Sitting on rooftops can show you a whole nother perspective on neighborhoods! I know this because DG and I were on a rooftop on Silver Strand beach yesterday, when we saw these THINGS fly by.
DG knew they were called ultralights, which was more than I knew, and we both figured they were manned by some super rich hobbyist locals. We did some Googling around, and fantasizing about building our own from $10k kits in my parents' mostly-empty garage, lol.
But then I stumbled upon a website for Sky Rider Ultralight (www.skyrider-ul.com), and realized they were within a half hour's drive from us!
It was after hours at that point, but I called and left a message. We were both thrilled when the owner, Mike, called us back first thing the next morning and told us to come on in for a ride!
Mike ended up being SUPER friendly and welcoming when we got there. He told us all about how he initially got into ultralights in 1982 as a hobby, and how his business has been around for 15 years. Apparently, he is the last business of this kind, so we felt super lucky to have found him just by a fluke!
After giving us jumpsuits and gloves, we waited a bit to let some minor drizzle pass. Then we got buckled in and headset-and-goggled up. Mike took DG up in the ultralight he called "the ballerina", and Jeff took me up in "the tank".
It was amazing to see DG in front of me, taxiing down the skinny runway for a short while, and then lift off and go up, up, up, up!! As we flew over farms and the 101 freeway, I was accutely aware of the wing blowing around me - since there wasn't a stitch of cover at all!!
We made our way to the coast, then over the water, and along Silver Strand Beach, exactly where we saw them fly the day before. We looked DOWN on pelicans, seagulls, big waves, and the expansive beach. Below me, I even saw Mike and DG spiral down to fly SUPER close to the ocean!
With headsets on, we could all communicate with each other, which was pretty cool! Even cooler is the fact that either passenger in the 2-seated craft can steer or control the height of the flight. Jeff let me try it for a minute, which was all I wanted to do - and DG said that Mike let him fly for a long time!
I've been on private planes and helicopter rides with the doors off, and this is by far the MOST thrilling experience over both. Because there's NOTHING around you!!
The hour long flight price ($150) is SO reasonable! Mike and Jeff were both seasoned professionals, and safety was clearly on their minds at all times. Jeff pointed out things we were seeing below us, as well as a hawk and falcon flying near us! And I took a ton of cool pictures!
I highly recommend this as a surprise for your fave thrill seeker or boyfriend or husband. Mike will definitely make this an experience that you'll never forget!
P.S. - if you REALLY love it, you can take lessons and learn to fly on your own! read more