Monarca Open and Pre Worlds Competition

After spending the big bucks and being a paragliding princess the previous week (see last blog), I stayed on at the house while it filled up with the hottest competition pilots in the country, and yes they were hot. My job was to feed Rob photos every day for his blog

I even got some tandem rides so I could shoot air to air, but not as much as I'd hoped. In between shooting, I played wind dummy, chase driver, and it was basically a continuation of paragliding camp - being a fly on the wall and listening to how all these top pilots 'debriefed' after 'specking out' at 18,000ft and then taking a 'cloud street' home to land in the back yard.

The group energy was so great. Rob the charismatic trip leader pulled together a band of superheros. Richard, our resident witch doctor, Bradly the hot shot acro pilot/teddy bear, josh our leprecon, and Dean's cousin Brian - if only I had a dollar for every time he said dude. But when he said my photos were "tight, dog", I knew I was in the club. And the boys did let me into their club. Some of them reluctant at first to let a chick in, but after a week it felt like family.

Even though I missed some of the best powder in 15 years, I had the time of my life. Just to be able to cheat like that (because as humans, we're not really supposed to fly like that), was amazing. All future tours will be with the rob squad and Eagle Paragliding!

for more photos check out 

thiakonig.com/monarcacomp

thiakonig.com/preworlds

 

for pics of the town of Valle De Bravo

thiakonig.com/valle

and of my afternoon in Mexico City

thiakonig.com/mexicocity

This one time, at paragliding camp.....

I decided to spend my entire year's budget for skiing in exchange for a paragliding tour in Valle De Bravo with Eagle Paragliding. The Rob squad is first class all the way with an amazing crew of insturctors, and a sick house/hacienda with pool, jacuzzi, maid, cook, and driver. It was so nice to not have to worry about all that stuff, cuz I had enough on my mind, learning to thermal and all. We had five instuctors watching over us on radio - even when you didn't think they were watching you- they were, and it was an experience of a lifetime.

On the third day, I got up to 10,000 ft near the clouds, where the view is outstandingly beautiful, and go cross country, catch another thermal, and land in a field. Wow. That day was worth the price of admission.

for more photos go to thiakonig.com/flymexico