Matty’s tour is over tomorrow and Doc and some others are leaving. Half the group will stay on a bit which will be great. I said good by for now to Ralph and Maggie. Matt is leaving on the 24th and others also are leaving. It is looking as if I may get lonely at some point here.
This week we are flying the Nepal National Paragliding Competition. There were lots of formal speeches during the opening ceremony, all in Nepali. It isn’t clear if the competition is a competition or just another way for the paragliding association to extract a tax on foreign pilots who want to fly the main launch.
There are over 140 pilots in the comp and today was practice day. It seems there are 3 elements to the comp: XC ACRO and Spot landings. – I don’t know what ACRO I will do on the M4 but it will be fun.
Today I attempted to fly the Curshon route. (sp?) Lovely glide and ride on the Green Wall ending in a white room visit. I had only one event, a 60%er while entering into a thermal. I hit it straight on and the wing just wouldn’t pressurize. I hung there waiting, waiting, waiting – frozen and time with that bad feeling, then wam-bam-thank you dam hang on.
Went on down the route as Jeff Smith and others who had launched the Green wall joined in on the task. – Flying with vultures was interesting – had one try and scare me. – They dive at you and just as they get there they rotate pointing their talons at you, screech and flap. – and then they are gone. – Real life was just like the video when the Russian was brought down by a similar vulture action.
I landed out as far and deep as you can go on the route. – The hike back was about ½ hour with porters for the bags. – Jeff and I landed together. – hopped on top a jeep for 2-3 river crossings – by the time we got to taxi there were 24 people on top/in/hanging on the jeep made for 6.
All in a day’s flying here in Nepal.
Breakfast with Ritkita and off for another day.
P.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment