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Chelan 1 - Chelan 2
Utah - Moab
Mexico 1 - Mexico 2
Monarch Butterflies - California
October - November - December - January - February - March
Monday December 31st - Kingman, AZ - Guamay, Mexico
Sunny - We met up with Dave Prentice from Superfly at the border and the four of us made it through customs buy sunset with two vehicles. It was fun chatting via the Ham radios. The stars were bright, the moon just passed full, we were traveling at the perfect time through northern mexico. Most checkpoints were wave throughs as locals celebrated the new year. I slept my way through it for once in my life. We made great time on those nicely paved 110kph toll ways and were ready to sleep and drive some more.

Tuesday January 1st - South into Mexico on Hwy. 15. Photos from the road.
Sunny - Wow it looks cool during the day down here. The sun lights up all the colors.  We lost so many degrees latitude yesterday. We woke up Dave on the roof and made the goal Mazatlan. I enjoyed watching the landscape change from brown border towns to lush green fields and more traditional looking Mexico. The country makes 45% of its money selling gasoline at $2.70 U.S. per gallon in the remote areas of Mexico. Normal price is around 5.6 pesos a liter. $1 = $9 pesos. They use the dollar sign too. Tolls are between $30 and $96 pesos.

Wednesday January 2nd - Mazatlan, Mexico
Sunny - After a great nights sleep in a very nice hotel room, I met up with the rest of the crew in the courtyard where we decided what to do with our day. Dave had decided to push on towards Valle while Kevin, Ken and I chose to tour the waterfront. Ahh beach at last. Ever since I left Alaska in October I have been dreaming of a hot sunny beach. An off-shore breeze, small islands, parasailers and pelicans blissed me out as we sat on the deck of a local bar basking in the sun. This is definitely what we were after this morning. Valle was calling to us so we decided to drive until we get there. I think it was really cool that I got to see Valle de Bravo at 4 am before seeing it at any other time.
Thursday January 3rd - Valle [vieya'] de Bravo, Mexico
Sunny - Yes! Day 1 of a 9 day flying spree! After checking into our hotel we did the 30 minute drive up to the "Peñon Diablo" launch. We were the first ones there but about 20 more people showed up in the next 30 minutes. The wind was light and thermals were cycling through like clockwork.  I got my gear together and launched excitedly into my first Mexican flying experience. Thermals were moderate to heavily turbulent with lift between 3-6 hundred feet per minute. But that was only where I was flying. The more advanced cross-country pilots reported some really rowdy lift around 1,200 fpm. I look forward to some of that as I progress. Those guys ended up making it all the way back to Valle [vieya'] some 14 miles away. 
After thermalling a thousand feet over launch for with several other gliders for 45 minutes, I landed out in front of launch at "The Piano" LZ. Named after its shape, it's comprised of a small farming ranch with a huge family, a few cows (big bull cows that I walk past on my way to the road) and dogs. As I approached on final, I turned left to right burning altitude and was amazed by the flock of small boys following my every move like a gaggle of birds. No sooner than my feet touching the ground, they were all over me yelling to be picked to fold up my wing and tote the bag to the road (about 250 yards). I chose a couple boys that did an excellent job keeping my lines clear and even detached the risers for me. I had previously never been able to fit my helmet in the bag, but sure enough, they managed it easily with their factory quality folding job. The going rate is 5 pesos per kid (about $.50 each). Its great getting to the ground and just walking away while all your stuff is taken care of. I often dreamed of this back home flying at Alyeska all summer and having to pack/tote my bag 200 times. 
Ken retrieved me and we both caught up with Kevin who had landed in Valle about 30 minutes before we got there. On the way we picked up another stray glider pilot, Trevor from South Africa, who had just ridden out of the back country on a local farmer's horse. The people here are very nice. Then it was off to lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake. We sat on the balcony and ate authentic Mexican cuisine in the sun. After that, it was time to head back to launch for the afternoon flight. 
It was a bit windy so I took my time and waited for everyone else to launch. There were more people this time as the air is more smooth and stable. Kevin and I were the last ones off. It was awesome! Smooth air, light thermal lift in a 12 mph wind, I flew above launch again and hung out for 10 minutes and watched Kevin SAT his way into the LZ where another flock of kids ran back and forth across the field. With the smoother air and the setting sun, I was able to take several pictures over the back and to the east. I picked the same two kids to pack my wing and went to the roadside cervesa stand to await retrieval.
Overall a very enjoyable first day. At 19 degrees north latitude theres, 80 degree sunshine and a billion billion stars with an orange glowing moon on the horizon. We got back to Valle and I walked the town square shopping and browsing the street vendors for some dinner. I had heard it was good from Kevin's previous experience guiding pilots to Valle. Im so stoked for more flying! The hotel is very nice and authentic with TV hot shower, two rooms, 3 beds and work bench.
Friday January 4th - Valle - Paragliding
Sunny - The sun was bright and hot. Time for two more epic flights. My first one was a short sledder to the piano. I missed the thermals. I watched Kevin and Ken soar over the Peñon and head towards Valle after working it up the beautiful cliffs.
I got a ride back to Valle with one of the other groups picking up pilots at various locations along the way. Had lunch on the terrace awaiting calls from Kevin and Ken on the radio. We met up at the "Los Papolotes" (the kites) shop and went back for more of the good stuff.
I launched earlier this time (second) and enjoyed a 1 hr 15 min flight in the smooth consistent "glass off". Lift rates between 100 and 200 meters per minute. I don't have to correct as much so taking pictures is a lot easier. Tandem "D-Bagging" is on the agenda for Kevin, Dave, and Chris of Superfly. That's D for deployment.
Saturday January 5th - Valle de Bravo
Sunny - I finished up the website today while Kevin and Ken drove to Mexico city to pick up the Vegas crew. Tony, Jim, and Carl. I was happy that the internet cafe used DSL with a DHCP server. Getting online was a breeze. Its back to flying monana and twice a day for 8 more days! I should just stay and fly back to Vegas later. 

