Valle de Bravo - getting there and back.

At the monthly Wings of Rogallo club meeting I presented the logistics of getting to and from Valle de Bravo. Since quite a few of my friends are going to the Worlds in 2015, I thought it helpful to share. The first thing to decide is where to fly into. While Toluca is closer, it is more expensive and flying with a hang glider as luggage might be more hassle on a smaller plane, or maybe not. I've experienced plenty of hassle on big planes too. I flew into MEX - mexico city, without a glider with Southwest airlines, which just started flying there for around $400 - obviously depends on where you are coming from.

Next Choice :
- Rent Car - ? ,
- Bus - cheap,
- Taxi ~ $350 !!
- Shuttle ~ depends on number in party.

BUSES

There are two ways to get there by bus. Caminante straight from MEX airport, with a change at Toluca airport ( you may not actually have to change buses).

Or with Zina Bus - which runs from Terminal de Autobuses del Poniente - AKA Observatorio stop on the Metro, which is probably the fastest way there. Especially any time around rush hour. Mexico City Metro mapFor the Metro just walk westward through the terminal, out the end on the ground floor, if you are lucky you might notice a metro/subway sign. Keep going you actually can't miss the stairs down.

Here's the schedule on the website. If I were travelling solo without a glider I would go this route.Here's the schedule on the website. If I were travelling solo without a glider I would go this route. Hope this is useful, I sure could have used it before I set off ;)

more Valle de Bravo

The Lake has a really cool Yacht club building, I don't know if it is open or finished yet, or even what it was before it was a yatch club. Heidi and I wandered down to see if we might rent a small dingy for a sail round the lake.

Not more than 20 mins later we were on a J24 with nice breeze blowing. It was a lot more boat than I was bargaining for. I was a little taken back they lent to me without any credentials for cash! It is a whole lot of boat for just two people.

In an hour and a half we pretty much went around the whole lake. There was enough wind to make it interesting. The views are nice too.

Another trip we took was down to the cascades and waterfalls. It's worth knowing that these are two different creeks. Danny, Taryn and I went for a short walk at this cascade n19.1724°, w100.1183°, before finding the rest of the group at Velo de Novia falls : n19.1647, w100.1431. Given it was the end of the rainy season which was a pretty wet one, the falls were flowing well.

And just like that our time in Valle de Bravo was up. We thought we had better check out the night scene before leaving, so we walked into to town. The Christmas lights were up already.

We met Jeff, Norma, Majo and a few others at La Mezcal for our last night in town. Mezcal is similar to tequila but different variety of cactus and not quite so refined. Fun times ! I'll be back for sure, Valle.

Flying El Pinion

El Pinion launch, n19.0615°, w100.0905° at 7700'msl. It doesn't get much easier than this. Thanks to Jeff at flymexico.com for the shuttling and the glider loan. He makes flying a low stress enjoyable experience for everyone.

The El Pinion - a very photogenic rock.

It is the end of a very wet summer there, and many wildflowers are blooming. 

Here is the main landing zone. It's know as the piano LZ 19.0424°, -100.1046° The lush green grass lulls one into a false sense of sea level, but at 5850' msl and plenty of wind shadow you have to pay attention.

I took 4 flights over the course of our stay. 

One flight, I got into the famous convergence to 10.5k not bad for the middle of Dec. Of course it was better the days I wasn't there ;)

Lots of different angles on the rock, this one makes it look like a low orbiting moon.

Catching the sunset on this one, It's amazing how consistently soarable this place is.

I decided to try and make it back to to town this day. Conditions were the best I'd had and it was my last day. The water in the lake is way high this season, leaving a very small LZ.

But I'd left it too late in the day, or plain just picked the wrong day to try.

I'd easily have made it on a topless, and may have possibly made it on this freedom, but the risk was drowning in the lake. I pushed it as far as I could but eventually decided to turn back and bail into the last brown field to my right. So close !

And what a laughably terrible LZ I picked. Rotor behind the tall trees, tall prickly weeds soft lumpy rutty dirt under. Happy to be on a Freedom ! Great flight regardless. 

Around Valle de Bravo

Our first trip was to go see some flying critters, I was too tired to go fly myself and feel safe. The Monarchs migrate from where I used to live in Santa Cruz (amongst other places) around the end of October, and were arriving at their winter destination in full force. And for those that don't enjoying being lost here's a coordinate for the sanctuary : N19.1739 W99.9578 The Hike upto the grove goes from 9500'msl to close to 11,000'msl, so flip flops aren't the best ;) It's funny to me how difficult it is to navigate in Mexico. Even two taxi drivers were lost within 5 mins in their own home town ? And it's not that they were trying to scam us. Maybe it's just an education thing?

Monarchs

The video just doesn't do the fluttering millions justice, so here is a picture of us watching the swarms and clusters of Monarchs. We're impressed!

The house had a couple of kayaks to use, so that was one of the first things I did. No better way to relax for me.

The edge of the lake has some scenic spots. But I forgot my waterproof box so no pictures...

Later on in the stay Heidi and I wandered up La Pina, the rock on the pennisular. We took a taxi to near the start, he didn't actually know where the trail was... I couldn't fathom that.

From the kayak it looked like there was some shrine up on top, so I figured we should be able to walk up there and see a view. 

It turns out the top is actually a park and of course there are spectacular views.

The trail up and down is nice, it's shaded and winds through the boulders that must be the remnants of a volcanic column.

Reception / Honeymoon

It's been over a year since Heidi and I were officially married. With the big changes like move from Texas to California, find a new job and Maddy being born there was no time or buget for a honeymoon. Valle de Bravo, Mexico @ Thanksgiving 2014 was slated as the time and place, long ago. At the least it was a great reason to get the family together. Last minute news of civil unrest, exactly where we were going two days later, on top of rising awareness of general corruption, was not what I wanted to hear! An uneasy feeling was growing in me over the choice of destination. But I have to say, it all worked out just fabulous, for us. The other stories continue to unfold.

We arrived in Valle de Bravo mostly unscathed, despite our taxi driver being disorientated and lost from start to finish. I have to to say, having read many horror stories of taxi drivers abducting and robbing their passengers, being lost in a blocked street after only two right turns; I was less than impressed and ready to get assertive. But it seems this guy was genuinly lost. The 2.5 hour journey took just under 5 hours. A recurring theme of the trip ;) we landed here. A small slice of only slightly tainted paradise.

It didn't take long for the girls to find and get in the pool.

The spacious 4 bedroom house would be our base for the next 10 days :) With family and friends coming and going, it was very pleasant.

Just down the street there was a nice floating bar. It was easier to kayak there than walk, if it wasn't for that wet butt!

Town is fun to explore. It is very touristy and easier to walk around than drive. Locals ride motorbikes or quads, and every other car is a cab.

Every other car that isn't a cab is a Federale truck. It was un-nerving to be looking straight down the barrels of guns resting on the window or door frame as the bounced through the cobbled streets. The adventure was just begining.