It was almost possible to do the entire flight without turning. It was stupidly flyable. Apart from the tough low bit at Gouda, where the wind became a headwind and we were on the deck for a while, the rest of the flight was done by ridge-soaring the thermic breeze in a straight line.
We just made it onto the Porterville ridge after Saron - Ian actually had to thermal about five turns to get enough height. Then we raced after the distant figure of Mr Scud Missile Tickbird. Because we were filming we were slow along the ridge - I'd film DrFreeze gliding past me, then I'd ask him to fly on brakes while I passed him, then I'd turn and film the whoosh-past-wonderful-angle. There was enough lift to have done most of the flight on full speedbar, especially the last 40km.
The wind was strong SW at Voelvlei, making me sit up and concentrate there, worried about being pinned. But it was a temporary problem. The wind was NW at Gouda, caused by the venturi where the road goes to Tulbagh. That slowed us down badly and we pushed out into the flats just to stay safe there. Craig had a NE for a while which pushed him off the ridge. Ian flew slowly on the ridge with a strong WNW. I got a good line of convergence over the flats and glided in halfway along Saron Peak, where the wind was light again. Wierd place.
We left Saron Peak level with the top, and almost didn't make it to the Porterville ridge. Craig made it with ease a few minutes earlier. Once on the ridge, it was plain sailing. SSW wind giving us about 55kmh on the GPS, then 65km/h. Flying just above ridge height, all the way to ... Rhenosterhoek.
The wind was steady, but we weren't really getting enough height any more to pop over the Rhenosterhoek peak, and it would have made the easy retrieve into an epic. Gold Star Retriever Lesley was already waiting for us on the gravel road below. I think I'm going to nominate her as the pin-up centrefold calendar girl for GoFly magazine .. every pilot's fantasy is surely an ever-cheerful go-getter like Les.
A great way to end the year with brilliant pilots for company - thanks Tickbird and Dr Freeze, 2007 is now closed off in style. Tickbird - new personal best 122km. Dr Freeze - new personal best 122km. Hammer + Tickbird + Freeze - new site record for Bains Kloof - 122km.
What's going to happen in 2008?
Hammer
For more paragliding adventure stories from Hammer and about the book he is making a film about, go to
www.eternitypress.co.za
04 January 2007
Flygirl: Ian De Vries just sent me an email. Looks like this Brazilian flying threesome thing is catching on..... Pretty awesome adventure :-)
On 31 December 2007......
'Myself, Greg Hamerton and Craig Richards took off from Bains Kloof pass. We had the wonderful ladies Lesley and May as retrieve drivers. The reason being that Greg is making his film version of Beyond the Invisible and he wanted to film me, hence I was Greg and Greg was me..!
He flew my Green Mamba (Swing Astral 5 proto) and I few the Gradient Golden 2. Craig lead the way, conditions were completely awesome and we all flew to Rhenosterhoek - I think it is 122km straight line, and it is all on film. So it was a three way site record, our Western Cape answer to the Brazilians :<). Lesley was waiting for us when we landed.
01 Jan The next day did some filming on tandem with Moose hanging underneath Greg - very entertaining.
02 Jan The following day myself and Greg attempted the great crossing of the mountains behind the Citrusdal Valley - the Kouebokkieberg range. Then we did some epic flying in the biggest ravines and in two day walkout stuff that pushed my limits to the maximum! It was soul searching and spiritual stuff to be over those huge ranges. 3 hours later with sheer joy or relief, we made it over and continued to land at the base of Tafelberg in the Kouebokkieveld.
We did it and captured it all on camera. All I can say was it was truly an epic! We landed at the base of Tafelberg in the Kouiebokkieveld. May retrieved us, finding her way through Middelberg pass which was quite impressive.'
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