thought conditions were becoming too weak to launch but then things turned around!  Doak launched and stayed near and to the north of the launch area and was able to get a few hundred feet up.  This allowed him to jump over Deep Sink Canyon and get to the Triangle.  We didn't see Doak for the rest of the day - he flew down to South Mount Franklin and stayed out in front - an area of the Franklins that is the least turbulent to ridge soar. 

Bill Cummings (right below) helped with the launch.

New P2 pilot Lee Boone launched next and followed Doak's flight path and also got right up over the Franklins - to almost 8K'.

Below: The view north from in front of N. Mt. Franklin.  Mundy's Gap is visible (the road going over the Gap can be seen).

Had launched last but (he should have known better) was impatient and entered the Triangle too low.  Despite desperate efforts, he sank out and had to land on the road near the Mundy's Gap parking area (which was much better than landing at the LZ as it was not such a walk).

Below:  Had at 7,600' in front of N. Mt. Franklin looking west.  Just to the upper right of his boot Doak can be seen in the light colored glider just about to land.   Air was dead at the LZ but flowing nicely to the west aloft.  The whole area was about to experience a glass-off which made it harder to get down.

Had launched a second time from Agave Hill.  As conditions were genuinely getting weaker in the late afternoon, he had trouble getting enough altitude over launch in order to jump Deep Sink Canyon. 

Below:  The view south from in front of N. Mt. Franklin.  Doak was in the area to the far left just east of the patch of green (Coronado Country Club) in the distance.  Had was still going up and had to go a mile out front in order to start coming down.

But, fortunate for all, the extra time Had spent near launch allowed him to explore the limits of Agave Hill and - oh joy - he discovered a house thermal north of launch.

Below is the view east - N. Mt. Franklin is visible.

Below:  The top of the Triangle can be seen to the lower left of N. Mt. Franklin.  Pilots must stay in the Triangle while benching the Franklins in order to avoid potentially dangerous rotor and heavy sink that is to the north and south of it.  When heading north from S. Mt. Franklin Doak crossed the Dragon's Mouth too low and wound up in the sink that is SW of N. Mt. Franklin.  He entered the Triangle at the bottom and conditions were too weak to bench back up.

It was time - sniff - to come down as the later you land the more risk there is of landing downwind in the katabatic flow that comes off the Franklins.

PG/HG pilots who launch from Agave need to head north immediately for the house thermal and stay in it until they get plenty of altitude over launch.  Had was able to get more than 300' over launch and headed for the Triangle - the guaranteed method of benching the Franklins - where he went up and joined the others.  Everyone landed safely.