Lluvia (rain)

Brian Howell and I made it to the shuttle early and were able to load all our huge bags before the first sprinkles fell. As we rolled away, it was hard to believe we finally made it and would be in Colombia tomorrow morning. 

It has been.a year since we made the same journey, only this time we both know more of what to expect, and it makes us all the more exited to be there again.

Carmen, Mia and Darla were all on hand for hugs and kisses as were Sammy and Rosie. I will miss them all, and already look forward to our reunion in 6 weeks. Brian's girlfriend Kelly was kind enough to drop us at the shuttle and see us off. 

Traffic was slow at times but we made it to LAX in good time. Our shuttle van did fold a Mercedes car door forward as the person in the car didn't look to see that we were driving in close proximity first. Oops. The police were called after the finger pointing started and info was eventually exchanged, allowing us to make our final drop at Copa airlines (in about 10 min) where we were to meet Alicia, our chef for the trip, a relative of Marité, (Rob Sporrer's wife). Rob, who owns and operates Eagle Paragliding had to leave Marité and their newborn daughter Maya home this time as she is less than a month old. Rob will use the break between tour 2 and 3 to return home and reunite his new family. 

The flight was only 5 or 6 hours but it was an overnight flight and it was packed. I didn't sleep much due to my middle seat and large passenger next to me. Still I was pleased with my movie choice "Remember The Titans."   Denzel always delivers. The food was good too, and I enjoyed a complimentary rum and Coke, but they really cranked up the heat and I was wishing I hadn't ingested the calories that seemed to only make me feel warmer still. Whew. 

We all met up after landing in Panama and had a coffee after the short walk to or connecting gate. Really an effortless trip thus far. Nice. 

I have a brand new UP K2-3 tandem and my trusty Icepeak 6 to fly. Both should be ideal for the light conditions and long days in the saddle. 

Gratitude is the dominant feeling for me on this trip.  I can't thank my wife and kids enough for this opportunity. It won't be easy for them while I'm gone but they are letting me go nonetheless and I feel truly thankful and happy. 

I'm now on the connecting flight from panama to Cali, Colombia, and as expected the skies look perfect. 

We should meet Rob there and he has shuttle arranged to wisk us away to our small town near the now famous Roldanillo, where this years' world paragliding chamionships were held In the 12 days before our arrival. I've been so busy getting ready, I didn't take time to follow the whole race. We started strong and I can only hope we finished strong too. 

The window seat has breathtaking views.  Love it!

I will try to post as much as I can.  This one is long. I'm sure there will be shorter ones too. 

Hasta luego,

Marty

VOY

I am going, I go...(home)

Breakfast is at a leisurely 8am with morning showeres wetting down everything outside as we eat fresh fruit and fresh, unsweetened whip cream. Jim and Dawn, Brian and John were all there to join me and it was a really nice meal together. The air is unusually cool and clean. It is a nice day. Sadly, I must pack and go. I pass on my lamp from my first room (downstairs) to Jim and Dawn. It came upstairs with me when I switched to the loft above. 

Now it goes next door and will glow at night without me. I should have asked them if they would sell it to me. I really like it!

After all my goodbyes to those still at the hotel, including staff (Maria, Mauricio, Julian, Gloria and a few others) Brian was there to help me schlep my 4 bags, (tandem, solo, carry-on and day pack) to the parking area downstairs just before my very prompt cab arrived.

The taxi took me straight to Roldanillo, where I caught the bus to Cali that was leaving in 15 minutes, and settled in for a two hour cruise. Nice. 

Once in Cali, I splurged at the bus station and took a cab to the airport instead of fumbling with all my stuff to find the transfer bus. Good call. 

The views towards Cali were amazing, and it filled my mind with memories of daily flying that blurred into one big happy dream that is hard to wake up from. 

As much as I adore the food here, it seemed time to embrace my future and eat fresh, American style. I chose the "Italianismio" and went big.  I polished it off in one sitting and took down my white chocolate and macadamia cookie with a guarded posture, as it was easily the sweetest morsel I have tasted since I got here. Wow!

I got an email from Rob.  Seems that the hotel can't find the lamp and must have called him about it.  I had to laugh because I am clearly not the only one madly in love with this thing.  I sent a message back explaining the lamp hand-off.  A short while later Rob confirmed that they had indeed found the lamp. Lol. 

I assured them that the lamp was never in danger and that "I am not a criminal!"

There might be time for ice cream!??

Now I sit waiting to board my short flight to Bogota, where I reclaim my bags, check in at the United counter, and wait until 1:30am. Then to Houston, by 5am, then to LAX by 9:30am, on my shuttle home by 10am, and might get home by noon on Friday in time to walk my girls home from school!

Cheers from Cali International airport, with free wifi that is quite fast too.  Sayyy!

Cheers,

Marty

NIM(BUS)

The morning was quiet, and even though my private nocturnal battle with mosquitoes was going fairly well, it was time to get up, and see the day.

A few drops, became a light sprinkle on the pool with ever more circles appearing, overlapping and widening. 

Eventually, a proper rain ensued, as we sipped fresh coffee thanks to Brian and Farmer, and sampled fresh cut papaya and pineapple and banana 'ala Dawn' while contemplating our options.

Two lovely horses grazed and wandered around the beautiful grounds, oblivious to the downpour. 

Ultimately, Eduardo showed up to give us all a lift to the launch where our glider bags were securely locked up by Gustavo, the owner of the takeoff and beautiful structure there. 

Matt opted to camp at launch for this night and we chose to pay Eduardo for a direct ride home. 45 minutes later, we were all chillin' back at our home digs. 

Not long after unpacking, the sky let loose a deluge that prompted us to order lunch "in house" rather than brave the wet to eat in town. Good call. It rained off and on all day and was wet the next morning as I packed to go. Fitting, restful end to some truly dreamy flying with some great friends, new and old. 

My last day as a scruffy American. 

I am so grateful to be here. Thanks Carmen!

Cheers,

Marty

38!

Breakfast at 8:00am today. Brian, Farmer, Dawn, Jim, John Dudley and I had plates of fresh guava and pineapple and a juice that none of us liked. A hot croissant-like roll with a hidden stick of the white cheese inside was a nice change too.

After breakfast we loaded up for our two-day adventure. John opted to sit this one out as he is nursing a sore ankle from a hard landing earlier in his tour. We hope fly to Ansermanuevo, a city 45km north of us that has a launch. The plan is to try and top land to see if the lodging on launch is all that, or just give it a fly by. It would be more expensive to stay there as opposed to down in the city. Food options are better below as well. We plan to meet in the town center for dinner should we get separated. 

A cockatiel like one I had years ago was close to the edge of the bird cage and allowed me a close up shot. Here's to you, Skippy. 

Nice fire truck to wave to on the way out of town. 

I've been taking my meds and my knee feels much better. The flight today might offer a bit more rest for it as I tend to walk too much when I don't fly. Go figure. 

Jim, Dawn and Brian on the way up. 

I'm writing this on the way up the hill. I'll write more after landing.  I got to sit shotgun and Farmer rode in back with the other guy who arrived in the truck that our driver had. 

Dawn, then Jim took off first then Brian and Farmer. Last off I grabbed a big climb out at the house thermal and wound it up to base. The others were moving on and I caught them at La Union easily and we all crossed to the gauntlet section.  Farmer arrived first on the other side and pinged out in front of as as we arrived.  I didn't feel much and pushed through his leftovers with Brian. Dawn and Jim stayed in the light lift and got high enough to cross above me as I fell through the cracks below Brian. 

La Union. Just before I got low. 

Eventually everyone got back to base, but it took me a long time down low to get back up.  

Back on course Brian an I got up out front and crabbed accross to the others who went deep and then north some more. We were all together more or less super deep on the higher terrain with abundant clouds above marking light lift with a few stronger cores.  I found a nice climb just in front of the main spine that Dawn and farmer took, got high with Jim on my heels and Brian further back.  I took the glide to the end if the ridge and chose to head out front for the next crossing. Big mistake. 

Almost to "goal". 

The rest gathered together and topped off the climb and easily glided to the next peak where they all climbed to base and went on glide for our destination. I managed to piece together my transition low and use the terrain leading up to their climb with the help of some birds. Finally I found a big thermal and it boosted me to where Brian had just left, following the others. As I topped off I shot some more video and cherished the last leg of our days journey. 

