Blogger Buzz: Monetize!

Blogger Buzz: Monetize!

Bulgaria May 2010

I have been wanting to get to Bulgaria for some time now. I have managed it at last.
Having had 2 weeks there in May looking for somewhere to buy! I stayed in Ruse.
I managed to hook up with both the Ruse Paragliding Club and the Shumen XC Club.
Joining them at Shumen for my first flight. An impressive site with a handy restuarant within sight of a take off and landing area. Result. I had an hour playing in the early May thermals and exploring Shumen, flying out over the town and fields below. As I was with people not flying, i had to curtail any XC flying and landed for some food and beer.
Another take off area to the south of Shumen is Madara. This I think, takes a W. NW. I will update later. When I have flown it.
A couple of guy,s went off XC and one headed towards Ruse, some 70k away. Hope he made it. The other 2 went down another route towards Popova? I did not get an update for their distances. But was told the record from there is about 270k?

I was so impressed I started looking around for an affordable place as close as possible lol. More later.

Newhaven 5th July 2009

Time for a bit of coastal soaring hehehe, it had not been good for a while so when I guessed a good day could be had at Newhaven Sussex, I could not let it pass, so having checked tide times, i got an early start from home. As the tide was due to go out at 12ish, it was not too early. I arrived at 11am, wind looked a little too westerly, and light, so took my time getting to the top by having brunch, there was no one there at the time? Odd I thought, only one guy at Caburn as well, maybe Southern, had something on elsewhere. By the time I got to take off there was a guy doing a tandem with family and friends, wind was a little light and sw. Not bad for a bimble. The tandem was doing a few beats then beach landing, not enough wind for him to get back along the cliff lip, I had a little wait for the wind tocome on a bit and took off about 12.30 had lots of beats to the west, checking the tide, after about an hour it got enough room tp land if needed, the wind started to get stronger which started to ghive nme plenty of lift round to peacehaven and Trelscombe, I played with the Seagulls back anf forth for about an hour, not quite giving me enough height to bother with the jump over the gap, to head towards Brighton. I also found that the Seagulls were not going across either! so I thought why bother and headed back towards Newhaven, thought to myself 'where is everybody' and went back for a drink and eats. As I landed another couple of guys had arrived, at last another wind dummy while I have a break, the tandem had a few more top to bottoms, but things were dropping off and going more west by then, I do not think the other guys had any air time so I thought I would see what was going on and show them if there was any thing working, I had had a good flight so did not worry about landing out as I could head home. I took off got abit off lift and headed west, as I got to the corner, instead of the lift as normal, with the wind even more westerly, I hit sink, by the time I turned back out of it I was 30ft below the top, the wing top that is, I thought oh well, better me than the Southern guy for a sleigh ride to the beach, hahahahahha. And it was a sleigh ride, glad my wing is quick to turn, I got to just before the cars, turned tight as pos into wind and landed nicely in front of the car, apart from the lack of company in the air, I thought with a big grin on my face what a perfect end to a day. As I packed up i saw the guy I met when I arrived flying he port wall, well out, but not high enough above the sea for my liking, having seen the people in the sea below him, thought 'hope someone has a knife on them there. Just in case' I had met him before at Dunstable, think he is South American. Nearly as bad as the Polish Hehehehhe.

Cyprus Holiday

What a great place for flying. Twas the week before Christmas, I was sunbathing with a drink on the beach in Curium, a perfect coastal site, with lots of places to get in and out of. A bar or 3 on the beach. An ancient temple and an amphitheatre on the cliff top. What a picture. A pity I could not get to the bays beyond, but I can try again next visit.
Dave who is lucky to be there for a while, showed us the site's. Stavarouni was epic, but the wind and thermals did not play ball, so it was a top to bottom, with hopes of returning, we headed back to Curium, to finnish off the day. Next site to try was Pissouri, not an official place to fly, but promises to be an epic site, not far from Curium. I hope the local lads can get it going as a site. I hope ypou enjoy the picture's they do not do the place justice really. We had a great holiday and met some good people. Many thanks to Dave, Elena and little Kyle. Not only but also, Brian for showing us great hospitality at his xmas bash.
Steve, Shoey, Demitrious and all.
A pleasure to have been part of your club do. Dave. Keep up the good flying, hope you get your goal. 100 hours

West Runton. Norfolk

Saturday 29th November.

Whilst most places were shrouded in mist, I ventured to Norfolk, as the winds were to be from north, I guessed/hoped any mist would be blown inland.

I got there at 12:30, but saw only one guy flying Cromer, plus some blue sky and no mist.

On arrival at the car park, there were only a few other pilots getting ready or having a rest, so it looked like we had the place to ourselves.

I soon took off and went off to Sherringham, I had not been that way before, a couple of other guy's were practicing acro over the higher cliff. Some good view's of the old steam train going to Well's Next The Sea. Shame I did not take my camera, got a couple on my mobile to be added later.

It was very smooth bouyant air, making it easy to fly from Sheringham to Cromer and back almost hands free all the way.

