Fear
Parasailing in thermals after 4 years
 

No surprise I woke up depressed. Yesterday was my first good day for paragliding after four years. The thermals were a bit rough. I had done heavier ones, but I felt to afraid to jump and fly. Got too old? Has the charm of doing macho gone down? Should I change to golf altogether? Driving, head down, with my now 9 year old Alpine Renault Kangoo micro camper to my sleeping forest I decided that I would need at least five more flights  for such a decision. So I just woke up remembering yesterday's flop and the tough decision I made. After considering resignation at breakfast I drove 800 m up Alpe d'Huez, famous for its Tour de France cycling race stage finishes. Behind the famous finish line in the village I drove another 350 m up and parked the car, encouraging myself to fly, but still not sure.

Photo: Ready to climb for the jump, my Renault Kangoo microcamper now featuring an innovative self made roofbox for parasail, golf clubs and spare diesel.

It takes another 200 m by foot to reach to summit of the Sure. The thermals are not as rough as the day before. It should be doable if I could collect the guts.
The wind over the mountain turns out to be more westish than the southern movement of the clouds, so I have to descend a bit to find a jump slope to the West. I had forgotten my water, but fortunately there is melting snow.

Photo: Melting spring snow, welcome for fools who forgot to take water

After nervously checking everything too many times and making some trial starts, I jump. The slope thermals take me back up to over 2000 m, and this is not a gradual thing, it goes with sudden heavy gusts that tug your sail up, and your stomach seems to stay behind. After the gust, there usually is a downwind in which part of your sail often collapses for a while, giving you the sensation of a short free fall before it spreads and starts to carry you again. While overlooking hundreds of kilometers of snow peaks I told myself that this was nice to have been able to do for a while in my life but that this would be my last flight and my next task would be to sell the wing.

Photo: Buhhh!

Photo: Left transparant blue: my flight (photo taken at half way position), total 12 km, 1.2 km down, not something impressive to professional standards,
extreme right (you might have to scroll): Alpe d'Huez and its Tour de France ascent

Tomorrow flight no. 2 of the 5 I promised myself at least to make, I am already feeling better about it.

P.S. Already in the next flight, fear was down to the normal level. After 4 years, the mind seems gradually to have stopped believing that parasailing is actually possible, but needs only one session to remember.