Aerial view of the launch we top landed. 

Farmer led the charge to top land our goal (the launch area overlooking our target city) and everyone else followed suit. Jim was next and tweaked his foot a little on his landing. I was last to land on the beautifully groomed, grassy launch overlooking the small city of Ansermanuevo. 

It was surreal to see other pilots taking off as we stood there congratulating each other.  Luis Rosenker was on launch too, as it turned out. What are the chances of running into a Team USA support team member for Honza on the Red Bull X-Alps earlier this year?

A relaxing end to the day, for sure. 

We were all taken by the sheer beauty of the new locale. 

Matt and Brian walked over to the lodging option to broker a deal for the five of us to stay the night. They returned a short time later having caught a ride in a local jeep and ferried us across back to our new digs. Wow. 

The view, the rooms and hospitality are all fantastic here. Unfortunately there's no food service so we hired a jeep from town to pick us up (after a lovely dip in the pool) and take us to a nice dinner spot, grocery store, and back up again. 

Tomorrow Eduardo will pick us up, ferry us to launch and then take Jim back to La Union direct after we launch to get that sore foot looked at. 

Dinner was really nice. We sang happy birthday to Farmer, shopped and rode up in the dark to our hotel in the sky while lightning lit up the clouds to the east towards  Bogota. 

A couple rounds of pool kept us entertained as the cicadas wailed into the night, accented with distant thunder and no rain here at all. 

There is no wifi, no cell coverage, no worries. Back to civilization tomorrow. 

Cheers,

Marty

BIV?

All but 3 guides have left for the week off between tour 2 and 3. Today we said our goodbyes and the hotel was very quiet. 

Scott, Shawn and Truck will be back!

Choosing not to fly today is a relaxing change to our prompt morning schedule, even though I got up early anyway, to enjoy a cup of coffee as the sun came up on the horizon beyond the pool. 

Tomorrow and the next day, the 4th and 5th we hope fly north and either topland a launch that has a hotel up top or land below and stay in a hotel below, catching a ride up the next day to fly back again.  Matt is thinking of continuing north the day we try to return, as go as far as he can. Cool. 

It is fun to consider the idea of going somewhere, and not returning until a day later. The weather suggests rain, but then it always does here, and we end up flying every day.  We shall see. 

Cheers!

Marty

Fin

The last day of flying for the second group dawned beautiful and we anticipated a "best yet" kind of day.  For a few of us it certainly was, for several others it was just too challenging due to shade and overdevelopment.

Nonetheless, much was learned and everyone stayed up for as long as possible, landing safely with smiles all around. 

Jim over Zarzal.

Truck went the furthest with me though Scott and Shawn hung in there till the last move, where we shot out near Roldanillo and scratched just a few hundred feet off the deck over the valley. Just after Truck's landing it finally perked and Farmer, one other pilot and I cored up to near base and went on glide for Zarzal with Dawn, Jim and Rob in tow. 

Working together we got up deep in the foothills east if Zarzal, Farmer chose to go even deeper, inspiring me to backtrack to the valley. The others split the difference and took a diagonal line that looked like it could work towards La Victoria. Two of them landed on the transition leaving Rob Milley an farmer to join me in the valley. A slow climb got us all up again and I opted to straight line it to 'home' while Famer and Rob tagged La Victoria and arrived to towering cumulus and increasing west wind. My landing went well, but it had my full attention. Rob wisely chose to pick a larger field near the valley to avoid the huge lift and strong wind. Farmer landed with me and concurred that Rob made the best choice. 

A juice bar visit was our lunch, followed by a tuk-tuk back to the hotel. 

Classic cars lined the town center from a nearby car show. 

We all watched the Super Bowl as dinner was seved and played poker until late.  

Matt found a giant bug, a cicada?

Another amazing group!  It was such a pleasure to be with everyone. The energy was really wonderful and I will miss them all. 

My knee was still bothering me after one week after jabbing a thorn into it.  Marité took me to the local hospital where I got antibiotics and some pain meds.  I've been soaking it in with a hot wet compress laced with salts morning and evenings and the improvement is like magic. I'm supposed to rest it, but I find that flying around in a pod is the equivalent of elevating it on a chair so I am convalescing at cloudbase. 

Rehab at it's very best.