Beaucoup de vent, zuviel wind, te harde wind, demasciado viento, too much wind.

Yesterday pre cold frontal flying, today we had the front right above us, moving eastwards towards the Med, towards Italy etc... . Lots of western southwestern winds all day.

Chronological foto's of yesterday, take off Peña Rubia, Remi landing late afternoon at Palo, and someone in a tree ... looking for bananas .....

Ok, here we go,
Pena Rubia, Dudo 38 km reaching Busot Alicante, bits later phone call Rafa 40 and kms, reaching the sea, had to land still having 2000 m above sea level, above the beaches,
Alicante not built for paragliding ? Give me a break.
Hot flying at Pena Rubia for all of us, later in the day smooth flying at Palomaret.
Join us, door is wide open, lots of availability in july - august.
Thermals up to 7 m/s, XC .... .

But if yo come down, please be fit and be ready to take off in gusty (thermals) conditions, be 100 % with your reverse launches, if not you'll ll be parawaiting in the hot sun, dehydrated, and frustrated. Get out there and do ground handling, make it difficult for yourself. Do it cross, A B's together, with big ears, stall it and recover quick, do it in 'turbulent' areas, ... .
Get good at it, and you'll love it down here.

Oh, by the way, pre cold frontal flight, tomorrow photo's, too busy enjoying BBQ and chilled beer........

Carrascoy for all who left Annecy, France to fly in sunny thermalling conditions. They got awarded with a flight 1000 meter (approx 3000 ft) above take off.

Pani, local pilot, had to be retrieved from Catral (Elche). He did his third XC from Carrascoy this month.

Once landed over Alicante in Muxamel, two weeks ago. And last saturday he took of from Murcia Carrascoy, and landed near Cabo de Santa Pola.

Winds were slightly off at first, but a half hour window permitted the more experienced pilots to take off. Once in the air it was certainly a matter of staying in the thermal and not fool around.

After the habitual cafe con leche we drove home to enjoy the cooling beaches and swimming pools, because again summer arrived !

The other day I overheard a conversation between two visiting pilots, once said, Alicante is just made for paragliding. I think we have to start to believe it. Happy days.

(camera lost ..... foto's from months ago, giving you an idea about the carpeted take off and the views over the valley)

Food on the beach near landing field. Winds too strong, only got less late in afternoon.

Just not east enough to give Jan his shot of CABO.

It's not only belgian pilots that made the right decision not to stay in rainy france this week, a group of british pilots arrived as well from Annecy by car.

Pressure on my shoulders, stress, I got to get them flying daily. But I think that shouldn't be a problem with the forecast for the upcoming days, starting tomorrow.

Southeast ? East ? Morning northwest ? Mañana.......

A very opportunistic german pilot watching the sky.

But winds too strong today, on this lovely hot and warm day. Tomorrow second day of strong winds, tuesday will be lots better. Ready to go inland and thermal. After this dry spell of western dry air, cloudbase could be very high.

This is Benidorm from up high. A lot nicer I woul say than from below or from within.

We flew at La Cortina today, which is a fragile site in terms of rules. Landing field and small and the only one, the only one, the only one ...., we should ever use. No other option there, anyway don't fly this one without local advice, guiding etc.

This foto was taken by belgian Bart. He was afraid he was gonna win the Pulitzer price with it, only wanted it to be published with his name on it.

I flew my Niviuk Artik under strong conditions in the end. It felt very reassuring, although have to admit that there is a huge difference between the piloting of a Hook and his bigger brother the Artik. As a Niviuk product it is lively, nad very responsive.

If you choose a glider, you should bear in mind. That you never ask that sexy girl on the dancefloor if you have no rhythm.

I had a fantastic day on the hill.

Got up this morning and it was cloudy. A mix of good and bad clouds, smog over Alicante. So maybe coastal flying somewhere.

But it was soon clear that winds picked up and thunderstorms were forecasted. We were most probably not gonna get thunderstorms, but the windgusts would be there for us as well.

Strangely enough there was a lot of 'animo' amongst my friends to go fly. I had no idea why all of a sudden they wanted to go to Orito in these conditions. Anyway I loaded my truck with the gliders but as well with gardening tools, huge sledgehammers to clean up a new take off I had in mind at Orito.

