Got my camera back ! So here are the foto's of today. Cloudbase, easy to reach. Easy to fly over the valley and get cloudsuck in. No bad clouds, no front, just humidity coming in from the east. Winter, but thermals for hours in the sun, before we had the clouds coming in.

Fantastic day to end a fantastic january month.

Jean Jeacques getting smoother with his turns, Katia sky-goddess,

Marc, Stefan, Marcel, Edwin all had a good day, finished off with an 'orujo'.

Luc's bumm unfortanetely still hurts after his pretty hard landing.

Pretty cold though, just had some silk gloves on, no long johns, and as I don't have winter flysuit.

Anyway, too bad only two local buddies appeared, good old Rafa, and good young Pepe.

Yes, recognized ! Peña Rubia. My favourite.

Waited for some wind, then wind on. Late but normal, norhtwestern site remember, and january of course.

Old foto's to be honest, ssssst lost my camera, I think, maybe, no, I am sure. Don't tell kath it was her xmas present last year, shut up.

You can't tell from photo, bu there was a huge inversion today. High pressure over Spain, againm, letting us fly even in midwinter months like jan-febr.

But again it felt like you were hitting your head against the ceiling. In between getting the right pressure in the glider.

It comes in handy having done 'delfphins' during your SIV course, to keep that glider just right above you.

Interesting today, but don't know if the visiting pilots who just arrived found is so amusing. I asked them to wait till things died down, and that was when all thermal activity died off, so only TTB.

TTB = top to bottom....

Pictures tell no.

Again a blue sky, although the conditions weren't superb today. Guarro, means turbulent, ugly.

I didn't like it at all, and so did others. On thebottom picture you can see the inversion line. We were just fighting to get a thermal in at the inversion line at times.

It felt at times like bouncing with your head against the ceiling.

But hey, most of us had a couple of hours flying in. It's all experience and airtime.

All photo's of Kath flying today.
At first lonely over the lighthouse untill the locals arrived.
When we left about 10 gliders were spending the sunday afternoon above the cliffs, near Santa Pola.
Sunday afternoons, one plays golf, one plays tennis, we fly cabo.

Caudete most of the pilots went. But not a splendid day. Warm, weak southeast at first, but never kicking in as it should have.

As yo can see, high pressure over our country. Giving us lots of flying days, but days like this with low cloudbase are not so amusing.

Only if you choose soaring, you could fly at the cliffs last hour.

Seen on the street, ggraaauw

Strong to very strong easternwinds at the coast. Time to check inland, high pressure, low cloudbase, something like Palo could work. And it did.

The valley worked as a oven again, protected by the colder, moist norhteastern winds, coming from the Med. Another flying day for hours. told you this week was gonna be epic.

Lets hope your week is gonna be as well.

Flying shouldn't be scary. If you are scared all the time you fly, you should stop flying and do something else. There are other 'extreme' sports that would fit you better.

But a scare here and there during a flight, isn't too bad. Now and then a wake up call, a sudden collapse, a hammer thermal passing by, sudden sink, slack lines, all good. As long as they are not predominant.

It is good to have a scare once in a while. Keeps you focused, keeps you alert, keeps you awake.

When I have a good flight, I am awake. I keep my eyes open, study terrain, look at other pilots. I am focused. Check clouds, check groundspeed and so on. And when there is a little scare, a pumping thermal, an unexpected windgust, a collapse, it doesn't matter.

Then I drive home, put on full blast - 'Sweet Jane', live by Lou Reed. Get home, glad to see my family.
How was your day ? FANTASTIC, honey.

In between it should be, not scared all the time, not too laidback, but a scare once in a while, keeps you going in this sport.

Another flying day, 500 m climb above take off for Kike, Rafa, Dudo and others today. I am sure after all these years it is not about routine for them either. Happy.







Me, Paco, mom and dad.

Still a high pressure over Spain. And today eastern winds were gonna kick in, which means cloudforming if it is winter. And although is it 20 degrees celcius, so damn hot for the time of the year, it IS winter.
We knew it, and were waiting for the orographic cloud forming over Maigmo. It formed itself as a silk blanket over the peak. An amazing performance.

Here we are, salt of the earth, working class heroes.

Marcel, Pepe, Federice, and me (I took the picture but after that I had the shovel allright), concreting posts for windsocks at landing fields. Because I believe windsocks at take off and landing fields is one thing that can make pilots more comfortable with a flying site.
And especially for foreign pilots who have to cope with the already rough terrain, unknown thermals, most of them being rusty. We believe it is important. So all is getting ready to welcome you all again, and have some safe flying.

Eagle ! Yes, we don't see them a lot, they are easier to be spotted more inland, where it is not that dry. Still fantastic to see them soaring and thermalling, skygods.

No this ain't Buey near Jumilla, but Peña Rubia. Northwestern winds, stronger and stronger. Dudo had a good flight in, but after a while he thought it was wise enough to land as well. I was waiting at take off, but gusts were too violent to take off safe.

