Thermals fingerlicking good

 Up north people were asked to stay in their houses because of 140 km per hour gusty winds.  A meteo bomb in the morth, cyclogenesis, means pressure drops more than 24 mB in less than 24 hours.  This is a sudden huge almost hurricane force storm, that only lasts max two days.
Thank god, no people got killed this year, last year several died up north, and 50 people died in France because of that brutal meteo phenonemon.
But we were aware that if winds would pick up, we would have to come down and chill.
But nothing of that, till 7.30 from 11 am flying inland.  Smooth thermals for all of us in the end. 
Andy Shaw below with his students on the hill.

Elche paragliding

Buenos Aires Elche why not.  A small hill, soaring east.

Alhama de Murcia

A lovely day out on the sites near Murcia.  We have to thank once again our pilots from Murcia to let us use their precious sites. 
We flew Alhama de Murcia, and had an amazing sunset on top of it.

Palomaret at its best

Palomaret on sunday.   Lots of pilots as local school Kasana organised guiding for their pilots.  I can only applaude, after all those years, about 20 knowing the local schools, at last, they start taking it serious.
Exactly what all new pilots need, some back up  to score big in upcomin distance cups etc... sharing experience with the big boys.  Absolutely great.

We did our thing on the side.  Geert who flies hiw new Aspen4, did his runs up and down to Maigmo.  Others had their first flight in thermals, first flights in Spain.  Overall a splendid day.

Toix Calpe

Niiiiiiiiice.  Flying at Calpe.  Southwesterlies for  a while giving us enough time to enjoy this splendid lovely looking site.

Last day chilling, enjoying Spain as it is

Tomorrow we'll go to Carrascoy. We have dates with our neighbouring pilots from Murcia.

Chilling is an art

Chilling. Scanning weather forecasts. Scanning news. Spanish king apologized for going on a elephant safari. Listening to Norah Jones' new album.Warm enough to go in shorts, getting a coffee. Winds howling. Norwegian pilots nerveus, they want to fly. Understandable. Chilling is an art.

Still flying after all these years ...

Out of the hat ? No, just dealing with years of experience. Sorry.
Strong western winds, but up the norhtern coastline, more southwest than the norhtwesterlies that were predicted. A haze coming in from Benidorm area. Time to cruise around Jijona, Carrasqueta and waiting how strong the breeze was gonna kick in at central hours. Bam. 3 pm, strong southeasterly, start the engine and lets go kick off at Palomaret. Bingo, Ariel was there as well, he always is lately.

Nova Factor still performing like a brandnew wing.

Gradient Aspen4, different breakline scheme ...

Gradient Colours, is there no lady in the company ? I mean baby blue and pink ? For years I think they have excellent gliders, but holy shit, what about some aestethics, dealing with the nature of beauty ...

Geert unpacking his brandnew Gradient Aspen4.

Bored ? Never.

The rock'n roll band.

We weren't flying yesterday. Except a late late afternoonflight yesterday for the crazy Norwegians. They are always out there to milk every minute. And they did it. Flew in a half hour window at the cliffs, while the moon was rising.

During the day we climbed the Via Ferrata in Villena, always fun. Good to be active on lazy flying days. Thanks joining.

Strong april winds

Back from visiting family and friends in Belgium. Stuffed with chocolate, best beers in the world and fries. Ready to go again, although we have to be chilling a bit. Winds too strong, huge instability inland, rainy days even on our hills.

At the coast lots better, but not flyable. We have to see day by day when to play.

Meeting point at playa Cabo de Santa Pola

New meeting point at beach Santa Pola. Here we can meet, get some drinks, a snack.

The friendly bar is supporting paragliding, so we should have drinks at theirs.

The bar near take off is as well our meeting point as last year, Bar Toscana that is. Where some lovely friendly girlfriends of us serve us drinks and snacks.

Dudo has landed

Dudo has landed.

In his own words while fighting his last weeks of illness. He said as he was known, he was gonna fight and try to stay up till last breeze, till the last thermal was giving him hope. Untill the sun went down.

He fought it till the last.

He told us he had an illusion to take him on his last flight above his favourite hills. Don't worry Dudo, it'll be a great flight. We promise.

I will miss you forever. Big hug.

Dudo ha aterisado.

Ha luchado contra su enfermedad.

En sus propias palabras hasta ultimo dia. Hablando de su vuelo de las últimas semanas. Como luchador, queria volar hasta la ultima termica, hasta que no quedaba ni una pizca de brisa, hasta el ultimo metro queria ascender.
Y luego aterrizar en paz.

Dudo te echaré de menos siempre. Campeon.

Su ilusión de volar su ultimo vuelo lo vamos a cumplir. Vamos a volar con el por encima de sus montañas favoritas. Un abrazo fuerte Dudo, significabas mucho para mi.

Crazy inland

It looked crazy inland. Huge storms, cumulus congestus, april time.

But near the coast we found the hill to fly. Some lovely soaring on our little hill near Elche.

In front of us, planes landing at Alicante airport and a (not) approaching thunderstorm. Don't worry all safe it was.

Afternoon soar at cliffs

Pleasant surprise, again not such a good weather forecast, but what do they know he ?

We flew, beat the forecast once again, some relaxing flights to kick the habit.

Fishboat for Myanmar - a bit yours ...

A couple of months ago we were in Myanmar, and visited one of the most poor countries ever seen. We met the most genuine and loving people I have ever met.

Two years ago the beaches were hit by a typhoon, and hundreds of fathers, sons, uncles, were lost in the Gulf of Bengalen. Months later, boats, and dead bodies were washed ashore at the other end, near India.

We had the luck to meet some germans guys who organised some charity, to buy boats for the families who lost everything. This small gesture was something everybody would do.

So we bought a boat for a family and called it Doyouwanna. It's theirs, its ours and it is yours. I hope you liked the idea.,
Myanmar, I think we will be back.

Foto's when boats were delivered.

Pepe flew 206 km XC from Palomaret

Pepe in the middle

Pepe flew 3 times an almost 100 km XC this week, and today he flew 206 km from Palomaret.

He is really our best pilot in our region. No doubt.

On my FB account I have told a bit more about him this week. Also on this blog. It just felt he was ready to go far. He is so eager, has been flying in Pakistan with the big boys, has been training, is in top-shape. Has spent his winter months on the Canarian Islands. He is the one to follow upcoming years. Pepe I am very glad it is you who will win the XC distance cup and all the rest.