cameleon in the garden

I saw him again, the not afraid cameleon who lives in my garden.

This is also having the advantage of not having dogs or cats, these lovely creatures can live an undisturbed life.

Flying, yes. Inland Rauls paragliding school was at Palomaret. At the coast the usual locals boating up and down.

Summer flying Alicante

I still can only type with one finger, and thats my left pointing finger. Still in repair mode, after a most silly fall with my scooter.
So the only news is of frustration, looking at weather forecasts, and hearing some of my buddies had a great flight here and there.
Insjalaah, I have to be a little bit more patient and wait till end of august to fly myself again.
Meanwhile I enjoy Scotts amazing video work of his parahawking flights down here in Alicante.

To all my Norwegian friends

Must be horrible up there guys. Peace for all the Norwegian pilots known over the years, their families and friends.

repair mode

I look out from my terrace and see them flying again. Every bloody day, mostly late after noon winds die off and we can play.

WE ?? No, I am still in repair mode with my broken collar bone. I fell off my Vespa Scooter almost two weeks ago now.

On evenings I trie to get ouy of the house, then it aint 30 degrees any more, temp that I normally adore.

I get out, ask Kath to be my taxidriver and see enjoy part of a fiesta. All villages saround us having their yearly summer fiestas.

Part of living this country.

Fortuna

Strong easterlies at the coast. Inland sites like Fortuna, M Cabrer further away from the seabreeze.

To fly or not to fly

I have been thinking and thinking, during my long hours siesta, when the heat was unabling us to get out lately.
Thinking about the latest season, which for me still is from sept till june guiding, still thinking in schoolyears yes I do.

Only a few accidents, which was good this season, but the accidents we had, especially the one in March was severe. Mike is still recovering, get better Mike.
Other accidents were with local pilots, accidents that could have been avoided. Bad toplanding approaches, rough landings etc... .
Accidents that always seems to be part of the evolution of a beginners' pilot to a more experienced pilot or a pilot we never see back on the hill again. We gotta work on that.

Alicante is known for its chill and fly, its reliable flying weather, without it being too rough and too challenging. Not having any pretention at all.
Therefore, I had a lot of repeated guests who came down once again. Pilots who were on that point in their flying carreer, doubting if they still were gonna paraglide or not.
The trip to Alicante was gonna decide for them. And they wanted to talk to me about it.

And in short I believe, think and said next.

If your spontaneous fantasy during flight still evokes
- the illusion of flying like a bird
- still evokes that sense of wonder
- the overwhelming pleasure of doing this
Then you should keep on flying.

If on the other hand your spontaneous fantasy during flight provokes
- more nerveusness than sheer pleasure
- anxiety more than a relaxed time
- fear more than feeling blessed doing this.
( although knowing fear is a projection of our mind, only a fantasy of our mind and not a fact. )
- and if you feel you cannot tackle these negative thoughts any more.
You should consider leaving the sport.


If I look around. There are not a lot of pilots that fly forever. After years of discovering this amazing sport, they have had it. It is out of their system. I had a world top pilot amongst my guests lately, and that's what he said. It is out of my system, before I couldn't see a good day go by, now I don't care any more, it is out of my system.

But now, don't let be me misunderstood. I hope the majority of pilots I know will keep on flying for lots more years, and I'll always be on the side for them in Alicante. For those who want to enjoy this region of relax, chill and fly over our numerous sites, coastal or mountains near Alicante.

Guiding, coaching partly involves emphasizing on the good skills, refining the lesser skills, and trying to improve or radically change the bad habits. I will continue sharing my experience, help everybody out, for as long as you want me to.

It doesn't get much better.

This weeks fotos, shot by Loyd Machin. Views that I missed. A typical summer week of flying in Alicante. Chilling, kite surfing, tapas and beer and a daily flight later in the day.
It doesn't get much better.

Clavicula

Hola buddies, got several messages wishing me a quick recovery. Thank you so much.

To make sure for those who are interested, I 'only' broke my clavicula, collar bone, sleutelbeenbreuk. So no vertebra or anything like it, thank god. And very important, it was not a paragliding accident, no I was cruising around with my Vespa scooter. Looked around, and bang hit the pavement, catapulted over the scooter, and felt immediately my collar bone was sticking out. In hospital only for 3 hours, docters forced the bone back in after stretching my shoulders backwards, now I am wearing a shoulder-corset all the time to keep it in place. Painkillers ... well this time I can't resist them.

This is my tandem season, so it is not the worst timing. And on top of that, this summer we teamed up with the Parahawking team, so I have buddies around, Scott, Anita, Yvan and Jess, helping us out. Big thank you.

