Even though Jodi is almost at 50 paragliding flights, she still feels very much like a beginner and I don’t blame here. When we were dating, she completed a quick 10 day paragliding course in Nepal and badly broke her ankle paragliding the day after finishing. So the plan this morning was to go up early for her to have a nice gentle flight before the sun began to generate thermals. Torge was doing the practical part of his course so it was just Jodi and me going up to fly. She had a great forward launch and thoroughly enjoyed her flight. She really does have a passion for life and wears it on her sleeve, it’s lovely to see. It was the smoothest flight she’s ever experienced.
Jodi getting ready:
I jumped in a cab with the British group again. I found out that a few of them work together in a paramotoring company. Alex started it 5 years prior, Kester (Kes) is his primary employee and Harry does a little work for them too. Then there was comical Newcastlian Ian and I mentioned Tim before, and ex-military major. All really great guys.
We launched from the same takeoff that Jodi and I had used in the morning, the one that faces St. Andre. After hooking a fantastic thermal that was indicated to me by a few vultures, I ended up heading northeast to a ridge with some antennas on it along with Alex (he wasn’t on the ridge...he was flying with me ;) There were a few other PGers that ended up bombing out so I was pleased when I finally ridge soared, for what seemed like forever, above the top of the mountain. I tried to cross the river valley to a larger ridge that leads to the grassy, knobby mountain that I mentioned in my last entry but I hit massive sink so I then ran down the river towards St. Andre. Tim and been trying to catch up to Alex and me and in the end all three of us landed in the same field about a kilometer north of the St. Andre town center. Another great flight, I’m definitely seeing the appeal of this place! Harry and Ian were kind enough to retrieve us and it was time for a late lunch!
Flying high in the sky:
The ridge with the antennas where I fought for a long time:
Flying back towards St. Andre:
The conditions weren’t right for an evening flight so I ended up hanging out at the Brits’ campsite as we checked out various YouTube videos and having a few drinks. On the menu for tomorrow, much of the same!
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