The time...oh where does it go?

Times have been changing and so have priorities.  So this summer didn't turn out to be this crazy summer of acro that I had intended but that doesn't mean it was bad.  I also never successfully put together a girl tow day but that doesn't mean it was bad either.  All this means is there is more on the to-do list.  I was really pumped on a few things this summer:  My favorite girls moved out to join me and my mom, my husband sold several winches, we got married and as fall moved in we both made some job changes that so far are working out.  

Life has never ending challenges and it becomes clearer and clearer that the attitude that you approach change and challenges is going to make it or break it.  My job change has been especially stressful because I am giving up a lot of benefits (including health insurance for both of us.) to try to pursue a potentially great career that will give me the time and resources to do every thing that Justin and I have always wanted to do.  Applying for private health insurance has not been all that fun.  BUT I have to have faith and take a risk.  Justin didn't build a fabulous winch by playing it safe.  He had to take a chance.  A big one.  Following in his footsteps and with his support I am doing the same.  Only I am not building winches, hahaha.  I am nervous about the stupid health insurance thing but the only way to find out is to let it hang out for a bit.  

Anywho, life just goes and the time goes with it.  We will see what happens...  

On a note, here are some pics of our little bro tow day with Dennis...it was fun, i did some SATs on the sigma 7.  couldn't get the wing tip to stop vibrating.  inflated and SATing, yes but the wingtip vibrates.  weird but the first time I have done one on a wing other than my mamboo.  

Sydney gets to fly!

I know I haven't been posting this summer but life happens and I have been waiting for some photos and video of the cool chics I know.  I haven't been doing much but the girls in my life certainly have!  My sister, her two rad girls and husband have moved here; my mom quit her job and is going to work at Snowbird this winter (right on!) and I was getting married!  

Sydney was so excited to come out and go paragliding, she has been talking about it for two years now.  So she finally got to go with Justin and she is still talking about it.  I am still working on her video but have some great pics of her morning on the south side.  

My mom was also pumped to go on a tandem and got a couple of short rides.  She has taken two paragliding lessons and this is her second tandem.  

Sara was having fun too.  She didn't know what to think of the paragliders but she was having fun playing with the dogs.  

The V

Here is a cool clip from Justin and I climbing at the V

Is it summer yet???

With the weather being so crummy and having to work a lot that doesn't really make for good paragliding, let alone towing.  So Justin's winch has been a success and I am lucky enough to have taken a lot of tows behind it and was the test pilot for the first tows.  Justin didn't want to put me on the end of the line because there was a certain amount of unknown with the first tow but I did point out that I had been towing more than most of our friends last summer...  I trusted him and knew for sure that it would work and it did and it kicks ass!!  check out the link on the side.  

So over the desert I worked on getting consistent with my SATs, wingovers and asymmetric spirals.  I didn't have the nerve to try any spins or stalls and probably with good reason.  This spring Chris was so sweet to offer Justin and I some over the water tows as a wedding gift and we got to go down to Yuba for a day.  I got two tows and a nice refresher on spins, stalls and SATs.  I did learn one new trick- "can opener" or yinyang or whirlygig.  I didn't get any video so I guess that means I will have to do it again ;)  It felt really cool and I think I could use that to work into some other tricks (like a heli).  

This summer doesn't look to promising for a bunch of towing but I vow to make the most of my air time when I do get some tows and coaching.  Luckily we will have a new winch that will need testing.  

next move:  "coconut spin" 

other moves on the list:  loops, ass choppers and continue with dynamic full stalls and asymmetric SATs (never really got either of those last year).   

Sorting out a riser twist

This is a clip from some towing at Bear Lake in September that I have been meaning to put up for a while. I had messed up some stalls in the past but this was the worst. Although looking at it now it felt much more intense when it was happening. I was actually trying a dynamic full stall which is on the list of things that I want to work on this coming summer... Other things that have been on my mind this winter are ass-choppers, spinning from SATs, asymm SATs, loops and getting my wing-overs big and solid. I think that is plenty to start with. Luckily Justin built a winch and this winter I am working on SATs, getting my asymm spirals big and the always scary wing-over.

Check this gal out

Today I finally found a link to a girl in Europe that is an amazing acro pilot. She placed 2nd overall in the Vertigo comp last year!! Wow!!! And she does syncro...

www.chickenstyle.ch

I wanna be like Judith when I grow up :)

Winter Flying with Chicas

There was an evening at the south side with 5 pilots, 3 girls and 2 guys. Leslie, Lisa and Kristen were out in burley cold weather but when you gotta fly you gotta fly. Amazing stuff. I also stuck some footage of one day I was out flying this winter too. I missed the girl day because of work but there are many more to come.

Practice Makes Perfect

Me and Brian throwin down.
Yes this is a girl power page but I have been watching Brian throw down ever since I learned to fly. He has sweet style and I have thought many times to myself that when I grow up I want style like him. He has provided great friendship and lots of encourgament on my quest to throw down. I'm still learning and need practice practice practice. Only way I'm going to own it :)
Enjoy!

Video quality

Um...tried several things to improve the quality of Syd's video with no luck. The version I have at home is crystal clear. If I can ever get the file to a DVD burner I will make copies for the family.
Fun times.

Sydney

Sydney will be coming out again this year in August for practicing and competing in Park City. The camera will be rolling... Your awesome Syd, can't wait to see you!

Tow Fever...

Wow. I went towing today and had four dang exciting tows. No video of today. Chris called our group sketchy because we were all learning new maneuvers. I thought our group was awesome. We were sketchy but...

I worked on a few spirals and wingovers first tow. Second tow I did stalls, spins and some better wingovers. Tow three and four I worked on SATs. Some went well but I had moments of self-doubt and pausing. So those didn't go so well.

This is really a mind over matter, mind over mind, mind over water adventure. It is always interesting to look back at the moments I hesitated and today twice when I plum wussed out. Normally I am on -do what Chris says- mode and today was the first time I let my lack of confidence override his voice. I guess I am writing this for the sole purpose of breaking down what mentally happened to me up there. Not a failure by far and it is imperative to look at it this way. For me, working on inner mental strength is a constant battle.

Luckily I have a super fun way to work on this... I love towing. I love flying. I love learning new stuff. There are never really good enough adjectives to describe flying. My coach is super supportive and sometimes I think he might believe in me a little...

I am starting to believe in me a little.

"In America, every female under fifty calls herself a girl"
H. E. Bates

It should be every female under one hundred...

All women have a girl in them, it's just a matter of finding the medium to wake her up.

The Origin of Girls-Can

A couple of years ago while spending Thanksgiving with Justin's dad we were watching paragliding videos, all of men of course, and Josh (dad) commented "women can't do acro." A little side smile showing through, as if in a dare :) My comeback: what about Ann O'Connor? What about Michelle? There are lots of girls who throw down. He says: show me and hands me the computer. Could I find one video on the internet of a girl doing any tricks? No. I looked for three days. I kept telling Justin "girls can do acro" He suggested I just say girls can and be done. The idea grew in my head and my thought was girls can do acro, girls can go XC, girls can do whatever they want, paragliding or anything else. Girls can. Maybe I needed to tell myself that I can. It's not a battle of strength or who's the best or the most talented but it is all about the attitude. The battle is to overcome fears, realize strength, poise, selfless confidence and the right attitude about your life.
If you can overcome your mind you can overcome anything.

My First SAT

I also did some stalls gone wild but they didn't make it onto film... ask me about em. :)

Gift from Justin for my 27th

...sweet tow day. best birthday present.