January 6th - 7th - Valle
Sunny - It like re-living the same great holiday over and over. Morning smoothie at the fruit stand, beautiful sunny morning launch to 1,500' over. Fly for an hour or two then land and eat lunch. Drive back to launch and fly the afternoon ridge thermal glass off for and hour or two. Valle has lots of places to choose from for eating dinner. We love the lady who makes Tamales.
Tuesday, January 8th - Valle
Sunny - We picked the perfect day to go see the butterflies wake up. Later we heard the that flying was among the worst yet. So we didn't miss much. Our Guide took us up a mountain trail and led us to where the butterflies had chose to nest this year. What an awesome sight. Billions of butterflies sleeping. Not moving until the sun hits their bodies. When they began moving, their blood moves into the wings and the change from a dull color to a bright auburn. We sat with them for an hour or two then hiked down the mountain with them as they spread throughout the countryside. Check out the photo gallery.
Wednesday, January 9th - Valle
Sunny - I volunteered to drive the suburban to retrieve everyone today so I shot video of everyone's launch. And made a 360 of launch. I was shooting footage of an overhead gaggle when I looked towards the Peñon and saw a glider spiraling down from 10,000 feet. I shot the scene the best I could with the bright sun in my eyes. It was a long spiraling cravat SAT followed by a reserve deployment. The pilot was undamaged and minor damage to the wing was fixed like new the next day. We all got to watch it on TV at the hotel. We decided to bag the evening flight and go on the town. Its nice going to a fancy restaurant that will feed 6 for $30
Thursday/Friday, 10th - 11th - Flying
Sunny - Its like reliving Groundhog's day in a paraglider's paradise. Most flights have been between 45 and 90 minutes reaching 9,000 feet.  These thermals are a lot different than in Alaska. I am really pleased at the experience I am gaining on this trip. Imagine feeling the pull in your seat as you map out the shape of the thermal in your head. You lean into it and give a little break and your circling upwards at 500 fpm. Its not warm up there so I bundle up only to peel it all off as I roast in the LZ. I gave my camera to Ken and wow did he shoot some great photos. I love the one of me landing. I was coming in on final and waves of warm lift kept causing me to correct my approach else overshoot. I executed a quick S-turn and was still getting lift at less than 50 feet. I had reached the end of the line with landing space so I started flapping (brakes up and down) for the longest and most rapidly I had ever before. The continuous lift was keeping me from stalling the wing. Witnesses told me that was the first time they had seen someone hover in place like that. I slowly descended strait down as not to hit the fence and trees in front of me. It was pretty. Just like a bird landing on a branch. Thanks for the memorable photo(s) Ken.

Saturday/Sunday, 12th-13th - Valle de Bravo
RAIN - It was forecasted a week ago. And so we had a last day on the town. We drove to launch a last time and watched thermals rise in the rain. A very cool sight. They are shaped like amoebas here. packed up and hit the road to Mazatlan. Check points were a breeze as we made our way west to the ocean. We found a hotel on the waterfront and got some sleep.

Check out the Mexico Roadtrip Photo Gallery! and Gallery2!

Monday, January 14th - Mazatlan
Sunny - The morning was awesome. I sat out and watched the Frigates and pelicans circle in the first thermalls of the day.  While Ken went deep sea fishing and Kevin went kayaking to a small island offshore, I chose to cheese it on the beach and take pictures. It is a great place to visit, but after 2 days it would get old. We got together for dinner and chose to head out for the border. We made it to a town called Navajoa and spent the night in a decent hotel.

Friday, January 18th - Vegas - Joshua Tree - Hollywood
Sunny - Once more down the strip and it was SoCal bound. I went the long way via the Joshua Tree Loop. Another incredible landscape. The rocks rivaled the ones from Moab. Not to mention, all the Joshua trees. A fox came up to me to see if I had some food. Got a digiphoto of that. 
LA is quite a trip. As I arrived on I-10 around 7pm, traffic was smooth. I had not made contact with Jason yet. We met in Maui paragliding last year. I saw the turnoff for Sunset and Hollywood and figured that would be a good landing spot for my first LA experience. I saw a Kinkos and went in to check email. It turned out Jason's house was right there in South Hollywood. There was definitely a police presence in the area. First a cruiser passes then a helicopter circles with its spotlight aimed just up the block. While I was grabbing things out of my trunk, I got painted by the light beam a couple times. Another cruiser speeds by on my way back inside. I guess they had bigger priorities than investigating this long hair. Jason was truly surprised that I was not rousted by the cops. They probably saw all the toys on the roof and my hippie sweats and mocs said "That's gotta be his car". I played it cool under the LAPD spotlight.
Saturday, January 19th - Marshal/Crestline, CA
Sunny - After keeping a close eye on the windtalder at Crestline, and the webcam. Jason and I headed out to Marshall. Lots of smooth boaty lift to keep us aloft for a couple hours. It was a mountain site above San Bernadino. It has lots of little valleys to fly in and a big LZ. I enjoyed it a lot.

January 20th - 31st - Los Angeles - Crestline - Marshal
Sunny - Flying weather has been great. We watch the internet then decide weather to fly in the mountains or at the beach. I havent been doing much else. I really love spending time at the beach site during sunset. The evening soaring there is smooth and lots of fun. Check out the new photo gallery. I plan on staying a while.

October - November - December - January - February - March

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