Paragliding:
a visual journey
Follow along with us as adventurers take to the skies for the first time on a tandem, learn valuable paragliding skills or even catch a glimpse of pilots just goofing around!
Just a few weeks ago Magali & I went for a flight at Woodside so she could fly her new Skywalk Chili3. It was a beautiful afternoon and we flew 5 km away to our favourite landing field. I grabbed a still shot from the GoPro as she came in to land…missing that sunny view as the rain drops fall outside my window on this late July morning.
Paragliding in my mind via photographs on this rainy Saturday afternoon. One of my favourite spots is in Lienz, Austria. A cable car and then a chairlift bring you to this incredible launch - take off wherever you like, land back on top and go for lunch at the restaurant before flying again. And this is only one launch of probably hundreds that look like this throughout Europe. One giant lottery win and I will make this happen here in the Fraser Valley! Another "oldie" (2008?). Monica & I about to start the 2+ hour hike up from the parking lot. There is usually snow until late July (confirmed by some hikers last week) so lots of time for everyone to train for this gorgeous hike and fly! This is me launching in 2002 (?) from Upper Launch at Bridal Falls. I think this should be our next hike & fly destination…what do you think? Martin was going on his 3rd day in a row for a hike and fly up to Bridal Falls launch, so I figured he'd be tired enough that I could keep up. All smiles at the start and the laughs continued as we rested at the waterfall. Thanks to George lending me his hike and fly harness (Skywalk Flex) I made it to the top following Martin's one rule…no whining. An hour plus flight in stable air was the reward, along with a few good stories along the way (ask Martin how the bugs were, ha ha). After spending all day at take-off helping T & K get their flights in, I was rewarded with a flight down in the smooth evening air. I managed to grab a still shot of sharing the sky with Kirstie on her sign-off flight as I waved my go pro around but missed getting Tyler & Lee as they launched on tandem a few moments later.
After dropping off George, Tyler & Kirstie at Bridal launch, I started down the stairs back to the parking lot to drive down. I turned for one last look and saw Martin rising back up from below launch. The theme from Jaws played through my head as this picture came to view. Tyler & Kirstie started off Saturday flying around Mt Woodside sharing thermals (like this one) and looking for lift. When they realized they could knock off the rest of their required flights before the end of the day, soaring stopped and the races to the landing field ensued! Thanks to help from Lee who drove them up 8 (!) times, and after spending Sunday morning writing their exam and passing with "flying" colours we'd like to welcome both Kirstie and Tyler to our flying community as our newest P2 (Novice-rated) pilots!
Ducky and Jim came out to sharpen their thermalling skills. Both of them left with more knowledge, more airtime and both got above launch at Woodside. The picture shows Ducky after she caught the mother of all thermals and rocketed up over launch!
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