This page contains Adventure, New Friends and Lots of Flying in Bolivia , the second article of a three part series, More South American Adventrues which was published in the Janurary, February and March 2009 issues of Hang Gliding and Paragliding Magazine.
More South American Adventures Part 3
Back To Peru, the High Andes and a Serious Accident
During the summer of 2007, my wife Ursula and I visited Peru and Bolivia. In Peru I pioneered an incredible new site near Huaraz and got a long cross-country flight in Cuzco, almost breaking the national record. In Bolivia we met and flew with pilots in La Paz, and Cochabamba. It was a busy and successful two months.
Passing the ruins from the earthquake along the southern coast of Peru.
Leaving La Paz, we hopped on a bus expecting a quick twenty-six hour ride back to Lima. During the night the coast just south of the capitol experienced a large earthquake. The next day we slowly made our way through the destruction. It was moving to see the collapsed buildings and scary to see the power unleashed by the quake. After an extra six hours we made it back to Ursula's family home. I was left asking: what really separates me from the unfortunates who happen to lie under the rubble of collapsed buildings? Was it just a matter of time before I joined them under a pile of bad luck?
Passing the ruins from the earthquake along the southern coast of Peru.
As always there were things to get done in the city. The errands, mostly visiting the main immigration offices over and over took a few days, and then I was off to the hills again. This was my first trip to South America in four years without a client. I felt relieved and free. Just watching out for myself seemed so simple. Ursula wanted a couple more days with family, and planned to join me in Huaraz.
Flying the coast above Lima, Peru.
Sharing the air above Lima, Peru, with a couple other paragliders.
I spent my first summer in Huaraz, climbing in the surrounding Cordillera Blanca, in 1981. I still have friends from return visits in the 1980's, and every time I go back, feel more at home. Since that first expedition, I have dreamed of moving here. Again this trip we searched for a small piece of land, partly for my fear that the United States will be a less desirable place to live in the future, and partly so that Ursula will have a connection in her home country to bring our family to in the future.
Looking down on apartment buildings in Lima, Peru.
A hang glider lost among the sea of buildings in Lima, Peru.
In the last couple months, flying competed in importance with a long list of other things we were getting done. With less than two weeks left I realized I was going to have to focus on the land purchase or not pull it off.
A hang glider over Lima, Peru, looking for an LZ.
Hang gliders, paragliders and the Costa Verde launch in Lima, Peru.
At the start of the trip I found and flew a new launch just above town. It immediately became my new favorite site and I even met with the owner. For years I watched as the best launch in the area went from a perfect lawn style grassy patch, to freshly plowed and planted with potatoes the next season to sprouting corn a couple years later. I dreamt of having a dedicated field maintained with grass, free of rocks and with a rake left to clear sticks. Too many times I had launched with wheat stalks or plastic bags dangling from my lines.
Hang gliders flying over the Marriot hotel, Miraflores, Lima, Peru.
A paraglider soaring over the cityscape of Lima, Peru.
Now I was heading back up to the mountains to fly. I was in my element. It didn't seem like a big deal to hop off the night bus from the coast, drop my bags at my friends at seven in the morning and head for launch. At twelve thousand feet this is not one of the higher take off's around here. It does have one of the most spectacular views though.
My old friend Julio Olaza and his brother Tito (www.andeanexplorer.com) told me about this spot. Our first day exploring here we invited a photographer along. Julio brought a bike as he owns a local mountain bike guide service, (www.chakinaniperu.com) and I of course had my wing. Beto Santillo, our photographer friend got some great photos that first day. ( www.andesmadness.com ) I flew here a few days since and was sure this was a place I could come back to again and again.
Scenic from near new launch above Huaraz, Peru.
That morning I grabbed a taxi that was so out of tune, he couldn't make it up the road to launch. I walked the last half hour or so. Once in the small settlement I walked around talking with folks who were working, harvesting and threshing wheat. I found the owner of the perfect multi directional launch and set up a meeting where Julio could negotiate for me that afternoon.
The author and Sabino hanging out at the new launch above Huaraz, Peru. Photo Julio Olaza.
Again I met Sabino, still dressed in the patched and repatched hand woven woolen pants, the same old smile on the warm ageless face. He had a friend, Margareta, who though she claimed she spoke no Spanish managed to keep me engaged in conversation for a good hour after I exhausted my couple of phrases in quechua.
Watching the locals harvest wheat near the new launch above Huaraz, Peru.
After the all night bus ride, up from sea level, I was feeling pretty fried and not really focused on the flying at all. I had always launched from a nice grass patch a couple minutes walk below the top of the hill. I figured if I was going to buy the top of the knoll, I should take off from it once, and dutifully walked to the top.
Flying from new launch, above Huaraz, Peru, Cordillera Blanca across the valley.
The field had just been turned to plant potatoes and there were sticks and clots of dirt everywhere. It was hard to walk around; the ground was so broken and uneven. Already afternoon, I wanted to get off before it got any later, since it sometimes gets blown out when the valley winds pick up.
