Steve Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Had a horrible time last night, knew it was borderline but thought it might settle. Sadly, 'in the air wishing I was back on the ground' was the case from about 30 seconds into the flight. Couldn't get back to the take off spot without serious risk so ended up having a terrifying landing as close as I could safely get, on a huge but very flat boggy moor. End of problems I thought ... until unclipping and taking a step into the bog. Managed to walk the paramotor off and back to my Land Rover on top of the nearby hill. Packed the paramotor up, with just the drive to get the wing left to do I thought. Parked as close as possible without sinking and walked the remaining few hundred feet to the wing and started tidying it up when I realised it was covered in leeches, ants and other bog loving creatures (they move quick, I'd only been gone half and hour). I slung the wing over my shoulder and ran (ha, stumbled) back to drier land and spent the rest of the fading light flicking leeches and bugs off the wing before packing the sopping mess into its bag. Back home the wing was left opened on the floor. Come this morning I hung the wing up in the washing line, untangled the messy lines and cleaned the wing down. During the process the local cats decided the canopy was a great den and the lines needed to be chased every time one moved. I discovered that Hanwags make a great cat shifter. One cat kept creeping back and I finally caught her merrily chewing my B lines. To round-off the party my mrs decided to start painting some outdoor furniture right next to the wing, with paint merrily flicking everywhere. I understand that you can't expect nature to provide a dumb creature with enough intelligence to respect a wing but the cats have no excuse. So it was a rubbish flight and loads of hassle. Should have stayed in front of the telly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatPux Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 As a trainee looking at every post as an opportunity for learning. What do I get from this. Don't own cats Don't get married Contract out garden furniture painting use a tumble drier to dry your wing! And smoke so you can remove leeches. Now to get my instructor to sign off those sections of the log. Sorry to hear of your troubles , but it did make me laugh- hope it was meant to Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Glad to have helped with your training Patrick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel_d. Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Sounds familiar... last night I also had a rough flight, there was rotor on the field which collapsed my Nucleon but sorted it, and the landing was interesting also. The week before I landed and chatted to a mate for 10 minutes - enough time for about a hundred slugs to climb aboard my wing. Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markpulling Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Im sure most of us ,at sometime or another,including me ,have "gone for it" when its boarder line and wish we hadnt once we were up in the sky ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Sounds familiar... last night I also had a rough flight, there was rotor on the field which collapsed my Nucleon but sorted it, and the landing was interesting also. The week before I landed and chatted to a mate for 10 minutes - enough time for about a hundred slugs to climb aboard my wing.Nige You never see the slug aspect of paramotoring on YouTube videos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyF Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Stevie - That was priceless - I think I'd have been so mad I'd have fired up the Paramotor and slowly fed the cats and my wife's painting hand into the prop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Stevie - That was priceless - I think I'd have been so mad I'd have fired up the Paramotor and slowly fed the cats and my wife's painting hand into the prop! I dread to think what you have done with the leeches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richfromwilts Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 What a lovely story. I enjoyed reading how small events slowly lead to more drastic ones. Peat bogs always look a little inoculous from a distance. You didn't seem concerned that the leaches may be attracted to yourself? Great read Thanks Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyF Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Ahh the leeches?! ... don't get me started...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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