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The icing on the cake on a very good easter week-end down in Georgia with Atlanta Paragliding, was a 2.15 hour flight and cloubase at 1600mt. On my second tow at around 1pm I found this very good climb and soon was at 1400mt. From there I started heading south given the wind was still very light and constantly switching from NW to SW. My intention was to do an out and return flight or a triangle. I must have made some 10 km when I decided to head back to the field. I had a long Sunday night drive back home wating for me…By then the wind from the W had picked up and after battling for about an hour against the wind to make it back, I decided to drift away with the abundant thermals; but going E instead of the more logic SE, following Interstate 85 to have a reference and for  the retrieve to be easier. After a couple of good thermals and subsequent  glides, I noticed that the wind strenght  was increasing; that is when I decided to call it a day after some 30km in total and over 2 hours flying. Had I made the decision of flying only one direction and downwind, I am sure I would have had the chance to cover some very good distance. An awesome flight nevertheless with very nice spring conditions. I liked the place very much. Thanks to everybody at Atlanta Paragliding for the great time and wonderful hospitality.

Aqui va un video muy cortito del vuelo del viernes.

And loving it! At last I managed to get airborne again. And what a flight! I drove down to Carnesville GA this Easter Friday and met up with Luis Rosenkjer from Atlanta Paragliding Enterprise. They have a paragliding school and towing operations some 70 miles north east of Atlanta. After a couple of attempts to familiarise with the towing, I locked in a very good thermal and climbed up to 1200mt ( the ground is  about 200mt above sea level). What a good feeling after nearly 2 months without flying. At that point I could have gone XC as I had a nice tailwind but being unfamiliar with the area and unsure about the retrieve I did not risk it…I came to regret it because the day was really good with nice spring thermals. In the end I flew for over an hour and loved it. A long drive but definitely worth it! Some pics here.

Este viernes de Pascua, me fui a Carnesville, Georgia. Alli Luis Luis Rosenkjer, un argentino que vive en USA, tiene una escuela de Parapente y opera con un torno a remolque. Despues de un par de intentos y para acostumbrarme al torno, enganche’ una termica muy buena que me puso a 1200mt (el suelo esta a 200mt). La vista desde alli arriba fue espectacular y la sensacion buenisima despues de casi dos meses sin volar…finalmente! Tuve la tentacion de irme de cross ya que tenia un buen viento de cola y me parecio que el dia prometia con muchas termicas tipica de primavera, pero no conosciendo la zona y no querendo liar la recogida no arriesgue’. Al final vole’ casi una hora y me encanto’. Aqui hay unas fotos.

The best powder I have ever ridden! Awesome skiing, the best ever for me with powder up to my waist. The place is stunnigly beautiful, the resort uncrowded and the terrain spectacular. From what I have experienced so far, the skiing in North America is way better than Europe, the quality of the snow is superior and so is the terrain expecially if you free-ride off piste. I demoed the new Rossignol Bandit B4, very fat skis made for powder and I was cruising on rails on very steep bowls and amongst the trees. These skiis are amazing. Schweitzer Mountain is relatively unknown and off the map of the mass ski tourism, mainly because of its location, but it is rated in the top 3 north American resort for off piste tree skiing. More pictures here.

Snow Storm

Originally uploaded by silviozugarini

A massive snow-storm hit the tre-state area (Indiana-Kentucky-Ohio). Accumulation reached over 35 cm (1 foot) with strong winds and freezing temperatures; it has now been 1 month and 6 days since my last flight…I am really starting to feel it…I need some good weather and some air-time !!

Una enorme tormenta de nieve llego’ este fin de semana por aqui en Northern Kentcuky con ventarron, nieve hasta 35cm y muy bajas temperaturas..y estamos ya en Marzo!! Ya paso 1 mes y 6 dias desde que vole la ultima vez en parapente…no puedo mas..necesito que llege el buen tiempo y volar!!

Awesome skiing week-end in Keystone, CO. Plenty of snow and sunshine, some great runs and off-piste tree skiing. Skiing in North America (it was my first time here) is really magnificent and different from Europe; the ski areas are huge and very spread out. Keystone is also very high; the base elevation of the resort is 2800mt and the top of the lifts are at 3700mt; the firs day I could really feel the altitude and lack of oxigen (maybe it is just the age…).