“I spent three days
in Ashland,Oregon learning the basics of
paragliding with Nick Crane. On
day one, Nick took me for a tandem
flight from the heights of Woodrat Mountain less than an
hour from Ashland.
Nick explained everything thoroughly before the flight and
set my
mind at ease. I knew what I was supposed to do and what he
was going
to do. On Nick's signal, we ran towards the edge of the
steep slope
hard. Feeling my feet leave the ground and the air and sky
enveloping
us as the ground fell 2000 feet away was like dreaming. At
the end
of our flight, Nick landed the paraglider expertly, despite
the windy
conditions.
On days 2 and 3, I took a beginners course from Nick along
with
another student, Eric. Ashland is blessed to have a gentle
training
slope minutes away at Emigrant Lake. It is clear that
safety is
always the top priority for Nick. Nick provided all the
gear, which
was in great shape. He is an effective communicator and
models what
to do. His hands-on approach really helped both Eric and me
progress
quickly. As we began learning how to put on the harness and
lay out
the paraglider, Eric and I didn't believe Nick when he told
us that
his goal was for us to be taking short solo flights by the
end of the
second day. But it happened!
Thanks Nick, for a wonderful, safe, introduction to
paragliding.”
J.K. Marblehead, MA
“If you
like to fly, book a trip to Costa Rica and take a tour with
Nick Crane. It truly was an exceptional experience in every
way. Some guides know particular sites within a country in
which to fly. So, they take some pilots to the sites for a
couple weeks a year and there is nothing wrong with that if
that is what interests you. Nick is different in that he
spends many months in Costa Rica every year. He is familiar
with Costa Rica, not just several of its flying sites and a
few hotels and restaurants. Pilots go there to fly and you
can pretty much fly as much as you want as the weather is
lovely. Nick knows many if not all the sites in Costa Rica
so if it is flyable, you will have an opportunity to fly
because he will get you to launch. With regards to flying,
Nick is a rare combination of knowledge, skill, and
patience. It was a true pleasure to fly with him. The
transportation and accommodations were taken care of and I
have absolutely no complaints; solid vehicles and
clean/comfortable rooms. We ate at local restaurants where
the food was inexpensively priced, but the portions and
flavors were pleasing to even those who might be a bit
picky about what they eat. Nick is very knowledgeable about
a wide variety of topics and was always willing to point
out various species of wildlife, birds, and flora, all of
which were plentiful. In summary, it was a fantastic week
of flying in Costa Rica. I had a total experience by
directly interacting with the culture and avoiding tourist
areas, enjoying the beautiful scenery, learning about the
many facets of Costa Rica, catching some rays of sun,
swimming in the Pacific, and of course, getting lots of
flights that will not be forgotten anytime soon. My thanks
are extended to Nick for a great week. He will be seeing me
again.”
JG P-2 Pa
“We hired Nick Crane to be our guide in CR. Nick's been
travelling to CR for years and has the place totally wired.
He's also an instructor, a tandem dude, a Chiropractor, and
very importantly, he has the essential four wheel drive
vehicle that's required to get to the top of the jungle
flying sites.
Nick did a great job, especially considering that our
diverse little group consisted of me, a P4, K, a P2 that
hadn't flown in 12 months or more, and C, a teenager with a
lot more interests than just jumping off of cliffs and
mountains. Flying was the main focus of the trip, and Nick
got us as much airtime as we wanted, but he also made sure
that we stayed in nice hotels, ate great food, toured the
rain forest by horseback, foot, and zip line, saw the
crocodiles, sloths, monkeys, and exotic birds, and had
plenty of time to play on the beach. He also helped K a
bunch with her kiting and flying by giving her private
lessons and even took C on a tandem flight.
I think Nick has a great little niche in the paraglider
adventure travel biz. While most tour operators cater to
big air pilots, Nick's CR tour is perfect for recreational
pilots and families that want to do more than just crank
and bank in the strong stuff. Thanks Dr. Nick!” JCB P-4 NM
I am an
H 3, P4 and sailplane pilot flying since the eighties and
have gone on many paragliding trips. This one was one of
the best.
Nick speaks Spanish well, is very knowlegable about the
sites and has pioneered many. He knows where to go
depending on conditions. His guidance was invaluable. All
was well organized, the accomodations were completely
adequate, the food was good. We flew every day. I learned a
lot under his instruction and always felt secure. I will do
it again!
Thank you Nick.
G P P-4 OR
I
wanted to send you a quick note to tell you again how much
I enjoyed the trip. I personally like small groups, it
makes things go smoother, and I can get to know the people
better. But it all went too fast. The sites were beautiful,
the accommodations were great, food was excellent, the
company even better, it was just a really great trip. Thank
you so much for making it all so wonderful. I usually like
to go somewhere different each time I travel but I think I
would like to do your tour again, if not next year, the
following year, but maybe for 2 weeks. You've got a good
thing going there Nick, and I have no doubt your weeks will
be in demand in the future.
DV P-4 CA
I am certainly
planning on signing up for another tour with you this
year. If you end up guiding a tour in Brazil (or any
other place), I would be interested in that as well.
D.S. P-3 VT
I sure wish I was waking up tomorrow to fly to the beach
with you! It was a great time and all of want to go
back in the early winter and then maybe again in March.
Thank you for awesome trip.. We are still
reeling with the memories!!!
D.B, P-4 NJ
Hope that all is well up there. I just wanted to reiterate
my heartfelt thanks for all that you have done for me. It
has been a dream trip to come here and get to do so much
flying. Thanks for sharing Nick.
K.B. P-2 OR
Just
want say again how much I appreciate you and the tour. I
justfinished
my log and I got over 10 hours of flying time which as
youknow is
big for me having gotten only a couple of hours of
actualfight
over the past several years. I know I couldn't have gained
somuch
experience and reached the level of comfort I now have
withouthaving come to Costa Rica to
fly with you.
C.P. P-2 OR