TWO MORE DIAMONDS

Last week, two Crystal Squadron members flew diamond distance, Mike Koerner,  to Beaver, UT (388 miles), and Karl Sommer to Gabbs, NV.  Here below, they each tell their story of the day.Mike KoernerI flew to Beaver on Monday after repairing the trailer and replacing my transponder, both of which had been problems the previous week.It was not a strong day. In fact, I turned around a Calico, intending to land at Barstow, only to stumble into my first real thermal since leaving Lewis. I got above 12K a couple times near Vegas but spent most of the day below 9K and ended up tip toeing into Beaver late in the afternoon.The new Trig TT22 transponder worked wonderfully, but the interaction with the Nellis controller was less smooth. I had told her I was headed toward Mesquite, but every time I stopped to thermal I would drift with the wind, which was fairly strong. This seemed to upset her, even though it sounded like there were only one or two other aircraft in her airspace. It doesn't help that I have to turn off the vario and close the vents to hear what she's saying.The trailer worked fine too, but Fran was stuck for hours in Vegas again, this time behind an accident. When she eventually got through she picked up something on the road, perhaps from the wreckage, and lost pressure in one of her rear tires. By the time she got to me, around 2am, I was asleep under the wing.Rather than come straight home, we went on to Denver to visit my son, David, his wife and my grandson.Karl SommerThis weekend Rose took her Sister and Sister in law for a Grand Canyon trip via 3 days Laughlin.Peter had a B-day party to attend Sean did not find a crew, I was lucky to have Gus, Mike said he will skip this one. Turns out he went on Monday and landed in Beaver, had to wait for Fran till 1 AM today, driving to Denver visiting Son David and family.So I decided to go N to enjoy the snow covered Sierras on Sunday. (Some squadron, only me)Got a tow at 11:18 and landed after 7hr 28min of hard work in Gabbs (OLC) where Gus handed me a cool one, before I had a chance to climb out of my cockpit.Easy climb to 13.4k leaving the mountains crossing the desert finding my low 7k W of Mojave got a good thermal to 9k getting me into the high ground NE of Tehachapi, 12k going to boomer ridge, Mr Boomer was not booming, struggled N when 4U called "I see you, on your left" there he was high and happy 13k I had to look up 45 degrees, bounced along the ridge 9-11k, now that's better, a bit short of Sacatar 14.2k 2 o'clock and some clouds.Thought was going up the Sierra, must have picked the fake clouds fell off the Sierra abeam Lone Pine 12k cruising to the Inyos, abeam Mazourka 12.5k enough to fly over the plateau to Black Mtn , Schulman Grove some more cloud activity but I had trouble to stay high enough above ground till the intimidating White Mtn west face, arrived below the peak 13.2k entered a rough thermal that spit me out at 15.3k, kind of scary but felt real good to be high.Passed Boundary Pk 17:00 15.4k W-wind 17kts, further North last thermal under a good looking cloud 17.2k,  Gabbs 73M final glide into the blue with 17kts crosswind until below 12k down to 10kts. Loitering around near Gabbs enjoying the warm sunshine for a while then landing at 20 to 7PM.  Glider boxed, drinks and dinner, enjoying the sunset later the stars, we had a good sleep in that cool air at 4700'. At daybreak fresh coffee for the drive back, we met with Barry and Sue in Bishop at the Schatt's Bakery, Lunch in Lone pine then back to Crystal.