Sahara air coming in today. So no cold air on top, so probably no the best thermalling day, simple.

So we went to Carasqueta, because up there on these high ridge we can profit of the breeze.

So we did. Although not so easy to stay up at times, but enjoyable flying, with views over the valley of Jijona and Manzaneres. Jijone is the Spanish capital of the turron. Turron is made of almonds mainly, one of the rare trees that survives in this harsh, hot climate. But lately the drought has hit the region so hard, that importing almonds from Georgia USA is cheaper than cultivating them down here. Bummer.

Landing area Guadalest, aterisaje Guadalest

Message for pilots who are visiting us now, and local pilots who want to join us tomorrow sunday,

On this foto you can see how and where the landing is. From take off you cannot see the landing. So for those who want to fly this tomorrow with us, better have a close look. Because this time we are not visiting landing before we drive up on the 4x4 road.

Very strong winds today. People left the beach because the sand blew the fun out of it. Gusts up to 40 to 50 km per hour.

But ! Here is Alicante again for ya ! Inland the breeze died off, gently .... .

We left home at 5.30 to arrive at Hondon bits after 6.

We climbed up the pathless hill, and flew till sunset.

No local pilots, just my norwegian friends and me. Even at 7.30 we had to stop thermalling not to get into airspace. And on this site this could be important. Airlines are flying just above your head, coe-coe.

This is my younger me, Paco,
this morning at the beach.

Some shots of us flying over the cliffs today.

From hot sunny afternoon flying, till late evening landings.

On the pictures, Hendrie from Holland, and Daniel from England.

Flying down below two of the three norwegians.

Achim, a happy birthday today, hope next year you'll be back.

Although strong winds were forecasted, we had already possibility to fly at 5 pm. Although the sea looked nerveus, Danny local pilot with his 'slow' Windtech was in the air already. We waited to fly, just to make sure all was fine.

And it was and it actually still is.

A day at cabo, it's a classic for everybody in Europe who loves sunny weather, soaring and chill.

Another very good day at Palomaret. Although inland some thunderstorms were predicted we still had safe and very good flying late afternoon at our famous hill Palomaret.
Our Norwegian guests broke the myth that up north only soaring is done. Skills, technique were obvious.

Next weekend (we hope) the weather will be good to fly early morning at Guadalest, then come down to the coastal sites like Cortina.
Some of the local pilots have never flewn there. So if they read this blog, they have an idea how the landing looks like. Because visiting it would take too much time. We land near the lake, have a swim, walk up (15 min.) to village, grab some food, and fly later in the day at the coast somewhere. Every year we have to make this effort, to fly this old, abandoned site once.
Last year we flew it, just the day before a plane crashed in the lake, luckily nobody hurt. You can see the rescue operation the day after when we flew over it. Remember Michael, Bettina ?

There is something about the Mediterranean attitude, the latin mood, the relax, la vida loca, the laidback-ness.

Also the always and ever present abrasos (hugs), the kissing of the friends, the warmth amongst its people.

And there are colours, kids everywhere. Terraces are full with people having a tapa, chatting in the evening breeze, a stroll in the park with the family, and the friends, the neighbours, tremendous.

But you have to make an effort and go out, meet the spanish, meet the spanish life-style.

Don't go to the 'Dick Turpin's '-bar, don't go to the quiz, don't go karaoke, have something else than beans on toast.
Look, check out, what Spain has to offer, and you will not be dissapointed. It's fantastic.

Of course the sun has lots to do with it. It makes life so easy, so warm.

Life starts at 5 pm, a la cinco de la tarde, that's also when the bullfights start and this since ages.

That's when we are out to play. Spread our wings and have fun over the mountains. From 5 pm, temperatures are more mellow, thermals are more inviting.

On the photo the fun we had today. And all this fun, after enjoying the Med, the beach, the food, the siesta.... . It's fantastic.

Foto by Allan (www.glide.dk)

Cliffs of Santa Pola. Lot less pilots today monday. Conditions were thermal dynamic, not so strong as yesterday. It all eased down at 7 pm, all landed near the beach-bar for the refreshing coronita on the beach.

Flying with the sea breeze, temperatures in the upper 30's. We were the

first to arrive at 5 pm, immediately flying.

Soon more pilots arrived, at 8 pm, ther were about 25 pilots in the air. Verano !

Foto's, take off Niviuk Artik, Boomerang Sport, and then the flights over Onil.

Life is like a nose as I told you before, you have to get everything out of it.
We did. We left for Reconco, probably the site where we could have been surprised with some convergence. South in the valley and east up high. But it wasn't epic.
The nice thing was meeting the pilots from the other valleys lets say and spend the flights together. Thermals got bitchy at some point although only +3 m/s. Hard to find them, and not easy to follow.
Champ of the day, who else ¿ Rafa again, took off first and landed last, transition towards Santa Anna.
We had a plan to follow the ridges to Santa Anna, Biscoy. We took off together, but as soon as I saw him getting low I headed out to try the lee-side thermals (off the western faces in the sun at that hour, sheltered from the eastern winds) and then the thermals of the industrial zone of Onil. Managed to climb out a bit, but soon after plan b to get to the industrial zone it was a mistake, only sink and cobblestones. When landed for the first time, I saw Rafa still very low over the ridges. Very low, thinking he would have to land on the slope any second now.
When I got back up again we all flew, conditions got somewhat better. The air got cooler, the sea breeze crawled under the hot air of the day. It was a matter of taking off fast and find the uprising air on the front ridges. Had some good thermals but nothing epic as said before. After half hour fighting headed down for the rewarding freshdrinks after a hot day.
And who all of a sudden showed up near take off, Rafa of course.
When he saw me he was a bit dissapointed that I hadn't followed him scratching those hills. Sorry Raf, next time I will tiptoe with you over the ridges, you are a champion, a natural. We all know, there is no doubt.
(Rafa never reads this blog, don't worry, but actually why worry, he's not the redneck type at all)

See you tomorrow !