Another flying day.
Best time in the afternoon when sun was at its strongest. Valley breezes kicking in, giving us room for playing with the thermals.
Dudo flew today, and mentioned once at cloudbase which was at 1200 m ASL, the winds were slightly more from northwest, drifting him towards Los Ventos.
Promising for tomorrow, because we plan to check out another site for you guys. A site where most of the locals have flown before. Sierra del Buey, near Jumilla.
It is again a take off near a windfarm, watch foto's tomorrow.

Some days one really wonders about himself (or herself in this case).

Just turned 41 last month and decided to take up snowboarding. For once in my life I was happy for those extra few pounds on the right places to make landings softer.

And today, I decided to go for the Maigmo run, Nick was going to stay with me and guide me- a real luxury, only possible when there are no clients around requesting his attention.

So there I went: perfect take off, in the beginning a bit of hoovering to find the thermals but off we went, my beautiful red hook and me. And up we were with all the local daily flyers, so hey I am ready. But none of them took of direction Maigmo and Nick was just asked to test the gradient Avax RSE, an offer he couldn't resist.

So there I was high up . Should I? No no no, better wait for Nick maybe the winds are not favourable enough, it's a bit off, might be tough getting back, maybe ... Stress is supposed to be work related only, no?

So there I stayed just flying around, parked once in a while waiting in the sky. Moving here and there a bit, but always making sure I'd get back ok. And then Nick's voice over the radio, 'getting out the artik now, be there in a sec and then we'll go'. So I waited and tried keeping my height when he finally signaled let's go ! I had lost some height but figured, ok if anyone knows ... and as a good woman I followed my man --- but hoho he's not going up he's going down, maybe I should turn and get some more height ?¿ And I did what I shouldn't have, I turned to look for another thermal while Nick already caught one, but hey I gained a few meters and there's Rafa well below me and he's with a Ozone Vibe. So I must be able to make it as well with my newer Niviuk Hook no ?¿ So I went chasing after Rafa, but we're sinking again ! He's still lower and going, and there's Nick right in front of us, higher though, so we only have to catch the right lift, that's all, I thought.

But we didn't. We both found some lift on the hill but not enough to proceed so turned around and really head back this time, now ! But a little too late, I hit sink and kept on scratching just hoping, praying looking at the hill the trees and .....

......where am i going mamaaaa...

......ssst stop whining, relax and concentrate, where's the best spot ? the track ? There between the trees there's like a small clear no ? ok let's S it off, I don't want to be near the other hill, I'd be under the wind, no stress, easy on the commands....Is this the spot where... ssst stop thinking - just fly, trust the Hook, she'll be ok

I zig-zag around trees, overshoot the clear spot, head towards the road avoiding trees again, finally landed in a tight spot, luckily on both feet. Waved to Rafa and Nick to signal that I was ok.

Then I started packing my baby, she landed me safe again !

When I walked back along the track I am laughing at myself "woman what's gotten in to you, you're 41 not 21". On a sunday afternoon you should be preparing paella and have some wine -but hey I read something last week that struck my mind.

'El mayor riesgo en la vida es no hacer nada' = 'the biggest risk in life is doing nothing'

and I'm alive and kicking!

Kathe,

me and my baby

Thermalling together with Kike. He had a wonderfull flight back and forth to Maigmo.

Pretty busy. Lots of pilots enjoying the fantastic summery day, thermalling weather you only get at the Costa Blanca, this time of the year, on mainland Europe. January it is.

If this one makes you dizzy, well you should have been up there with us.

Chris had to try out his new Niviuk HOOK and he choose the right day. Bubbly thermals here and there, +3 max +4, bity, teasing the pilots, making it at times hard to stay up.
It was as if summer had never left. We forgot the windy days of last week, and got up as if today was just another summer day. Full of sun, sky couldn't have been more blue, thermals couldn't have been more inviting.

Lots of good friends, no hassles !

Pepe, Federico, Kike, all flying at Palomaret, climbing up to 1400m, which is 600 m above take off.

Strong westernwind in the morning though, but good weather coming in. And with the sun shining, temperatures 22 degrees celsius, we had to get the breeze this afternoon. So we did.

I left for Peña Rubia earlier, but no wind enough for take off. We kinda knew it was a long shot, but had to give it a go anyway. Because if Peña Rubia is working this time of the year, with this heat, it can be magic.

A couple of days ago I told you about an article published in skywings jan '08. Well here it is, aritcle by our friend Martin. Enjoy.























Thanks Jeremy for sending me this.

Fire in the sky.

Fantastic sky views today, lenticulares like UFO's early morning.

Westernwinds, too strong.

Foto sent by Arild, Norway, cold flying at Tromsö,

bottom picture sent by Henrik, flying at Palo Iquique Chile.

I can't put a pìcture on, was making sure my hair didn't get in a mess, because of the howling winds today.

