Judith's blog

What a rush around day! First thing into Olot to get the van serviced, then back home to have coffee with Veronica (there was Geoff thinking he was the only English in the village!) and then back to get the van. However, there’s a hole in the transmission that needs to be repaired and it all got a bit complicated, but suffice to say, we couldn’t go to fly in Berga with Nicky. Instead we decided to try our luck at Santa Brigida with Tomas, Marc and Joan.

It was clear even before we got there that it was windy, but we went up anyway to see if it would drop. Tomas is a professional balloon pilot and he keeps a supply of helium in his truck to blow up balloons which he releases to check wind speed, direction, etc. before he launches. It was incredibly thermic, and the wind turned at times, so we blew up balloons to try to see what rotor looks like. This of course inspired lots of silliness – and in the end I got to do something I have always wanted to do, but never got the chance… talk funny with helium. It was hysterical!

We never did get to fly, but we had a really nice afternoon…

See photos of today.

See video of me talking funny.

See video of Joan talking funny.

See video of Marc talking funny.

See video of me doing ‘Helium Happy Birthday’.

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We weren’t sure how good the skiing would be today, what with the sunny weather, but with all the new snow, it seemed daft not to give it a try. We got up to Masella early, and the lower slopes were hard and compacted with icy patches here and there. Once up at the top of the resort, the snow got better and with 69km open, we got to ski runs that are open for the first time this season. Some of the really scenic ones (Isards, Panoramica, Bona Vista, etc.) are now open and it was nice to get the alternative views – albeit very late in the season.

So a nice skiing day, with lots of sunshine and slush confined to the bottom slopes. We’re hoping to go again this week!

See photos of today.

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Geoff writes: Crap weather here, though the skiing would have been OK – 70 km open, out of 72. Judith back from Ireland now, and weather improving a lot from tomorrow, so should be back to skiing and flying (though the skiing quality will depend on how warm it gets in the mountains).

Another XC day in the UK – they have had an excellent March, with over 3700km flown in about 126 XC flights to date according to the XC League, with only three of those from Mynd sites, amounting to 41km.

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Geoff writes: like yesterday for wind, but a lot cloudier. There’s a building high over the UK, which usually means poor weather here, and also accounts for the easterlies. So possibly poor flying for the next few days, but we might go skiing instead, once Judith gets back from visiting Ireland.

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Geoff writes: a forecast of east is probably the worst direction for our local sites. The only real option is Berga, but by the time I realised this, it was getting late and I hadn’t arranged to meet up with anyone, so I took a chance on it being less east than planned. However, the various wind machines were giving it quite strong east, or ENE, at Santa Brigida and Bellmunt, so in the end I didn’t go out, just stayed in and did a few jobs.

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Geoff writes: an excellent day which I managed to miss, partly because of laziness, and partly because our one Spanish mobile, which has all our Spanish contacts in it, is now in Ireland with Judith, rather than here where it would be useful. So I had no way of contacting others.

I went to Bellmunt first, where there were four people flying. I didn’t want to take the car up, because I didn’t want the hassle of getting it back, especially if I went XC, which was easily possible today. It’s not top landable, and it’s a two hour walk (for me, with a glider) back up (hence the laziness).  I waited in the meeting place – the cemetery! – for a while, but no-one else arrived. There were some people at a parachute zip line and packing event, so – not having a phone – I had no idea when they would turn up. So I decided to go to Santa Brigida, confident it was on there, and that there would be people there – and it’s top landable, and an easy hitch back for the car if you land out.

Much to my amazement there was no-one there, even though it was flyable. Again, I waited a while, but no PGs turned up. Not wanting to fly alone – I’m never that happy doing that, and certainly not when no-one knows where I am and I don’t have a mobile – I eventually gave up, went home, and had beer and sandwiches on the balcony.

Really, though, I shouldn’t have been so lazy, and just gone up Bellmunt.

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We were going to go skiing today, but the forecast was for 14C in the Pyrenees (22C at the coast), and the avalanche risk was still high this morning, so the top runs were closed. Once it was too late to go, we found out that they were blasting and hoped to get the higher runs open this afternoon. Never mind. I hate slush.

Instead, we had a proper classic forecast for Santa Brigida. Five to seven on the Beaufort scale at the coast, light inland. Perfect! I skyped Nicky to see if she fancied a flutter and we posted that we were going on the Parapent-Girona list. Lots of people replied saying they would come.

There were massive wave bars over the Pyrenees and unusually, close to Santa Brigida too. We met in the parking place and Roger, Sergi, Joan, Nicky and us headed up the hill. It was a bit scratchy at first, but then came good. Roger was the first to sky out, followed by the others. By the time I was ready (too much chatting!), it had become scratchy again and Geoff was struggling. Roger promised me a free ride up if I went down, so I launched. Now two of us were scratching low…

It was far harder than yesterday, but we eventually managed to get up again. When I landed, I looked around and squealed with delight… Xevi’s back after a year and a half in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. So nice to have him back! By this time conditions looked to becoming very good indeed and Sergi, Roger and Xevi all went into orbit. Sergi went to explore the valley and el Far, whilst Nicky did a hop, skip and a jump that ended in a twist and shout. No serious damage done, she and I went on a nice evening flight where I tried her Karmasutra harness. It was like flying in a kiddie’s camping chair. I think I need a size bigger!

Joan, whom it was a pleasure to meet for the first time today, did a first couple of top landings and was last to land. Seems he couldn’t get enough of the lovely evening conditions.

Oh, and it’s the first 100km day in the UK. At least two in Scotland, five from Wether Fell and I assume that more people are not even home yet… [later edit: no, these five were all from Wether Fell, not Scotland. See http://www.xcleague.com/xc/leagues/view-1.html?vx=200318]

See photos of today.

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