날라서 놀러다니기에 관한 머리 아픈 이야기....

[이성덕]

 그렇지 않아도 목잡한 머리

 본의가 아니게,

 더 복잡하지나 않을까..

 심히 걱정되는 바 아니나,

 혹여 관심있으신 분들을 위하여,

 간략(?)하게 소개나 할까합니다.

 너그러이 봐주세요.

 어디서 복사했는지는 저도 모르겠습니다. 

 그럼, 본론으로....

Vol-bivouac paragliding

 Unlike many aspects of life in the late 20th century, one of the great things about vol-bivouac adventures is that there are no rules. Go where you like, with who you like and take as long as you like.

 In contrast to the regulation stricken world of competitive flying this is a breath of fresh air and, whether you prefer to seek the solace of a solo adventure or the camaraderie of a team event, vol-bivouacing will change your flying and possibly your life.

 Weather and flying skills aside the one thing that is going to make or break your big adventure is equipment - after 5 months of vol-bivouac flying in remote mountains, I think I've got a pretty good idea of what I need to take.

 Firstly you must have enough equipment to survive, hopefully comfortably, whilst still being able to physically carry it. Once you take in to account all the flying equipment you need, this basically boils down to very little.

 You have to consider your survival equipment above and beyond anything else. You must be able to keep warm, dry and fed - If you can't do this you die and won't have a good trip. Secondly you must be able to look after yourselves should someone get ill or injured, this requires a good knowledge of emergency first aid and field medicine. I recommend that anyone going on a vol-bivouac adventure in an area like the Himalaya attends a good first aid courseand learns about exposure, hypothermia and trauma management. I carry an extensive first aid kit with me with a selection of bandages, plasters and slings. I also carry a variety of antibiotics and a selection of pain killers; something for everything from toothache to broken legs - tell your doctor what you're doing and where you're going, most don't mind prescribing strong analgesics provided there is a genuine reason.

 Next on the survival equipment list is clothing. You must have a waterproof \ breathable shell and good insulative layers below. I take thermal underwear, fleece top and bottoms, a down jacket and a light weight Goretex jacket and trousers which I wear in the air. In addition I carry two tee shirts and a pair of light weight cotton trousers for wearing around town. Obviously a strong pair of trekking boots are required, and I like to take a pair of sandals too. A hat, thick and thin gloves and your bag is now filling up fast.

 I take a very, very light-weight bag (700 grams and rated to + 10degrees centigrade), but combined with a breathable bivi bag, all your clothes and with the option of using your glider too, it is sufficient insulation for even cold high altitude nights

 One of the big decisions I've had each time is whether to take a tent or not. Both times I have ended up with just a bivi bag but on the last trip it was so wet we had to fashion a tent out of a plastic tarpaulin and Peter's ski poles. Bivi bags are lovely for sleeping outside in, and keeping your sleeping bag in them means they never get wet. The other advantage is that when sleeping in your glider you don't get so damp from sweat as you do without one. However, when it really storms hard and the wind is howling so much you can't cook; then bivi bags are a poor substitute for a good tent.

 That's the stuff that will keep you alive on the ground; now for the air. Flying kit should be kept to a minimum. A good safe glider, remember, there is no one to beat out there so a comp wing is nothing more than a liability. It's also a good idea to make sure all the team are on similar performing wings, it can get frustrating for all parties if someone is constantly arriving lower than the others after glides.

 You'll also need a lightweight harness with a lot of room for all you gear. Normal harnesses won't cut the mustard and you will have to adapt one to be able to carry everything. I have always used an old Edel supine race harness that I cut the back off and replaced with a much deeper back space made from lightweight nylon. I also removed all the tapes, buckles and mallions and replaced them with 10mm lightweight tape tied directly to the harness to cut down weight.