Once there, of course' the winds were howling and nasty clouds inland getting nearer.
Rafa arrived with Franchu. Rafa came to me and said it was my fault that we were here. It is your fault. I said, no, I knew it wasn't gonna be flyable, but you guys kinda convinced me to come down here anyway. Still didn't have a clue.

Untill I heard some singing, cumpleanos feliz, which is the international birhtday song. Jesus Christ, this was a surprise party my wife threw for my birthday.

We had cake, wine, lambrusco, tapas, coffee, more cake. Amigos, thanks ! It was fantastic, you all, really warmed my heart.

I wished you were all here, I will toast to all your health tonight, have one on me !

On photo my Kath and Paco. Kiss.

Whole parts of Spain under altert for more rainfall. Luckily we were saved again, as we usually are in this southern region of Alicante. Blue sky, forming cumulus nimbus in the west, but far away.

We had the choice of many sites today, we choose for Reconco.

When Jose Luis, Dudo and Ismael were already practising for the next comp day, we arrived at take off. Rigged and flew the odd +4 m/s thermal in smooth air.

Later on the breeze made it all smooth. And surprisingly lifty till the end of the afternoon.

Relaxed inland flying, without stress in well formed thermals, untill the breeze converted it in more thermal dynamic flying till late.

Weather hit the centre part of the country, Castilla la Mancha, Madrid region and Avila region. All over flooding and millions of damage because of the huge thunderstorms.

We had strong eastern winds down here, lots of sun luckily.

On the side a picture of Palomaret but not of today.

Today Rafa and Dudo called as usual to go flying together. But my guests prefer some easy safe flying, merely at the coast for the moment. Had to give it a pass.

I called them, asked how it was. Strong east, which means 90 degrees off. They just practised some tasks, they put on their XC Trainer. Nothing special.

You can see on the charts that it was a warm day, but not a flying day. Cloudcover and thunderstorms inland

. Later in the afternoon we got lots of water over us.

Left chart shows us the wind, right chart the rainchart.

What most pilots need was offered today. Soaring at the cliffs. Not too strong, nice lift (low pressure), laminar winds.

The low pressure is affecting us the upcoming days. We will have huge cloudformation inland with possible rainfall. But that's not the coast, and Alain can't wait to get his kite-gear out and do the Med again.

The other day pilot Lucian asked me a particular question, what do you most dislike now living in Spain ? Usually the question is why did you choose Spain, and are you gonna stay here ?

So he asked me to sum up things I disliked. Had to think a bit, but of course everywhere in the world there are things that after a while work on your nerves.

What most works on my nerves is the littering, still littering in the fields, on the hills. While you can easily AND FOR FREE call your local townhall to come down and pick up anything you cannot get rid off in a plastic waste bag.

Something else ? The noise maybe. But then the noise makes it so Spanish. When you have breakfast, a cafe con leche, in a bar restaurant whereever, there are always people 'shouting'. No they're not actually they just talk loud, with the TV on which nobody watches, the waiter is juggling with the cups, making noise, kids are screaming. I actually love it, it's so spanish. Loud people. My neighbours having a fit ? No they are just conversating.

What else ? Politics is a bit weird down here. Very hard to each other, calling each other traitors, liars, no bounderies there in insulting each other.

That was it then I suppose, for the rest I love the life down here, the friendship, the flying, the mountains, the beaches, the sea, the food, the flamenco, Chambao.

Hey no flying today, too windy onshore. So everybody was kiting today.

True colours.

A day at Doyouwanna's (can I ...) flying at Cabo. Sunshine, the summery colour of the Med, huge assistance team when launching tandem ....

RAWHIDE !

We all need a wife don't we ?

Flew Nova Tycoon (foto), Wings of Change Nemesis and UP Sherpa today.

Top 3 : Nova Tycoon - Nemesis - UP Sherpa tandem glider, lovely day, summer down here, nose looks like strawberry again, and not from drinking delicious Rioja wine, no because of the sun ! Although Kath says it is because of NO suncream and again she's probably right.

