A pretty strong month at first. This time of the year we have to be careful with our guests. Most of them haven't flewn for months, and this conditions can be just a bit too much for rusty pilots. But no stress, we just chill a bit longer and fly later.
photos on :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doyouwanna-paragliding/
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tuesday 31 may
Not possible to fly today, too much eastern winds and very instable inland.
I've never been so fast climbing up a ladder. Got down in my little machine cellar for filtering my pool, and saw a snake right where I was gonna put my hand. Holy shit.
monday 30 may
We got up early at take off, needed to. Winds were getting very strong very quick. Late afternoon, early evening we had a window again, very short, but 5 french pilots managed to get a flight in. It looks like a windy day, so I will have to be on the outlook all day, to look for possible windows to keep my guests happy.
sunday 29 may
Although the whole of Spain is rainy, down her near Alicaznte we had nothing but sunshine. Went for the Jalon Valley. Needed to treat those Birmingham gang nice, tomorrow they are back home. They all flew thermals in the valley. They almost flew everyday of their stay. The days they didn't fly ,was due to strong conditions and good decisions not to be dragged along the famous spanish grass. I hope to see you back guys, I enjoyed your humour, the jokes, the flying. Hasta la Vista !
French pilots who came in had their first day on the hill, flying or waiting for more friendly flying. As low airtimers it is better for them to fly in less thermal conditions and on sits where take off and landings are huge.
saturday 28 may
All day Cabo. No chance, inland. Some local buddies went up to check Monte Cabrer, some Palomaret, not possible, strong east all over.
Strange because not to be seen on our pressure charts. So morning flying which was nice of course, practising skills.
Later in the afternoon, had a flight but for most of the pilots too strong, gusting up to 30 km/h. Not dying off by evening.
friday 27 may
We made a decision this morning. We could have stayed at the coast and fly at Cabo, that was guaranteed. But instead we all decided to go on adventure and to check other sites. Inland was difficult, Sahara winds, north african heat, inversion all over. So we went for a drive to the coastal resort called Benidorm and flew over the theme park of Warner Bros, God Bless. Yes, Warner Bros, american company (god bless) who took over Terry Mitica, the theme park near Benidorm. Americans, bless 'em, who think the world is theirs.
Resulting, lately, in a more than fragile site, ready to be shut down, as soon as one of us makes a mistake and lands on their oh so sacred territory, bless 'em. You never know, we could be Bin Ladens' adepts droppping bombs on their rollercoasters and merry-go-round, bless 'em.
Later on a long parawait on Toix, where the sea breeze didn't kick on strong enough to have a safe flight, meaning able to reach the landing field, beach.
Parawaiting listening to the Birmingham gang's jokes. Jokes which are a bit to rude to publish. I loved the one about the spanish guy Pedro and the donkey the most. Ask them.
thursday 26 may
"We do this all the time at home. How come we fuck up here. If it would be grass I would have another go. Fuck ! Shit ! I don't know what's wrong with me. Years of experience and I feel like a beginner."
Heard it all before. Again and again. Take off is one of the stages of your flight that has to be 100 % controlled. Don't blame conditions, don't blame your equipment, blame yourself for not having done groundhandling enough Or be brave to admit, that you're not ready yet, that you need more practice, mor time to get the skills.
If take off stage still makes you nerveus, you're not there yet.
Conditions were fine, max 20 k/h. Still only Dave (Broughton), who has been here many times was succesfull. He is the oldest amongst us, doesn't make a difference, but means that it has nothing to do with young power. No, it is all about skill, technique, nothing else. I keep repeating this, I am sorry.
Later in the afternoon, it was a lot smoother, good for everyone. And everybody enjoyed the soaring above the med. No stress then, that's how I like my guests having a good time.
wednesday 25 may
Monte Cabrer we flew. Cloudbase not high this time. Inversion layer a bit above take off. Down below there was wind, for sure. Landings therefore were a bit rougher than expected. Dave England, did very well as a low airtimer and stayed up for 2 hours.
No XC possiblities, we only leave this hill when we have 700 meter lift above take off. Otherwise it would only be a downwind flight ...
During flying, Tony made sure the sausages and hamburgers were cooked. All of us pretty knackered after a hot summer day, flying, and walking up to take off. In the end, winds died off completely at take off, down below at landing, still windy. Hihg pressure, inversion.
While at the coast the sea breeze is very strong, the med is still cold, and the land gets really warm, simple.
