Arrr, ye scalawags!

The 19th of September be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Don't be hesitatin' to check out this here glossary to brush up on yer pirate lingo. And here be some clues to lead ye mateys to the plunder we pillaged! (Pirate party summons by Madeline. Ain't she a beauty?)

Hoist the warning of pillage to come.
The sight of me will make land-lubbers run!

Fill ye tankards here, ye dogs.
And don’t be wishing it were GROG.

For vittles and drink, here we’ll gather . . .
Unless to the yardarm or keelhaul you’d rather!

Hang from my lumber the rigging and sails;
I’ll keep you from those fearsome whales.

Beauties and wenches will enter one door.
Mateys and wastrels, the other, fer sure!

It’s dark and dank, like the sty of a pig.
This foul storage is worse than the BRIG!

We ship out to sea at a future date.
Your order will come to a box by the gate.

The trusty plank is destined for
This funeral pire . . . or the shore!

Land ho! Ye scalawags, steer clear of these,
Or our ship will be dashed, and you’ll fall to yer knees.

(The internet, though fair she be, was sorely lackin' in clues to me treasure. So I took me ink, and jotted these down. Perhaps yer brains will be tellin' ye what they mean.)

First Flight

That's me hanging from that paraglider! I went last Tuesday on a tandem flight, and it was amazing! We launched at the Point of the Mountain North Flight Park. Everyone there was totally chill - it must have been the evening sun, gentle breeze, and great view of the Salt Lake valley. My instructor had just flown from Ferguson Canyon to the Point! I had no idea paragliders could go that far.

We strapped our harnesses on, spread out the glider in the grass, walked forward to pull the wing in the air, and then we were off the ground. The idea is to glide around, feel the wind, and when you fly through an updraft, start turning to stay in it, and slowly spiral upwards. We gained nearly 1200 feet. Intriguing.

It was so relaxing just floating through the air, seeing the houses and cars and mountain far below in that evening sun. The best part of the 45 minute flight was our descent - we did some "wing overs" where you swing side to side, and then you start spiraling downward.

Alvin was so kind to watch Miles (and me) from the flight park below. He's already done a tandem flight, so he didn't feel like he was missing too much. Miles had a ball at the park - the chill attitude must have been catching. Maybe he was as entranced as I was at the big, vibrant gliders inflating in the breeze.

I would definitely recommend paragliding - or even just go hang out at the flight park and watch the paragliders set up and take off.