45 mins flight at Chehalem Ridge (Newberg, OR) 3/6/16

Alone at Chehalem Ridge (Newberg, OR) 3/6/16

Video Link: 

https://youtu.be/36Vd5VAhXp8

I had a nice approximately an hour (or maybe 45mins) flight at Chehalem today. The winds were cranking at launch (20-28mph) after the last squall passed through around noon. With no more rain so I went back to Newberg skatepark for another skate session. When I return to launch around 1:30pm , the winds had backed down to 10-15mph with more blue sky and sunshine. Fortunately, an RCer guy was there so I wasn't all alone.I decided to take a flight, punched off at 2:15pm with 10-15 mph wind and got high really fast. No penetration problem until 30 or 40 mins later when I felt stronger head winds from SE or SSE also with the rain approaching from the west side. I decided to land at the PG's LZ because it was a shorter walking distance to launch for my car. Packed up everything before the rain came and began the walk. However, I was lucky to have gotten a ride from a nice local guy after walking a few hundred yards. Rain started on the way up to launch so I didn't get wet. 

1 hrs and 10 mins Chehalem (Newberg ,Oregon) 12/4/15

https://youtu.be/NYaQXkL95Rs 

Chehalem was on the strong side today so only 2 hangs flew (Mark R and myself). The average wind speed at launch was about 10-18mph from noon till 3:30pm. I waited almost 2 hrs till the clouds dissipate by 2pm. I launched at 2:15pm and immediately gained a few hundred ft above launch. I was able to climb 500 ft over in mostly smooth ridge lifts.  I flew for an hour and 15 mins and landed at the Johnson's Ranch (Big LZ). It was very calm when I landed at 3:25pm (2 mph South breeze). The wind at launch had backed down some, then drove Mark R up so he can take his first flight at Chehalem.  Mark launched at 3:45pm and he was able to soar a little bit before sunset and landed safely at the small PG LZ.  You can see Mark's launch at the end of my video here.