 A vario is essential, and this is the one piece of flying kit worth doubling up on - I recommend at least one spare vario per team, and with some of the mini, audio only varios available nowadays you won't be breaking your back to bring one. As much as a vario is essential, a GPS is a complete waste of time, space and precious weigh, instead a simple compass will do the job amply.

 Radios, although not essential, are actually an intrinsic part of your safety equipment. Recharging proper batteries can be a nightmare so I use AA dry cells. These could easily be rechargeable by solar power should normal ones not be available, although in the Himalaya AA batteries are widely available.

 A helmet & rescue parachute are indispensable. Several people have tried to convince me that, flying a safe wing out there I shouldn't need to carry a rescue parachute. I remain totally unconvinced and would hate to die because I was too lazy to carry an extra couple of kg's.

 Back protection can be fashioned out of a foam sleeping mat and sleeping bag, and with the rest of the junk you'll be carrying around in the back of your harness you should have plenty of cushioning should you need it.

 Another big decision is whether or not to take a stove. The first time I didn't bother as I knew we would always be near the jungle and hence there would be firewood - this works okay so long as you can find shelter when it really heaves with rain.

 However, on the recent trip with Robbie and Peter we opted for a very lightweight multi fuel stove that was an absolute Godsend - at one point in Zanskar we didn't see a tree for 7 days! For the sake of 500g and a kilo / litre for fuel I am now converted to being able to stop and brew up whenever I like.

 Wherever you go in the world for your little adventure, unless you're a real Magellan or a true nutter, you'll need a map of two. On the first trip across India I had to carry 8 maps! Add these to my Hindi dictionary, grammar book and my diary and I was carrying a couple of kilos in books alone!

 Your bag's now straining at the seams and you can barely pick it up, but there's still more to go in. As it states in the universally renowned Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, never leave home without a towel. In addition, unless you really want to stink you'll be needing a toothbrush too. Add the shared weight of the soap and toothpaste, the extensive glider repair kit, your mug and a pan each and you'll looking to have your bag reinforced before you leave.

 And there's still more! You can't go on the adventure of your life without the equipment to capture it all on celluoid. I took two little compact cameras the first time which worked okay. However, if you want really good results, to use in magazines etc., you are going to have to look towards an SLR. I spent quite a time researching the best SLR for the job and so for the last expedition we all decided to take Canon EOS 500N's. Costing only $450, they are completely automatic, auto focus and are easily operable one handed. They weigh in at only 700 gms with a 28 - 80mm lense and give you a light, durable camera that won't break the bank if you smash it to bits en route.

 Last but not least don't forget the one thing without which you will definitely die; water, 3-5 kgs of it is often the straw that breaks the vol-bivouacers back!

 You can have all the right equipment, great weather and be the best pilot in the world, but if you don't go with someone you can get on with your great adventure can be hell. Unless you can spend time with your partner you're soon going to be killing each other. Remember, you might end up stuck in your tent, in depressing rain, for days on end with no end to your miseries in sight so don't just jump at the first offer from any Tom Dick or Harry to team up for the adventure of your life.

 In the immortal words of Mo Antione, a now dead mountaineering friend of mine, a veteran of 25 Himalayan expeditions and the man who first made it possible for me to go the Himalayas."Come back alive, come back friends and lastly, come back having climbed your mountain."  Surely the same rules must apply in this new game.

[문원태]

풀어주든가 띄우질 말든가.... 아 ~~ 어쩌란 말이냐 이 아픈 ㅁㅓㄹㅣ !

[이성덕]

뭐 그냥 대충 춣어보세요..... 내용은 뭐 잘 놀자는 이야기 같은데.....?

[이성덕]

vol-bivouac이란, 단어만 보자면 그저 비행(불어에서 왔다네요..)과 야영이란 말의 합성어인 듯... 풀어보면 비행하다가 노숙도 하고 거지처럼 돌아다니는 것을 말하는 것 같습니다. 새로운 놀이방식이지요....

[양병국]

자전거 꼭 필요하다 돌아 다니려면 차는 말고