Valle de Bravo with the Gin Explorer: Part 7.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Continued from Part 6.

Day 2.

Sunrise.

Recovered from a gruelling first day of flying and classroom, I finally get a chance to grab a few snaps of where I am staying - Araucaria Hotel Boutique. It came highly recommended via TripAdvisor (jockeying between the #1 and #2 choice of travellers to Valle) and the rates back over the summer for a Christmas stay seemed quite reasonable. One thing I picked up in Brazil was that if there are non flying days due to weather or illness, having a nice place to kill the day in makes things far more tolerable.

View of the lake from the pool deck.

Reception.

Pool deck.

Room.

The staff are great and the room is both clean+spacious. The addition of a small closet safe is an added bonus to stash passport, cash and the netbook. The main gripe is the lack of interior ventilation, which means condensation build up over night (short of leaving a window open and having the noise of the street filter in) - condensation that will work its way into a charging video camera (causing fog up when at altitude). Also by the end of the first day one learns to give the corners of the mattress wide berth to save shins from repeated smacks into the granite platform.

The plan set the night before has me meeting Marko at the Church @ 0900 -  5 minute walk from the hotel along the lake front road. From there we will collect Al/Xiaoting, then Ignacio, and finally Enrique. A quick stop at the gas station (near the airfield I landed at the day before) to get water and up the mountain we will venture.

The Church.

Appears that this is a common meeting point for pilots looking for rides to/up El Penon.

Vendor setting up shop for the day.

Five to nine, Marko arrives. Along the drive to the hill, we pick up the remainder of the crew before stopping at the gas station.

Arriving at the turn off from the main road to the mountain sits another congregation area for pilots looking for a lift. Prime real estate for one thinking of capitalizing on the boredom (and caffeine dependancy of visiting pilots).

Shipping container coffee bar conveniently placed at the turn off to the mountain. Those chairs are surprisingly comfortable.

Shade, the most use I will ever have for a HG (aka logistical nightmare).

Up top, the routine begins - pull out wing and sort lines, ball up, place at the back of launch and cover it as best you can to keep the suns rays off to it.

The info board/site rules @ El Penon launch.

The flight plan for today is going to build upon yesterday. Where yesterday we stopped our westward trek at Crazy Thermal Place, today we will continue on with a valley crossing to Maguey.

I am amongst the last to launch and quickly slot in wth the gaggle. Prior to this trip, anything more than 3 gliders in the air and I'd consider the site crowded. After yesterday, anything less than a half dozen right next to me and I start worrying I might be in the wrong place.

Climbing gaggle.
About to slip in behind the white/orange Advance wing.

Pushing upwind to join a stronger climb with Marko on the blue/yellow 777 Pawn. Yes, an EN-A wing.
It is pretty clear by the end of the course that even a school wing can do respectable XC's here in Valle.

30 minutes later our group congregates in a climb over Crazy Thermal and is ready for the valley crossing to Maguey.

Continued in Part 8.

Valle de Bravo with the Gin Explorer: Part 4.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Continued from Part 3.

Finally the opportunity to do what I came here for - to fly.

Marko, having given our respective kits a once over, provides a run down of the day:

• Wait for a respectable mass of pilots to launch and watch to see if many are able to climb out. If not, wait until either the launch conditions start to test our comfort level or some of the herd begins to transition from the house thermal out front to the rock face of El Penon. 
• Once launched, immediately turn left to catch the tail of lift from the thermal kicking off from the foothills below. 
• Drive into wind and join the gaggle. 
• Once above 2800m (for the high EN-Bs), consider transitioning and aim to hit the south west edge of El Penon. Additional turns above 2800 nets additional options.
• If no climb is found right away upon arrival, soar the rock face. 
• Once above the rock, move onto The Wall. 
• Ridge soar up above the lip to then thermal and get enough height to jump onto Crazy Thermal Place. 
• It goes without saying, if someone finds a climb within glide while soaring - race to them. There is no shame in pimping off of other pilots.
• Once everyone is above Crazy Thermal Place, we will play follow the leader to learn the XC building blocks of flying Valle (especially the interior of the Mesa that The Wall and Crazy Thermal Place form part of).

Sounds like a plan.

Waiting for conditions to strengthen.

11AM. Word given to start getting ready. As we close in on noon, expect conditions to become ... challenging.

One never before flown Gin Explorer.

1130. Laid out and ready to give it a try. First pull up turns into an abort due to a cross gust. Assistance from Marko's retrieve driver enables the Explorer to be reset for a second attempt.

Second pull up is good and we're off.

