Up, up, and away.

The town of Paderno, Italy, is calm and peaceful.  I enjoy it;  I can always count on the relaxation this place provides, particuarly in the mist of stressful school days and crazy travel weekends.  But sometimes, I crave something less composed and more spontaneous.  I want a thrill.  I want something to call home about.
So what do I do?  I jump off mountains.

Monte Grappa

Monte Grappa is part of the Veneto Prealp region and is 1,775 meters (that is nearly 6,000 feet) high.  Luckily, crazy CIMBA students like myself have easy access to this mountain, as it sits within a short distance of our campus.  This landscape provides adventure for anyone, depending on what one may be interested in.  There is hiking, horseback riding, cycling, and most importantly, paragliding.

Me launching off Monte Grappa

Paragliding.  Where do I begin to explain this air-sport?  I suppose it all begins with the wind.  This sport greatly relies and is determined by the amount of wind present.  It consists of a person sitting in a harness, which is suspended below a fabric wing, or parachute.  Once you are all set up, with all the gear in place, you run towards the side of the mountain.  It is important to run fast; this pulling force will allow the wind to inflate the parachute.  And all of a sudden, you will begin to float up, up, and away, far from any form of land.  No, this activity was not designed for those afraid of heights.

But for those okay with flying above mountain tops, take my word: It's an incredible experience.  I was in the air for fifteen minutes, and not one minute felt unsafe.  In fact, it felt liberating.  Like I was flying over... well, mountain tops and forests.  It was like those flying dreams we all experience, but put in reality.  Undoubtedly, I would do it all over again.