The New Paragliding Fanatic
Wow, it's been almost two months exactly since I last posted something here. And that's exactly how long it's been since I've done any paragliding too.
There were days in the last couple months were I definitely could have flown, but I had my usual bag of excuses.
I still enjoy paragliding, and my enthusiasm for flying always returns when I travel someplace new to fly, or I fly in a competition, or I'm pretty certain I'll be able to fly some distance that day. But outside of that, on a daily basis, I find it hard to convince myself to drive two hours to fly just to fly. I think I have finally figured out why paragliding has lost part of its appeal for me: Challenge.
A flight with no challenge is a flight that I often find boring. It sounds terrible to say, with paragliding being such an incredible thing to be able to do to begin with, but if you've done something hundreds of times, it simply becomes repetition. However, if you are presented with a challenge, the task itself changes, as you start to analyze, calculate and define what it is you must do to conquer the challenge and achieve your goal.
I think this explains why I am not fond of ridge soaring, sleddies, or flights where I am restricted to the bubble infront of launch on days where thermals are small and weak. This type of flying is not challenging, or like staying in light lift, it's challenging, but in a highly redundant way. Similarly, I think this also explains why I am drawn to competitions - the notion of making goal is a challenge presented to you in the form of GPS coordinates your instrument is reminding you of every second of your flight. Your challenge in a competition is to make goal, but it's the final challenge in a vast array of challenges you will face on your journey to get there.
It's safe to say that as a person, I get bored easily and tend to entertain myself through childish antics when there's nothing to do on launch, or after landing. So I suppose it's carried over to actual flying as well. I purposely land all the time because I'm simply bored or I don't bother to go flying at all because I feel indifferent about the less-than-stellar-conditions - is that a terrible thing to say? Can paragliding be boring? Am I the crazy one when everyone else lands with smiles on their faces exclaiming how smooth the air was, how fun it was to fly for four hours, when I would describe my own flight as say, average?
I feel guilty for making a post like this. I am certainly not nearly skilled enough to say I have mastered any one part of paragliding, and that's what's causing the boredom, because I certainly have not. It's not that I don't have great flights and it's not that I don't enjoy the sport as a whole or am just jaded as a person. Although I can often sit and read for hours on end, I just don't get the same level of entertainment or enjoyment out of many paragliding flights. I know it sounds strange but I hope it's okay to admit that, even though I often feel I am alone in my sentiments.
I've made posts similar to this one in the past, just about how my feelings towards the sport have changed, so this is nothing new, although I think narrowing it down to thinking about it in terms of challenges, is. I had a good early start to the season, flying in Nepal, and having some great flights in Pemberton and Golden. Flying a personal best in Golden was especially awesome this year and I still get excited talking about that flight - that flight challenged me on a LOT of different levels, that's for sure.
For everyone who lands excited when I am not, I try feeding off their energy and try to share in their excitement, although secretly I envy and wish how I could be like them.
Perhaps I just need to find my own zen within paragliding again - that moment when you're just happy to be flying. And if my moment comes a lot sooner than everyone else's, I need to start accepting that too.
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I don't think I will update my blog until I fly again. It may happen in three months, or perhaps six. Or maybe before the year ends, an opportunity to fly will come my way. I would like to explore someplace new - perhaps Brazil? Perhaps Europe again? A new challenge presented by a new flying environment alone almost guarantees good flights when travelling.
No matter what the case, I wish my fellow pilot friends who are flying now, very happy, enjoyable, and challenging (in a positive way, of course) flights.
There were days in the last couple months were I definitely could have flown, but I had my usual bag of excuses.
I still enjoy paragliding, and my enthusiasm for flying always returns when I travel someplace new to fly, or I fly in a competition, or I'm pretty certain I'll be able to fly some distance that day. But outside of that, on a daily basis, I find it hard to convince myself to drive two hours to fly just to fly. I think I have finally figured out why paragliding has lost part of its appeal for me: Challenge.
A flight with no challenge is a flight that I often find boring. It sounds terrible to say, with paragliding being such an incredible thing to be able to do to begin with, but if you've done something hundreds of times, it simply becomes repetition. However, if you are presented with a challenge, the task itself changes, as you start to analyze, calculate and define what it is you must do to conquer the challenge and achieve your goal.
I think this explains why I am not fond of ridge soaring, sleddies, or flights where I am restricted to the bubble infront of launch on days where thermals are small and weak. This type of flying is not challenging, or like staying in light lift, it's challenging, but in a highly redundant way. Similarly, I think this also explains why I am drawn to competitions - the notion of making goal is a challenge presented to you in the form of GPS coordinates your instrument is reminding you of every second of your flight. Your challenge in a competition is to make goal, but it's the final challenge in a vast array of challenges you will face on your journey to get there.
It's safe to say that as a person, I get bored easily and tend to entertain myself through childish antics when there's nothing to do on launch, or after landing. So I suppose it's carried over to actual flying as well. I purposely land all the time because I'm simply bored or I don't bother to go flying at all because I feel indifferent about the less-than-stellar-conditions - is that a terrible thing to say? Can paragliding be boring? Am I the crazy one when everyone else lands with smiles on their faces exclaiming how smooth the air was, how fun it was to fly for four hours, when I would describe my own flight as say, average?
I feel guilty for making a post like this. I am certainly not nearly skilled enough to say I have mastered any one part of paragliding, and that's what's causing the boredom, because I certainly have not. It's not that I don't have great flights and it's not that I don't enjoy the sport as a whole or am just jaded as a person. Although I can often sit and read for hours on end, I just don't get the same level of entertainment or enjoyment out of many paragliding flights. I know it sounds strange but I hope it's okay to admit that, even though I often feel I am alone in my sentiments.
I've made posts similar to this one in the past, just about how my feelings towards the sport have changed, so this is nothing new, although I think narrowing it down to thinking about it in terms of challenges, is. I had a good early start to the season, flying in Nepal, and having some great flights in Pemberton and Golden. Flying a personal best in Golden was especially awesome this year and I still get excited talking about that flight - that flight challenged me on a LOT of different levels, that's for sure.
For everyone who lands excited when I am not, I try feeding off their energy and try to share in their excitement, although secretly I envy and wish how I could be like them.
Perhaps I just need to find my own zen within paragliding again - that moment when you're just happy to be flying. And if my moment comes a lot sooner than everyone else's, I need to start accepting that too.
------------
I don't think I will update my blog until I fly again. It may happen in three months, or perhaps six. Or maybe before the year ends, an opportunity to fly will come my way. I would like to explore someplace new - perhaps Brazil? Perhaps Europe again? A new challenge presented by a new flying environment alone almost guarantees good flights when travelling.
No matter what the case, I wish my fellow pilot friends who are flying now, very happy, enjoyable, and challenging (in a positive way, of course) flights.
posted by Veronica at 9:50 PM
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