Jeff Hunt <Jeff>
writes:

Here at Valle de Bravo, Mexico it was perfect weather for many
weeks, then it got funky for a day and even rained, then it was back to flying
weather. The weather change meant it must be really cold up north and a friend
in San Antonio wrote he thought it could even snow there. We might get snow on
the extinct volcano near here and add to the exquisite panoramas but no one has
ever seen snow here in Valle itself. It can get cold at night and the fireplaces
in the client house add heat and ambiance.

We were paragliding and hang gliding the last weeks and have been hang gliding
this week. It all depends on the clients we have. Last week was fun guiding a
fellow paragliding for his first cross country experience getting near
cloudbase. Routinely flying back to town and landing by the lake is something
that may never feel routine. Always exciting and different every time.

Launch at El Peñon has been tranquil, not too many folks. There are little
yellow, white, and purple flowers and plenty of grass all over. It is really
nice before it gets trampled as many people will be showing up over the course
of the coming months. The road up was pretty rough but it recently has been
improved. None of our vehicles had problems going up but some lighter vehicles
did for lack of traction. We used our 4x4 a few times. We have two 4x4 Suburbans
and a big stout Ford van in our fleet as well as a couple of motorcycles and a
boat at our disposal. The road work indicates the mine there is back working
after maybe a year of a strike. The piano (bail out) lz at the Peñon is full of
yellow flowers and we had it cut earlier in the year when the rains were ending
so it is very nice. The restaurant there is still not finished.

La Torre launch over looking the lake is very much the same at launch and a bit
rough going up. The LZ size was enormous, now it is still big but the lake level
is rising slowly, shrinking the land area steadily. I doubt it will get to where
there is only the year round elevated part only but after about 17 years here,
we've seen the annual lake fluctuations do not follow a strict pattern.

Locally there are now six school operations with tandem pilots with maybe 25
tandem pilots locally. Visitors are arriving steadily and regulars who winter
here are popping in. It should be a busy winter season.

FlyMexico is going steady. We see a variety of action and have customized things
for clients more this year than before. We will get formalized at some point the
lead, bronze, silver, gold and platinum tour packages with corresponding levels
of lodging and service. For now, just letting us know what you need.

There are airline flights to Toluca from more places now. Toluca is halfway to
Valle and avoids crossing the town of Mexico City. Volaris flies from Oakland,
Los Angeles and Tijuana to Toluca. Continental flies there from Houston. Most
people still arrive into Mexico City and we have handled both locations at all
sorts of arrival and departure times.

We are booked up some dates such as Jan 10-17 and Feb 14-21. Other dates we can
add folks. We have some real fun planned January 6 - a FlyMexico exclusive for
the Three Kings Day festivities. Flying from the Peñon in the afternoon. Landing
at a private airstrip a glide away in Temascaltepec, being received as guests
there then going to the wild celebration at the town square.

Come on!