David you bought a toy my friend, wauw what a glider that Tycoon is. Guys, be aware, if you get a Tycoon think twice because you don't want to ask that sexy girl in the disco to dance, if you don't have the rythm.

It is alive, cuts through the air indeed, immediate response when you enter any lift, every breath of wind transmitted through the thin risers, a Nova product, never flew Nova myself, only demo-gliders, like the Tattoo, Mamboo.
It's a racer, for pilots who aim high I guess.

We flew at Cabo, and then later on at Palomaret. Coming down to Doyouwanna Alicante means one day flying at the Cabo. It is the most precious soaring site in Spain, known all over. Easy, users-friendly, flight-with-a-view, toplanding, chat, chill, over the Med, trying out other gliders, not to be missed.
Late afternoon we left for thermal flights inland. Had to do some tandems and loved it myself. Tomorrow mas mas mas !

Life is like a nose isn't it, you have to get everything out of it.

This is my new baby. Artik Ice from Niviuk, loving it. Their DHV2. I do sell all brands, from Nova, to Airwave, U-Turn, Advance, Gradient etc... etc... but I have such a good feeling about Niviuk. The gliders are so straightforward. And I like their marketing, no bullshit. Just results. And if you see whose behind them, well Oliver Nef, Raul Rodriguez for instance.

You don't know who they are ? Well I guess you haven't been flying on this planet then, have you ?

Anyway, we had a fantastic flying day today. I can go on and on and on again. Ok, just a little bit, all guests in the air, for instance Lydia who is flying a DHV1 Nova, outcircling our local birds of prey ! Well done, impressed.

Unfortunately Paul hurt himself by a rough landing, he'll be allright though.

Paul's HOOK with personal colours, diablo !

Leeside flying,

three things you have to bear in mind when you fly on lee-side, lee side thermals.

1/ how strong are the thermals, means are you in Norway or Spain in winter or in may ?

2/ how high are you ? The higher the better.

3/ how is the prevailing, meteo wind

Well if one of those three things worry you, forget it, don't do it.

Today we were flying at Palomaret and it was very very rough. I flew out to test the air and each time was asking the visiting pilots to sit it out and relax.

The breeze which usually always overtakes the conditions wasn't overtaking today. Up high you could see the clouds coming from the back. Under these clouds though more and more sea-breeze cloud, more grey, moving straight on the hill.

But till last minute it was not smooth.

Luckily we all had common sense to see, feel what was happening and stayed safe.

Peru ? No. Monte Cabrer, a flight with astonishing views over the valleys of Alcoy and Cocentaina.

All got 900 meters above take off, getting into the clouds. Thermals max 3 m/s, smooth air. Whilst at the coast everyone was parawaiting till winds died off, we decided to go inland and play with thermals.

Pretty tired we all are, early bed, because tomorrow it's gonna be flyable again and again and again.

You guys fly every day, I hear say a lot. No, we as well are having windy days. And today was one. A front racing through, so tomorrow we'll all be comfortable playing 3D chess again, or above the cliffs, or above Monte Cabrer.

Nothing big, nothing extra, nothing epic. But flying though.
Calpe Morro de Toix, all in the air, winds got up to max 20 km per hour, good enough to get up to the antennas and fly Altea Hills.
But conditions were deteriorating by the minute. Lots of the 25 pilots bummed out.

Inland we didn't even think of, cloud formation, nasty cloud formation inland.
Good and hot at the coast.

We need an epic day, a good thermalling day, high cloudbase, soon ... .

Haha, tricky today, way too much westwind, but cold air up high, hot hot valley, only 16 degrees temp sea water, a mix of a late seabreeze kicking in causing instability inland.

A best recipe for flying on a forecasted non flyable day.

There was a venue today of a local magazine in English down here Campo. Many tandems to do, so had help of tandem guru Jose Manuel Bartual.

And a new wing for dear friend Peter, a Niviuk Hook.

Congatulations. On the picture you see Simon on his 'older' Hook and his wife Linda on her Chilli Skywalk.

