I experienced my first thermal flights during the summer of 1997. All I knew about thermals before then was that I wanted to avoid them at all costs, because they were bumpy and way too scary." Just give me a nice, smoother sledder," I was known to say. That was before a thermal clinic with Joe G. and my first "real" thermal flying at Marshal, followed by some epic days at Potato Hill and Whaleback that I will never forget.

As I sat on the soggy ground the following January, my mind drifted to the warm days of summer. Remember the feeling of hooking one and taking it up, up, up, far above launch? Remember the days when the thermals were EVERYWHERE? When you actually contemplated going XC? When you had to land because your arms were tired and it was so cold at that altitude?

Whenever I start getting depressed about the weather, I look forward to summer -- the long days of flying and telling tales around the campfire at night. Maybe this summer the epic flights will be at Dunlap or at Tollhouse. We have some great sites to choose from. Too bad summer is so short!

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Kim Galvin   USHPA Advanced Paragliding Instructor & Observer    510.748.0451   KG6KIM

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