Thanks all of you for the birthday greetings, salud !
tuesday 24 may
I love it when it is strong a take off Santa Pola. You can really feel good, taking off with succes at a 30 km an hour wind. It gives you a kick. And in the air, you know it is fine. You can spiral, wing over cross wind, and for the cracks you can even do SAT etc... .
Although it is strong, you are not pinned, outside over the sea it is milder.
Then toplanding, when it is strong, another thing I like. Aiming for the top, getting it in right, not fucking up, B-lining it to get the glider down smoothly. I think it is a bit of a skill. Not many pilots manage to. I think it has to do with a lot a lot a lot of groundhandling in all conditions. And knowing your glider, your harnass, your site, your conditions, your home site.
Tomorrow it is my birthday, I invite all of you to have a BBQ up in the mountains. We're off to Monte Cabrer early morning for flying, BBQ, flying.
monday 23 may
Jean Le Pin, notre pilot Parisienne : c'etait super la, j'aime bien cet site ! He was skygod today, had a two hour flight at Monte Cabrer. Got a couple of low saves. Did really well this week with his Sol Synergy. Too bad he is leaving tomorrow. But the Birmingham-gang is still around. Happy bunch, good fliers, so we can take them everywhere we want.
sunday 22 may
Went flying this afternoon. Keeping an eye on the clouds in the back of Palomaret. Thunder at 6.30 pm, still possible to fly, just being careful. Birmingham gang did well, and the lonely frenchman as well. A bit strange it was. Bummed out earlier, then got some nice low saves. Interesting, and hot on the hill.
saturday 21 may
| We went to Fortuna today. There was a club competition, fiesta included. Left early to fly the early afternoon thermals. Later in the day, all in the air for more than an hour enjoying the spectacular views above the Sierra del Corque. The cost was 10 euros, including T-shirt, barbeque, lottery and competing, incredible. When the site record of 89 km XC was broken the price was a 600 euro check. As my English fails sometimes, the brits understood a 600 euro shag ! Unfortunately cloudbase didn't permit anybody to go out and even attempt to get the CHEQUE.
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friday 20 may
New group of british pilots arrived. Arrived at noon, flew all afternoon at the cliffs. Excellent to get the rust off. Tomorrow more refined take offs we hope. In the mountains, thermalling. Again almost 30 degrees celsius, we can all do with a swim and a chilled cerveza now. Salud !
thursday 19 may
You get used to it. Waiting, doing other things till 3 pm, then off to the mountains and fly all evening. Thermals at 7 pm, still 3 m/s. Nicer than yesterday. Palomaret, cloudbase at 1500m, which means 650 meter climb above take off. It was hot today, a day for some swimming, cooling off before heading to the mountains. We flew with Germans, British, French, Belgians and of course the local buddies.
wednesday 18 may
Looked very promising but wasn't. Too hard at take off, some 40 k/h. Shit. Later on we flew at Palomaret, our mountain that always is flyable. Was a bit rough at times again. This month of May is not as May is usual, it is a lot harder and turbulent than usual. We have to be careful and fly late(r).
tuesday 17 may
The French did it again. Julien Dauphn broke the european record, flew 305 km, Paris - Redon, felicidades ! More details on following webpages :
http://www.liberation.fr/page.php?Article=295865
http://www.ffvl.fr/Competition/Parapente/Cfd_PP/cfd/igcShow.php
Not taking off from a huge one in the Alps, but from a small hill near Paris.
We had too much wind today, clouds were looking perfect and high. Tomorrow looks very promising for XC, and we'll go for it early morning. Take off rendez-vous at Peña Rubia, 10.30 am. Jeremy (roastbeaf) and Jean (frog) are ready to show what they got.
monday 16 may
We felt it coming yesterday, unstability all over. After flying so many days in pretty strong conditions it was time to have a rest. A cool swim in the pool, cafe con leche at ciosco Susy, and a siesta.
sunday 15 may
Got op early at mountain to repair the road. Fixed the bad part. Got some flying in. Polish girls admiring Rafa's style. XC for Nacho and Bartual (2100 m ASL cloudbase). Very strong conditons at 3 am, scary at times. Felix Rodriguez and team arrived to give us some acro exhibition. SAT on tandems, tumblings, Mc Twists you name it. The brothers Raul and Felix Rodriguez, worldchampions acro, actually do come from Albacete. We are proud to let you know that Albacete is only a good XC flight away from us. But now they became so famous we only see them once in a while on our sites, like today !
Some foto's of the "anbiente" on our site.
