Paragliding is something I've wanted to do since I first saw it at an outdoor show in San Francisco. I was about 14 years old at the time. 20 years later, I finally signed up for classes. My instructor is the fabulously French Benoit Bruno from letsgoparagliding.com in New York. Flying is even more magnificent than I had imagined.
If you have any questions about getting into paragliding, or anything else, you can ask here. My log book is here.
I’m going to try to update this more frequently, at least with big things so I have some record of them. Sadly, a rare computer problem caused me to lose all the video of this, but this photo was from last summer when I flew of of the tram summit at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
This was special for a few reasons. First and foremost, this is where I took my first flight as a tandem passenger a couple years earlier. I remember waiting on the slope and then running, and then that now familiar feeling of feeling the ground disappear and being airborne, almost kicking the tops of the pine trees. Afterwards, I was sick from the spirals but giddy all day. I still get sick, and I still get giddy. Secondly, it’s just an incredible place to fly. The tram summit is at 10,000 ft. I thought it would be more consistently flyable there but in the late summer the front of it is consistently in the lee. I took the tram back down the first day, and then waited for hours on the second day for moderately good conditions. I ended up doing a no-wind launches, the first of which I overshot and ended up skidding down a rocky slope on my knee. On the second, I got into the air, and it was absolutely magnificent. The sled ride down is about 30 mins, even if you do nothing. Coming out of the mountains on to the plains provides such incredibly dramatic vistas. Pure pleasure all the way down.
I packed up and walked 10 minutes back to the car, and in 20 mins was dipping my feet in the Teton River across (and a safe distance) from a family of moose. I’m lucky to have family in such an incredible place. The mountain conditions are super dynamic and, truth be told, it’s not the best place for an intermediate pilot like myself. I’m excited to continue exploring the area though. Definitely on my list of trips for the summer.
I’d been meaning to do an SIV before getting too much further so when Bence brought it up, I jumped on the opportunity. I got seven flights in. Broke the tow line and ended up in the water on the last one. David Prentice is really one of the most knowledgeable pilots and teachers I have come across. I got in some spins, collapses, and even the dreaded full stall, in addition to some tricky beach landings you’ll see in the video. I would strongly recommend these courses to anyone in their first year of flying.
That salsa dancing quote is my own. Very well-deserved honor for the guy who got me into all this. Happy to have learned from the best.
With only two hours under my belt, I set off to Valle de Bravo in January for some flying in adult conditions. The first day in town, I happened upon a guy from our club sitting on the curb by the lake. He’d been a skydiver for a number of years and definitely one of the more adventurous people in my certificate course. Seeing him rattled by the conditions there was unnerving. His companion on the curb was an older guy covered in recent scrapes from being dragged across the launch. Not a good start to the trip.
After a bumpy start though, my fear mellowed to mild alarm for the duration of the trip. The thermals are strong: 24 fps was the fastest consistent climb I got. And the edges were sharp. Lots of spooky little collapses. I was happier than ever to have chosen a DHV 1 wing. Not sure it collapses any less than other wings but it did snap back pretty predictably.
The routine there was pretty easy to get used to: tamales in the morning, a jeep ride up to launch, flying in strong morning conditions, lunch at Jovan with other pilots and shop talk, naps, and back to the launch for a smooth evening flight. I loved taking a whole week just to focus on flying.
I learned a tremendous amount over the course of the week, as much from flying as from the shop talk over lunch. On the second or third day, I even had my first little XC flight over the back. Somewhat frightening as I went over alone, though I could see a few pilots who had gone over much earlier. Trying to figure out whether my glider would make it over the power lines and the forest before the good cow pasture definitely stretched my meager skills to the limit. What a beautiful feeling though to land at sunset in a cow pasture in Mexico. Alone, and then with other pilots as they dropped in.
I am impatient to be better, to travel more, to go higher and farther, but at the same time, where I am is like being halfway through the appetizer course in what you know is going to be one of the most memorable meals of your life.
And now, finally, my first flight. A bit stressful but even more amazing than anticipated. I actually had three flights this weekend. The first and third I was able to do some soaring on the ridge. The second was turbulent but the Bolero handled it solidly.
The one thousand stars hotel…
Horacio Llorens toplanding on a volcano in Tansania
The first day in Valle de Bravo this hummingbird came and perched on my lines while I was straightening them out. I took it as a good omen. If I remember correctly, my highest flight of the trip was on that day. He was there for quite a while actually. The photo was taken by Andy of bozemanparagliding.com.
Just one of the most beautiful flight movies out there. Is there anywhere in the world that has more aesthetic flying than France? Top of list.
Longest flight ever at nearly an hour. Had to wait in between strong cycles to take off but once airborne it was smooth sailing. Incredible magic ridge lift. This is what it’s all about.
I finally got my wing. It’s a Bolero 4. Due to a series of unfortunate events, I was unable to get upstate this weekend to test it out. Undeterred, Mariko and I biked down to an underused little park behind Ikea in Red Hook. I actually don’t have carabiners yet and had to use my shoelaces to attach the glider. I love it. It stays aloft in almost no wind and is so instinctual and easy to control. I absolutely can’t wait to get it in the air.
