Rule of thumb: only one sketch flight within 24 hours

One person's sketch flight will be another's routine flight.

Yeah, OK, but a night flight in a paraglider is illegal. Legal note: I'm not claiming that I've flown at night in a paraglider, but if I did, here's how I'd do it. Hat tip to OJ.

I'd set up around evening and wait for the clouds to disperse. I'd be swearing at the top of my lungs at the clouds to disperse, because there should be no fucken lift at that hour anyway when the sun is melting into the western sea.

OK, almost give up and hike my sorry ass back down the hill. If it weren't for these fucken clouds the half-moon would be plenty light enough!

Woah. It's clearing. Catabatic winds are melting the thin veil of cloud. Oops, maybe not. Anabatic cycles return and more swearing commences. What the fuck! The sun is down, how can there be lift out there?!

Oh shit. I see vehicle headlights. I'm not even sposed to be up here since those DLNR goons have closed the road. Grab my glider pack and hit the ditch. Wait for the truck to pass me by.

Flashback. I saw four of them drive back down this evening, and I had to hit the ditch 2 times hiking up the restricted-you-will-be-violated-and-prosecuted sign. But fuck, 3 minute flights suck, I needed at least a 12 minute sledder. 6 and now, fast-foward, 7 total DLNR cops up here. Wow, that's a good use of taxpayer money...

OK, so back to setting up the glider. OK, conditions are clearing! Catabatics aren't that bad. Shit, let's fuckengoforit! OK, final checks...

Sorting out my lines in the dark. Turn on my headlamp. Thank Gawd I brought it with me. Everything looks good, no snaggies. Shit, if I fly down under this half-moon, this'll sure beat the crap outta hiking my sorry butt back down...

OK, ready for it. Launch. Mild catabatic. But it's all good! headlamp illuminates a solid glider above my head. Commit...

And I'm flying, effortlessly over a moonlit landscape. Check my GPS. Heading is good and groundspeed is normal. No sketchiness. Relax and contemplate the planet below.

Landing is a cinch, I've done it with my eyes closed hundreds of times before...

And today? Well I hiked back down. My rule of thumb is only one sketch flight within 24 hours...