On August 10th, 2010 twenty-five-year-old Joe Stone went out to take a few laps on his speed wing, something he did nearly every day. But that day didn't go as planned. Joe woke up over a month later and nothing was, or would ever be- the same. This is Joe's incredible story of resilience, hope, inspiration and ultimately- gratitude. When your life goes upside down the little things become everything. This one isn't easy, but it will leave you with a profound awareness of what's possible, what's important, and what we all miss in the hidden joys of just being alive.
This content is only available to Members of the Cloudbase Mayhem. If you have subscribed to our newsletter or have supported us in the past through PayPal, Patreon or another way you should have an account all set up with us and you can login below (username is typically your email). If you aren't a member, all we've ever asked for is a buck a show so please if you can join now! Can't afford a buck a show? We want all our content to be available to the flying community regardless of your financial position, so just send us an email and we'll sort you out.
On August 10th, 2010 twenty-five-year-old Joe Stone went out to take a few laps on his speed wing, something he did nearly every day. But that day didn’t go as planned. Joe woke up over a month later and nothing was, or would ever be- the same. This is Joe’s incredible story of resilience, hope, inspiration and ultimately- gratitude. When your life goes upside down the little things become everything. This one isn’t easy, but it will leave you with a profound awareness of what’s possible, what’s important, and what we all miss in the hidden joys of just being alive.
2021-02-06T01:57:26
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Joe Stone’s speed flying accident and recovery Lessons learned from trauma and resilience The role of community and mentorship in recovery Adaptive sports and overcoming physical limitations Mental health and gratitude in adversity Goals and progress in rehabilitation The importance of mental mindset and self-advocacy The evolution of Joe Stone’s passion for flying and service
Sound Bites
“I was paralyzed from the chest down, but I still had full function in my arms.” “Rollerblading saved my life in more ways than one.” “Gratitude is the biggest lesson I want to share.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 02:05 Joe’s Speed Flying Accident in 2010 05:09 Early Life and Passion for Flying 09:57 The Road to Recovery and Challenges 19:52 Mental and Emotional Journey Post-Injury 29:57 Finding Purpose and Community Support 40:01 Rekindling the Love for Flying 50:05 Current Life, Goals, and Giving Back 01:00:06 Lessons Learned and Advice for Others 01:10:10 Future Aspirations and Closing Remarks
More about Joe: Joe Stone is an adventurer, paraglider pilot, adaptive athlete, and advocate for making the outdoors more accessible to people with disabilities.
In 2010, Joe was speed flying off Mount Jumbo in Missoula, Montana, when an accident changed his life forever. The crash left him with a C7 spinal cord injury and paralyzed from the chest down, with limited use of his hands. Now diagnosed as an incomplete C7 quadriplegic. But while the accident changed how Joe moves through the world, it didn’t change his love for adventure or his desire to keep pushing what’s possible.
Since his injury, Joe has continued to find ways to explore the mountains and the air through paragliding, adaptive mountain biking, handcycling, and other outdoor adventures. Along the way, he’s taken on everything from attempting an Ironman triathlon to working with land managers and organizations across the country to create better opportunities for people with disabilities to experience the outdoors.
A huge part of Joe’s return to the sky came through Project Airtime, a nonprofit based in Draper, Utah. Through equipment, mentorship, and the knowledge needed to safely return to flying, Project Airtime helped Joe find a path to making paragliding a lifelong pursuit. That experience has come full circle, as Joe has since worked alongside Project Airtime to help support other pilots and organizations looking to create opportunities for people with disabilities to experience paragliding, whether through tandem flights, lessons, or developing their own adaptive flying programs.
Today, Joe lives in Jackson, Wyoming, with his wife, Caitlin, and their dog, George. Through his companies Unified Dirt and Unified Dirt Foundation, he works to bridge the gap between people with disabilities and the outdoor spaces we all love.
The Niviuk Red Rocks Wide Open in Southern Utah this year was all-time. 5 Amazing tasks from three different launches. And your host won! Is it rude to win your own comp? Hmmmm. Well if it was it was worth it! Anyway- our weather guru Reavis was on-hand to provide daily weather briefings and to advise the task committee on aligning good tasks with the weather we had to keep everyone safe and to send it as big as we could. Reavis is a weather expert and it’s hard to achieve his level of knowledge, but he gave a talk during the comp on the tools he uses and why…which are tools you should familiarize yourself with if you want to become a complete pilot.
