Brad, I thought your come back was funny and I certainly deserve it.

What I get from your opening thread is perhaps your reluctance to
trust the wind information you are seeing or you are looking for
supporting information that would increase your trust in the
information.
Transitioning to ridge would require accurate wind information, but
you write you do this without fear all the time.
If you would elaborate a little more on what you are thinking
regarding wind data , I'm sure others have helpful input and comments.
Myself , operating a 302 with a CAI M-25 backup...they become accurate
as long as I thermal and slowly diverge / degrade with long stretches
of glides. A few turns and I am amaze how quickly they recapture the
wind. I was able to run trials base on observation of smoke coming off
the burning sugarcane fields and learn my instrument.
R