FAR

We mixed up the pilots a bit in order to accommodate tandems and keeping eyes on our guests.  We also retuned to the comp launch for another go. The call for Farmer's and my group was to go long today. 

Tamales started us out with fresh pineapple juice and mangoes along with the famous Colombian coffee here. Delightful!

The day started a little dark as is the norm. We got off th hill with no time to spare as the comp was moving up their start. Conditions were more challenging in that if you got a climb to cloud base it was easier to lose it all, and if you didn't get a climb right away, you were more or less on your way to an early landing, and this thinned the groups early on.

Once on course to the south, our gaggle moved well together and we were able to  regroup occasionally and let everyone catch up. After a while we encountered hang gliders and towering clouds over the terrain on the west side of the valley. It was time to make our move to the flats. We all committed to the glide and got up after a long patient climb. 

We fanned out into a fabric armada and glided quietly south, thousands if feet off the ground, enjoying the spectacular view, looking ahead for birds, smoke or other pilots indicating our next climb. John Black had his personal best, and Farmer rocked the tandem, landing next to John with an elated and tired Elizabeth   as his passenger. Dawn and Jim landed past me but short of Farmer and company. They were on a bus in no time and beat everyone home.  Personal best flights for many, disappointingly short flights for others. Acceptance and gratitude are key. 

I landed in this field short of the others a few miles, filled with what I thought were cows.  Turns out they were all bulls, but I was able to make a hasty escape under the fence before they came too close. 

Whew!   Then began my odessey back, involving playing frogger on the freeway to get to the Northbound lanes after a ride in the back of a dumptruck to the main road.

Later I was able to flag down a bus to Tulua, where I then transferred to a bus to Roldanillo.  While I paid for my bus ticket I enjoyed some fresh cane juice with lime in it. Yum! Here is the press that made it:

Soon I was on the Roldanillo bus and chatted up a young man hoping to one day go to Miami Florida. Another bus took me to La Union where a tuk tuk got me back to the hotel just in time for 7pm dinner. Rob gave a great talk about various things after dinner and I was ready for bed.  My knee was hurting so I iced it and had some Advil before bed. 

Turns out when I rolled under the fence to escape the bulls, I jabbed a huge thorn  into my knee and it of course was broken off in there.  Nothing my Swiss Army knife can't handle, and a little neosporin too. Hope that was all of it! Cheers!

Feeling very fortunate.  

NEW

After several days of launching ahead of the local comp, we went to a new site (to us) directly behind Roldanillo to the west. 

A tandem took off early and got up to cloud base just a few hundred above us at 6000'. The glide to the city looked far away but after flying a while it was clear we could make it. Several other pilots displaced by the comp were there too. 

Going north proved more difficult for me on tandem with Elizabeth, who flew with Bradley the day before. We managed to cross to the first ridge, and then the second, but it was tricky to get back all the way to our town. We landed short, packed up and got a ride within 15 minutes from retrieve. Nice!

They dropped us at the lunch spot where we ate to excess, realizing the others had crossed into the flats and gone big (we hope). 

Back at the hotel now, showered, napped, and unable to leave the fan above my bed.  The pool guy just added a bunch of chlorine, so tomorrow looks good for a swim! Ahhhh. Cheers!

Yes!

We were greeted with clearer skies and lots of cumulus this am. 

Though our early start was more challenging, we fared far better than the poor comp pilots who were forced to take off later, losing half the field to the landing zone directly below launch.

Eventually the flats turned on and we chased puffy clouds around the sky.  

We were in the air for 4 hours today, crossing the flats, going South a bit and then back North towards 'home'. 

Most made it to the final stretch back North but only 5 of the 13 in the gaggle at Salazar made the last climb to base allowing 4 to make it to the soccer field goal (Rob, Marite, John Blake and myself) while Farmer opted to chase the task to goal and visit with Jamie and Isabella before they have to fly home. 

The flats were so much fun and the Eagle team really stayed together well and are flying better each day.  Good times!

OVC

Day three was plagued by South wind and high clouds but not until we were all in the air trying to get past our home city of La Union.

 

Wrist burns got Jason (where light jacket meets gloves). Ouch!

Most landed at the town soccer field except for Brian and Bradley and Jason who drifted to the next city to the north. 

Though most of us got about an hour in the air it was a short day by our standards, yet much was learned with respect to flying in wind and drifting thermals. We rested up and prepped for another great day tomorrow. 

Hasta mañana amigos!

OMG.

The day looked similar to days before but the air seemed cooler and there was a little more blue sky showing and cumulus starting to form early with no wind to speak of. 

Launch was busy with the comp but not nearly so much as the weekend was. We arrived with plenty of time to get ready and go before the competitors. 

I was feeling good despite a somewhat sleepless night.  A light breakfast and the hike to launch kicked me into gear. 

Everyone got off the hill and we gaggled to cloud base and bobbed around until we were all high and ready to go. First leg was to La Union and a few landed there.  

Then we patiently waited for the flats to throw us a bone. We eventually crossed, broke into a few groups but then rallied together and got even higher than before.  We headed south to  Sarzal then Brad pushed to the valley and found us a beauty of a climb, taking us to our altitude limit of 8 grand. We headed back north, tagged another climb a la Bradley and then cross wind back to La Union for all but one who landed safely just short. Of the two pilots I was guiding one made the whole trip and the other landed earlier at La Union. 

Everyone seems to have achieved personal bests in one way or more on today's 3.5 hour flight. 

Cheers!

ONE

The day started well and ended well.

I had 3 people to guide and we all followed the comp pilots towards La Union and then back past launch to Roldanillo where we all landed together.

The comp went further but everyone was tired and hungry in our group so we chose to take it easy on the first day Retrieve was upon us just as I finished packing

Soon we were all sitting around tables eating a huge meal near the soccer field back in La Union. 

Cheers!

OTB

The day dawned sunny and warm, with what looked like great flying potential. 

We ate ham omelets with cheese, and strong Colombian coffee. We jumped in the Toyota and made our way to launch. There was wind up top and we felt it on launch. This is not typical of a good day. 

We got our gear ready and waited patiently for an hour or more until finally the sun came out and the thermal heat blocked the wind just long enough to get is all off in two groups. A few other pilots launched too, a few did not. We ran to the flats to escape the turbulence of the mountain. Half the group landed near Roldanillo and got rides back. 

Brad and I found a good climb to 8,000' and crossed the valley fast (13 mph tailwind) to the east side with Will and Brian close behind. We arrived at the city of Zarzal and circled with vultures in the strong wind, careful not to drift away from a soccer field we chose to land in.  Will landed first, then Brad, Brian and me. 

A reception of kids were waiting for each of us as we landed. They were curious of my blue eyes and asked that I remove my sunglasses to see them for themselves. 

We said our good-byes, walked a block to the bus stop, hopped on the first one to Roldanillo  where we had a nice lunch.

Half a chicken with rice and beans, small salad and potatoes.  Yum! After eating we caught a bus back to La Union and then a tuk-tuk to the hotel.  A dip in the pool was the ticket before dinner.  I love this place. Our guests arrive tomorrow night. We are ready to go. Cheers!