For me, it was the absolute silence. No chatter, traffic, or texts — just onshore breezes softly whishing past me and my wing. I savored that fleeting solitude of my first time in the air as a still Hendry’s Beach glinted in the distance and rolling Elings Park turf stretched below. But I was more than thankful when my walkie-talkie crackled to life to steer me back on course. “Turn to the right a bit. … There ya go. … Good. … Now keep that line. … And enjoy yourself up there.”
Paragliding two springs ago ranks among my top adventures, and though I haven't flown much since, I think about that day a lot, especially when a neon canopy in the sky catches my eye. So for rookies like me to seasoned soaring vets, the upcoming USHPA Free Flight Film Festival promises another dose of good memories from above.
Hosted for the first time by the Santa Barbara Soaring Association (SBSA), the October 10 film fest, which travels around the country, will feature six handpicked movies that showcase the best of what hang gliding and paragliding have to offer. “There’s something for everyone,” said SBSA leader Rob Sporrer.