Doce (12)

Today looked "normal" to me and I had high hopes (as usual) with a tad more expectation. 

I woke early, readied my gear and had a coffee by the pool as I waited for breakfast. 

Simple fried eggs, avo wedge and fried banana (plantain?) did the trick with guava juice and a roll. 

There was a mystery meat too, but I steered clear. 

Found a cool bug on launch that looked like it had glue on its back and had been dipped in dirt and plant bits. Total camouflage when it wasn't moving. 

Cloudbase was higher than previous days and a local pilot launched and went to base with ease at 9:30 am, as he does every day. What are we waiting for?

Everyone got launched and most everyone had flights of at least an hour or so. For about 8 of us, it was a 4 hour tour. 

Several groups headed south to Roldanillo together and stayed high at the clouds, making the transition to the flats by tanking up at the antennas on the south side of town. Most everyone got e climb there but the crossing took its toll, grounding several pilots in the center of the valley while a few hung in there as I hung out up and down from cloudbase for two hours trying to coach them away from the ground below. 

Several sugar cane fields were burning slowly and he smoke was working to mark the lift. It's potentially very turbulent in string fires but this one smoldered and burned for hours keeping me and two others airborne all the while.  

Eventually Brian and the remains of his group circled back and we made a play for La Union. Clyde and Marge landed back below launch on the way back and a newer pilot, Phil, pressed on landing just a few km short of the soccer stadium to complete a person best flight of 3 hours and 55 minutes.  I told him we'd be okay with him rounding it up to an even 4 hours this time. (Wink)

Brian and I had an easy glide back to town, landing easily in nearly full shade at the stadium.  

Once back in town we got our favorite smoothie and two empanadas each. Bliss. 

This juice bar is also a panaderia (bakery) and I had to snap this pick for my daughter Mia, who has requested I bring some of these home.  I can't imagine it making it all the at home intact, as we share a common sweet tooth. Sorry Mia!

We crammed into a Tuk Tuk taxi and were at the hotel in no time. I showered and did laundry, hung my clothes to dry, pointed the fan at them and took a nap. 

Rob gave a great presentation and that took us to dinner time. Rice, grilled chicken with mushroom sauce, chopped lentil, tomato and herb salad  and rice pudding for desert. Yum. 

Lots of discussions took place at and after dinner and now I'm writing this befor I get to bed early tonight.  Chances are it will be great again.  

Ciao,

Martín

Once (11)

Today seemed ok, but I now delay my predictions until after I have landed. This place is one big box of chocolates! (You never know what you are gonna get, said Forrest Gump.)

Breakfast was oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts. The usual smoothie and coffee had me feeling ready and not too full. 

The sun is strong here. 'Nuff said. 

Yesterday was a "10" indeed. Today was much harder to get established for many pilots early on, but for some it was another perfect day. 

A juggler selling bracelets on launch gave me a juggling demo after I bought some gifts for my family. 

It looked like you would be sucked up with no escape into the clouds but it was quite mellow and easy to sink out, just a few hundred feet below. 

The view directly away from takeoff. 

Those that stayed up included all but one of my team. The rest headed south to the jumping off spot near Roldanillo and hung out with Rob and his people. 

We recycled over and over, that is; we climbed in the smooth lift until near the base of the massive cloud, carefully timing our exit (to clear air) out front before whiting out into the base of the cloud.   While flying in the tropics is different, and the clouds are far more docile, they still blind the pilot and if more than one pilot goes into a cloud, there is a very real chance of a midair collision.  It is considered poor form to enter a cloud on many levels, not to mention. It is illegal. 

The jumping off spot ridge. 

Eventually it seemed like the clouds were making a bridge to the flats. Marge, John and I headed out but I cautioned the rest to stay at cloudbase to see how we fared. Good advice, as Marge, then I, then John landed within a mile of each other. Of those that waited, Chris landed in the same place he had before but Dave made it through the gauntlet and crossed to Zarsal, and then over to La Vitoria and then back to the soccer field in La Union.  Nice. 

SB pilot Dave Bader, king for the day!

Dave interesting had a speed-bar issue after launching and was going to land but I asked that he take his time and try to fix it or detach it to allow home to carry on. He took my advice and won the day. Bravo Dave

John and me having a great day having flown and landed together. Good times!

The beautiful church in La Union. 

Enjoying mango pineapple smoothie with SB pilot Jim Wickstrom. He is flying really well, as is fellow SB pilot Tye Simpson.

Tye Simpson. There is no stopping him!

That's it for today. Tune in tomorrow. 

