Carrascoy, oranges, Alhama de Murcia later on.


At first, Carrascoy was too cross to be good. Later at Alhama de Murica too many pilots at take off.

As you may not know the Murcia pilots have a lot of restrictions on their sites. And they do a lot to make sure their sites stay open. They have meetings with local officials, local farmers, local hunters, local ecologists. Just to keep on practising their beautiful sport paragliding they need to make compromises over and over again.

This also, at their southern site Alhama de Murcia. Where it is since years forbidden to fly on the left side of take off, birds nesting. And this tim of the year it is absolutely forbidden to fly with more than 6 pilots, so maximum 6 pilots yeah.
"Especially take care of these rules today, as it is Good Friday and everybody is on the street, so we'll be easily spotted if we 'misbehave'."


I feel sorry I told my fellow local pilots from Alicante where it was flyable later on this afternoon. I guided them to the site of Alhama de Murcia, where they had never been before. I, who am I ??, told them again that the locals would appreciate us respecting the agreements with the local community not to fly with more than 6 pilots.
Just minutes later, of course, 7 pilots in the air and someone flying left of the take off ..... for years already forbidden terrain for paragliders .... .
Down below some local pilots from Murcia gave me the evil eye. Luckily they know me, and knew it wasn't anybody of my group doing this. I cannot understand that these adults of +40 years cannot show any respect for their fellow pilots of another region. I didn't even think driving back up again, to fly with my guests, too embarrassed, too gutted. So dissapointed. I just hope this didn't interfere with the good relationship I have with all the pilots of Murcia.

But above all, I hope this behaviour is not gonna result in more problems for our fellow pilots of Murcia.



Conditions were fine, southwest in the afternoon, just what you needed to enjoy the lovely soaring hill near Alhama de Murcia.

Below the board they put up near the landing field in Carrascoy.

This is surely more important :

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/98.php/?CLICK_TF_TRACK