Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast

Gavin McClurg

Free flight podcast hosted by Gavin McClurg

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

278 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Support the show

Cloudbase Mayhem Donation

Goes straight to the publisher. podnod takes nothing.

Episodes278

Newest first

Jan 23, 2025 · 1 hr 33 min
#238 Acro, Test flying, SIV, Instruction, Meteo and Comps with Karlis Jaunpetrovics
In this episode we talk about his journey to becoming an instructor, the challenges and intricacies of test piloting, his passion for acrobatics, his experiences flying in Taiwan, and the vibrant paragliding community he has encountered along the way. Karlis shares his passion for cross-country flying and the importance of mentorship in paragliding. He discusses the significance of finding the right instructor and community, as well as his transition into teaching SIV training, the 4 fundamentals of SIV, and how progression works when it works well.
Jan 9, 2025 · 55 min
#237- Removing the Anxiety of Vol Biv with Tim Pentreath
Four years ago almost to the day we released a podcast with veteran UK pilot/adventurer Tim Pentreath that explored his "Gumball Rally"- a vol biv adventure open to anyone in the Alps every summer. At that time Tim and his friends were just getting getting started. This show is a follow up with Tim to find out how it's been going. The answer- quite well indeed! The Gumball continues to grow, continues to generate a ton of smiles, and they continue to cover a lot of very cool ground.
Dec 28, 2024 · 51 min
#236 Soaring through History with Butch Peachy
In this continuing series on legends in the sport I sit down with Butch Peachy to discuss his over 40 years of flying hang gliders and his continued passion today. We begin with Butch's early days in hang gliding, his unique adventures including being (likely) the first to vol-biv with a hang glider, and the evolution of the sport. Butch shares crazy stories from the 70's, his experiences in competitions, and how music has played a role in his flying adventures.
Dec 13, 2024 · 59 min
#235 A Record is Crushed in Norway with Arne Kristian Boiesen
On June 10, 2023 Arne Kristian Boiesen, a veteran paraglider from Norway stepped off one of his local sites outside of Oslo hoping to go pretty big. 9.5 hours later he'd flown his Niviuk Peak 6 343 km from launch, a remarkable 90 km farther than anyone ever had in Norway, flying nearly due north across epic terrain, landing just south of Trondheim. The record stands today.
Nov 29, 2024 · 1 hr 57 min
#234 A lifetime in the clouds with Chuck Smith
Free flight tends to attract some rather big personalities to its crutches. And among its most interesting and passionate devotees is American pilot and pioneer Chuck Smith. Chuck learned back east on the dunes in the US with his brother in the late 80's under the tutelage of climbing legend John Bouchard. From there the search for airtime and the love of the flying community brought him all over the world. The people he's impacted or been impacted by is an impressive rolodex of the history of flying.
Nov 15, 2024 · 43 min
#233 A Monster day in the Owens with Gordon Boettger
Gordon Boettger has achieved remarkable feats in wave flying, breaking records with a 3100+ km flight in 18.5-hours using night vision goggles and strong atmospheric wave. This Monday I joined him for a thrill ride where we covered nearly 1200 km in 7.5 hours, launching at 0330 using NVG's, reaching altitudes of 24,500 feet, showcasing the incredible future potential of soaring.
Nov 1, 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
#232 An Impossible Story of Survival with Ben Lewis
Canadian pilot Ben Lewis shares his perilous and rather unbelievable cloudsuck experience paragliding in Bir, India, where extreme turbulence led eventually to a harrowing near-death "landing." After losing control and suffering severe injuries, he emphasizes the importance of weather awareness, risk management, and community support in adventure sports, providing vital lessons for fellow adventurers.
Oct 17, 2024 · 50 min
#231 Chasing Excellence with Evan Bouchier
Evan discusses his transition from extreme kayaking to paragliding, highlighting the significance of tandem flying, competition experiences, and mental techniques like intuition and visualization. He reflects on challenges, the thrill of flying, and the importance of resilience, emphasizing the parallels between sports and his aspirations in cross-country paragliding.
Oct 5, 2024 · 50 min
#230 Hugh Miller and making the Glide to Sailplanes
Hugh Miller, a renowned paraglider pilot, has recently transitioned to flying sailplanes, capturing interest with his first competition experience. His journey highlights the challenges and excitement of learning a new aviation discipline. The piece reflects on the differences between paragliding and gliding and explores the unique skills required for the latter.
Sep 24, 2024 · 1 hr 51 min
#229, The Exit Point Podcast interviews your Host
Gavin McClurg, an accomplished extreme sports athlete and Patagonia ambassador, discusses his experiences with risk, flow, and mentorship in extreme sports on the Exit Point Podcast. He covers his history in ski racing, close calls in kayaking, and confidence-building from sailing around the world, emphasizing his expertise in paragliding.
Sep 9, 2024 · 57 min
#228 Eat, Sleep, Fly 100 km Repeat with Mathew Fiddes
Mathew Fiddes, a relatively new pilot, set out to win the Australian XC league in the 23' XContest season. Despite early challenges, he aimed for 52 100 km flights in a season and achieved this goal by traveling extensively. A discussion at the Red Rocks Wide Open covers his journey and future aspirations.
Aug 21, 2024 · 1 hr 25 min
#227 The XPeaks Expedition with Chrigel Maurer and Peter Von Känel
Peter Von Känel and Chrigel Maurer embarked on the Xpeaks 82 summits project, becoming the first to link all 82 of the 4,000-meter peaks in the Alps using only their feet and paragliders. Despite weather challenges, they completed the mission in a remarkable 51 days through teamwork, expert skills, and careful resource management, and "embracing uncertainty."
Aug 13, 2024 · 57 min
#226 Benni Bölli and the Art of Flaring
The episode features Benni Bölli, the inventor and designer behind Flare kites, discussing "flaring" or parakiting, a sport combining kitesurfing and paragliding elements. He explains the Flare system's dynamic nature, emphasizing safe handling, training, and the significant differences and benefits between parakites and traditional paragliders for soaring.
Jul 31, 2024 · 35 min
#225 AMA with Malin Lobb- C Class 2 Liners, First bivvy in the Alps, When are you expedition Ready?
In this Ask Me Anything episode, three main questions from Patreon supporters are addressed. Topics include the new class of C wing 2-Liners with insights from SIV expert Malin Lobb, tips for a first bivvy in the Alps, and advice on assessing readiness for big challenges such as new lines or expeditions.
Jul 20, 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
#224 The Free Flight Lab with Michael Vergalla
Mike Vergalla, founder of the Free Flight Lab, delves into his paragliding journey and highlights the lab's pillars: climate science, conservation, and safety. He discusses paragliding's potential in research and environmental conservation, emphasizing the need for more data. The conversation also covers the environmental impact, community responsibility, and the unique experiences paragliding offers.
Jun 29, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
#223 Increasing Performance, Safety and Resilience with Jeremy Wilstein
Jeremy Wilstein discovered breathwork, inspired by Wim Hof, and has been teaching it for 8 years, benefiting performance, safety, mental stability, and well-being. His exercises, enhancing sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, aid decision-making, reduce anxiety, improve physical recovery, and simulate altitude training. Breathwork is pivotal for athletes and pilots alike.
Jun 14, 2024 · 1 hr 14 min
#222, Living Life to the Fullest and Embracing Adventure with Dick Jackson
Dick Jackson takes on his remarkable journey as an alpinist and paragliding pioneer, covering his early expeditions, the evolution of paragliding in Aspen, and technological advancements in free flight. He reminisces about adventurous flights, the camaraderie in the sport, and reflects on grief, spirituality, and the profound impact of mountains on his life.
May 31, 2024 · 26 min
#221 Learning stalls for the first time after 30 years of flying with Nate Scales
My neighbor and mentor Nate Scales has been flying paragliders at a high level for over 30 years. He competed in the 2007 Red Bull X-Alps. Owned the US foot launch record out of Idaho, where conditions can be about as rough as it can get. He has been flying 2 liners since their inception in 2009. But until this week had never done an SIV, and never stalled a glider. He finally decided the time was right and it was time to conquer his fears. This is his story. Let's call it a PSA for those on the SIV fence. Nate has had a nearly accident-free flying career. Chalk it up to skill and making good decisions and a good dose of luck but we all know this sport can bite, and it's never too late to mitigate some of the risk.
May 20, 2024
#220, Martin Scheel and 30 years of the Swiss League
Martin Scheel was one of the best climbers in the world when he discovered paragliding and the sky crack immediately became his new passion. His images and videos have entertained and awed for several decades across the free-flight spectrum. In the mid 90's he helped create the Swiss League and has headed it up since. His collaborative efforts with generations of pilots have helped create some of the most successful pilots on Earth, including Chrigel Maurer, Stephan Morganthaler, Dominik Breitinger, Tim Bollinger, Nanda Walliser and many, many others over the past three decades. Martin organized the Superfinal in Disentis in 2022 and more recently the PWC in Grindelwald last week.
May 3, 2024 · 1 hr 12 min
#219 The physiology of Hypoxia, Sleep and Aging with Dr. Bill Beninati
n this episode Bill takes us on a deep dive into the physiology of hypoxia, sleep and aging and what we can (and should) do to help combat the effects of each when it comes to flying. Hypoxia can greatly reduce our mental acuities, often without our knowledge. It can be sudden and can be radically different from day to day. The bottom line- when operating at altitude even the most prepared and acclimatized need to build in more margin. Come along as we explore three subjects which can really impact our safety and ability in the air.

Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast

Support the show

#238 Acro, Test flying, SIV, Instruction, Meteo and Comps with Karlis Jaunpetrovics

#237- Removing the Anxiety of Vol Biv with Tim Pentreath

#236 Soaring through History with Butch Peachy

#235 A Record is Crushed in Norway with Arne Kristian Boiesen

#234 A lifetime in the clouds with Chuck Smith

#233 A Monster day in the Owens with Gordon Boettger

#232 An Impossible Story of Survival with Ben Lewis

#231 Chasing Excellence with Evan Bouchier

#230 Hugh Miller and making the Glide to Sailplanes

#229, The Exit Point Podcast interviews your Host

#228 Eat, Sleep, Fly 100 km Repeat with Mathew Fiddes

#227 The XPeaks Expedition with Chrigel Maurer and Peter Von Känel

#226 Benni Bölli and the Art of Flaring

#225 AMA with Malin Lobb- C Class 2 Liners, First bivvy in the Alps, When are you expedition Ready?

#224 The Free Flight Lab with Michael Vergalla

#223 Increasing Performance, Safety and Resilience with Jeremy Wilstein

#222, Living Life to the Fullest and Embracing Adventure with Dick Jackson

#221 Learning stalls for the first time after 30 years of flying with Nate Scales

#220, Martin Scheel and 30 years of the Swiss League

#219 The physiology of Hypoxia, Sleep and Aging with Dr. Bill Beninati