The next few days were to be spent relaxing and acclimatizing in the lush, green Logar Valley in the north but the storm had done so much damage in the region, flooding homes, closing roads and collapsing bridges that we had to turn around. Thanks to Sandy’s quick fingers, she was able to find us last minute accommodations back in Ljubljana. All activities for the next couple of days were scrapped.
Coincidentally, the paragliding company reached out to us at the same time suggesting that we move our date up since a weather system was expected later in the week. This was perfect. Our plan for the next morning was set.
Lake Bohinj
Lake Bohinj was still slumbering under a layer of fog when we arrived. The sun had barely crested the mountaintops, slowly reaching her golden rays onto the lake when our paragliding pilots pulled up in a little white van. After introductions, they immediately informed us that the winds had shifted and that we wouldn’t be able to launch from the higher ski lift area. We’d have to launch from across the lake, which would be a significantly shorter flight with less of an expansive view. Who are we to argue with the finicky nature of winds in the mountains? Also, another adjustment had to be made because they didn’t have enough pilots for our whole group to go at once. We’d have to break up, four on the first round and two the second round.
So it was decided that Sandy and Phong would wait for the second trip. That’ll give them an opportunity to take pictures of the rest of us landing.
The rest of us, yes, even Chi Nga, hopped into the van for a 30-minute drive up to the mountain, followed by a ten-minute hike to the launch point.
Launch 1-Mt. Vogar
Anh Vu went first. He geared up and the wind picked up right away. And off he went.
Then it was my turn. We geared up, but the windsock was limp. By this time, the sun was shining directly on us, and we (Lyle and I) realized that we had overdressed. I had my thick jacket and even leggings under my pants in anticipation of the cold from launching higher up at the sky lift.
My favorite part of paragliding is running on air. I kept running just for the fun of it even though I knew we were far off the ground. I was waiting for the abrupt retraction once the parachute caught wind like in Japan, but it didn’t happen this time. We barely had a strong enough breeze as it was to get picked up.
Lyle came next, right after me without having to a wait at all. The view was gorgeous. The fog had dissipated at this point.
Scattered clusters of white clouds hung low above the green lake while more clouds floated above under the most perfect blue sky. The mountains covered in forest green and the valley dressed in the vibrant green of summer instantaneously lifted our spirits, and we couldn’t help but automatically smile to greet the day. What a wonderful day to be alive, well and healthy.
Launch 2-Mt. Vogel
Next, it was time for Sandy and Phong, who had been waiting patiently at the landing site and taking great videos of everyone coming down. Good news! The winds had shifted again, so take off would be from the original point, Mt. Vogel. Not only that, there was an extra pilot so they offered one of us the opportunity for a second flight for just the pilot’s fee. Lyle jumped at the chance, of course.
Sandy, Phong and Lyle flew so much higher up and stayed up for a much longer time. Sandy got to test her fear of heights by dangling her legs in the air hundreds of feet above the ground with just a thin sheet of foil to hold her afloat.
The highest peak in Slovenia, Mt. Triglav. In a few days we would be attempting to summit the massive mountain in the heart of Triglav National Park.
Lyle’s pilot caught an updraft that brought them a great distance above the mountaintop. They were flying amongst the birds and truly got a bird’s eye-view of the area. At this height, they were able to see over the closest mountain range to Triglav, and in the opposite direction they could see all the way to the ocean, a rare experience even for the pilot to get that high. It was pretty neat to see how even as they all took off at the same point they all went in different directions depending on the winds they caught. Then to come down from that height, they got to experience some cool acrobatics: continuously spiraling downwards for 4-5 turns, swinging from side to side and even flipping upside-down.
Lyle was ecstatic about his second flight and persuaded me to go up again. My second flight was the opposite of the first flight. Rainclouds were upon the horizon, so we were on a race. We took off within a few busy minutes of getting of the chairlift in which the pilot prepared the chute. No time to stand around shooting the breeze on this run.
I agree, launching from a higher point was definitely a different experience. All the crazy tricks were fun but as we got closer to the ground, we started rocking back and forth smoothly, and I felt the onset of motion sickness. Luckily, it didn’t take too long to get over. What an incredible morning adventure.
We celebrated Anh Vu’s birthday at a Vietnamese restaurant in Ljubljana for dinner. The pho broth was not too shabby.