We are on the outlook to have some XC, some out and returns if posible. That's why we left for Carche, but Jose Manuel from Jumilla warned us winds were moderate from northwest, not exactly what we needed. So Dudo raced to Pena Rubia. There not so strong at first. He flew 15 km XC, not the best, untill he met too strong west winds, to fly safer in the narrowing valleys of Banyeres.
Later again at Palomaret with the breeze where we got 600 meter above take off, 1450 ASL. Nice to go Maigmo and back. At cloudbase shaky, because souhteast met soutwest.

Toix it was.

Winds were just fine at take off, easy smooth 15 km per hour. But once in the air, we felt aha, it is more west than southwest. And picking up. So we were keeping an eye on our instruments to make sure we had forward speed.

Richard, Paul, Rafa, Antolino, Dudo and me.
Later in the day it got very strong like 30 km per hour gusts at take off. Just good to see Rafa and Dudo taking off and struggling to get away from take off.

But good fun, and hot hot hot.

I find television very educating. Every time someone turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book (Groucho Marx).

So I write my blog.

Inland flying, inversion, high pressure over Spain. The best flying then is later in the afternoon, when thermals are nicely formed. Earlier it is quite bumpy and you get as high. I prefer flying instead of dealing with strong, hammery, broken thermals.

So best time for us was after 4 pm today.

Lode, take care of those ribs man, and see you again in september.

Low cloudbase, inversion, high pressure, very warm, no shade, summer, olé !

So looking for a spot where we could soar all afternoon, having the odd hammery thermal that got us nowhere. Carrasqueta, always nice to have a day at Carrasqueta. A 1000 m long ridge, 900 m above sea level, scorpions at take off ok I admit, but amazing views.

Rafa, did it again, he must be the best pilot flying, scratching, looking for lee-thermals that I ever met. He left the hill low towards the village of Jijona, yeah bumming out Rafa ? "You want us to bring back your car, Rafa ?" ... half hour later... All of a sudden he appeared a few kilometers ahead of us, above Peñon de Jijona. ... half hour later ... Again very low. "Hey Rafa, this is just a glide my friend, you have to come back and topland if you want to prove something" , it looked impossible because most of the pilots by that time were sinking out. ... half hour later ... He toplanded asking if somebody needed his car to be brought down. Holy shit.

Give this guy a contract. Sponsor him, give him a manager to charge his GPS in time, some help to remember him to take his vario, and he'll be outflying most of the best pilots I've ever seen.

Mañana mas, Xavi thanks for the pictures my friend.

Ok, ok you asked for it. Some photo's of the comp flight of Jose Luis Segorb near Sierra del Buey. One of our new sites, south of Alicante.

While we were flying near Hondon last weekend, he helped organising as comp pilot (regional and nationals) the XC route Sierra del Buey to Monovar. Many of them in goal. Typical landscape down here, dry wide valleys, here and there big mountains, different than anywhere else. Just as if this region is built for paragliding.

Thanks Jose for the photo's.

July till 18th of august is high season down here. Prices go up, rent a car rental higher, appts rent higher. But we still have places left at the very democratic price of 325 euros per pilot per week. (4 places left)
As you read my blog, you could be interested coming down in the 'hot' summer. Those months we fly a lot lot lot. But ! We leave in the afternoon like all spanish pilots do. There is nothing to do on our hills early morning, it is way too hot, and gets way too strong until 4 - 5 pm. But then we fly till sunset .... .
Mornings in the hot summermonths is best time to enjoy the chilling, the snorkeling, maybe even kayaking on the sea. It is as well the best time to take the family down, appartment has swimming pool, and beaches are nearby.
So still some places left at 325 euros. If you come down with the family, I can make some good offers (pilot, non-pilot, kids all in one bungalow-appartment)
Have to go now, pilots arrived, sun is here, thermals kicking in)

Early day at Palomaret, rough as hell. Landed facing take off, north so.
Later Reconco, too much west, aaaarghhhh.
Pena Rubia so, rough again, not nice, thermals broken, winds from, hell couldn't figure it out really.
Later with the breeze all relax a couple of hours flying at Palomaret.

Well, there was the intention of trying to do something special today. If we would have been lazy we would have had the same flying in as we did now. But there is always the effort, hope it is appreciated. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 30 degrees, here we go again.

We had a plan today. We had to get the best flights in for Eva because she was flying back home early evening. Plan was Pena Rubia with the Northwest winds predicted, a very good time in the year to enjoy and play at my favourite site.

