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Sammy Linebaugh ReportingSoaring along the Wasatch Front is an international collection of high-flying adventurers. No matter beginner or expert, those who try it describe it as the ride of their life. Sammy Linebaugh takes us paragliding.
Bill Purden: "It's the most free feeling I've ever had in my entire life."
Michelle Christenson: “I love the freedom that you get. There's nothing in the world like it."
If it's freedom you're after, well, this is the place
Steve Mayer, Cloud 9 Soaring Center: “Point of the Mountain where we’re standing right now is world famous. Pilots come from all over the nation and actually all over the world to fly here.”
Right on the hilltop separating Salt Lake from Provo, they come from far and near to fly.
Bill Purden, Paraglider: “I like to call it a little clucking. You know, we get out here and we get all together and we start clucking and we just wait for the wind. Sometimes we’ll be out here in the rain and hopefully it gets better. It’s that addicting.”
Some with years of experience work stunts in their sleep. Others just learning are getting the feel by flying tandem. If you're a beginner you can actually ride tandem and sit in front of an experienced pilot like josh here."
Josh Waldrop is a paragliding instructor and stunt man on the side. He recently returned from an international paragliding acrobatics competition in Europe where he placed among the top ten stunt gliders in the world.
Josh Waldrop: "For ridge soaring this is one of the top five in the world for sure. Definitely the top in the U.S."
For an adventure sport, paragliding is remarkably serene.
Steve Mayer: "I always say if I'm getting an adrenaline rush I'm doing something wrong."
