April 1st through 4th ( one weather day ), 2008.
If you are flying in from out of state, San Jose California is the closest airport located about 35 min from Hollister.
CAMP #1
SPEED FLYING ( GROUND LAUNCHING AND BLADE RUNNING) CAMP LIMIT 5 PEOPLE.
Over the past 4 years we have discovered 3 excellent Speed Flying sites in our area. Our primary site is located next to the landing area at Adventure Center Skydiving in Hollister California. This site is excellent for Ground Launching and Blade Running. Our site in Hollister is only a 5 min. drive from the bunk house and 5 min. drive to the airport for hop-n-pops for Blade Running. Courses we have set up can be flown by "foot launching" or Blade Running for those with the experience, we will have planes standing by. Although the primary focus of this camp is Speed Flying ( ground launching) we will spend a day or partial days Blade Running during the camp.
Camp participants can focus on what they prefer to. Instructors will be available for Speed Flying and Blade Running. Our instructors have between 3 to 5 years experience and a combined total of over 4,000 Speed Flights. That's just between our two primary instructors, Adam Teeling and Kevin Love.
Our other sites our located within 30 min. and 1 hour drive. Both of these locations our right on the coast of Northern California. One site has sand dunes ( 200+ feet) with consistent winds and soft sandy beach landings.
Great for more experienced pilots and great for beginners. The hikes are short and it's easy on a good day to make 20+ flights! Great kiting conditions and the soft sand dunes allow more experienced pilots to practice "free style" in a relatively safe environment. The other site is about 1 hour away from Hollister and is amazing! 700 feet, 50+ degree slope, and a nice beach landing with amazing views. If you are a para glider feel free to bring your wing, if you have the extra room, as this is an excellent soaring site. The central location to all three of these sites as well as the Blade Running opportunities, makes this a very unique area to fly. Between these 3 sites, no matter the weather, we can fly 90% of the time.
Recommended experience, at least 200 ram air parachute jumps and or moderate to extensive paragliding experience. This camp is for ALL level of pilots, from those that meet the minimum requirements to expert competition pilots with tons of experience. If you want to come out an learn to Speed Fly for the first time or practice running courses to hone your skills for the next Blade Running comp, this is a perfect camp to learn, train and have a ton of fun. CFP would like to interview camp participants to get a more in depth background of experience levels. This allows us to make sure you have the necessary experience to get the most out of this camp and to customize it to your needs.
What to expect... We will be getting up early about 7 am each day. Check the weather to determine which site to fly that day. Breakfast, then were off. What ever site we choose to fly we like to be at the summit not later than 9:30 am. Some days we fly at more than one site if the weather dictates or the group wants to fly at one particular site. Most days will last from the time we get up until 10pm to 12am. At the end of the day we will head back to the bunk house. A typical evening usually involves watching that days video ( on a bad ass projector ), eating a big dinner and passing out. Wake up the next morning, and repeat. As all sites are with 1 hour drive which makes it easy to "move" around. One site has vehicle access, but be prepared to hike. We recommend that you are in reasonable shape and don't mind to hike. Hiking boots are a must, we also recommend that you bring some form of "gators" to cover your boots and socks. REI sells a perfect pair called "desert gators" about $20 US.
H20 ! ! ! Obvious. It's very easy, especially when you are having a great time, to forget to stay hydrated. Each day make sure you bring plenty of water and some food. Usually we will be taking a mid day break for lunch, but not always. Sometimes we'll pack it in if we are flying a certain site. Stay hydrated its more important than you think!
Bring a range of clothing for the different climates we will be flying in. Sometimes we are in shorts and T's other times we might be in cold coastal conditions were long pants and wind proof clothing will be necessary. Bring your harness and wing of coarse, but we will have Spires for demo at no extra charge ( for those exp. to fly the Spire) Of coarse your skydiving rig, if you plan on blade running. Hop-n-pops are about $18 US.
COST:
The $525 US cost for the camp includes: Instruction, accommodations for 3 days and nights, transportation to and from bunk house and G.L. sites, two meals a day ( breakfast and dinner ) , video of your flights and some demo equipment i.e. harnesses , risers, the SPIRE... For those experienced enough to fly the SPIRE, this is a great opportunity to demo the SPIRE at no extra charge.
Sign up early and save $$. Sign up 2 + weeks in advance and save $25. Our refund policy requires a min of 1 week notice. A charge of $100 will be accessed to late cancelations. A $200 US down payment ( credit card, cashiers check, pay pal...) is required to guarantee your slot. The remainder of $325 will be due upon arrival at the camp.
Spire Videos:
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcHJmpoQ0pY ) this video shows all three sites as well some Blade Running.
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoPVpyNUNUc&feature=related ).
Sincerely,
Kevin Love