Morning, midday, late afternoon, evening.
An ordinary day of flying in Alicante in summer,
it doesn't get much better.

Relax and fly.

As a result of my cameralens not opening fully I took these shots. Not bad eh ? Above Nick senior Brit, Achim German pilot, Hendrie ex-international rugby player from Holland. Alex your foto will be on it tomorrow, today's was not the cutest.

We flew at Carrasqueta, mainly because we wanted to change sites. We were planning to fly to the peak of Jijona, see picture 4. But thermals were too weak, inversion, high pressure.
Only Rafa managed to make the transition to the village and bummed trying to find thermals over the valley.
I was turning every little climb I found, because as I saw everybody bumming out, it would have been a nightmare to walk up. My Niviuk Artik did the job.

Look closely at this picture, isn't there something wrong ?
I see the pilot flying backwards with leading edge so behind him. But risers are not twisted ? Hm... who the hell would that be.

Never could understand why people talked so much about après-ski. Everybody tired, all dressed in big pullovers, boots, hats, just getting drunk, listening to out-fashioned music in caves or unpleasant hotel-bars.

I prefer the après-fly !
Ok you have to pack the glider first, and this in the heat. But with some assistance it's ok. And after that there is a refreshing drink with your friends. And the obligate jump in the pool !

One of the foto's is taken by Rasta Scott !

Happy people at Cabo again.

On the foto below, the container near my house. Yes, even grandma's wheelchair has to be dumped.

Sea breeze kicking in. We will wait till temperatures die off, wind dies off to go fly again. Guaranteed. 5.30 see you there.

I was just having a coffee at the ciosco Susy this morning and I DID IT !!

Spanish tend to leave rubbish behing. So this morning again, I saw the whole terrace wiping off their faces after their morning tapa and throwing the napkin on the ground. No not even laying it on the table.

With the wind, all napking were blowing around, on the street, in the palmtrees, nobody took notice but me, I think. Weird behaviour. It's one of the things hard to understand down here. But you have to get used to it, although it is sick.

But I DID IT !!

I had a tapa, wiped my face, and threw the napkin on the ground myself. Looking around with a bit of a guilt feeling if somebody saw it. Nobody gave me the evil eye. Uf ! DID IT !

Minutes later I was in my car heading back home. In front of me, young men, early twenties. At the red light. Throwing out a plastic bag with rubbish, just like that on the street.

I used to talk to those people, in my (very) broken spanish. They always looked at me, what the fuck¡s he talking about. A couple of times I picked up the filth they threw out, and threw it back into their car. Instead of getting angry, they looked at me as if I was an alien.

Anyway I stopped doing this, don't worry.

But it is very common to see people throwing things, plastic bags, filth on the street, it is very common to see baby napkins on the beach. Filthy, showing of no self-respecting behaviour.

Last night I was having a walk with Paco and Kath on the beach. Everywhere filth, even glass beer bottles just laying in the sand. No, not one, but several all over the beach. Unbelievable.

Something ecudational should change, but when, it is already 2007, and we're all Europeans. Spite all rock-concert trying to save the planet, environmental conscience is very very low down here.

A blog is personal, and I don't care if I write down words which could offend people, although it will never be my intention. It is and should be a personal view on things, to be read by all who is interested.

I love it down here, don't misunderstand. Just in case the ministry of tourism is reading this -hey if you hire me in as a tourist guide, I will be critical !!!

Fantastic summer evening. All day too much wind, very hot. Beach weather, with every 15 minutes obligatory jumps in the water to cool down. Feeling alive.
At 6.30 pm, I took off with Rafa, it was great at the Cabo.
Tandems, lots of pilots, good fun.
Again a fantastic summer evening of flying.

See you later in the season or early next year Doogle !

A day off, too much west wind. Toix was probably flyable, but a bit out of our league with the present pilots.

I get late bookings lately, by pilots who live up north. The weather in England and Scandinavia really has been a nightmare since april. I understand they want to come down, see some sun, beach, and gets lots of flying in.
Some of them ask if there are things to do for the family.
Well I tell you what, I think this is one of the best regions in whole europe to bring your family down.
Without selling the Costa Blance of Spain as a tourist guide, I like to sum up what families can do, whatever they prefer :
- culture, Elche , biggest palmtree- park in Spain/Europe, cathedral, Alicante castle and old parish.
- culture/history, castle route, Castalla, Sax, Peter, Villena, Biar, Novelda, all with their own castles, not overrun by tourism (yet !)
- leisure, beach, beach and more beach
- leisure/sport, amusement parks like Terra Mitica, Terra Natura
- watersport, one of the bigget Aqua-parks in Europe in Benidorm, 30 minutes away from us

What else ? Kite surfing, Santa Pola is the site where in August the nationals are held. Go karting, diving, sailing, jeep safari's, mountain biking, paintball, rock climbing ....

You want to shop ? Elche is shoe city number TWO, Milan Italy is number one, but you'll sure find your thing at spanish prices by the way in Elche. Many malls with all kinds of boutiques.

Food ? Well Paella is our main dish. Gambas, calamares, ensaladilla rusa.
Drinks ? SANGRIA !!
Olé !