PS : if you could get a decent airticket to Alicante, this could be good. weather looks warm and promising to fly from saturday onwards. just in case you wanted to get away, get some sun in, some flying, a terrace, some flying, a tapa.

Louise Crandal from Denmark living a dream ain't she.

Martin Cray who visited us a couple of times, has been a falconer since he was a teenager and is now flying with Cossack, a steppe eagle, formerly owned by Louise Crandal. Martin has been shooting movies for the BBC and many film-reports of paragliding.

He wrote an article in the latest Skywings which is really worth reading. Title : trust your inner eagle !

I don't know if you mind, asking me if one of you guys in Britain can scan the article. Send it to me, so we on the continent who can't get skywings article to read. (I don't have a scanner ...)

I hope all is allright up there Martin, Steve, Paul and all your girlfriends whose names I've fogotten. Down here it was possible to fly at Calpe today, but chilling as no guests around. Still looks as if Stevie Wonder is my gardener though. Un abraso.

Pepe called to go flying, he was keen to go inland. Flying could have been good, but had things to do and no guests around. At least my garden was happy.

Teasing. And I didn't want to be teased by the weather. If you would have been here, I would have driven out. Probably flying a little, and being frustrated at the end of the day because of the wind change all day. So I took this day off, for exploring once again the region of Alicante.

And for those who read this, this is just another example of how spending the day on a non flyable day down here. It is even a great day out for a family. Cartagena, an hour away.

Cartagena got its name from a general of Carthago, a city totally dissapeared in the norht of Lybia, after being overpowered and ruined by the Romans. That general had a mission, he had to bring over young and strong elefants to the continent of Europe from Africa. Good old Hannibal crossed the Alps with this elefants, went ahead and conquered Rome. Ok, enough of that.

Only an hour drive from Alicante you can visit the port, the old inner town, the redone bull fight arena.
We drove further south, just before reaching Mazarron Tell you what, it is a conquest finding a spanish owned bar, all is english in Mazarron, and all serve peas.... and warm beer.... .
Anyway before reaching it, you better turn left towards the sea, and enjoy the hills, the cliffs overlooking the mediterranean.
Up there you can find an old coastal defence system to protect the vital harbour of Cartagena. Forts, guns, canons, searchlights all there. It is a huge playground for boys. You can crawl into tunnels, explore old machinery hidden in dark basements, yes you need a flashlight !
It is surrouned by astonishing natural surroundings. The sea, the rocks, isles, and cliffs. Seagulls soaring.



People ask me, can I bring the family. I think Alicante is by all means the best destination for a flying trip, taking the family along. Me happy, you happy, all happy no ?

Later in the day I heard, some very keen pilots had driven from Alicante to Calpe, back to Villena, down to the coast, but no good flying in. Desperate to fly on a sunday day-off, but weather didn't permit. We have some front approaching which makes it difficult for a couple of days.

Look what I've got !

As you can tell westernwind, no good. Gusty and strong. (O is oueste en spanish.)

When we started flying years ago we asked where the joint was, now 14 years later we ask how the kids are. But we still have the same passion. Still first thing in the morning before brushing our teeth, looking outside to check the weather. Blue sky, trees moving, bummer. Shit, still.

Destressing today. Downtown Alicante, café con leche, visiting the castle overlooking the sea and the old town, tapas, enjoying the park, 18 degrees celsius, too much wind though.

Wim can't choose. I sense he would be more happy with the Niviuk glider, but the Skywalks always look a bit better.

I think the Chili is a bit hotter than the Hook and would get some pilots more nerveus in strong spring/summer conditions. On the contrary, the Niviuk Hook could give lots of confidence to low airtime pilots and get them straight on the right track to become confident XC pilots.

Anyway, if you are not a paraglider and had to choose, you choose the ..... because if its looks.

We flew today, but not really worth mentioning. It was just allright to have a nice afternoon, chill and fly. No epic stuff, no high cloudbase, just some flying, having fun and chatting.

This beautiful hunting dog, a "lebrel", we saw getting back on the hill.
It is a dog, known for its excellent hunting instincts. But a dog with a sad end of its life. The dog lots of times is hung up on a tree, strangled do deaht by its own boss, the hunter, after hunting season. This mainly happens up north, in provinces like Castilla-Leon.

Down here hunters are not so cruel. After hunting season they just leave the dog behind.
The abandoned dog has to hunt, hunt for rabbits, rats and everything it can get, to survive. Poor dog has done the job, so they get rid of it.
No affection, of course not, hunters are sick.

Eduardo flying with the cage today. Weird looking construction of metal and lines, but very helpful for hanggliding pilots who hate the floppy-ness of our paragliders. Also lots easier to take off in strong winds.

Taking off running backwards.

It was a good day at Peña Rubia, the later the better.

Wim tried the Sport3 from Airwave today. Found it a bit too tame. His choice is still the Chili from Skywalk, tomorrow he can try the Niviuk Hook. Lets see what happens.