Then with the breeze destress at Palomaret. Done !

When we arrived at Pena Rubia, winds were very very off, almost 90 degrees off, and this on the pretty tricky take off, spanish grass !!....

Lode and Nick sky-rocketed above the antennas, but made a mistake trying to to the transition to Biar. Toni, with some guidance ... , didn't follow their track and searched for lift more out in the valley. Good one, winds off 90 degrees, northwestern site early in the afternoon, valley thermals. His turn now, he climbed to 1500 m, which means 700 meter above take off in no time.
Eva's turn, very keen on flying this Polish girl living in Germany, having a Danish friend. Forward launch, yes for those who've been here, challenging at Pena Rubia, but very ok.

Time to go destress with some easy thermal flying at Palomaret later in the afternoon. Wind at take off to 25 k, max. No problem, a haze in the valley, the breeze would soon be there. Maybe just a collision of that breeze with the thermals would spoil a stressless flight, but that would only be for 10 minutes. Bingo !

All in the air, Lode (Independence), Nick Airwave Ibiza, Andy Niviuk HOOK, Kath Niviuk HOOK, Peter APCO, Toni Advance, Phil NOVA and some local pilots as well. Big fun, not too crowded as there was a competition held in Sierra del Buey.
Alex with his Paratech (gosh they make them big), Carmen Axispara, Icaro glider, Gin Zulu,

and even a Pro-Design, yes a huge variety of paragliding brands. A huge mix of very experienced to low airtime pilots, no stress all having fun on this lazy hot sunny afternoon.

This week we'll fly every day, doyouwanna make a bet ?

I have a stiff neck of looking up asking my pilots to get down with big ears or spiral dives, because they were getting to close to restricted airspace, no kidding ask themselves.
Hondon, XC conditions, but our hills for XC were overcast so we had to go more south and play. And Moses, did we play !

Bad day, everyhting went wrong today. As we all have those days no.
Left early to go fly at Carrascoy, at landing no wind, but at take off too strong and picking up. Tomorrow and sunday competition at Sierra del Buey, if flyable we'll be there.
I updated my Mcafee version and after restarting my PC no more access to the internet and no more emails either. So now in a lousy cyber cafe where youngsters are making a hell of a noise, playing some kind of wargame I see and HEAR. Got to get out of here.
Beso.

Overdevelopment forecasted and bloody right it was.
It is May, springtime, and we are aware of strong conditions. There was early development over our high mountains like Monte Cabrer, and Sierra de Aitana. No good. Stayed on the ground, focused on other things.
I get messages from different flying regions. Accidents. Typical for this time of the year. Monte Grappa - Bassano, Oludeniz Turkey, Vosges France, Annecy ... .
Rusty pilots, strong spring conditions. Man, man , man. Be careful out there. Leave it till later in the afternoon, when things die off. Or don't fly, it doesnt' matter.

We fly all year round in this region, and this for more than 8 years. We do have hundreds, over a thousand hours of airtime in this region only. Our region is southeast on the Iberian Peninsula, and things can be bloody strong here. Conditions can be very punchy, very strong. For XC you have to be good, we deal with valley winds, leesides, windsheer all the time. So we know, that's why when it is strong, we sit it out.
Not having fear, but having loads of respect. If you come down to us, we like to guide you all in the most safe way. And so is the attitude of my local flying buddies. I hope you can blend in.

Every flight is like winning the lottery already, so we don't need to push it. Our aim is to fly as much as we can in safe conditions, not pushing it, and having the most fun. See you all soon. Yihaah !

Nick, Kath y Paco

Danish pilots sent this picture of today's flying. Thanks guys !

You gotta move, you gotta be out here. So we did. Early morning El cid, amazingly good. Toni with his very old Advance glider got 300 m above take off, way out in the valley. And others.
Later on Jose Luis checked Palomaret for us, again BINGO ! By the time we arrived he was already hanging above Maigmo.
Even with a little rainfall on us, we were climbing in smooth thermals. Weird.
So another two hours of flying with a cloudbase at 1300 m, in smooth thermals.

Bright weather, but too much wind.