Looking good.

And so starts the first XC of the trip.

Following Marko's instructions, I turn quickly left and catch my first climb.

First climb looking down at launch.

Stair stepping up the climb, I gain enough height to join the gaggle thermalling out front.
Kelly's rules of thermal etiquette are fore front in my mind.

Slotting into the climbing gaggle.

The climb topped out, time for the transition to El Penon.

Next stop - El Penon.

Arriving at El Penon, I begin to work in and then away from the face to locate the lift band. Denis Cortella's suggestion on how to safely fly close into a ridge (weight shift away and apply inside brake to counter the turn) is going to see some application today.

Getting cozy.

Adding meters. Just ahead is Ignacio on a 777 Pawn.

Topping the rock along with Alasdair on a Nova Mentor (I think a 4).

To The Wall we go.

Al and I cruise along The Wall, about to discover the 'G-Spot'.

Arriving at The Wall, we continue to follow Marko's instructions and set up to ridge soar until we crest the lip and locate a climb. Along the way the legendary thermal trigger known as the 'G-Spot' makes its presence known by awarding Al with a frontal collapse and myself with a right asymmetric.

Once above the ridge, eyes are keen to locate any hint someone has found a climb.

Cruisin' for a climb.

Less than a minute passes and a climb is found.

Xiaoting (top) on the Air Design Rise, Al (middle) on the Nova Mentor, and Ignacio (bottom) on the 777 Pawn.

While we begin to work the thermal, Marko above us spots that one of our crew needs a hand. While still in a carve, Marko pulls big ears and 'cores' away + down. This is the first time I have seen an instructor or guide abandon a thermal to help one of the students struggling to locate lift. I cannot overstate the positive impression I am left as a result of this 'sacrifice'.

Marko (above) pulling ears to drop down and lend a hand.

While Marko helps out below, those of us who have crested the climb move onto Crazy Thermal Place to go into a holding pattern.

Al (left), another wing, and I approaching Crazy Thermal Place.

Continued in Part 5.

Valle de Bravo with the Gin Explorer: Part 3.

Note: The FlyinOrange has moved to: flyinorange.blog

Continued from Part 2.

0500hrs - up and prepping kit for the transition to Valle de Bravo. A WhatsApp message from a flying counterpart, Ignacio, who generously offered a ride indicates he might be slow in exiting Immigration. Looks as if his flight from Argentina was 15 minutes late and is stuck behind a trio of flights from LAX, SFO and ORD. 400+ people swarm the Immigration queue.

2 hours later we meet up and hook a shuttle to his car. A short diversion to Ignacio's apartment to drop off his travel kit and we are off to VdB.

The elevator exits straight into the apartment. Very nice!

Racing along the toll way, Ignacio points out a white Dodge Charger following a high end SUV in the left lane. 

"Private security. You do not want to get between them."

Good to know.

After a quick stop outside VdB to gather Ignacio's flying kit, we meet up with Marko and my fellow participants. Among them are Al and Xiaoting Jones - a Brit/Chinese couple who are much like I - travelling the world with PGs in tow. I came across their blog a year ago when looking up info on Steve Barton and XC Brazil. Small world, it would seem. A hilarious sense of humor and Xiaoting's spitfire-esque nature leads me to believe I've lucked upon some great flying mates for the week.

With introductions taken care of, we pile into Marko's truck for the ride up to launch. Near the top, Xiaoting points out the recently built snack stand and the washroom facilities (with running water AND soap). Looks as if the locals are keen to make Valle de Bravo *THE* must visit winter flying destination.

El Penon launch site rules.

Snack bar.

Washroom.
It is cleaned throughout the day and lady who does so appreciates your tips.

Up top, the launch's namesake rock stands in the distance.

Climb out, glide to here.

My photo taking excursion is cut short by Marko's request that we pull out kit for inspection. It appears enough external course students have shown up with incorrectly installed reserves that Marko now pops over every participants reserve container to double check everything is good to go.

Equipment checked, forms filled out. Now for a briefing of the flight to come.

A fairly simple flight - launch, grab the first climb and bee line for El Penon. Keep mind to stay out of the lee while ridge soaring to the top, then hop over onto the Wall to grab a climb and buzz over to the 'Crazy Thermal Place'. From there XC we will go - basically it is follow the leader for today. Marko mentions a key good trigger point along the Wall, named the 'G-Spot', but climbs can be rowdy. With house thermal names like this - I gather subdued flying we will not find.

Time to break out the Gin Explorer for her maiden flight ...

Continued in Part 4.