Saturday: Awesomely Beautiful Flight!! Sunday: Sudden Change of Plans!!

Saturday we went up to the north launch at Mt. Arangoiti and the task was set.  However, due to strong winds and rain scattered throughout the area, they canceled the task and pilots were allowed to "fun fly".

Imagine standing at the top of a tall peak and looking in every direction and as far as you can see are beautiful valleys of wheat and sunflowers, and in one direction a canyon, and in another direction a brilliant green-blue lake sparkling in the sunlight, and mountains in the distance in every direction.  Then imagine floating up 100 meters from that point and seeing it all again - that's what it was like!!  It's always been my dream to fly the high mountains of Europe, and it was every bit as wonderful and spectucular as I hoped; the glory of God expressed in the heavens (sky) and the earth was overwhelming!

I landed in a cropped wheat field, where a Russian pilot took my photo.

The next day they called a 100 km downwind task (launching to the north, then around the mountain, then south).  I was ready in plenty of time and felt calm and prepared and optimistic, but when I got into the launch line and things were moving very quickly, I neglected "the basics".  I stepped up to the line, and launched.  I don't remember setting the nose angle or locating a spot on the horizon to focus on.  The results were predictable, I stalled on launch and crashed hard.  

The next thing I remember I was lying on my back in my harness with people standing all around and they were putting a neck brace on me.  They drove me down the access road to a village where I met an ambulance, which took me to the hospital in Pamplona.  The police, ambulance, and E.R. people were wonderful, even though almost no one spoke English and no hablo español.  They x-rayed my neck and back and nothing was broken, then they put me in a room overnight for observation.

When they brought me food, I realized I couldn't raise my right arm.  Marina's dad brought me home the next day, where I rested all day and night, very stiff and sore and in quite a bit of pain.  This morning I met up with my pilot buddies, where I learned that the glider's keel and leading edge had broken on impact, and they urged me to get an MRI now, rather than wait until I get home (August 6th), so that's my next step.

I have many more reflections on this whole experience, but for now, I wanted to let people know how my European Adventure is going, and I gotta figure out how to get an MRI here.  Much love to all my friends and family.