KAVU Pulse

KAVU: The Joy is in the Journey

I really admire our soft spoken Norwegian ambassador, Benji Hjort.  He has sent in two updates in the past two weeks, each depicting stunning imagery from the most beautiful spots in Norway.  My jaw dropped open when I opened his email containing these images.  After a few viewing laps through them, I realized the absence of any action.  I'm used to seeing this from him and the rest of the KAVU tribe....but gnarly action is not what KAVU is all about....this is:  

The below photos gave me an emotional response.  I want to know these people.......I wanna go there. The photo story had no captions, nor do they need them.  They leave me guessing about a few things, while others are clear as day.  The folks in these photos are as KAVU as it gets amongst quite possibly the best day ever.  They are having so much fun that time is standing still.  All this.... on the way up. 

Click it and stick it:  another KAVU day.  

From here it is big tasty powder lines, wind and sun burned faces with rosy cheeks that hurt from too much smiling, maybe some champaign and strawberries in a cabin with a view, a hot tub......hmmmmm...another KAVU day.

Air Time at the Ranch.

I've been a Hang Glider Pilot for around 3 years now.  As a local Montana boy, I've been struggling to get any air time.....not due to lack of commitment, but lack of good conditions, experience and personal skills.  Here is the problem:  if one wants to learn hang gliding in the mountains,plan on a lot of waiting around.  Getting to the launch, setting up and sitting around waiting for the conditions to be "beginner friendly" is pretty much what it takes....and after 3 years as a beginner, I left Montana and ventured to the perfect place to bump up to intermediate status.  

The flat lands is a place most people wouldn't  imagine the sport of hang gliding could exist. But I stand behind this statement:  There could never be a better place to learn the sport of Hang Gliding then the Wallaby Ranch down here in sunny Florida.

I've been down here with fellow KAVU ambassador Sara Close for the last month and the report is in: This place RULES.

We've been  receiving training from quite possibly the best instructor in the world, Malcolm Jones. He has done over 40,000 incident free tandems and is the master mind behind the Wallaby Ranch.

And, you just can't beat one on one instruction like this. 

It's fun when we all get to go up together!   KAVU smiles from ear to ear.

The Ranch:

a.  Our Hooch (aka cabin) known as the Taj Mahol

b.  The Barn...it has been converted into an awesome dining hall

c.  The Oak Tree:  A great place to sit and think, have dance parties and/or launch when the wind is blowing the right way.

d. The West Launch:  A fun place to get air born.

e.  The pool.  Set up the mobile office, swim and soak up some rays

f.  The Glider Hangers:  Pick a stick then go rip

This ain't Montucky..... We are in the marshy flat lands of Florida.  There is no other way to get up to start surfing thermals then towing in.  Kind of like big wave surfing, except you use a plane instead of a jet ski and the waves are invisible.

Here is another POV

After about 15-30 Tandems (depending on your innate ability to fly) Malcolm starts easing you into doing solos.

But you also have to hit up some ground school in the process.

It's hard to believe how do-able this sport actually is.

After 6 or 7 successful solo flights in smooth air, Malcolm starts to slowly ease you into thermaling in the clouds.

Thermaling is actually a pretty basic concept.

Lucky for us we have Mike Barber, resident teacher here at the Ranch.  Mike has been holding the world record for distance Cross Country Hang Gliding for more then two decades at 437 miles.  Sara and I are in the middle of our classes about understanding and reading features of the Sky.

The next thing you know, you are munching on cloud base.

And hanging with the big boys.

The Tow Rig drops usually drops you off at around 2,500 feet right in a Thermal.  You can surf up to cloud base, usually between 5 and 6 thousand, and stay up as long as you want on a good day.

It is one of the most beautiful things I can imagine.

The more you go the more you get to go.  That is pretty much the deal with Hang Gliding.

We are now Flying Humans.  Sara has only been in the air for 3 weeks, and has moved through the ranks to full-on intermediate status with over 15 hours of air time.  I was interrupted from writing the blog post with the Malcolm coming int our Hooch saying "This will be the toughest air you have ever done, but I think you are both up for it."  We just now landed, and we both stuck our take-off, flights and landings....we will be swimming around the pool with big smiles all afternoon.  As KAVU athlete Jeff Shapiro always says:  "Hang Gliding is kind of like dreaming awake."