I had no problem with the Rush 2 at all, I did not feel like I was top end on it at all. Sink rate was excellent compared to a couple of other wings in the same air.
In all I got 2 flights of an hour each, great afternoon, pity I wasted an hour before I set off. But good flying was to be had, albeit cold, on my first flight, my leg went dead and I had to wake it up before I could land, I was desperate for a 'visit' with the cold, it gets to you at my age. Hahahahaha.
Think a lot of people must have gone to the Airsports show in Brum, Splash! to those who know it.

Just had an hour at Dunstable. Had a good evenings flying into the sunset, Jackie and Stavvy on dhv1s found it just a bit above their comfort level, so left it all for me, thanks guys.
Had a good test on the new wing, thats it in the picture, not a single flutter at all, nice and easy launch, lift was getting me quite high and I practiced big ears for a while and a few small wing overs, landed to let them know what it was like and took off again. Stavvy had a go at launching but stiil a bit more wind than he is used to, so aborted and started to pack away, so was a bit sorry for them both. As it was only just above their comfort zone. Jackie even complained that she had lost weight, so was a bit light on the wing. Well that was a first for me, to hear her complain about losing weight? Not that she needs to. Just not the thing you hear, from a girl, very often, if at all, hahahahahha. Now me, a little under weight at 54kilo, has more to complain about, its taken a year after the accident to get back to that?
But thats enough of my problems, I had a great fly and looks like the last for the next week, as the clocks went back today and it will be dark by the time I can get to the hill after work, so bummer.
Look to be up Norfolk next weekend , lets see if we have the nort wind as promised, West Runton could be an option.

Merthyr tydfyl May BCC Comp. 2007

On nice May 20th 2007. I was captain of the Dunstable team at the BCC.
A couple of pilots had taken off in the light breeze and just missed the house thermal, over the factory, but pin pointed it for me.
I had had enough of waiting for the light breeze to get us off, so took the chance of hitting it or getting a lift back with the other 2, hope springs eternal, when you are a paraglider pilot!
I took off and glided to the spot, I did not lose much height getting there and then I got it spot on, I started turning in it and was rising nicely, I saw another para take off. Nice, he hit it below me a little and we climbed up and over the top of the ridge. I saw the other guy go off north, with a little more lift there than I had, so I went to connect with it and follow, unfortunately, I did not get there in time and sank back to the ridge, darn it, it could have been my 3rd xc in the BCC.
Anyway, a little while later after hunting the spot for that thermal, I could see the ridge was dead of wind and I was getting to the point of land on top or bottom, well I chose top for the best of reasons. On landing, the wind had died to 3 mph, so I joined Adam another team member still on the hill, he commiseratedwith me and i decided to have another go if the wind would pick back up, we had a few feels and waited, a guy was testing a wing to buy, so we watched him take off, there was some breeze beginning to stir, the guy did a beat to the left of us, when he turned to return, he had a small collapse, but a bit too close to ground for any type of collapse, so we held our breath before he reapeared, he then went straight for a bottom landing, must have made up his mind on that wing pretty quick!
Well to get to the main point of this particular story, Adam and I tested the wind, but decided, with another guy to sit and wait, as you do, with our wings still ready behind us!
As I was behind the other 2 and in the middle, I was the first to notice their wings rolloing toward them and the front of the hill, I looked at mine as I shouted to grab their wings,I stood up as mine was rolling not off the ground at all, past my right side, I went to kill the wing, by pulling a line, mistake, as the lines were now well and truly turned round, the wing powered up but did not lift up at all, it just pulled me to the front of the edge, I grabbed the rock, as Adam who had got his wing in quick, was next to me as was the other people, but no soone had I looked at my wing hanging down the front of Merthyr than it pulled me straight off the rock and down the face. All I could say was Oh Shit. as I felt my hands rip of the rock, the next thing I remember was everyone aroud me again and telling me not to move, some hope I thought, what bastard is kneeling on my chest, get off my chest I said, soory Adam I think said we have to get you kit off mate, no one is on your chest. Fuck it, why am I not able to get a breath then I said, as well as 'don't cut my lines or I won't be able to fly it again'? as if I did not have a few better things to worry about. I know since, that I was a very lucky bunny, as it was they did not cut the lines. so thanks guys. The helicopter came, very quick as I recall, but then I was out of it most of the time, I remember a bit about getting in to the heli, but only remember Adams voice at the scene, Gerrit was there and apparently came to the hospital when I arrived at casualty. Thanks again Gerrit, Adam and the other guys who were there that day, not least the helicopter crew, who although I only remember the odd veiw of blades going round, the rest is blank, apart from the moment in casualty, when they made sure I could feel below my waist, not nice at all.
As a result of the fall. I had broken 8 ribs, cracked the breast bone, crushed the T3&4 vertebra and of course punctured a lung. Nice, well 3 weeks in hospital and 3 months in a brace took its toll. I got back with a few smooth flights at Dunstable, about August, it took a long time to build my leg muscles up again and had a few months of hydro therapy to help, I still need to gain some more but I am now up to 54kilo's so 4 more to get on before I am back up to weight. I got back to work on April 1st. great, they must have a sense of humour?
So the moral of this story is. when waiting to fly either sit on the wing, or get out of the harness. A lesson learned should be passed on for the benefit of others. As to how the wind switched from a gentle breeze 3 to 5 mph at 260 deg, then 25 mph plus from 90 deg? that the weather for you, always ready to bite your ass. So keep safe all you fliers out there. See you on some hill soon.