Tom Beidler
5/20-28/2001

Children abused by the Wind -- Point of the Mountain, Utah

Well, I guess Ron, Bob and Benson have nailed most of it (Bill?) but I wanted to add just a couple of thoughts.

- If I would have experienced the same pursuit/air time ratio here in Santa Barbara that we experienced on our trip, I would have been pissed.  I loved every minute of Demo Days though.  From Bob's pre-dawn reveille till Bob's Red Bull and ... (vodka, Seagram's Seven, ripple, you fill in the blank) last call, it was non-stop infotainment.

- I definitely recommend this kind of trip to anyone who's serious about paragliding.  We live in a bubble here, albeit a beautiful bubble.  It's great to get out and find out there is so much more to this sport.  People, places, maneuvers, techniques, you name it.

- Not only was it great to meet some of the "big wigs" of paragliding, it's even better to get out with a few local guys you thought you knew to find out who they really are.  Thanks Bob, Benson, Ron and Bill, count me in if you do it again.

- One side note, I don't care what anyone says, those four wheels never left the pavement.

- Last but not least,

I f*ckin' love paragliding!