Human flight is something almost everyone dreams of at some point in life.  I can't help but ask the question:  If humans can fly, what can't we do?  

KAVU

Whitewater Jones'n

Worldwide, winter is running late this year.  From Montana to Norway, everyone just wants a little piece of spring.  My feeling is that when it comes it is going to come FAST!

Scando-KAVU athlete Benjamin Hjort has been making his way around Norway lately looking for any sort of melt, to no avail.  The rivers are still snowed in.

The sun is shinin' but the snow ain't meltin'

Norway scenery:  Just like Montana.

The scenery was so pretty they decided to do some self support lake paddling.

I know right?

No Paddling?  The perfect chance to practice some male modeling together.  KAVU status.....

Don't worry boys, we will soon have more water then we can handle.

 

Caroline Gleich reports on an epic season.

Something just makes me smile when I get a report in from young Caroline Gleich.  She is a million miles a minute, and literally has a swarm of photographers following her around from mountain to mountain all winter.  

 

Here at KAVU we admire Caroline's ability to keep it real.  So if you are driving up to Snowbird and you are wondering who the colorful personality is gleaming from the billboards and brochures......you have found her right here amongst the KAVU crew.  Look no further.

We don't sponsor Caroline necessarily because she is in the lime light, we sponsor her because she is constantly amongst the goods enjoying the most of every single day.

She is the kind of girl who know how to pack her bag to weigh right on the money.

She doesn't really waste in any places other then the most beautiful that there is.

and certainly isn't afraid to work for it.

Never in a big hurry, always gets the goods.

Even as I post these photos, I can't help but think to my self.....I wanna be there.

Never not Killing it.

It usually takes her all day.

Life is all about hanging with good buds,

and catching good views like this.

This pretty much wraps up winter.  I heard things are flooding in Caroline's back yard in Utah.  Time to get out the boards and head to the river.

 

 

Nick Greece is KAVU.

What could possibly kick off a KAVU day better?  Coffee, the morning news....and a classic wildlife sighting right out your office window.  It's the kick off for just another day in the life for KAVU ambassador Nick Greece.

Standard deal, it's a quiet morning.  No bull shit.  Hike the peak and beat clouds for some nice morning light.  Just another day in beautiful Jackson Hole.

This is the fired Central Couloir in the classic greater tetons area. Good friends. No hurry, there isn't anyone around for miles.  This is KAVU.

If you were a Jackson Hole local, this picture would indicate perfection.  With so much snow at the crux, the timing was impeccable to hit this.

There is only one line here.

A little later that day.....Gothic.  One you should consider staying up-right for.

A frosty classic.  You can't beat late season KAVU pow days in the Jackson Hole Backcountry.

The day after these above photos were taken, Nick Greece packed up his wing and Headed to California.  

It still amazes me that humans can fly.  It is such an incredible dream like sensation.  Nick works as an editor for a major Hang Gliding and Paragliding publication.  He spends a lot of weekends straight up promoting the sport of free-flight.

Some vintage gliders were on display, much like the ones the late Bruce Barr (the inventor of the KAVU day) used to fly back in the 70's.

The crafts have changed, but the style and soul of the sport have not.  Blacks Beach surf spot can be seen below.

Nick Greece:  as usual hanging with the locals.  Flying at Torrey Pines you get to behold a few modest homes with decent views.

Tandem flight for potential pilots full of shadows, flowers, and the owner of Ralphs supermarkets house below.

You really can't beat Torrey Pines for ridge soaring. 

People ask me often:  What does it take to become a KAVU Ambassador?  The answer is really simple....you don't become one.  You are one.

If skiing a Jackson Hole Tri-Fecta leaves you smiling from ear to ear.....and all you can think about is "How can I make tomorrow better then today?", If you wake up in the morning and you think to yourself "Today is going to be ....by far.....the best day ever....and it is..."  Well, frankly you are KAVU.  Welcome to the team.

When the TEAM gets together..........

I've had the unique opportunity to connect with fellow KAVU ambassador Sara Close down here in Florida.  We hardly had an idea of what the KAVU Fun-u-lometer had in store....but after only two weeks, it is safe to say it is currently red-lining.

When you live the KAVU lifestyle, amazing things begin to happen.  I believe it is the passion for fun and the love for life that has catapulted young Ms. Close and I into oblivion.  We are currently in production of a new KAVU sponsored film that is following Sara to live out her life long dream of learning to fly.

