Sure enough. An epic day with extended flights AM and PM. Cloud base for everyone over the mesa (pictured).Thanks to Rob for snapping these shots of us.

Richi snapped this one over his property.

Cloud base for everyone!

I flew through a cloud on my way out over the mesa. A practice day for tomorrow's XC possibility to Chiflas.

After landing at the river we found a different swimming hole to cool off in. It was fun to play around in the rocks and various sand bars.

After stopping at the churizo stand we continued north to Ruitoque for some afternoon flying after a brief stop at Campestre for some wireless internet. Always a pleasure to hang out there.

Another epic flight with glass off lasting well past sunset. It was smooth and boaty for hours.

Richi in his tandem with Rob taking photos.

The city lights came on like clockwork as I folded up my wing. Thanks to Rob and Peter (sunset shot) for all the photos.

We returned to the mesa for another spectacular meal from Richi's mom.

I surveyed the area and planned this route from the air. I landed on the ridge above the restaurant (pictured) and hiked down a nice country road to call Richi to inform him of my whereabouts. I didn't see anyone until I got to the highway where I found a row of tiendas with everything I needed to chill out until mi amigos arrived. Mi amigos aqui en el caro. I chatted with each of the tienda clerks over a cervesa. They understood that I had arrived solo parapente from mesa de los Santos. When my friends arrived it was high fives all around to congratulate my longest XC flight (10 miles). It was a great experience.

After the greatest meal at Chiflas we continued the drive to San Gil where we toured a park and took many more pictures. Nice plants and rocky creeks.

This park in San Gil is a great spot to check out. Lots of plant life, shade and sounds of running water and exotic birds/animals.

February 9th

Morning at Barichara is great for hiking around and taking pictures. After a huge breakfast at a hotel (pictured), we set up our wings, watched the birds and prayed for thermals.

"No booga-booga land" I would say. A term I picked up in Maui for a place that you do not want to land in with many thorns. Thanks to Peter for this closeup.

Richi launched first and started to sink. We all watched and prayed for him. The lower LZ is undesirable for its many thorny plants and trees and hot temps with a hike out. I launched shortly after he began climbing above launch.

We had a cheering section, many children had gathered at launch and they love to see us climb out on a thermal. Rob shot this one of the kids.

Another happy landing.

I placed my wing in the shade and took a break after 2 hours of hard work coring thermals. If I stop working, I end up sinking out.

This was a very tall tree with long wavy moss.

We continued our voyage south to Barichara to our home at launch. We toured the town before sunset then had some dinner.

Town Center Barichara.

You wouldn't think the dwellings in Barichara would look like this from the outside.

Many artists live here and there is a lot of natural stone. This was a shot from the local cemetary.

I hooked into Richi's thermal and climbed at least 2,000 feet over launch (pictured).

The makings of an amazing flight. Richi and I headed back over the town and caught some more thermals to cloud base. This made for some amazing photos. The Chullos were following me. I was sky king on this day. When I reached a cloud I would circle around inside it. Just seeing the sky and ground below. I like being inside the clouds for the shade and smoothness of the air. I lost Richi at that point. He ended up landing in a town called Villa Nueva. I decided that waiting for a retrieve out there was not desirable. So I went on glide back to the launch at Barichara. As I passed over launch I noticed my fellow cohort in the lower LZ pulling their wings out of the thorns. They didn't find the lift necessary to climb out of the valley. We got lucky.

I top landed by the house and all the kids came running over cheering asking all sorts of questions I could not comprehend. Annie and I went to retrieve Richi while Hugo went for the other two pilots in the "thorns" LZ.

February 10th

We started the trip back to the ranch on the mesa. We stopped at the Chiflas launch to fly the other side of the canyon. After Peter and Morgan launched in front of a huge group of kids that came running up as we got there, I set up and soared the ridge looking for that one boomer to cloud base. I found it next to the lookout.

I got up to the clouds after working a huge thermal. What a view. I started to get cold in my shorts so I went on glide for the mesa rather than go down to the river LZ where Peter and Morgan had landed safely. I managed to cross with plenty of altitude and hooked a very strong thermal that took me high over Richi and Annie's property at the mesa launch (pictured). But then I sank out before I could get to the golf course so I landed to the left of the lake near the center of the photo.

Sunday at Ruitoque! Its always nice on the weekends because there are more people and the restaurant at launch is open. We flew the morning thermic contitions. I got higher than Ive ever been at that site. We top landed for lunch. I always eat the empanadas. Richi says if someone made these in America they would be a success. They are available on every corner practically.

We watched the tandems fly from a bar stool. I enjoyed that. When the wind calmed down, we took off again for the afternoon ridge soaring. I must have put in 4 hours today. Ya hear that fellow pilots? Fly all day til sunset or after if you like flying during the full moon. The birds are even friendly. The Vultures or "Chullos" are your friends here.

This place is a gem in the waiting. Right now Mexico and Brazil are the "big get-aways". They are so crowded now that you dont get the personalized tour that Richi and Annie provide. The local pilots have been flying since they were kids so no worries about them. The conditions are so consistant you can promise 360 days a year of flyability. Word of mouth and articles in magazines seem to be the answer.