P-2: At long last!! [long]

[JohnE]

Hi folks!

Some of you might remember that I have wanted to learn to PG for over a year, but circumstances kept me from doing until now. Over the past year, I monitored this forum, joined the chgpa and attended a few fly-ins just to get in touch with the group. As I've said before, you are a super group of folks, fun and mutually supportive. And I now have the opportunity to fly with you!

I just got back home from 10 days at Eagle Paragliding in Santa Barbara. Rob Sporrer and his team of instructors are amazingly gifted teachers, addressing each student's needs and varying their teaching style to adapt to varying learning styles. Sometimes I was the only student and other days there were 3 or 4 on the training hill, always with plenty of instructors. During my stay, there were 2 guys from New Zealand, one from Boulder, and a lady from Boston, so I was not the only out-of-towner there, by far.

I have never seen a place like Santa Barbara, so beautiful, with mountains by the sea, a lovely mission church, harbor, and where everyone I met seems happy. The training hill has a lovely view of the Pacific, is right in town, and takes advantage of the prevailing winds. If I can, I'll attach a few pictures to show you the conditions. I now completely understand why Eagle and Santa Barbara come so highly recommended for paragliding. I planned 10 days of instructional time, which was long enough for me to learn and demonstrate the basic skills needed to earn a P-2, but also convinced me that a lifetime is not long enough to master all the skills needed in paragliding.

After a few hours wrestling with the school's wing assigned to me, I was still having trouble getting it up (no jokes, please, Gary!). I was too tentative in the beginning. Normally, Eagle waits a few days to move a student onto their own wing, but Rob read me in a Yoda-like fashion and told me that he had the wing for me: A UP Kantega XC! Right from the start, I got it up and was able to start the process of learning to maneuver the wing. I started with reverse pull ups and was launching by the end of day one. Several days of what I suppose is typical ground handling and kiting skills work ensued. The instructors rotated, so I had the benefit of different approaches and ways of explaining things, which worked well for me. There were some real teachable moments, like when I landed in a bush at the edge of the training hill LZ on day 3 (coming in too high and getting a little pop over the LZ, just as I thought I was going to land, for example). It was all good, though!

Not believing my luck, Eagle invited us students to join the local club attheir semi-annual, weekend camping fly-in at Big Sur, about 3 hours up the Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1). The ride up on the 2 lane ‘highway’, alone, was worth the trip. The local members were warm and welcoming, with perhaps a few more paragliders than hang gliders. With family members and kids, there were about 70 people in attendance at the pot luck dinner and bon fire. I even met a cool P-2 named Kevin from DC who will hopefully be contacting us and joining chgpa real soon.

The next day, our launch measured 1015 meters (about 3350 feet) and the landing zone was a field next to the beach at about 15 meters. Some folks arrived early on Friday and got in some nice plights, but those of us who come on Saturday parawaited and picnicked in persistent cross winds. Sunday gave us light and infrequent cycles that eventually became launchable. I am thrilled to report that my first ‘real’ flight was from Big Sur – nearly 20 minutes and 3300 vertical feet! It was essentially a really long, fat sledder, but I am still pinching myself about it!

Late Sunday, back to Santa Barbara for a few days of kiting in varying conditions,as well as launching and demonstrating the skills to get my rating. The last evening was spent at the nearby Hendry’s Beach bar/restaurant’s phenomenal happy hour with instructors and local pilots. Truly unforgettable!

Needless to say that I can see that flying is obsessive, but I know I am in excellent company (on both coasts!). I am now going to check the forum to see if anywhere is looking good for a novice P-2 tomorrow, and if observers will be in attendance!If your read this far, I hope you enjoy the pictures that I hope to be able to attach below! I feel like the luckiest guy in the world!

Hope to see you somewhere flying soon!
John

[JohnE]

A couple of other pictures that I couldn't seem to add in the first post... [I am such a newbee!]

[mingram]

Congrats! And nice pics! That fog is amazing! I'm trying to fly on Sunday and will call you.

Matt

[deveil]

John, i should have gone ahead and tagged along just for the scenery. it looks (and sounds) to have been a great time for you!
obsessive? that's a good thing, almost a basic requirement
congratulations on such a great way to have addressed the ole mid life crises or second adolescence or wisdom garnered through maturation - whatever silly tag one puts on it, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're in the middle of a life well lived.
or put more simply:
COOL, DUDE!