We have to give a big shout out to Malcolm and the crew from Wallaby Ranch for hosting and sponsoring this incredibly inspiring project.

This blog post aims to demonstrate KAVU connection.  What happens when two KAVU'ers unite.

~Into the action before the sun rises.

and don't quit even after it sets.

~We skate,

climb trees,

enjoy tall frosty beverages,

oh.....and margaritas.

Cirque De Soleil...thats pretty fun,

and freestyle walking.

We Unsuccessfully attempt to blend,

act really goofy,

then go paddling.

Our days are dissected with amazing food,

dreaming big,

and sticking it.

We take loads of pictures,

and go swimming.

We give thanks,

enjoy every single minute,

and welcome the next.

Just a few components of a KAVU Day.  Don't waste time, get out and get some.

Welcome to Secret Town.

KAVU Ambassador Scott Ligare has it figured out.  He has found paradise and respectably....he is a little selfish.  He has seen so many of his KAVU places exploited, sold out or over-recreated.  He is sick of people throwing elbows just to get a glimpse of him removing his dry top, or the paparazzis stalking him outside his house every morning......everyone is just trying to get one little piece of the Li-grrrrr..... 

What Ligare offers the world is Soul!  So that is why he sought out and claimed a place of his own where the air, mountains and rivers connect into one spinning energetic KAVU ball of fun.  Welcome to Secret Town.  Location:  Yah Right like we are gonna tell you.

Secret Town is a Happy Place.

It always starts with some air time and scouting of afternoon activities.

2 hours into a KAVU day in Secret Town.......time to hit the river.

That's weird he has the play spot to himself.....well it is him, and his beautiful photographer girl friend taking this picture.

Everyone would love to see through the Liger-Lenses.  Here we call it KAVU vision.

20 minute commute and it's up to mountains.  Ligare calls it his $ecret $chralp $ki $pot or $$$$ aka. Big Money.

$$$$ Big Money is a place of pillowy pow lines.

Where you never cross a track.

And the love flows deep as the snow.

You just experienced a glimpse of a KAVU day in Secret Town staring the infamous KAVU athlete Scott Ligare.  If you want to see/meet him.......good luck.  We encourage you to seek out your own Secret Town, and experience the ultimate.  Have a KAVU day.

Sara Close: Portfolio

Sara Close is our official International mystery woman.  She plays the violin, shares extreme passion for the outdoors, is an environmental activist and has some amazing offerings on both sides of the lens. When Sara left for Namibia last December to sail across the South Atlantic I gave her a simple KAVU mission:  "When you experience that ultimate moment where you are like aarrrrghghghareea oh ya this is so epic beautiful most awesomest sh#t ever....that is KAVU. Snap a picture--send it over."  These are the images she has come home with:

 

T-Bradt: Insights on the Big injury. Q&A feature on KAVU Pulse

Tyler Bradt, one of our oldest-youngest athletes has recently sustained the most serious injury in his life. He is considered seriously lucky to still be walking as he has separated his L1 vertebrae.  We are very happy to report that the encounter, however serious has left Tyler smarter and ready for "new steps" in life.  I hasn't even been a week and already Tyler is back on his feet throwing perfect strikes.....AS EXPECTED.

KAVU:  What happened, fill us in on the background story of the North West Huck Fest?

TB:  The North West Huck fest is notoriously just a paddling trip that I would take with my buddy Ian Garcia. We travel around looking for waterfalls and run some really great stuff. Ian just fathered a child down in Chile so with him not being around this spring I decided to take things into my own hands and head out on the tour. Things were going good, we ran Outlet Falls a 70 footer near Hood River.

Money Drop, a high volume 40 footer,

then things went wrong on Abiqua Falls, a 95 footer about 45 minutes South of Portland.

KAVU:  What do the docs have to say…what is the recovery time exactly?

TB:  The docs are saying it will be 12 weeks before I am out of my back brace and another 12 weeks after that until they pull the hard wear out of my back. At the end of that time I should be back to ‘normal activity’ and my back should be 100%! I think I should be back in my boat by the end of May, beginning of June.

KAVU:  1-10, how bad did it hurt?

TB:  I went through the whole spectrum of pain, I would say I spent the majority of my time between 3 and 6 peaking up to 9 and 10 on a few occasions.

KAVU:  You ran it with hand paddles rather then a regular paddle, why? Did this effect your line?

