California Condor Eben T. Millman 31 July 1964 Jan and I, with our wives along, left for Tehachapi at 6:03 A.m., arriving ahead of our 9:00 A.m. schedule by 30 minutes. Using the spare time we had at our disposal we questioned Mr. Fred Harris, who runs the Holiday Soaring School, in Tehachapi, for information that might lead to corresponding flight in both Condor and Glider. Mr. Harris described to us how air currents coming both sides of the San Joaquin Valley come together west of Tehachapi where a vortex is formed by currents that come down west tside of San Joaquin Valley then swing around lower end the Valley swing up through Cummings Valley meet to form this Cyclonic Situation where currents have come down east slope of San Joaquin Valley and sweep up Caliente Creek to meet with Southern Current near what is known to Mr. Harris as Black Mountain, west of Tehachapi. In this cyclonic circulation a Glider can be carried up at the rate of 2000 feet per minute and form a condition where at times the problem of a Glider pilot would not be how to stay up as much as how to get down. Harris told how near every updraft there is a down current. Glider Pilots have long recognized the ability of Soaring birds such as Hawks and Eagles as well as Condor and Turkey Vultures, and keep watch for birds circling to give them a clue where up currents can be found. Mr. Harris said the Glider pilots have the currents pretty well mapped in the Bear Mountain and Tehachapi area where they find these currents remain quite stable and can be found quite dependable from month to month and year to year.