Sopot, Bulgaria

Destination: Sopot, Bulgaria for the Pre-PWC. I left Italy with my new wing, a UP Targa 3. I arrived in time for two days of flying before the competition. Sopot was dry like a desert, locals couldn't remember when it last rained, and the usual green landscape gave way to brown and yellow. Launch is accessed via an old double chairlift.


Semih, Hakan, Savas and myself formed a team for the team scoring. I started out like a rock, bombing on the first day, but each successive task I flew better and better, making goal each day, and on the last task I finished 3rd, and finished overall in 9th. We took 1st for the team scoring.




Sweet hiking trails through enchanted woods existed just behind the Skyview Hostel where I stayed. Every day after flying I hiked home through these woods, where I escaped from the late afternoon heat and sun. The tile roofed houses reminded me of Mexico, especially Valle de Bravo.

60 hrs on the train

I left Cornizzolo, IT for Venezia to catch an overnight bus to Bulgaria. Arriving in Venezia 45 min before the bus was to depart, I found myself first stumped as the ticket office had moved and then later found out that there was in fact no bus this week. I discovered a train leaving at 22:00 for Beograd, Serbia where I could then transfer to another train for Sofia, BG. Total travel time would be around 30hrs.



In Zagreb, Croatia I slept through a necessary wagon/train change and the next morning I found myself in Budapest rather than Beograd. I stayed on the train as it was continuing on to Bucharest, where I had 4hrs there to explore the city, before continuing on to Sofia. Because of the extended journey travel time via train doubled to just over 60hrs.



During my 4 hrs of walking around Bucharest I explored the city a bit with my camera.





Crossing the Danube from Romania, on the right, to Bulgaria, on the left.

Greifenburg, Austria & Cornizzolo, Italy

The weather at the Czech Open in Pieve d'Alpago finally cleared and we had a task on the last day, the third task of the comp. The previous day I was flying great and just behind the lead gaggle 20km into the task and then drip drip rain was falling all around and my visibility was reduced to a blur as a misty drizzle began falling all around. The vertical growth of the clouds wasn't much but the moist air from the Mediterranean reached a point, and the task was canceled.


I was flying well on the last task, on my way to goal around 20 min behind the lead gaggle of around 20 pilots, but pushed it more than I should have and landed 740m from goal. That evening I squeezed in with some Polish pilots and caught a ride to Greifenburg, Austria. Cows grazed nearby launch as paraglider and hang pilots waited for the thermals to build for some fantastic flying.


To the south of Greifenburg are the Dolimitis and to the north are the Alps. I flew a 90km triangle but the day had the potential for 150+km. A look at a map and better coordination with friends would have given me the confidence to fly further, as Michal landed 2 hrs after me and flew around 120km.



2.5 hrs from Pieve via train took me to Milano and another 1hr north brought me to Cornizzolo which was hosting a PWC. The main reason for going here was to pick up my new wing, a UP Targa 3. I arrived late in the evening and set up camp, slept soundly, and then the next day decided to hike to launch with a local pilot, exhausting in the 35+ degrees of heat. The next morning I coordinated my new wing and spontaneously decided to depart for Bulgaria. My first flight on the Targa would have to wait. Little did I know that it would be over 2 days before I'd reach Sopot.

Venezia

We've had 2 tasks and then the weather made a turn for the worse. Now every evening rain socks in and in the early AM powerful thunderstorms roll through the village, thunder and lightening rattling our existence.






A group of us, including our team, 'The Loose Association of Pan Pacific Pilots', venture to Venezia for an exploration on the first weather day. The team consists of James and Che from Oz, Harmony from New Zealand, and myself. Wooters from Oz and Glen from NZ also joined us for the adventure, and as we departed the train we joined up with Regula and Connie from Switzerland.









Rafael from Brasil and myself on a hike above launch. Below, Thomas Brauner speaks about the day's task.

Budapest to Pieve 'di Alpago, Italy

I am again in Europe, now for the 3rd time, though for the first time as a pilot. San Francisco to Amsterdam to Budapest. Wanders around Budapest as I wait for the overnight bus to Venezia reveal a city even more amazing than I remember.



From Venezia I can see the Dolomitis in the distance to the north. Mmm I crave to be in the mountains, flying above them at cloudbase. I'm off to the Czech Open in Pieve 'di Alpago for a the week long competition.




The view to the north is incredible.

Oregon....California....Europe

The US Paragliding Nationals in Lakeview, Oregon are over. Due to high winds we ended up flying just 3 tasks, but this allowed exploration of the area which was surprisingly beautiful. One trip took us to the wonderful Indian Springs hot springs. Below are some lakes that surround Hart Mountain, near a massive national antelope reserve.



Frank Brown from Brasil placed first, and Dean Stratton placed 2nd and is the new US Champion. After the awards and dinner we danced into the night to the awesome bluegrass of the Blue Mountain Ramblers. Cheers to whoever started the massage train...


It's fantastically interesting how the past repeats itself. My first night in Lakeview I exploded an egg in the microwave trying to boil it in a glass of water. Arriving home hungry late after the closing party I had the brilliant idea of trying it again. This time I had a strategy strategy; I would cycle the microwave off, with the idea that any excess pressure building up inside the egg would dissipate during the off cycle, never rising above boiling. After a couple cycles of 30s on 30s off I thought everything was golden, but then as I was reaching for the microwave to cycle it off there was a gigantic explosion, as both eggs now coated every possible surface within the microwave.


I depart for Europe in a few hours, next update from Italy!