TB:  I ran the drop with hand paddles because there was no difficult entry into the falls, and I thought I could control my boat angle a little better. I think they threw me off just a little. Either way, it wasn’t the hand paddles that made the difference between a good line and a bad line. I don’t blame my choice of equipment for the incident.

KAVU:  This drop had been run once before right?

TB:  The drop had been run twice before, once my Tim Gross and once by Jesse Combs. They both had complications with the drop and ended up swimming at the bottom.

KAVU: What was your motivation in running it?

TB:  The waterfall is beautiful. Picture perfect. I ran it because I thought that I could have a really good line on it, it would be a lot of fun and some solid airtime.  Waterfall running is an amazing experience when everything goes well.

KAVU:  Has this incident changed your outlook on “Extreme Sports?”

TB:  This Abiqua Falls incident more than anything showed me first hand the fine line that we all walk when practicing extreme sports. When doing something as risky as waterfall running it is increasingly important to make very good decisions. When doing this stuff a lot the law of probability is not on your side and the only thing keeping you from getting hurt is making smart choices. If I was more patient and waited for higher water, even if it took a whole year, the outcome would have been different. I didn’t have a bad line and I would have gotten away with it if there was more aeration at the bottom. I am glad I will be able to heal up and keep on paddling and having fun, I could have easily not been so lucky.

KAVU:  How do you plan to spend your time laid up?

TB:  I have to be around to the states to see the neurosurgeon for the next few weeks to make sure things are healing right. After that, I think I might go find somewhere to rest, relax and kick back for a month or so. I am also planning a big sailing trip to take off this fall so I am going to be planning and fundraising a bunch for that which I am going to be pouring all my energy into. Really looking forward to that adventure, it will be a perfect way to get back into the swing of things once all this is over. 

KAVU:  You had a big expedition planned for the summer? What is the status with that trip?

TB:  I had a big expedition planned to circumnavigate Ellesmere Island this coming summer. The expedition is going ahead as planned but I wont be able to be a part of it… I am glad I was able to help get it going and help make it happen. The other two team members are very capable of pulling off the trip just the two of them I am sure they will have an amazing and successful expedition. Wishing them the best and also really wishing I could be there with them… I will be there is spirit every step of the way.

KAVU:  Do you have any personal insights you would like to relay to kids still looking to up the ante on big waterfalls?

TB:  Yes. Make good decisions. Things happen fast in running waterfalls and we have been seeing more and more big waterfall runners break their backs. Really pick and choose the ones you want to run, be sure there is lots of water going over the falls and the landing looks soft. You can have a lot of fun running rivers and being on the water, lots of times big waterfalls might not be worth the risk. Just keep a good hear on your shoulders, have fun and you should be able to avoid serious injury.

KAVU:  Tell us a good hospital story.

TB:  There were some very good times to be had at the hospital and some really entertaining hospital staff. Some of the highlights was some really cute nurses taking me out for walks once I was able to be back on my feet. Usually two or three of them would come along to help steady me, I couldn’t believe that part of my rehab in the hopital was walking around with two cute girls under my arms! I am going to have to keep that one going for a speedy recovery.

KAVU:  What would you say is the biggest obstacle on the road to recovery?

TB:  I think the most important part of recovering is just staying positive and treating this as a learning experience. I will be a few months recovering but hopefully I will be back on the water soon, stronger and wiser because of this experience!

KAVU:  Tyler, I heard a great KAVU quote this morning that represents you well:  "If you take life full throttle you'll to get there quicker."  We are stoked all went well with the surgery and happy to see you back on your feet!  Keep us posted on the insights and thanks for being a KAVU inspiration!  From all of us here at KAVU, get well soon buddy......

Alison Teal gets her Fiji on....

It's always a tough one to tear KAVU chronie Alison Teal away from her epic swiss family robinson style, off the grid home on the big island of Hawaii.  So when she leaves it is generally for a super epic adventure.  This time.....Figi a long long way from home (somewhere near Australia).

First things first, get the home office set up and tweet that shit.

Next thing......catch some food.

No wonder Alison is able to maintain such a girlish figure.

REASONS TO BE IN FIJI:  Surf the goods,

Scout out exotic islands for KAVU photo shoots,

Cultural immersion,

Religious experiences,

Hair flicking,

Making new buddies,

Moonlight Surfing,

OH....and Rainbows.

Nothing missing here:  KAVU Days!