Loving life in Colombia,

Via con Dios,

Martín

Diez

For whatever reason, it just seemed right today. It looked about right, but that is a slippery slope, as it always looks like it won't be good, at least from my 'home site' perspective. Nonetheless, I was optimistic. 

Breakfast was a yummy omelette and the juice appeared to be a blend of mango, banana and who knows what else. It was delicious. Café con leche sent me out the door with a spring in my step. 

Clouds on launch were low, as is the norm here, and the roads up were especially muddy today, forcing Flacko to "put in the hubs" and employ 4 wheel drive to make it up some of the steep and slippery slopes on the short cut we usually take to launch.  The Cipri takes another slightly longer route.

It was clear the car would not stay clean today. 

The hike up the 100+ steps went well today as my solo glider is considerably lighter than the tandem from the day before. 

Some horses posed for me as I trudged up the slope. They are in charge of trimming the grass it seems. 

The group arrived, we set up, and as is usually the case, the clouds formed over the house thermal. Pilots began launching off and soaring. No rain today. 

Todd out front soaring with the launch in the background. 

Everyone but John launched right behind me and before long we were all up together at cloud base waitng for the clouds to raise up higher as the day warmed up. 

As a group we flew to La Union as regrouped. The other groups weren't all there yet, so I had my group fly back towards launch to rendezvous with John. 

As we moved back to the south towards takeoff, John reported he had landed safely below at Oscar's LZ. (Landing Zone).  After a short radio confirmation and "atta boy" from me to John, we turned back around to La Union to move with the other groups now with us and tried to possie up there all together. 

Everyone had done so well up to this point, but the last climb proved to be the crux of the day and only Chris made it out to the valley with me and got established on the flats. Dave, was out there somewhere but ended up flying with others today. U

It was patient at first but Chris was on my elbow like "Radar O'riley" used to be with "Colonel Potter" on the TV program M*A*S*H. This has been his hallmark and it is precisely what I need all my team pilots to do. 

We flew for a few hours all told before I charged out front to find us some more lift, but in doing so, I plummeted down in sink. I let Chris know my situation and he wisely stayed in the lift he was in and watched me land. He was thinking of landing with me but I encouraged him to sky out and continue his fun, which he did. I couldn't have been more happy for him. Too cool. I packed up in shade, texted Flacko my coordinates and he was there before I could finish packing my wing 10 minutes later. Nice. 

The ride home was refreshing and we picked up two more ecstatic pilots, both from SB, who, like me, we're talking nonstop and replaying the fun we all had.

 

Back at the hotel a cooling off period in from of my fan was in order as I began charging things and dowloading data and go pro footage, mostly of Chris today!

THIS, is "the usual" for flying around here. I'm confident the great weather will continue so everyone will get their day in the sun. Ahhhhhh. 

Hasta mañana,

Martín 

Nueve

While the pool umbrellas and tiles were not wet this am, it looked more cloudy down low today and I hope for a typical burning off the clouds by the sun to give us a nice first day. 

I tore into my breakfast burrito before capturing a 'before photo' and it was so good, it took some effort to put it down for this shot. Fresh guacamole with a tortilla filled with eggs, grilled onions, peppers and some lime juice squeezed on it was divine. Fresh guava smoothie and a spot of coffee had me ready to brave the day. 

John Dudley on top of the Cipri for the drive through town. 

The sky let go of some drizzle on the way out of town prompting Flacko and Cipri to don the rain tarps for the gear on top. 

Parking under a big tree to tarp up. 

The road up was wet and muddy. 

We got up top and waited a while as it was still drizzling. Eventually the sky opened up, but not before a bit more rain. 

The clouds were thick but the sun did come out. We launched everyone and some got up and away but many, including me landed below and packed quickly to escape rain showers that others were flying away from. 

Preflight meeting and orientation. 

One of our guys landed in full on rain and I ran across the field to help bunch up his wing and run back to the shelter the rest were under to stay dry. 

The sky was epic

Dorian with his soaked wing in the hangar. 

We waited for the rain to stop and Flacko and his dog were there in no time to pick us up. 

We were in town in no time eating chicken and then back to a hotel for a cool shower before our meeting and he dinner. 

Dorian laid out his glider to dry downstairs and the west wind had it bone dry in just an hour or two. Some pilots had 3hr flights today, but all the guides agreed it was an odd day for sure. 

Potato and egg appetizer. 

Dinner was nice, and we had crepes for desert. Everyone is excited for tomorrow

And so am I. 

Happy anniversary to my lovely wife, Carmen. Thanks for 8 wonderful years.  I am grateful to be your hubby.  I wish I was there to celebrate it with you. For sure when I get back. 

Te amo mucho, mi amror. 

Besos

Martín