Mental preparation begins.

It is 6 am here, and you are still living in yesterday as I write this, which is mind boggling. Due to the naps, we sat outside and waited for stars to come out last night. The moon is at 79% brightness, so we gave up at 11 p.m. Now I am sitting outside with a cup of coffee listening to birds and waterfalls on a hewn log bench. The sounds of cow bells echo in the hills as they work their way down the slopes to graze. In seven hours we will meet the folks who will guide us down from the Alps in paragliders. From the valley, we will take a cable car back to Murren and hike up about 3/4 of a mile. Then they spread out the chutes one behind another and we strap in. From that point, we simply take turns walking down the steep meadow. The wind and physics take over after that. I am terrified of heights, but this particular event, like swimming with sharks, just captivates my spirit. Here are a few pics from my morning thoughts in the garden of our "home away from home."Read more