Don't you hear the castañuelas (castanets) ?
saturday 14 may
| Left very late this afternoon. Only at 4.30 pm, winds were dying off. From northwest to southwest. Off to Toix. Made it to Sierra Bernia together with local pilot Moncho. In the most smooth conditions you can imagine. Jan, Geert and Stijn, this is a foto of the mountain ridge which was covered in cloud yesterday. I took this picture at 8 pm today, still sunny and warm and lifty. |
friday the 13th !!!
Good call today. Waited at Toix for southwest. All local but one left, the one that stayed was Pedro, our pharmacist. After a parawait of over an hour (I hate parawaiting ) winds picked up. Soon all in the air. Flights up in the clouds, winds getting stronger. Great last day for the belgians that leave tomorrow first hour. They flew 6 out of 7 days, not bad eh.
Pedro was so happy he waited as well. I asked him why he had decided to wait, because I was the only one who believed the wind was gonna pick up. " Well ", he said, " my car broke down, and didn't dare asking you to bring me home, ... , cheers Nick !"
thursday 12 may
Orito, near Elche and Aspe. A mountain ridge facing south-east. For many years we have been talking about trying to fly it.
The access is easy, there is a chapel on the top. So, or you climb on your bare knees on the spanish grass for penitention, or you drive up by car to our improvised take off.
When we arrived, Rafa was already in the air. Soon it became clear why he hadn't wait for us, 40 km winds.
So we were stuck, but very interesting seeing him having a terrific flight all over the ridge and further mountain, and this for first flying it.
Where to land, we don't know yet, still to explore. But one things is sure, soon we will have to add another site on our already long list of sites in Alicante.
wednesday 11 may
Belgians in the air, two hours soaring at the cliffs. Inland too much instability. XC days ahead.
tuesday 10 may
From 4 pm at Palomaret. Right timing, at 5 pm all in the air. At first of course still not too smooth. Cloudbase not too high, and at times it was difficult to catch the right thermals. Good practice, it doesn't always have to be easy. Tomorrow looks Moncabrer.
monday 9 may
Felt like being a chicken, wings out and not being able to fly.
It was too unstable. Cloud development all over, a bit too fast. Winds were on at Fortuna, but behind us nasty clouds. so we decided to go home and enjoy other things. Could have left for late afternoon flying, but not a lot more than top to bottoms. But coming to Alicante means flying, not floating down.
sunday 8 may
Good decision to stay at the cliffs today. Dave with his brandnew Gin Zoom (special doyouwanna price !) and the belgians Zuidwest-team.
Soaring on a lazy sunday afternoon, as long as you wish. Inland a bit rough, I heard from our local champs.
saturday 7 may
Brilliant day at Palomaret. At 7 pm, still 10 pilots high above the crest. Sunset landings.
friday 6 may
At first lots of development, shutting off the solar heating, weak moments, but at times when the spanish hot sun was burning through, the thermals were kicking in nicely.
At 2 pm, it got a bit strong, knowing it was gonna get stronger. So according to plan, we had lunch and chilled till 4 pm. Then everybody in the air, till late. A very satisfying day. Thermalling for hours in Palomaret.
thursday 5 may
| Thunderstorm alert inland, so we stayed at the coast. Soaring all afternoon at Cabo.
It is april/may. Conditons can be very strong. We make sure all is safe to go out and fly. Tomorrow looks like mountains, if we have to wait till late afternoon, we WILL wait till late afternoon. No doubt. We do this for fun. |
wednesday 4 may
Lots of seafog early morning, very cloudy inland. We stayed at Cabo and flew all day. Soaring, testing out other gliders, chatting a bit, toplandings, there's worse things than flying at Cabo.
tuesday 3 may
| West, southwest, very cloudy, sun burning through during early afternoon. Decision was easy, leave at 12 am, for Calpe. Best chance to fly on Toix today. At first it was very nice, almost all pilots had a flight, and landed on the nudist beach. Late afternoon left for Sierra Bernia, a bit of a drive up, but awesome views over the valley. Again flying, pick up retrieval, heading home for a rest, after being in the hot sun all day. Beer o'clock.
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monday 2 may
Very cloudy, with some raindrops in the morning. In the afternoon, a couple of us had a little flight near the cliffs. But nothing more to mention.
sunday 1 may
Moncabrer we went. Eastern winds. We arrived at 12 am, and saw already two gliders in the air. But soon realised we were not too late, but still too early. They bummed out. By the time we were at take off, there was not a lot of sun, all curtained by cirrus clouds. Forward launches.
Rolf was right, soon the sun would be out again. So nice smooth flying, cloudbase just reaching the top of the mountain. Easy toplandings near the cars.
Later in the afternoon, again till sunset some soaring at the coast.
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