Locals harvesting wheat near the new launch, Huaraz, Peru
I laid out my paraglider just below a stonewall where Sebino and Margareta sat and looked on. It was hard to get the wing tips out and build a wall with the uneven messy ground. Eventually I pulled up the glider. A nasty tangle was obvious and I dragged my glider back to earth. I scrambled up and pulled the offending twigs from my lines. Second try and a stick was in the opposite wingtip. It was harvest season and there were wheat stocks everywhere.
View from behind new launch above Huaraz, Peru.
I got straightened out again and pulled her up. Everything looked good. I turned and ran down the hill. The launch isn't steep, but it's steep enough and there was a perfect seven or eight mile per hour wind coming straight in. I ran until the stonewall at the bottom, and stepped off, expecting to fly.
I was dropping much too fast, just paralleling the steep slope below. I realized I was correcting the wing the whole time, keeping it from turning left. I looked over and saw the left trailing edge pulled down. I was dropping so fast because the paraglider was parachutal. To my left the nice wheat fields were flying by. After just a beat or two in the air I let up on my right brake, the left side of the glider stalled and the wing spun. I was about forty feet above an ugly, steep eroded gully.
Julio Olaza mountain biking near new launch above Huaraz, Peru
In a moment I was looking back at the hillside. I had time to think; at least I was going to hit a steep slope, and to figure about where I would impact. I twisted the last bit around and hit my right butt cheek. Fortunately my harness has a large airbag as well as lots of padding and though I hit hard, I bounced a little and flipped over into a forward roll.
Flying from new launch above Huaraz, Peru.
Now, I've skied my whole life. Any of my long time ski partners will tell you, I'm very good at going over the tips. I regularly do a forward roll and come up skiing. After surviving all those truly sick ski wrecks, here I was upside down, with even a helmet on, and twang. My helmet caught on the ground, torqued my neck and left me very unsure whether I was ok.
I slid out of my harness, and took stock of my situation. Something just kind of felt wrong in my upper back/lower neck. As I sat there, pain started to radiate down my left arm and into my fingers. The burning became intense and I lay down, terrified of how badly I may have hurt myself. After a few minutes the pain lessened and soon completely left me. I decided to try to pack my gear, and an hour later, between lying down to relieve the burning pain radiating down my left arm and stuffing nylon, I was done.
Leaving my pack, I walked up the hill, stopping to lie down when the pain became too great. Soon I was talking with the Senior, asking him to go down and get my pack. He had joked with me in the morning that the pack was too big for him to lift, but now I was very stern, explaining that I'd crashed and broken my spine. Firmly, I sent him down. His helper I got to hike down to the valley and return with a taxi.
Flying from new launch and looking down valley near Huaraz, Peru.
I spent a day in Huaraz, lying in bed at Julio's house hoping the pain wouldn't come back when I stood or sat up. I refused to go to the local hospital and subject myself to any needless and useless travel, and eventually took a private taxi back to Lima.
I had an MRI done of my spine and we found as I suspected I had broken my neck. The vertebrae were in tact but I had a dislocation of the facets at C6-C7. This was forcing my spine out of alignment. The surgeon I saw in Lima understood my desire to return home for surgery and helped me order a better, custom neck brace.
Five days after the accident I was back in Colorado where a top spine surgeon in Durango, Colorado realigned and positioned my spine before fusing my C6-C7 vertebrae. I had completely blown the front supporting ligament and was fortunate not to have severed my spinal cord.
Sometimes I feel I lucky to have walked away from the crash. Other times I feel luck finally ran out for me and this was the pay back for all the near misses I've had in my life that didn't end up with surgery or in the hospital.
Looking toward Huaraz, Peru, above the new launch.
As pilots we seem to like to analyze accidents till they are empty carcasses of their previous selves. While a hundred small things like becoming too complacent, feeling it was so easy not guiding and watching out for someone else, to no rest between traveling from the coast to twelve thousand feet overnight, surely all played some part. Mostly I would say launching with a line tangle was the main culprit. I strongly suggest to all pilots to avoid line tangles whenever they are launching!
My surgeon made me rest for six weeks before starting physical therapy and another six weeks before going back to my construction job and a full winter of skiing. He explained that pro football players often have the same injury and return to the game the next season. In fact, with almost no reduced mobility, my upper back and lower neck are now stronger than before. Anyone want to go flying?
Scenic from near new launch above Huaraz, Peru.
The Pacific coast and Lima, Peru.
Go to More South American Adventures Part 1: Nothing But Cross Country in Peru
Go to More South American Adventures Part 2: Adventure, New Friends and Lots of Flying in Bolivia.
Below are links to several Articles published in 2006:
Go to Forty Days Over Mongolia: A Paragliding Expedition to the Lands of Ghengis Khan.
Go to Dateline Kurai, Altay Republic: The Russian Paragliding Championships.
Go to A The Celelstial Tien Shan of Kyrgyzstan: Between Mountains and Sky.
Go to Paragliding In The Callejon De Huaylas.
Go to Paragliding Huaraz Peru.
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