When my guiding season starts again, from 10th of september onwards I'll be back flying for sure.

And I will know every detail about the Tour de France ! Viva Contador !

Hope you are having a great time you guys.

stupid

On the outlook this afternoon, taking my vespa out, having a look at the sea, the flags etc... . Looked too much aside and hit the pavement.
Result, I just got out of the hospital with a broken collar bone.
I am out for some time.
Stupid me, I wasn't even watching a gorgeous lovely looking woman as Kath thought, no truly I was watching the sea !
Damn hurt, all in place now but have to rest for a bit.

Relax don't do it

Relaxing day. Coastal flying. Inversion all over, looked like you could cut through it with a knife, so thick.

So no other choice than chilling, beach, and hours of late afternoon flying.

No big World Champ stuff like in Piedrahita, but still Andrej, Andre and Andreij from Ukraine and Russia who came down and enjoyed their Ozone R10 and R11 on our just so friendly coastal site. I hope they enjoyed the stressfree time they are having now.

Summer thermals, better than expected.

Was watching the Tour de France race this afternoon, before heading out to fly. Usually that means around 4.30 in the car, heading for the sites. So mostly I watch, during siesta half asleep, the most boring part of the stage. Just when I have to go it starts to get interesting as the finish gets near. Always missing it, because of course it is so flyable lets say daily from 5 pm.

But today again it was bloody worth it. Thermals up to 6 m/s tops, flying tandem. Hard work to chat with the passenger, explaining him why we turn right here, if those gusts and climbs are normal etc... etc... . Hard work because flying with a well fed man, just like me.

Yelmo paragliding film-festival down south made it again more pleasant for fly our hills. Almost nobody around, makes it all so much more stressfree, especially in summer when many visitors from all over Spain, come and enjoy the sites.

Foto : Yvan flying tandem parahawking

hey buddy

Thumbs up little Espen.

A Spanish lovely day, heat, beach, fly, and a late BBQ - pool party.

Conditions were fantastic to please lots of passengers. They all could fly themselves overlooking sierra de Santa Pola, and boating over the turquoise Mediterranean Sea.

Whole families enjoying. And a group of Welshmen arrived, to make the upcoming week more complete. Lets spoil them.

Thats the way I like it

Cabo de Santa Pola, few pilots around. Stressfree flying, thermals and dynamic.

Flying with Espens and Gro's kids, hope they liked it as much as I liked it, taking them up for their first flight.

An awesome end of a hot day in Alicante.

Beach, ice cream, siesta, and on top of it - some lovely flying over the mediterranean. Can't ask for more.

Yes you can, flying with hawks around maybe ? We didn't even have to ask. Parahawking was done, special treat for all who were there to see this. Amazing flying with hawks around, unique I'd say.

Scott and his team - parahawking, us flying tandems with kids today, that's the way I like it.

Comp scene

Comp scene.

Never ever appealed to me. Witnessed too many pilots, not current at all, seeing them once a month on the hill, taking off in conditions they otherwise would never have taken off in. All because it was competition day. Silly, stupid.

And unfortunately, we have sad news today, as two fellow pilots died at the world championship at Piedrahita up north. About 9 reserve deployments on top of it.

Too many pilots fly gliders way too tricky for them, too many pilots fly in comps because they want to have "the biggest one".

Stop it guys, gear down. Fly for fun. Lately I read the book 'the great book of base' by Matt Gerdes, pioneer and godfather basejumping.

Forgive me not quoting him literally, but he started off the book with telling us that basejumping on its own is already impressive enough, that nobody has to overdo it, or will die.

Well that's exactly what we have to bear in mind when we fly our paragliders. It is already impressive enough that we fly, so don't overdo it. You don't need to be the first at the other end, wherever that other end is.

Take care you guys, all of you, and listen to uncle Nick ... . For gods' sake be careful.

Smooth flying again today

Is this gonna be the winner, have no idea. Kids were asked to make a drawing about parahawking. You can see more of these pieces of art on our facebook account Doyouwanna. You can participate in being a jury for the drawings by clicking on 'like it'. Be our guest.

Today we had our flights as normal in summer. Practically every day choosing our window to get a two hour flight in. Tandems and solo, whatever pleases you. Landing whenever you felt your boots are filled... .

every days' stuff, or maybe not

It looks and sounds like every days' stuff, but it ain't. Each time it is a bliss to get in the air.
Just like today, being hot, but cool in the air. Relaxed flying, nothing epic, just the way we like it at times. Not too many people, chill, take off, chill and land.

Jeckle one of the harris hawks.
Anita, releasing Jeckle for a training flight.