Brilliant BIR
BIR>>>HIMACHAL PRADESH>>>INDIA
The monsoonal affect finally vanished punctually on the 8th of October.
It was time for the local people to bring in the harvest, and everywhere hay was being made,and piled high for the coming winter. The flying conditions were classic Bir, and each day on landing the LZ became a little bigger and easier as the grass was continued to be cut by hand.
On the 20th October an even bigger day arrived, and 6 of us set off over the back to Barot, then further back to the main Dhaludar mountains, a 5000m chain that links Dharamsala to Manali.
There was Jules and Debu, Jim and Eddie, Wolfgang, Mike and myself, racing along this awesome ridge at 5300m, glorying in the majesty, shouting at the wind. The Solang landing at the end of the Manali valley came along too soon, and Jules and me crossed the Rotang, continuing to Keylong in the big snowies, a site that Bob Drury and Ulric Jessop had pioneered in the last few years.
Jim took lots of photos, and i will upload them when i find a usb port! They will speak volumes compared to my words.So now there are 3 ‘routes’ to Manali, the high route, the low route and the SUPER HIGHWAY, flown by Julien robinson, Mike Laengle, Debu Chandery, Jim Mallinson, Eddie Colfox, Wolfgang and me on the 20th october 2009…Bir is truly Brilliant!
Posted: October 25th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: 2
Comments
Comment from Brad Sander
Time: October 27, 2009, 10:26 pm
Nice one! I just heard through friends about your flight to Keylong. Much respect, I’ve thought about going that way before but it’s always seemed to intimidating to leave the safety of the Kullu Valley. For anyone that doesn’t know the terrain and the history basically the line has been open forever but it takes someone like John to open it up and finally commit to it.
What’s next?? Bir – Chamba- Keylong?
Looking foreward to the pics,
Cheers!
Comment from alex
Time: January 15, 2010, 4:10 am
John (can’t find an email address for you, so this is as best as I can do to contact you)
Just received my copy of Birdman of the Karakoram from XC Shop. I’d seen the youtube clips, but this is just another world. Respect, envy and joy – but mainly joy! So wonderful to see the adventure of new experience captured on film, and so understated!
My own world of xc flights is just beginning – but every day that our Victorian weather (Australia) takes me above 3k, I thrill at the opportunity to venture further into the tiger country that lies beyond.
Most importantly of all, your film expresses the sense of adventure that paragliding brings to me and I’m hoping it might translate it to my friends and family. I’ve just ordered another six copies to share around. While it may be hyperbole to compare with my own flights, I think the concept and emotion will translate.
Thank you and stay safe – and keep dreaming of audacious lines.
Alex
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