Go Jump Off a Cliff

VIDEO of Austin taking off and Leigh and I in the air!

I'm alive!

Thought I'd start out with the good news.  But there isn't really any bad news.... sooooo... let me tell you about some of my birthday adventures.  On Saturday, 3 friends and I went paragliding!  We went in a small town about 2 hours to the north of Cordoba called La Cumbre (literally meaning, the summit.)  The city itself is at an elevation of 1141 m and the launch site for paragliding is over Rio Pinto, at 380 meters, or 1246 feet.  I, by chance, got to glide with the Lonely Planet recommended instructor, Pablo Jaraba!

So what was it like?  Amazing.  That's what.  I was a little scared as I was getting strapped in.  There really aren't too many straps or harnesses, simply one around your shoulders with a strap that goes between your legs... a glorified life preserver really.  The harness connects you to a backpack like structure that turns into a seat when you are in the air... so all that is separating you from the drop is a flimsy piece of nylon.  Not to scare you or anything.  We had to run "as fast and as hard" as we could to the edge of a cliff and... jump.  It was so exhilarating and free.  The parachute is already in the air and you are picked up a little as you are running, so you don't actually fall when you leave the cliff.  But then, it was just so tranquil.  The air breezes past you and you can't even tell you are moving.  It literally feels like floating.  I had to keep looking up to remember what I was doing.  It is not the least bit scary--I promise.  Every so often, a big gust of wind comes and picks you up 60 feet or so.  You know the feeling when you go over a hill really fast in a car and your stomach pleasantly lurches a bit?  Well imagine that times about a billion.  It was the most fantastic tummy tickler ever, as Adam Schuett would say.  The instructor has complete control.  I thought it would be falling gracefully, but really, the instructor can take you down, up, around and anywhere else you want to go.  It was such a great experience.  I got to be a bird for about a half hour.  Birds must be such happy creatures.