Page 89 - Cross Country Travel Guide 2019
P. 89
Jason McLeod and friends hike-and-fly from the highest peak in Sumatra
site was perfect, clean, nothing too snaggy, and with a nice easterly I tried heading into the wind but couldn’t penetrate quick enough to
direction as well. In light- to nil-wind it would be as good a launch get away. I turned to go downwind, away from the spur when whack,
as you could hope for on a mountain like Kerinci. But that morning half my wing collapsed, yanking me round in the harness. I dropped
Tugu Yudha was deep in wind-whipping sulphur-tinged cloud. in height and my airbag brushed the deck. I lifted my legs, to keep
The alternative, last night’s chosen launch, was on a knoll just them from getting caught in the vegetation, then leaned hard to the
above the tree line, thirty metres from camp. But that was quickly left. The wing rocked about but kept flying. “Hands up!” “Weight
abandoned too. Looking at the knoll from Shelter 3 – which shift!” I repeated out loud like an anxious mantra. My right wingtip
incidentally no longer had a roof – our wind tellers did not reassure. tucked. “Don’t forget pressure on the brakes,” I told myself.
One makeshift windsock, made from the omnipresent plastic The wing settled, my heart rate slowed and I took stock. I had been
littering the mountain camps, showed strong westerlies. Less than blown around the mountain some distance from the spur I hoped to
ten metres away the other showed 25-30 knot easterlies! soar. But if I headed back there I’d be in rotor. To the south the valley
At 7am, after one of the most magical sunrises I have ever seen, the opened out wide. There were plenty of landing spots including 3,000
wind dropped. Not much but enough. Maybe. Pak Heri and I looked hectares of tea plantations. I was still well above the clouds. With
at each other and smiled. Then it was a quick scout before we settled luck I might even be able to make our chosen landing zone.
on a clearing just beside camp (3,300m). It would be tough. We would I put on a bit of bar and tracked south-east into the valley. I
be launching in a strong 10-15 knot crosswind. There was rotor radioed to Heri, Hendra and Rubby to let them know I was OK.
coming off the trees. But Heri thought it was doable. Rubby and Heri prepared to launch. The next 15 minutes was
magnificent, flying above, then soaring between clouds. Below me
The flight were food gardens, tea plantations and forest. To the left, villages
Against my better judgement I borrowed his confidence and set up. hugged the road. In the distance, to the east, the Seven Mountains
(Yeah, I know what you are thinking. As I re-read this I am thinking Lake shimmered, cradled in its high valley nest. I felt a few
it too.) After six failed launches I managed to get away. It was not thermals, made a couple of turns and promised myself that one day
graceful. Without Pak Heri and Pak Hen’s help it wouldn’t have I would go XC in Indonesia.
happened at all. But launching was only the beginning of my troubles. But not today.
cCLOUD SOARING
Gliding out towards a landing
at the village of Kayu Aro
Photo: Jason McLeod
INDONESIA CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2019 89
