Cloud surfing

Isn´t it just the best when you can go flying in the middle of the week or on the working day? Last Thursday we were making schnaps or brandy or liquor or vodka, so many names for a simple fruit distillation, and I was being careful not to drink too much, because next day it was a flying one. I forgot about time and went to sleep at 4am, but I didn’t have any problems waking up. On the launch were quite a lot of people for a working day…

I launched around 1pm. Cloud base was low. I went to the end of the broken mountain, where usually the thermal is. I climbed up and flew to the end of the ridge where you could jump to another ridge called Čaven. I saw many pilots trying to cross and decided to go back to the broken mountain. I started to thermal when suddenly my vario went crazy. Thermal threw me up and at the same moment a cloud came and fastly slide under me. First I was a little scared, I didn’t know what is going on, and then I was totally happy when I realized I am flying above the cloud. This was one of the best flying experiences ever. I was so happy I wanted to cry and laugh and sing. I went back to the pilots that tried to come over to Čaven Mountain then I tried to get another cloud. When I was tired I decided to go to land. Singing on the way down I knew I must be the happiest person on the planet. 

Building a ramp on Šmarna gora

Šmarna gora is a small mountain in the middle of Ljubljana basin. It is one of historical, recreational and touristic point in the capital. Šmarna gora is very special place for me. I live under it and I was working in the restaurant on the top for many years. Sometimes, early in the morning, when I had  lighted a fire in an old bread oven, cooked the tea, I sit on the ramp looking at foggy Ljubljana and I was waiting for the first guests to come up. When I was working there flights with gliders were already forbidden because of the airport. But my father, his two brothers and friends made many jumps with rogallo gliders before I was born. Hang gliding has began on this mountain, which is why my club decided to rebuild the ramp.

We met on Saturday and started working. Even though it is forbidden to jump because of CTR I hope we will make an agreement with airport for a jump in a near future. 

My father in the air with his rogallo glider.

The first ramp

Putting down the old ramp

This was written on the old foundation

Building a new one

Tratrat tra traaaaaaaaaaa 

Back to reality

Competition was over and I stepped on the podium for the first time. Funny, the first competition and the first podium… We need more girls in this sport. It was a little bitter second place, since overall I was the last. But anyhow I got a beautiful trophy and I had a chance to spend some great time with nice people. The “not too much deserved trophy” will remind me on the fun we had. 

Second task I didn’t have balls :) to launch on the east side of Kobala. For hang gliders that is not the easiest launch. I already had lots of troubles there, so I was waiting for the wind to turn long after start gate was already closed. Burned from the sun and tired I packed my glider and went down with some hang gliding pilots that also decided not to launch. Cool Soca River, good company and some great culinary helped me forget non flying experience faster. 
Next week paragliding competition German Open starts, that means jellies will occupate sky and landings. I wish them a nice competition and lots of fun in this magic valley.

:) one day I will fly like Julia :) Congratulation again.

In the morning at Soča River

I left my camera to Petra and Herman and they made this photo. Cool a?

Trophies for Kobala open 2013

My first competition

Looks like I am flying my first competition. Maybe it looks more like chicken flying without the head, but at least I am doing it. I had a nice flight yesterday. It was bumpy so I had to work a lot. I decided that I don t take my camera and later I was sorry because it was a special flight. From girls there is also Julia Burlachenko at this competition and she is flying well. Even with twisted ankle she made to goal yesterday. She said she made it because she was too scared to land… :) She is really sweet.

On the landing we had few beers and then we went to eat at Iztok Jarc family. Thank God his wife Brigita made too much. I was already very hungry and too lazy to prepare something. So we stayed at their new but old caravan and talked. Very late we decided to go to the reggae festival and we stayed there until they were playing music. Now I am resting at the headquarters, looking at the clouds passing by and the sun that is trying to come out after the storm. I am just laying here on the ground and I am enjoying my little hangover. Jurgen is on the way to Tolmin and I am simply happy to be here.  

Pain in the ass

I am writing this post to complain. I don′ t like when people are doing that on random basis, but sometimes it just makes you feel better. I am sitting at home in rainy weather, waiting to get some news from probably the coolest hang gliding competition on the planet – Race and Rally. Like a hungry dog is waiting for a bone. My car is broken and our government is doing everything that I cannot get new yearly toll ticket for my future car. They say the only way to get a new vignette is to own paper from the scrapping company, where is clearly stated the car was demolished. They must be crazy! Austrian government has pretty much the same idea. I have yearly Austrian vignette too. I will see who will be nicer and will get me a new toll ticket faster.  

What will they do at the scrapping company? Probably scrap some other material and sell my car for the spare parts.

 Well, a lot of time we hear country is people and they vote for their rules and government and all that crap. As a small country like we are, little more than two million people, it is really unbelievable we have so many people in the public service. We have, parliament with left, right, pink, purple green ones, departments, institutes, 212 municipalities, with the mayors and they have secretaries, representatives, cleaning personnel, cars...  

As a transit country we are selling expensive toll tickets for the shitty roads.

I already mentioned many times that the only think we need in our government are few people that are good with statistics and computers. All the other money grabbers should get a proper farm work. They should make food, not like now, when they only make shit.

Enough of complaining, not everything is bed. My friend Josa took me flying, Andrej drove me paddling and with Jurgen we had some nice time for my birthday. We overslept at the top of the mountain, had a great breakfast and really nice flights. He managed to climb over the clouds and was happy like a child when showing me his photos.

 Tomorrow I go to Croatia. Maybe they will totally check us out at the border. Just one more time before there is the boarder no more. 

Some photos from our flying weekend: