/advancedadventures Collection #4 English by ADVANCE Paragliders

ADVENTURES COLLECTION B Y A DVA N C E 2021

Photo ADI GEISEGGER

Advanced Adventures

Get inspired

Turbulent times lie behind us. This last year has been one of challenges and restrictions. Could that explain why there’s now a great desire for outdoor experiences and flight adventures? A constant high demand for paragliding equipment is certainly a sign of this. Many pilots have used the time to go on great flying adventures with our equipment. Once again, we have collected and edited some of their exciting accounts. The stories are not only about local flights and micro adventures on the pilots' own doorsteps. Some have ventured far afield despite travel restrictions. And one more thing: our magazine now has a completely revised layout. We have had a lot of fun with the new design and it makes the reading even more inclusive. Get on board! We are sure that our pilot stories will inspire you to go on your own paragliding adventures, whether close to home or far away. We look forward to hearing your special adventure story, and would be happy if you tag it with #advancedadventures.

INDEX

Advanced Adventures

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL Felix Wölk and Pablo

POWER COUPLE

Heidenreich experience an

Céline Mehouas and Sébastien

adventure involving air and

Remillieux travel from their

fire, which becomes a feat of

village in the south of France

tightrope survival at cloudbase.

across the Alps to Slovenia.

SKI & FLY CIRCUIT

26 42-DAY JOURNEY

32 BIKE TO FLY Because a rock face blocks the

Olga von Plate tells the story

bike trail, Patrick von Känel

of her journey from Salzburg

combines two types of sport,

to Freiburg, moving house by

packs his paraglider and flies

bivouac flying.

over the face.

Andy Busslinger, Fred Souchon and Kari Eisenhut want to get themselves around the Mont Blanc Massif by ski and paraglider.

Index

GUMBALL TRANSALP RALLY Eight VolBiv enthusiasts set off from the French crosscountry mecca of St. André for the first so-named Gumball Transalp Rally.

SHARED JOY ON THE MOUNTAIN

A diverse group of six pilots and mountaineers set out to climb the 4,158 metre high Jungfrau in Switzerland.

ABOVE THE VOLCANOES

URBAN STYLE

Melanie Weber and Adi Geisegger

Adi Geisegger and Michi Maurer

are shown the Aeolian Islands

realise a spectacular photoshoot

by Local Antonio Lo Duca.

in the middle of Munich.

ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS Björn Klaassen set off into the wilderness that is Greenland. Carrying his glider and everything else he would need to be on his own for a fortnight.

Text FELIX WÖLK Photos FELIX WÖLK

Advanced Adventures

Between Heaven and Hell On Guatemala’s Volcano

O N

Heaven & Hell

G U A T E M A L A ’ S

V O L C A N O

B E T W E E N

FELIX WÖLK Felix is a paraglider and hangglider pilot, parachutist and mountain sportsman of the old school. For two decades he has enjoyed a worldwide reputation as a celebrated paragliding photographer.

PABLO HEIDENREICH Pablo has been flying since 2011 and four years ago made his passion his job. In the summer he can be found in various locations in the Alps, working as a flying instructor, but the cold European winter sends him back to South and Central America.

Advanced Adventures

Felix Wölk and Pablo Heidenreich find themselves

“The Volcano of Fire is the most active volcano in Central America, barely two kilometres away it continually spits splashes of lava and glowing rocks.”

in a Central American witch's cauldron while flying at the 3,976 metre high Acatenango. This is an adventure involving air and fire, which becomes a feat of tightrope survival at cloudbase. The thunder of the erupting Volcano of Fire resounds through the paper-thin walls of the tent. Barely two kilometres away the voice of the most active volcano in Central America allows us no sleep. I open the tent entrance zip to take a look at the fiery spectacle: lava fragments and glowing rocks rain from a fading ball of sparks. They briefly light the black flanks of a 3,830 metre high cone a blood-red colour, where smoking rocks roll down towards the valley. I force myself to close my eyes. Barely acclimatised to the altitude, I am troubled by a sense of unease at the prospect of the adventure which awaits. A calm weather window is forecast for the morning, the last one. After that the north wind will persist. This will be our third attempt at flying the Acatenango – and our last chance.

Between Heaven and Hell On Guatemala’s Volcano

ON THE VOLCANO

Assessing the situation is a delicate matter.

It is four in the morning. I can’t tell if I have

This early in the morning it should be

slept or not. Pablo has already packed the

flyable – we hope. Quickly we are ready

rucksack. We trudge off into the dark night.

for take-off. With this third but airborne

In the helmet lamplight the lava dust swirls

descent imminent I pull up my wing.

up with every step. Breathing is difficult.

After five steps I Iift off from the crater

At 3,800 metres we reach the barren part

rim, quietly suspecting that it will be an

of the volcano which rises up out of the

adventure with a wrecking ball.

Pacific coastal plain; nothing grows here. ONE ATMOSPHERE –

The climb to this height was a journey through various climate zones: from the

TWO WORLDS

heat of the valley we walked through

A flight in the

the fertile farmed land, then up through

heavens begins.

dripping jungle with a humidity of near a

Below us is a sea

hundred percent. This was followed by a

of white. It seems

mysterious world of dead trees, very likely

to be covering all

a victim of a rain of ash. Only at an altitude

of Guatemala. But

of 3,700 metres do we reach the wasteland

the picture below

of the high mountains, which here consists

concerns me. By the

of sand and lava rock.

minute the cloud detail changes. After

“We know we only have this one chance of flying the 3,976 metre Acatenango. It’s now or never.”

UNPREDICTABLE

15 minutes of glide

“Pablo and I fly into the unknown, very tempted by its seductive glow at 6:45 in the morning.”

MAGNIFICENCE

without the slightest

Dawn breaks as we

evidence of air in

reach the crater.

motion we reach the cloud top. It’s the

The wind seems to

door to a different world, one in which

be asleep today; we

a dream becomes a nightmare under the

feel only the lightest

cloud. A moment later we’re standing in

of its whispers.

the wind. I step on my speedbar. Then

Every few minutes

an invisible wall pushes me backwards,

'el Fuego’ breathes

towards the south. I radio Pablo. He is

thick ash clouds into

behind me, fighting the headwind but

the morning sky. Far

getting smaller. “70 km/h wind from the

below, Guatemala lies

north”, he reads out from his GPS. We do

under an unbroken

not delay, turn round and run with the jet

cloud blanket. On

effect alongside the volcanic cone rising

the horizon the equatorial sun rushes

from its plain. At 110 km/h groundspeed

up into the day. A surge of colour, detail

we are racing towards the Pacific.

and contrast floods across the white sea

The air gets rough, I begin to climb, stand

surface. Pablo and I try to read the air

on the speedbar and hear the slap of the

from the cloud picture.

first collapse.

Advanced Adventures

Between Heaven and Hell On Guatemala’s Volcano

E Q U I P M E N T

The Föhn wind from the north is confined

“When my vario beeps hysterically it is obvious: we are in a witch's cauldron of wind.”

under the cloudbase

SIGMA 11

by a ‘braking’ layer,

Ambitious Cross Country

a layer of warmer air which stops vertical convection progress. At 70 km/h there are

LIGHTNESS 3

waves and rotors

Ready to Transit

in it. A southerly sea breeze from the Pacific coast pushes against it.

“As I look at the sky the only condensation in sight is a kilometre long lenticular cloud on the horizon, clinging to a mountain like a boil.”

We are in the middle of a poisonously turbulent convergence (collision) zone, bubbling and tumbling below the inversion layer. This is serious. Pablo has been blown away. I see him swing about wildly 400 metres higher, far to the south. I meet the next invisible missile strike. My wing becomes a bag of washing. OK, wait, let it fill, let it fly. While travelling backwards a struggle for every centimetre begins. In the hard-edged non-stop turbulence I fight against the climbs and the hits. I too swing

I’m standing up, albeit with shaking knees.

wildly. To avoid collapse problems when

Feeling exhausted I radio Pablo. He can

the glider is not above me, I soon follow

speak, and is standing on his two legs.

a daring tactic: I let collapses happen and

I fall to the grass with relief, and take a

only try to fill them in a controlled way

deep breath.

when the glider is above me. Again and again I shoot up like a rocket, then again

THE COMPLEXITY OF ADVENTURE FLYING

and again all the cells in my wing are

Pablo and I go back to Antigua in the public

empty of air. My nerves are at breaking

'Chicken Bus'. Pablo quotes incredulously

point. I force myself to adopt rhythmic

from his GPS: “Take-off 6:45 a.m.

breathing and steely concentration. About

Maximum climb 11.4 m/s. Maximum

100 metres above the ground I step

wind 72 km/h.” He sums up ironically:

resolutely on the speedbar and get rid of

“A nice morning flight.” I think about it,

50 of these metres with a shaking wing

having just survived the most demanding

but without collapse. Now I’m travelling

flight of my 28-year paragliding career.

forwards. I make it to a field, stand still

A predictable paraglider and some luck

in a gust then shortly after have ground

helped everything turn out well in the

contact, ready with two brake wraps on

end. Today I was reminded of the risks of

one side and A-risers gripped on the other!

adventure flying: A foreign country with its

At the first touch of feet I rip both sides

complex local weather systems, the lack of

down savagely and stagger backwards.

experience in the unknown, the pressure of

The disabled wing crashes to the ground

time and success as a photographer.

behind me.

Advanced Adventures

SKI & FLY CIRCUIT

A R

N D

B L and is a teacher by profession. In his spare time he likes to go paragliding.

KARI EISENHUT Kari is the founder of the ChilloutParagliding school in Switzerland, and leads various continuation training activities. He is also an ADVANCE test pilot.

FRED SOUCHON Fred is an enthusiastic paraglider pilot, alpinist and qualified mountain guide. Professionally he is a mountain rescuer in Chamonix.

most respected paragliding photographers,

Andy is recognised as one of the world's

ANDY BUSSLINGER

Text RAPHAELA HAUG Photos ANDY BUSSLINGER

Ski & Fly Circuit Once around Mont Blanc

Advanced Adventures

“ Andy Busslinger, Fred Souchon and Kari Eisenhut wanted to travel around the Mont

This was a completely different way to travel. Up, down, our goal was to keep going and end up at the starting point. – ANDY BUSSLINGER –

Blanc Massif by ski and paraglider. It was not about great sporting achievement, nor about cracking a tough flying challenge. They set themselves only one rule: anything goes, but it must be fun. For gaining height they could use ski lifts, railways and public transport, to then descend on prepared slopes, powder snow or by flying. The route itself was the goal, and the journey would last for three days. Piste maps and ski area diagrams lay on the table. Fashionable winter sport destinations such as Chamonix, Albertville, Megève and Courmayeur are discussed. The evening before the challenge, the trio pored over maps in Fred’s Chamonix chalet. They gave their creativity free rein as to which cableways, ski lifts and train routes they would string together like pearls on a necklace. They wanted to make use of different ski resorts in two countries to travel once around the Mont Blanc Massif. Fred is the local, Kari and Andy have already acquired experience in this discipline in ski resorts in Switzerland.

Ski & Fly Circuit Once around Mont Blanc

A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT WAY OF GETTING AROUND Click. Click. The ski boots snap into their

Two gondolas and one glide later the three

bindings. It’s time to go. The trio had

are at the Bellevue mountain station. “The

started north of Chamonix in Vallorcine.

view from up here is magnificent. Mont

They’d taken the lift to the summit of the

Blanc is right in front of our noses and, high

Tête de Balmes, where the wind is perfect

above us, the wind is blowing the fresh snow

this early morning. Wings are pulled up

off the ridge. The streaming snow seems

and the three enjoy a perfect soaring and

to trail for miles; flying up there today

snowkiting session. After more than an

would be impossible. What is even more

hour in this winter landscape it’s back

fascinating is that conditions are good here

down to the valley. Next stop: Chamonix.

at 1,800 metres”, explains Andy.

Advanced Adventures

“

When the slopes are empty in the afternoon, you can decide for yourself whether you’d rather fly or ski down. That’s pretty cool! – FRED SOUCHON –

Ski & Fly Circuit Once around Mont Blanc

A R

N D

WEIGHTLESS seven. A long beautiful day awaits the

Day two starts early, the alarm set for trio in the Val d’Arly. Above, at the takeoff, the wind is from the back. In the lee of this mountain the take-off that would take them to Megève is doomed. They have to climb down a bit, and can then take off in a light crosswind. A few lifts, a few hours of sunshine and moments of happiness later, Fred, Kari and Andy enjoy another snowkite session. The afternoon slowly draws to its close, and with it the last rays of sunlight quietly disappear. The slopes are virtually empty. What could be nicer than making some huge sweeping turns in the empty snow, then lifting off again and again to fully savour the feeling of weightlessness under a wing? Finally they land in Albertville, the packed snow exchanged for green meadow. It’s a leap between seasons in a few minutes; another feature of the magic of paraglider flying.

B L

Advanced Adventures

E Q U I P M E N T

PI 2 Light Versatility

STRAPLESS 2 Ultralight Mountaineer

BETWEEN TWO WORLDS The journey continues to La Rosière. In the distance Mont

and takes up an ever more commanding place in the

Blanc shows its steep and wild side. The 2,000 + metre

landscape. It is just there, majestic and imposing.

terrifying south wall makes access to the famous summit

The Helbronner cable car whooshes us up to

considerably more difficult. “To look at such a well-known

3,462 metres. It literally catapults us into the world

mountain from different sides has always fascinated me.

of high mountains. The view from here is simply

Our ski-and-fly tour took us to the most diverse of places

phenomenal. Conditions are also perfect. “We pull up our

in the shortest time,” explained Fred. The next take-off is

wings one last time at the Col des Flambeux and enter the

on the Italian side and brings the three adventurers to the

immense glacier world. We glide over the Vallée Blanche

Aosta valley. Italian coffee, narrow streets with the aroma

to Chamonix, all the gigantic high mountains next to us:

of freshly baked pastries pervading the air. From here

Dent du Géant, Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille Verte … simply

it’s by bus to Courmayeur. Mont Blanc edges ever closer,

overwhelming,” enthuses Fred.

Ski & Fly Circuit Once around Mont Blanc

“

You don’t need an exceptionally high level of skiing or flying, but you do need a lot of space in your head to store all these great impressions and experiences. – KARI EISENHUT –

Text SIMON CAMPICHE Photos SÉBASTIEN REMILLIEUX, CÉLINE MEHOUAS

Advanced Adventures

Pilot or navigator? Or the other way round? Depending on the mood of the day, swapping these roles, Céline Mehouas and Sébastien Remillieux travel from their village in the south of France along the Alps to Slovenia. At their goal they have flown 530 km under the tandem, and walked the other 430. Where VolBiv adventurers are usually required to make individual decisions, this two-person team complement each other perfectly. This widens the spectrum of possibilities and enhances the shared adventure. A pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled!

ALL ALONG THE ALPS BY TANDEM

Céline Mehouas Sébastien Remillieux

Power Couple All along the Alps by tandem

Céline Mehouas and Sébastien Remillieux live in Barcelonnette in the South of France and are both physiotherapists. They have flown the paraglider for around 8 years and both have tandem licences. They already have some tandem VolBiv experience together, including a crossing of the Pyrenees.

Advanced Adventures

E Q U I P M E N T

PIBI Family Affair

COMPANION SQR LIGHT

Power Couple All along the Alps by tandem

8 DAYS INSTEAD OF 8 HOURS

Above all, they enjoy

The start is bumpy. A heatwave has

the time spent outdoors,

settled over Europe, the airmass is

and sleeping in a tent.

looking increasingly stable. This is not

The daily routine

good for flying, and it is too hot for

slowly settles in: find

hiking. The 36 to 40 kg of flying and

a place to sleep, pitch

bivouacking equipment they must

the tent, cook, sleep,

carry between them is significant.

pack everything, plan

“We needed a whole week to get

and decide. But what is

from our home in Barcelonnette to

the actual distribution

the northern side of the French Alps.

of roles? “We decide

I flew the same section a year ago

together and take turns

EMOTIONS AND TIREDNESS

in less than eight hours,” explains

with everything, both in the air and

Céline and Sébastien have been

Sébastien, somewhat frustrated.

on the ground. Sébastien, however,

underway for 16 days. Tiredness

Although the pair have not set

is the one who pushes forward and

slowly creeps up on them. “We

themselves a fixed target, they would

takes the initiative to fly. I, on the

compensate for this by trying to stay

like to get to Slovenia in their four-

other hand, am sometimes more

methodical so that we don’t make

week holiday. Céline and Sébastien

tentative and slow him down a

mistakes”, says Céline. Was there a

decide to put the concerns about the

little,” Céline smiles. The two of them

low point on the trip? “Yes,” says

current 'delay' behind them, and take

cover most of the distance through

Sébastien. “I once forgot to fasten my

each day as it comes.

northern Italy in the air. Conditions

backpack properly before take-off.

are promising, even on

We were very lucky because I was

the day when Céline and

able to get hold of it in the air and

Sébastien fly across Lake

fasten it. But that was the moment

“It took us eight days to cover a distance that I was able to do in eight hours last year. That is frustrating, but there’s nothing you can do about the weather.”

Como and turn into the

when Céline let her emotions run free

Valtellina – the thermals

and told me what she thought about

are strong and it’s

the incident … That’s the downside of

windy, challenging flying

being a couple”, he smiles.

– SÉBASTIEN REMILLIEUX –

because Céline is not so

“This 94 km flight was my longest with the tandem. With the Piz Bernina behind us and ice cream in front, it really was a perfect day.” – SÉBASTIEN REMILLIEUX –

conditions. Sébastien is 'command pilot' on this flight, fortunately, keen on these conditions. But the two make good progress and in the

THE START OF THE HOLIDAYS

afternoon Piz Bernina appears: it’s

Morale builds with increasing

the easternmost 4,000 metre peak

altitude, especially when they reach

in the Alps. Another milestone, a

the high Alps. Their first big cross-

satisfying moment. To celebrate this

country flight along the southern

94 km flight, the duo treat themselves

Mont Blanc massif far into Italy is

to some Italian ice cream.

impressive. “We have now left our home behind us and are discovering new, unknown terrain from here on. The holiday has begun,” says Céline.

Advanced Adventures

NOW OR NEVER On the morning of the 22nd day Céline landed the PIBI in Austria. Slovenia is not much further, but the sky

WATCH VIDEO

is grey. Hiking is called for. After an unexpected flight the next day they discovered a potential take-off on the map, near the Slovenian border. “It’s tomorrow or never”, says Sébastien. But tomorrow’s forecast looks gloomy, and they have to reach this take-off spot first, 15 km as the crow flies and 1,000 metres of climbing up. It’s already 18.30 … However – no sooner said than done. After a monster hike, lit by a lunar eclipse, the pair reach the take-off at 3:30 a.m. There’s not much time to sleep: at sunrise Céline skilfully manoeuvres the tandem into the air between trees and a ski lift. After a 10-minute glide the couple’s feet touch down on Slovenian turf. The goal has been achieved. There’s still a couple of kilometres to walk to the nearest bus stop, then the holiday is over. The two return by bus and train and are back at work three days later. For the last three and a half weeks they have only lived in the moment, pure luxury. “Sébastien didn’t want to go home at all,” Céline tells us and laughs.

“In this trip we learned so much about ourselves and flying; were able to discover beautiful places in the Alps that we would like to return to.” – CÉLINE MEHOUAS –

Power Couple All along the Alps by tandem

Advanced Adventures

MOVING HOUSE BY BIVOUAC FLYING

After four years at Salzburg in Austria, Olga von Plate decided to move back to Freiburg in Germany in summer 2019. A thought came to her in the middle of the night: why not just cover the 700 km on foot and paraglider? After the tens of thousands of kilometres she has travelled for work over the last few years, Olga has had enough of our speedobsessed world. She wants to travel as slowly as it takes to see the clouds drifting by. Timeless, so you can dawdle.

A couple of days to think about it and the idea became a plan. That felt really good: to move at a snail’s pace. A month and a half lay ahead in

OLGA VON PLATE

which nothing was planned, apart

Olga is a passionate mountain climber and paraglider pilot. She specially likes long bivouac

from arriving sometime, although,

adventures, with equipment reduced to a minimum.

actually, not even that mattered: just

Everything you need goes in the rucksack. In real

to be on the road. It took a couple of

life, the Freiburg native is a mountain and extreme

days for the stress of recent weeks to

sports camerawoman.

subside, and I could calm down. The weather was not completely helpful. I had to patiently sit out 0.3 m/s thermals, circle in zeroes and only

LUXURIOUS OFFICIAL TAKE-OFF SITE

make slow progress so it was hard

After ten days I got to the Achensee to enjoy an

on my ambitions, but the weather

official take-off place for the first time: a mown, even

and my bad situation left me no

lawn without stones, plenty of room for running,

other choice.

wind streamers everywhere, other pilots to watch… What a luxury! It now became clear what unpleasant or downright evil places I would otherwise have to use to take off. The weather doesn’t look so bad now, and I want to continue flying to the west. Today only a few pilots dare to make the jump across the Achensee, none get any further. It is very bumpy

Sometimes I felt annoyed at the poor flying rewards, but then again I said to myself that I did not set out to get there as quickly as possible.

in the air, but I can get some good height under my belt. Unfortunately I don’t meet any thermals. I know that the weather forecast for the next few days is miserable, and have to make an instant decision in the air where I want to end up. "Better hiking through the Karwendel than traipsing along the Inn valley", I think. I make a 180 and fly to the Achensee landing field. I am disappointed and angry with myself that I haven’t flown further today, so much so that I break my rule and go back up on the cable car. Of course

You learn patience when

this achieves nothing and an hour later I am back in

bivouac flying, and to take

the landing field!

what comes. You can plan very little. But once you accept this every day is a gift.

BUT ONCE YOU ACCEPT THIS

EVERY DAY IS A GIFT.

Text OLGA VON PLATE Photos OLGA VON PLATE, ADI GEISEGGER

The long way round Moving house by bivouac flying

Advanced Adventures

YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE A START …

THE REST LOOKS

AFTER ITSELF.

In the morning I set off without a plan; I don't know where I will sleep that night and that is exactly what makes it

PARAGLIDING MEANS FREEDOM AND TRANQUILLITY

so attractive. The day

The journey continues on foot to the Wetterstein

evolves as the hours

mountains, and after carrying the glider for eight

pass by.

days I think it is only fair that it carries me, for once. I quickly take off on the south side of the Zugspitze into the ‘New World’ and get as far as the Heiterwanger Lake by Reutte. How wonderful it is to be in the air again – to be flying. Those with more ambition than I, and who are physically fitter, could get three times as far in

E Q U I P M E N T

the same time. But it takes the rest of the year to ‘be efficient’, and I am enjoying the self-accepted

slowness. Risky top-landing manoeuvres and hair-

Allround Tourer

raising slope landings appeal to me less and less, and so I often land in the valley in the evening and prefer to get myself back up next morning in my own time. I often get into conversations with hikers and paragliders and the comparison with X-Alps is not long in coming up. Every day in the summer I follow the X-Alps Live Tracking and marvel at the performance of athletes and supporters. At the same time this event seems daunting, even off-putting because it’s the opposite of what paragliding means to me: freedom and tranquillity.

LIGHTNESS 3 Ready to Transit

The long way round Moving house by bivouac flying

A BAG OF CLOTH After three and a half weeks I can see the Bodensee on the horizon for the first time, from my harness at 1,800 metres above the Earth, and instantly decide to take a straight line route the rest of the way to Freiburg, instead of flying further into central Switzerland. I’m especially aware of this last stretch, and will walk it with a light pack. In the last flying area before Lake Constance, I allow myself three more days of cable-car flying. Just for fun. I made my last flight from Andelsbuch above Dornbirn to the Swiss border, packed my wing, somewhat wistfully, and gave it to a friend. It is only a clever package of sewn-up material, but it has been a good friend to me: a faithful companion, a warm blanket, my wing to freedom. It has carried me many kilometres through the air on this journey, I could always rely on it.

A FAITHFUL COMPANION, A WARM BLANKET, MY WING TO FREEDOM.

Advanced Adventures

42 DAYS OF DETOUR TO THE NEW HOME I’m slowly beginning to realise that I really have walked and flown roughly 700 km The Wutach Ravine marks the door

to get here. You know the one place you

to the Black Forest. By and by I came

live, and some others; even some areas

across more familiar place names –

in between, and you’ve driven past it

and needed the map less and less. My

countless times by car. But on foot, all

mother and friends accompanied me

these places and experiences line up like a

for the last few days.

string of pearls. The last morning had some special magic: today, for the first time, I know where I will be in the evening. I pack the rucksack for the last time and fill the water bottles. 42 days after the start in Berchtesgaden we stroll, almost casually, to the busy Münsterplatz in Freiburg. I take my shoes off and walk the last few metres to the cathedral archway. We embrace, and have to laugh and cry at the same time.

The long way round Moving house by bivouac flying

WITH A PAIR OF HIKING BOOTS, A PARAGLIDER AND FRESH MOUNTAIN AIR YOU’LL GET FAR ENOUGH!

The return to residential life was surprisingly difficult for me. The speed with which the world is suddenly turning again has left me quite overwhelmed. The urgency and efficiency of our daily life seems immensely inhumane.

When I went back to Berchtesgaden some time later to collect my packing cases, I asked myself whether I could throw half of my stuff out. How much do you need to be happy?

Advanced Adventures

A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET DOWN The Sigriswil ridge, with its leisurely winding trails high above Lake Thun in Switzerland, invites you to take a bike with you. There’s only one problem: there is a rock face in the way. Keen to make this bike trip nonetheless, Patrick von Känel took his paraglider along as well. Thanks to some clever

E Q U I P M E N T

home tinkering he took off with the bike, landed below the rock

PI 3

wall and rode back to his home

Light Versatility

by the lake.

STRAPLESS 2 Ultralight Mountaineer

ADVANCE:

… And you can do this directly

Patrick, where did you get the idea of

from home?

combining flying and biking?

I’d moved all the way to Oberhofen on Lake Thun. This is really quite a privileged position. You can do just about everything from your front door. There are many popular trails for biking, the Niederhorn at Interlaken offers many flying possibilities and I look directly out on to the lake, so I don’t miss the kiting wind if this is on. That’s why I start most of my adventures directly from home, and of course the case for Bike&Fly-action was no exception.

A bit crazy, perhaps …

The original idea came from my X-Alps supporter Andy Jäggi. He’s always having these cool ideas [he laughs]. So why not go flying with a bike? I always have a problem when the weather is nice, deciding what I want to do. So what could be cooler than combining two types of sport?

Text RAPHAELA HAUG Photos JOHANNES CHARROIS, CHICSHOT.CH

Bike to Fly A different way to get down

Advanced Adventures

PATRICK VON KÄNEL Patrick von Känel works as a test pilot for ADVANCE. He is also a successful competition and cross-country pilot. At the X-Alps 2021, he reached the raft in Zell am See in second place.

Bike to Fly A different way to get down

How did you decide on the route?

How did you finally connect the bike

That wasn’t so difficult. The Sigriswil ridge lies directly above where I live and is quite spectacular. You really should go up there. The ridge is perfect for biking, an absolute dream. Unfortunately, at some point there is a rock face that can only be negotiated with a paraglider. After that there are perfect sweeping trails again. That’s when the idea of Andy’s bike came back to me. At the beginning I wasn’t sure how to combine the bike and paraglider, or where exactly I wanted to take off and land.

and wing?

What was the greatest challenge

With four paraglider lines. I cobbled it up myself. It took a few hours to get it right. I looped two lines around the saddle tube and attached the other two to the handlebars. I then hooked the ends into the main carabiners. It took me quite a while to get the length of the lines right. If the lines were too long, I couldn’t reach the pedals. If they were too short, I'd have to sit on the saddle during the whole flight. The pain was excruciating, believe me. In the end, all four lines were different lengths and the bike sat perfectly underneath me. [More laughter.]

for you? Take-off? Landing? Or

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something completely different?

The whole project was quite demanding. It took a lot of trial and error to get the bike and glider connected suitably. I also took off and top-landed a good few times to make sure that this set-up actually worked. Landing itself was not a problem. Many thanks for the interview, Patrick. We look forward to your next project.

I thought this was a really cool project. It was an adventure that could be achieved by enthusiasm, commitment, endless patience and good friendship – thanks everyone. It’s also great that Jöschu has captured the whole thing on camera and made a film.

E I G H T

P I LOT S,

O N E

VO L B I V

M I SS I O N

GUMBALL TRANSALP RALLY TIM PENTREATH Tim has been paragliding for over 30 years and is a longtime ADVANCE Ambassador. His great passion is multi-day VolBiv trips in the Alps.

THE TEAM Rhys Fisher, Tim Pentreath, Chris Ashdown, Steve Wagner, Tony Chapman, Ian McHardy, Feite Klijnstra, Nigel Cooper

Text SIMON CAMPICHE Photos TIM PENTREATH, CHRIS ASHDOWN

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Gumball Transalp Rally Eight pilots, one VolBiv Mission

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Eight VolBiv enthusiasts set off from the French crosscountry mecca of St. André for the first so-named Gumball Transalp Rally. They wanted to take on the challenge of an Alpine crossing in which each would progress at their own pace. When possible, they might tackle sections together, or meet up en route for the bivouacs. That was the idea. Tim Pentreath, initiator of the project, describes how it worked out, and how this new VolBiv format developed.

IT’S NOT A RACE, IT’S A RALLY After I took part in a fantastic VolBiv adventure with four friends in July 2019, I wanted to encourage more pilots to try bivouac flying. Preparing and starting such an adventure together considerably lowers the reluctance threshold for any individual. The Gumball 3000 philosophy would be followed: “It’s not a race, it’s a rally”. This legendary road rally runs once a year through various countries, and the social part of it is as important as the journey. So the Gumball Transalp Rally was born as a VolBiv project.

T I M ’ S E Q U I P M E N T

Each participant could decide for themselves how they would

OMEGA XA 3

manage the VolBiv adventure, maybe adopting the purist

Challenge Yourself

approach – completely independent and exclusively under their own steam: or more relaxed, with perhaps a little help from public transport. The intention was that helpful tips could be exchanged along the way, ideally with flying or bivouacking together. St. André in the south of France lends itself as a good starting point. Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc was chosen as a virtual goal, and if the rally travelled further, so much the better.

LIGHTNESS 3 Ready to Transit

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“I wanted to

A BRILLIANT START

BEER AT LAKE ANNECY

encourage pilots

Despite COVID restrictions

The next day, the remaining six gumballers

and a not entirely promising

were again able to put together considerable

to experience a VolBiv adventure. To both prepare

weather forecast Nigel,

airtime. By the evening four members had

Chris, Tony, Feite, Rhys,

spread themselves over a larger distance

Ian, Steve and I met up in

between the southern and northern French

St. André: eight motivated

Alps. Chris and I once more managed to

Gumballers. After dinner

fly 140 km. We landed independently near

we allowed ourselves to be

Albertville, not far from the Chamonix

driven up to the Le Chalvet

milestone. Nevertheless, we did not meet up.

and set out together considerably lowers the reluctance threshold for taking on such

take-off, where we were to

I landed a little earlier and the Annecy Lake

spend this first night in our

was within walking distance so I enjoyed my

tents. For some this was a

evening beer at the Doussard landing site.

VolBiv baptism of fire, and

Chris, on the other hand, hiked in the direction

bivouac equipment was put

of St. Gervais.

a challenge.” – TIM PENTREATH –

to the test. The forecast was not great for next day, but

REUNIFICATION DAY

around midday the weather

Everyone took advantage of the upcoming

gods heard our prayers.

rainy day to get into a good position to continue. In the process, two groups formed

We took off one after the

again in the widely distributed field. Chris

other, the cloudbase rose to

and I, on the other hand, were alone and

3,600 metres and together

each sought out a starting place nearby. The

we set off to the north.

following day delivered what it promised. I

By the evening the potential

was able to fly past Chamonix all the way to

richness of such a group

Switzerland, where I met up again with Chris

adventure was becoming

in Verbier after another rest day. The other

apparent. Six of the eight

Gumballers were divided into two groups

adventurers had 100 km

also near Chamonix. Two of them wanted

on their instruments. On

to continue and also reach Switzerland; for

balance, certainly a successful start.

the others the French mountain village was

Unfortunately one pilot had a hard landing

the destination and thus the end of their

and had to go to hospital. Another missed

adventure.

a thermal connection and landed in the outback, resulting in a long walk.

“For six Gumballers to fly close on 100km on day one was a really successful start. We each flew our own flight and yet we were able to benefit from each other.” – CHRIS ASHDOWN –

Gumball Transalp Rally Eight pilots, one VolBiv Mission

“We got lost along the way and later found each other again in smaller groups. It was good to know we weren’t alone on the road, although in flight, of course, it’s every man for himself.” – TIM PENTREATH –

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“When Tim asked me to join the first Gumball Transalp Rally I was sceptical at first. Am I even up to such a challenge? After all, I have never flown anything close to 100 km in my whole flying career. But then I said to myself: hey, I’m not getting any younger and if I don’t take this chance, I might regret it for ever. When I then circled straight up to 3,600 m on the first flight with the help of Tim and Nigel, and achieved my longest flight with 87 km, I was overjoyed. That was more than I had ever hoped for. And so it went on. On the second day there was another personal best with 143 km. After that came the bad weather, unfortunately. I covered part of the distance by public transport and flew some small distances. But in Verbier I met Tim again. The next day was the absolute highlight of this trip: we flew over the Aletsch glacier in Fiesch and landed in Ticino in the evening. A personal best again, just WOW. After landing, I needed quite a few moments to get my head round it all.” – CHRIS ASHDOWN –

Gumball Transalp Rally Eight pilots, one VolBiv Mission

ONE-SIDED LUCK Chris and I hiked together up to the Verbier launch site on the morning of Day 6. Due to stronger wind north of the Alps, we decided to take a southern route. It was a good plan, because in the evening I had reached Bellinzona in Ticino after flying more than 190 km, Chris was close. With the worsening weather approaching from the west, luck had been on our side. While we had both crossed Switzerland and then northern Italy in large steps, our friends, who were still near Chamonix, were unfortunately grounded by the bad weather.

FINAL SPRINT Now a new goal loomed for me: to get as near as possible to Venice. From there I could come home by plane. The closer I got to the Po Basin, the more stable the airmass became and the shorter the flights. My lucky streak was coming to an end. A very turbulent four-and-a-half-hour flight over only 30 km brought me near Bassano del Grappa on day 10. This was a good ending and I was happy about my personal tally: 800 km in eight flights. The group achievement was also impressive, after all, six of the eight Gumballers reached the Chamonix milestone. And where was Chris? Only on my train ride to Venice did I find out that he had also reached the Po Basin a bit further west near Bergamo, and flown home from there. Well done Chris! See you again at the Gumball Transalp Rally 2021.

“The Gumball Transalp Rally blew me away in every way. Words can’t describe how exciting it was. Thanks to Tim for taking the initiative. I’m already looking forward to another Gumball Transalp Rally in 2021.” – CHRIS ASHDOWN –

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Text RAPHAELA HAUG Photos ADI GEISEGGER

Above the Volcanoes A trip to the Aeolian Islands

ABOVE

THE VOLCANOES A TRIP TO THE AEOLIAN ISLANDS

MELANIE WEBER Melanie discovered paragliding seven years ago. As a Hike & Fly, paramotor and crosscountry pilot she likes to explore new flying areas, and so found herself on this voyage of discovery.

ADI GEISEGGER Adi has been flying paragliders and hang gliders since the early 1990s. Since then the photographer and filmmaker can often be found with his paramotor.

ANTONIO LO DUCA Antonio has been flying for over 20 years. When flying, he is fascinated by the third dimension and discovering new limits.

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Local fish, fresh lemons, good wine … The seven Aeolian Islands in the South of Italy have that Mediterranean flair – through and through. Adi Geisegger and Melanie Weber travelled to the Lipari peninsula and visited Antonio Lo Duca. In their bags: two XI light wings. Their goal: to explore the islands from the air, with local pilots.

Above the Volcanoes A trip to the Aeolian Islands

“Melanie and I are immediately enthusiastic about Antonio’s forecast. Should we get airborne the very next day? His suggestion is to walk through one of the white canyons to the launch site.”

“The coastal landscape approached quite quickly. A salty sea breeze blew in our faces as we sped in the speedboat from Milazzo to Lipari, one of the seven Aeolian Isands”, recounts Adi Geisegger. From far away the islands shone bright

Arriving at the island the pair were

white. Years ago, snowlike pumice stone

welcomed by Antonio Lo Duca. Adi and

was quarried here, and shipped worldwide.

Melanie had got to know the Sicilian

Kilometre-long canyons, reaching all over

paraglider pilot during a trip to Sicily. Then,

the island, remain.

he had enthused about flying conditions at the Aeolian Islands. Three years later Adi and Melanie were at last about to find out about these conditions for themselves, and looked forward to meeting Antonio again at the Lipari dockside. Exuberantly he greeted the two, and forecast the best of weather for the following day.

E Q U I P M E N T

XI Allround Tourer

LIGHTNESS 3 Ready to Transit

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“We landed on the beach, where an apéro is waiting to round off the day.”

Adi, Melanie and Antonio set out from the

With some luck it’s possible to circle

beach in Canneto. They plan to follow the

up over the volcano and set off for the

canyon for about three kilometres to reach

neighbouring island. Today conditions are

the Monte Saint Angelo take-off at 594

not good enough for the trio to reach it,

metres. The ravine is a few hundred metres

but they can enjoy a wonderful soaring

deep. The unique nature of the stone

flight with the view over the sea and a

seems both fascinating and malevolent at

landing back on Canneto beach.

the same time.

After this unique flight Adi, Melanie and

The higher they climb the wider the

Antonio are more than euphoric. They

landscape becomes, as the view over the

check tomorrow’s weather and see that it

remaining six islands opens up. A sense of

looks perfect for the next island’s volcano.

Mediterranean ambiance is growing. Here,

But that is another story. First, the three

higher up, the stone gradually changes.

should enjoy their aperitif, and toast the

Volcanic obsidian replaces pumice.

beautiful flight while letting their gaze take

Once they take off an incredible view

in the expansive view of the sea.

reveals itself. “Beneath us are the snowwhite canyons contrasting with green bushes and trees. In front is the dark blue sea and in the distance you can see Stromboli and its active volcano”, raved Adi; “Melanie’s yellow wing made a striking contrast to this whole scene: so vivid it’s almost too kitsch.”

Above the Volcanoes A trip to the Aeolian Islands

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Above the Volcanoes A trip to the Aeolian Islands

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A tandem flight from a Swiss 4,000 metre summit

Text RAPHAELA HAUG Photos HANES KÄMPF, NICOLA HEINIGER, SEPP INNIGER

Shared Joy on the Mountain To float from an icy mountain top down to the valley: this is the dream of mountaineers and pilots alike. A diverse group of six pilots and mountaineers set out to climb the 4,158 metre high Jungfrau in Switzerland. Four paragliders lifted off from the summit and six beaming faces landed an hour later in Interlaken, the heart of the Berner Oberland.

Shared Joy on the Mountain A tandem flight from a Swiss 4,000 metre summit

THE TEAM Sepp Inniger, Hanes Kämpf and Nicola Heiniger are ADVANCE team pilots. Jil Schmid and Andrina Frutiger flew from the summit under the PIBI light tandems. Joel Siegenthaler is also a paraglider pilot and flew by himself.

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“It is a special pleasure to convey this experience, this carefree way of descending, to a non-flyer.” – NICOLA HEINIGER –

The Rottal hut is perched high above Stechelberg. It normally takes a good five and a half hours to reach it, a timespan that is tedious: rucksacks are heavy, loaded with all the mountaineering equipment. Those who climb to the Rottal hut usually have a particular goal in mind: the Jungfrau – highest peak of the world-famous Oberland trio of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Shared Joy on the Mountain A tandem flight from a Swiss 4,000 metre summit

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THE MOST EFFICIENT ROUTE

3 IN THE MORNING – THE ALARM RINGS

The six-man team of Sepp Inniger, Nicola

The Inner Rottal ridge is rated ZS/4a

Heiniger, Jil Schmid, Joel Sigenthaler,

difficulty, and offers interesting,

Hanes Kämpf and Andrina Frutiger also

challenging climbing. It is often exposed,

have the Jungfrau in mind, and the

a head for heights is a must here. Icy

crowning glory of the day will be the

sections alternate with rocky ones, which

quickest way down. That’s why they

means constantly changing between

have paragliding equipment with them

crampons and climbing boots. Most of the ridge is climbed on a rope, the most

in addition to the general high altitude equipment. “For a long time I had the idea

“The light paraglider

difficult passages are additionally secured

of not only taking off from the summit

equipment with PIBI,

with fixed ropes. An early start is essential

but also flying to the hut”, grins Nicola,

SQR reserve and two STRAPLESS harnesses

for such a tour. “We had a great evening,

weighs only 7 kg. But

but the night was very short. We started

we had two PIBI light tandems and two

with high altitude

at four in the morning from the hut”,

solo gliders with us. We set off together at

equipment and clothing

reports Nicola, “up to the summit there are

1pm in Interlaken and went by train to the

the backpacks are heavy.

1,400 metres of altitude difference”

take-off place. Thanks to super evening

So it was of course great

“Since not all of the party fly paragliders,

thermals we were all able to fly up almost to the hut at 2,756 m – at the end there were only 300 metres of altitude

that I was able to fly to the hut on the tandem.” – JIL SCHMID –

difference to hike instead of 1,800. Pretty cool!”

Shared Joy on the Mountain A tandem flight from a Swiss 4,000 metre summit

E Q U I P M E N T

PIBI Family Affair

STRAPLESS 2 & STRAPLESS BI 2 Ultralight Mountaineer

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Shared Joy on the Mountain A tandem flight from a Swiss 4,000 metre summit

“As soon as the first rays of sun warm your skin, everything else is forgotten: getting up early, tiredness. What remains is the joy of reaching the summit.”

INTO THE SUNLIGHT Step by step, we walk through the night, following the light of our headlamps.

– JOEL SIEGENTHALER –

The first few metres are easy enough, then it gets harder and the team ropes up. Secure yourself rope length by rope length upwards. Sometimes crampons are necessary because of the icy passages, but most of the time the six climb in their

OVER THE SWISS TRIUMVIRATE

hiking boots. Very slowly it gets brighter,

“The climbing was quite exhausting. But as

the twilight of dawn sets in. The light of

we approached the summit, all the effort

the headlamp is no longer needed, and

was forgotten. Being at the top is always

early rising is rewarded with a beautiful

something special,” reports Hanes. The team

sunrise. “When it slowly becomes day and

take off in the snow a few metres below

the sun rises, that is always a very special

the summit – the wind is coming up this

moment for me,” says Sepp. The team

morning, perfect take-off conditions for

makes good progress. It is not far to the

the tandem as well. Early in the morning

summit and the day is still early. Will the

they can soar along the summit and then

wind allow us to take off at the top?

fly towards Interlaken in front of the north face of the Mönch. A mere hour after the six took off, they land in Interlaken, in the middle of the city on a green meadow. It seems only a moment ago they were standing high up in the snow, and now it’s back to civilisation. Every mountaineer’s dream: gliding down into the valley easily and smoothly after a wonderful summit success. Save yourself the tiresome descent. “When you can share such experiences with good friends, it’s even more fantastic,” enthuses Sepp.

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A PHOTOSHOOT IN THE MIDDLE OF MUNICH

Text ED EWING Photos ADI GEISEGGER

URBAN STYLE A STORY PROVIDED BY CROSS COUNTRY MAGAZINE.

Adi Geisegger and Michi Maurer transformed the Bavarian city Munich into a ground-handling studio overnight. “I had this idea during the lockdown, when Munich was quiet,” says Adi Geisegger. “I wanted to play with the glider in the city, with the city lights behind. I rang Michi Maurer and told him about it, he was thrilled. This was the start of a brilliant shoot.”

MUNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM The following pictures were taken from a small hill above the Munich Olympic stadium. “It was one of the best spots, above all the buildings and a clean airflow. Michi could ground-handle there forever”, said Adi, “that's why we were up there for three or four hours, from 7pm until after sunset, ground-handling and playing with the wing. It was like guerrilla photography! It was an amazing day and night, exploring the city in this different way. The pictures we got are unique.”

Urban Style A photoshoot in the middle of Munich

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Urban Style A photoshoot in the middle of Munich

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E Q U I P M E N T

ALPHA 7 Come fly with me BMW HEADQUARTERS The pair started at 6pm and went till 4am. They could, for example, shoot in front of the BMW headquarters. “It’s an unbelievable building, the colour of the light changes every 10 minutes.” Remarkably, no one arrested them. “We

SUCCESS 4 Safety & Comfort first

thought we’d have one shot and then we would have to run away, but we did it four times. Security wasn’t bothered.” The same thing happened when shooting on the steps of the Angel of Peace. “We

ON THE BRIDGE

shot this at 3am, watched by taxi drivers. The police

“The biggest problem was the complicated aerology.

arrived, asked a few questions, and said, ’Have fun,

The one on the bridge was a hard shot! The wind

carry on!'”

was flowing through the streets and also above, it was all turbulence. We had to wait for the right moment to get the right wind direction. We tried three hours for the shot – there were just two minutes when the wind came from the right direction. The building is the Nymphenburg Palace, it’s like a castle in the middle of Munich.”

Urban Style A photoshoot in the middle of Munich

MICHI MAURER

ADI GEISEGGER

Paragliding is Michi Maurer’s profession.

Adi has been flying paragliders and hang gliders

He is an experienced competition pilot and

since the early 1990s. Since then the photographer

leads the test team at ADVANCE.

and filmmaker can often be found with his paramotor.

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AN ADVENTURE THROUGH

Text BJÖRN KLAASSEN Photos BJÖRN KLAASSEN

SOUTH GREENLAND

Alone in the Wilderness An Adventure through South Greenland

Björn Klaassen set off into the wilderness that is Greenland. Carrying a PI 2, his tent, sleeping bag, and everything else he would need to be on his own for a fortnight. His plan: to get from Aappilattoq to Ulamertorsuaq, just on foot and by paraglider – a true discovery of his personal limits.

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The Bell 212 rotor blades whirled ever faster, the turbine engine exerting maximum power – the heavy Air Greenland helicopter lifted off. I waved to the two pilots and stood alone in Aappilattoq in South Greenland, not far from Cape Farvel: 90 inhabitants, a last outpost of civilisation. There are a few colourful houses, a church and a small fish factory surrounded by pointed mountains, bordered by the sea — impressive. I grab my rucksack and walk down the path from the heliport to the settlement. There I meet Timo. He will take me by boat to my starting point. From there, I will be completely on my own.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH A BOAT RIDE

“I was extremely impressed by the icebergs from

In the boat Timo casually mentions that a polar bear has

the air. The dimensions and colours are gigantic –

been sighted in the neighbouring fjord. “You got a knife

literally very cool!”

with you?” I instinctively reach for the knife in my trouser pocket following this question. If I scare a polar bear off with this penknife I’ll make the front page of every popular tabloid, I think. Ten minutes later we dock. Timo wishes me luck, tells me that it is “pretty crazy” what I am doing here and races away. Now there is no turning back – there is only one direction available: Ulamertorsuaq. “I have everything I need: paraglider, harness, tent, sleeping bag, stove and food – all optimised for weight, reliability and durability. Nonetheless, my backpack weighs at least 25 kg.”

Alone in the Wilderness An Adventure through South Greenland

E Q U I P M E N T

PI 2 Light Versatility

STRAPLESS 2 Ultralight Mountaineer

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Alone in the Wilderness An Adventure through South Greenland

The sound of Timo’s motor dies away in the distance. All that remains is silence, a leaden sky, my rucksack and me. I follow the right-hand side of the river and travel deeper into the valley until evening. The mood is melancholy – snow terraces reflect in the water. By the shore of a lake I find a flat space on a wonderful meadow. Perfect for passing the night in my little tent. The next day my rucksack still weighs at least 25 kilos and the countryside ahead looks difficult. A strenuous climb lies ahead. There’s the payoff in the evening: I discover my most spectacular campsite ever. I pitch my tent in a wide crevice high above the

THE TENT, MY BEST FRIEND

fjord, overgrown with soft crowberries – it all fits

I wait up here for three whole days until, at last, the

perfectly. The view is simply phenomenal.

rain stops. I’m enjoying this interlude, completely above the fjord, far away from any civilisation in the middle of a phenomenal world of cloud. Meanwhile I can look around for suitable take-off places. At last, on day five of my journey, the wind is perfect: if only it weren’t for the cloud that is constantly building beneath me. Zero visibility – no take-off – it’s cold and wet. I wait and wait … After at least two hours it clears briefly, my chance. Time to get out of here! Take off and I’m leaving by air, heading west, cheering this unique place. I lose very little height under the cloud and even hear those tentative beeps along the slope. The view over the fjord is fantastic from this bird’s-eye perspective. The 20-minute flight to a landing uses 650 metres of altitude. Even so it is one of my most wonderful flights. The plan has worked. I touch down gently, into wind. I feel as if I have just made my first 100-kilometre flight. Indescribable.

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LUCK ON MY SIDE Along the Itillersuaq valley is Tasiusaq. There’s a small village here, a good thing for me – I’ve almost run out of food. I am a little disillusioned with the range of goods on offer. There’s actually no dried version available. So my rucksack returns to its initial weight with strange food, like frozen, red-coloured Danish sausages. But here in Tasiusaq the flanks of the mountains are perfectly suited to the daily fjord wind. I can fly ‘Yo-yo style’ again and again – uphill, down to the beach and so on. At some point Ulamertorsuaq appears in the distance. I look at the summit in disbelief, because only a narrow strip of sun illuminates it. I pitch my tent in the last light. Almost immediately a sensational

“THE 20-MINUTE FLIGHT TO A LANDING USES 650 METRES OF ALTITUDE. EVEN SO IT IS ONE OF MY MOST WONDERFUL FLIGHTS. IT FEELS AS IF I HAVE MADE MY FIRST 100-KILOMETRE FLIGHT.”

sky appears – Northern Lights everywhere. The green veils waft and dance above my head. I can hardly believe my luck. An unbelievable sense of fulfilment spreads within me. My goal Ulamertorsuaq is

EPILOGUE

within reach.

I stayed a few more days at Ulamertorsuaq and flew from different mountain sides. In spite of the changeable weather I was still able to crank around and up in a couple of thermals, up to 3 m/sec towards the cloudbase. This solo trip was so intense, challenging and free that it is difficult to put it into words. Most of the time I walked, I would have liked to have flown more. Nevertheless, every single flight was sensational. I was on the road for a total of five weeks, first with kayak and paraglider, then later on the two-week tour described here with only the paraglider.

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Publishing Details

PUBLISHING DETAILS PUBLISHER Advance Thun AG, Uttigenstrasse 87, 3600 Thun, Schweiz IDEA & CONCEPT Simon Campiche LAYOUT 3DELUXE COMPUTER GRAPHICS Mark Oertig COORDINATION Tobias Rusterholz, Raphaela Haug TRANSLATIONS Mike Riley PROOFREADING Charlotte King TITLE PICTURE Felix Wölk

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