British Hang Gliding Pilot and designer/ owner of Avian Hang Gliders Tim Swait shares his long journey from aviation enthusiast to innovator in hang gliding, discussing the evolution of the sport, technical advancements, and his groundbreaking work on the seventh generation hang glider. Discover how new designs could revolutionize performance, accessibility, and the future of free flight. Hang gliders agree that the last major evolution in the sport came with the six generation topless wing in the late 90's. That's about to change.
This content is only available to Members of the Cloudbase Mayhem. If you have subscribed to our newsletter or have supported us in the past through PayPal, Patreon or another way you should have an account all set up with us and you can login below (username is typically your email). If you aren't a member, all we've ever asked for is a buck a show so please if you can join now! Can't afford a buck a show? We want all our content to be available to the flying community regardless of your financial position, so just send us an email and we'll sort you out.
British Hang Gliding Pilot and designer/ owner of Avian Hang Gliders Tim Swait shares his long journey from aviation enthusiast to innovator in hang gliding, discussing the evolution of the sport, technical advancements, and his groundbreaking work on the seventh generation hang glider. Discover how new designs could revolutionize performance, accessibility, and the future of free flight. Hang gliders agree that the last major evolution in the sport came with the six generation topless wing in the late 90’s. That’s about to change.
If you like what you hear, please consider becoming a subscriber to ensure our high-quality content continues. You can also help contribute to a healthier, greener planet through our partnership with Our Forest.
See our donation and subscription options here.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen to us on all the most popular podcast platforms:
The evolution of hang glider design from the 1990s to today
The concept and potential impact of the seventh generation hang glider
Use of computer simulation and materials science in aircraft design
Challenges of cost, manufacturing, and accessibility in the sport
Performance optimization through aerodynamic and structural innovations
The role of competition and record-breaking flights in pushing technology forward
Tim’s personal journey from aviation enthusiast to innovator
The crossover between sailing hydrodynamics and aircraft aerodynamics
Sound Bites
“The last big move in hang gliding was in the late 90s.” “Simulation shows we’re leaving performance on the table.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and guest background 02:00 Tim’s journey into aviation and hang gliding 03:55 The state of the hang gliding industry and innovation 07:47 Technical challenges and advancements in aircraft design 16:07 The concept of the seventh generation hang glider 25:56 Simulation, materials, and structural improvements 42:06 Prototype development and testing 54:09 The future of performance, accessibility, and the sport 01:00:09 Personal story: overcoming health challenges and future outlook
Norwegian adventurer, mountaineer and pilot Thomas Lone doesn't do anything halfway. He's the youngest Norwegian to summit the Seven Summits — the highest peak on every continent — and now he's setting his sights on the 2027 Red Bull X-Alps. Meanwhile, he and his wife just welcomed their first child into the world, guide paragliding, backcountry skiing and snow kiting tours, and Thomas has quietly become one of the more formidable race-to-goal pilots on the circuit.
This content is only available to Members of the Cloudbase Mayhem. If you have subscribed to our newsletter or have supported us in the past through PayPal, Patreon or another way you should have an account all set up with us and you can login below (username is typically your email). If you aren't a member, all we've ever asked for is a buck a show so please if you can join now! Can't afford a buck a show? We want all our content to be available to the flying community regardless of your financial position, so just send us an email and we'll sort you out.
Norwegian adventurer, mountaineer and pilot Thomas Lone doesn’t do anything halfway. He’s the youngest Norwegian to summit the Seven Summits — the highest peak on every continent — and now he’s setting his sights on the 2027 Red Bull X-Alps. Meanwhile, he and his wife just welcomed their first child into the world, guide paragliding, backcountry skiing and snow kiting tours, and Thomas has quietly become one of the more formidable race-to-goal pilots on the circuit.
Thomas operates where the margins are razor sharop, the air is thin, and the consequences of getting it wrong are real. How do you sustain that level of ambition across mountains, races, guiding, and a brand new family? That’s exactly what this conversation is about. Buckle up — Thomas’s energy is contagious, and his advice is well beyond his years.
Follow Thomas and his wife’s Jannicke amazing adventures, speaking engagements, and guiding (paragliding, tandems, backcountry skiing, snowkiting) here: http://teamlone.no/
Thomas is the manager of the local club here in Hemsedal, which is a great starting point for anyone who wants to travel to Norway for flying:
If you like what you hear, please consider becoming a subscriber to ensure our high-quality content continues. You can also help contribute to a healthier, greener planet through our partnership with Our Forest.
