Ray and Deryl's Story
              August 25th 2012
            
      
              
              
              Since the other two official teams submitted a report, I
              thought I  
              should also. The previous month we went to Frazier Park
              and had lunch  
              at Denny’s.  We were waay off from where the hider
              actually was at.  
              This would affect our decision process at the start of
              this hunt that  
              led us to the wrong area.
              
              
              Our initial bearing went to the west of Frazier Park,
              which indicated  
              it could be Mt. Pinos.  However it could also be much
              closer in the  
              Santa Monica mountains or possibly above Fillmore at the
              Condor  
              Preserve where Deryl hid once before.  So reluctantly
              we went north on  
              PCH rather than the 405.  Slow and slower in case it
              was in the Santa  
              Monica mountains.
              
              
              Before we reached LAX it was apparent that it was further
              to the  
              north.  However going this route was a good thing for
              me.  I could not  
              remember if I had turned off the lights on my car that I
              parked at  
              Deryl’s.  Since we were basically going right by
              Deryl’s home we  
              stopped and checked.  Of course I had turned them
              off, but at least it  
              would not be nagging me during the rest of the hunt.
              
              
              We hopped on the 90 to the 405 north.  We are now
              headed for the  
              Condor Preserve above Fillmore.  The route was the
              405 to the 118 to  
              the 23 north, to the 126.  At Fillmore it was lunch
              time and we were  
              hungry, so we searched for a place to eat.  After
              driving around a  
              while we decided upon a place called the “Movie Train
              Cafe” across the  
              street from the train station in downtown Fillmore. 
              We were not in  
              the mood for mexican food (which there are plenty of
              places, including  
              El Pescador) and there was no Denny’s in the area, so we
              finally  
              decided to take a chance on this place.  I had a
              terrific tri-tip  
              sandwich with pasta salad.  The prices were no more
              than at Denny’s.
              
              
              After lunch we headed to the Condor Preserve. As Don KF6GQ
              reported we  
              met he and Steve KD6LAJ on the way up.  The signal
              was still pretty  
              good so we went a little further up the road until we were
              satisfied  
              that it was not up there.
              
              
              We felt it was now at Pinos so we went the 126 to the 5. A
              left turn  
              for us Don and Steve turned right headed towards 33 we
              presumed.  On  
              the 5 as we were just passing Pyramid Lake, Deryl got a
              good signal to  
              the west.  Upon exiting at Frazier Park we got gas
              (yes the Hybrid  
              needs to do that occasionally as well). As we approached
              Lockwood  
              Valley Road it did not look like it was at
              Pinos.   So off we went on  
              Lockwood Valley Road towards possibly Reyes Peak.
              
              
              As we came up on 7N03 Mutau Road I gave it a hard look on
              the map and  
              said it was a possibility.  The bearing from the 5
              north of Pyramid  
              Lake went through this area and on out to the Reyes Peak
              area.  On  
              past we went towards Reyes Peak.   At the road
              headed up to Reyes Peak  
              we saw Don and Steve.  We exchanged truthful
              information respectively  
              and decided to go back to 7N03.
              
              
              Once going down 7N03 it became apparent that we were
              finally in the  
              correct area.  The t’s we found were enjoyable. 
              As the sun was  
              setting, we decided we had driven enough and that it would
              soon be  
              dark so we headed out.
              
              
              Good hunt Doug, thank you. Congrats Bob.
              
              
              -Ray, N6EKS
        
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