on with it

Bishop is in our rear view mirror. We've made a pit-stop in Salt Lake where it's cold and raining. I'm already wondering if I have it in me to make it through the upcoming winter. Here's my mantra: Please keep air travel affordable and Thank god I'm not in Minnesota. (sorry guys, it's just that you're a little crazier than me, and not in the good way).

We had 2 good fly days out of 7. I tell you, Bishop is a windy place. This means lots of disappointment for the competitors, as well as a whole lot of free time on our hands.

I'm not complaining though, I had a blast and was really sad to leave. It was great to see our flying friends. These are people that we only see on the road, sometimes in foreign countries, other times in the deserts of a bumble-hick town. These are special friendships. No frills, no sparkles. We bask in each others B.O., and wake up with two tasks: Coffee, fly and the occasional clean skivvies.

There were no catastrophes. One reserve toss and a day hike out of the mountains, one sprained ankle involving the flight of an unmanned wing, some fingers crushed in a car door, and a spilled margarita-pretty good, given humans aren't (yet) born with wings.

Pilot Favela- or Shanty Town.

This is an example of just how cheap paraglider pilots are. Too cheap to pay the 10 bucks for a camp site, so they fit 8 tents to each site, costing each person $1.25, more $$ to drink with... I guess.

Bishop, or Mars.

4 people in the front seat, 4 in the back and a 85 pound dog. 9 gliders in the bed with 3 more people holding them down. 4-wheel low, 40 minutes up to an 8,300 foot launch. Note, we're still smiling. (Kansas- the one in the green hat has a 3 week old with him on the trip- proving to me that you're life doesn't have to stop because of kids)

Melanie feeling some happiness- she's on my back-up list.



This is Bodie Ghost Town. One of the craziest places I've been to yet.













Chair Crater, Nevada.