See our donation and subscription options here.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen to us on all the most popular podcast platforms:
Risk management in extreme sports The influence of wind sports background on flying skills Mountaineering in the death zone and decision-making The allure of unexplored peaks and adventure Balancing risk and safety in pursuit of goals
Sound Bites
“Why do I do this? I could just buy a paraglider” “Work on your biggest weakness, that helps a lot” “The mountain is still as beautiful as ever”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene in Norway 01:28 Mountaineering near K2 and the Inspiration from Antoine Girard 03:30 Early Fascination with Wings and the Love for Kites 05:04 Transition from Kitesurfing to Paragliding and Technical Skills 12:52 Getting into Mountaineering and the Army’s Impact 16:13 Climbing the Seven Summits and the Passion for Exploration 26:22 Attempting Mochu Chish and the Draw of Unclimbed Peaks 28:38 Challenges and Risks in High-Altitude Mountaineering 36:44 Experiences in Antarctica and the Unique Environment 39:23 The Hardest Mountain: Denali and Extreme Weather 45:04 The Impact of Flying and Mountaineering on Perspective 45:56 Balancing Parenthood and Extreme Sports 57:55 Close Calls and Lessons Learned in Paragliding 01:07:27 Closing Remarks and Future Adventures in the Alps
In this episode British hang gliding pilot Jeremy Soper shares his journey from overcoming a fear of heights to becoming a record-breaking pilot and innovative robotics entrepreneur. We explore the future of AI in physical labor, using robots to weed instead of using pesticides, the thrill of extreme flying and chasing distance around the world, including a midnight flight where the date changed, a personal call-out to other hang gliding pilots who are losing the records race to paragliders, and an optimistic view of the future of AI.
This content is only available to Members of the Cloudbase Mayhem. If you have subscribed to our newsletter or have supported us in the past through PayPal, Patreon or another way you should have an account all set up with us and you can login below (username is typically your email). If you aren't a member, all we've ever asked for is a buck a show so please if you can join now! Can't afford a buck a show? We want all our content to be available to the flying community regardless of your financial position, so just send us an email and we'll sort you out.
In this episode British hang gliding pilot Jeremy Soper shares his journey from overcoming a fear of heights to becoming a record-breaking pilot and innovative robotics entrepreneur. We explore the future of AI in physical labor, using robots to weed instead of using pesticides, the thrill of extreme flying and chasing distance around the world, including a midnight flight where the date changed, a personal call-out to other hang gliding pilots who are losing the records race to paragliders, and an optimistic view of the future of AI. Jeremy recounts his amazing out and back record this winter in Kenya (377 km), beating Owen Morse’s record set in the Sierras a few years back and the risks and rewards of flying the Kerio ridge and why we should all be flying prone. Enjoy!
Support the Podcast
A buck an episode, that's all we ask
If you like what you hear, please consider becoming a subscriber to ensure our high-quality content continues. You can also help contribute to a healthier, greener planet through our partnership with Our Forest.
See our donation and subscription options here.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen to us on all the most popular podcast platforms:
Jeremy Soperman’s background in hang gliding and record attempts The role of AI and robotics in physical labor and farming Future of human employment in an automated world The technical challenges and experiences of long-distance hang gliding in Kenya Innovations in hang glider design and the potential of Project Seven The importance of soft skills and passions in a future with AI The community and culture of extreme sports and aviation
Sound Bites
“The best way to overcome fear is to challenge it head-on.” “We’re seeking new horizons beyond the Owens record.” “Cloud streets and thermals are key to long-distance flying.”
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Jeremy’s background in flying 01:47 Jeremy’s vision for AI and automation in agriculture 04:01 The impact of AI on jobs and human purpose 06:50 Jeremy’s journey from fear of heights to hang gliding champion 12:12 Record-breaking flights in Kenya and the challenges faced 20:11 Technical insights into long-distance hang gliding and conditions 30:07 Future of hang gliding, design innovations, and the Project Seven 45:02 The culture of extreme aviation and community stories 54:57 Closing thoughts on innovation, persistence, and the future
In this episode, adventurer and filmmaker Benjamin Kellett returns to the Mayhem by popular demand to share his rather awesome adventurous paragliding journeys across the Himalaya, Karakorum, and Europe in what has become an annual migration. Ben discusses the challenges of high-altitude flying, gear choices, and the evolving landscape of tandem paragliding regulations and a LOT more. Discover insights into character-building expeditions, the impact of weather phenomena like the "Super" El Nino this year, and future plans for exploration. Ben chases the aesthetic of flying better than just about anyone.
This content is only available to Members of the Cloudbase Mayhem. If you have subscribed to our newsletter or have supported us in the past through PayPal, Patreon or another way you should have an account all set up with us and you can login below (username is typically your email). If you aren't a member, all we've ever asked for is a buck a show so please if you can join now! Can't afford a buck a show? We want all our content to be available to the flying community regardless of your financial position, so just send us an email and we'll sort you out.
