Amir Shalom ()
writes:

Day 3. Nice +3-4 m/.s lift on first two third's of then task.
Then, the late ones (especially the very late ones, like me, flying a 2003
glider) encounter showers and thunderstorms. Dustin Martin said later, he
expected somebody to turn back, but pilots flew into the rain climbing under the
thundering clouds.



But that is not the adventure.



As I was at 300 meters AGL, and seeing the shadow, rain 300 meters from me, the
thunder, lightning, and crazy winds on the high Ecaliptus trees, I have decided
to land in a field by the road, and push 3-4 km into the fields and rain.



I had a good landing in spite of the wind, carried the glider to the field edge,
near a plantation, found the GPS coordinates, informed the retrieve, and started
to de-rig.



A sound of big motor cars braking up on the road beside drew my attention. I
looked through the trees and saw more than four big police vans, with a dozen
policemen. Guns drown at me running towards me, shouting in Portuguese. I slowed
down, lifted my hands up, then sat on the ground as told, and tried to calm them
down. They checked the equipment (even trying to open the reserve), radio ,
GPS's etc. They stopped another hang gliding car (Bebe & Mona from
Paraguay) that passed by to the retrieve Dustin, to checked them and their
papers.



Apparently, the owner of the farm near the fields, a very rich men with a lot of
influence, saw a few hang gliders over his farm, low, and got the idea he might
be under an attack.



After an hour, not before local magazines reporters came by putting some common
sense in, I got my passport back, and we could go.



Must say, policemen were very strict, but polite and professional.



Come fly Brazil!