Learning to Fly

Out of Reach

After a fun night at the bach drinking Tequila and playing Pictionary, Daniel, Lu, Juninho, Alan, Carol, André, Angélica, Jussara, and I made it up the hill around 1pm. Nobody was flying when we got there but everyone had started prepping and Gilmar and Kiko led the way. I sat with Márcio and Stéfano and watched them fly for a while but it seemed the only thermals they could find were near the city and I knew my wing wouldn’t make it that far if I didn’t find anything closer so I waited for around 30 minutes until things were looking a little more certain before I finished prepping.

By this time everyone was keen to fly and quickly taking off and heading left along the ridge. I took off and went toward the big conglomeration of gliders halfway along the ridge. As I was heading that way I noticed that they were starting to disperse. I figured the thermal they had all been in was dying and they were looking for something else, and it seemed they were heading my way. I had noticed a buzzard on my right side and I guessed they were heading after him, but I hadn’t felt any strong bubbles on my way so I figured I was one up on them and continued on my way.

I felt a few bubbles and weak thermals which were enough to keep me up long enough to play in close to the rocky ledges for a while and then drop down into the city. I went a little long and was almost forced to land on the roofs of the houses near Moacir’s landing spot, but somehow a warm one lifted me up over them and onto the grass.

Daniel and I walked down to the Baiana and had a couple of beers while André and Carol did tandem flights down to the south with Max and Fabinho before coming to join us.

Total flight time 25mins.