The Cloudbase Mayhem podcast is where you will find fascinating and educational interviews with the best free-flight pilots in the world. If you fly a hanglider or paraglider, if you fly acro or cross country, the Cloudbase Mayhem podcast is where we glean how the great pilots of the world get there. Hosted by Red Bull X-Alps pilot, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and current holder of the North American foot launch record, Gavin McClurg. Follow me on Instagram @gavinmcclurg or on Facebook @ facebook.com/gavinnmcclurg or Twitter on @cloudbasemayhem.
https://www.cloudbasemayhem.com
Episode 9- Thomas de Dorlodot and the Endless SEARCH
Thomas de Dorlodot is probably the most enviable pilot in the world. He’s made a living out of traveling the world and documenting his expeditions. A 5 time Red Bull X-Alps competitor and Red Bull Athlete Tom started flying when he was 15 years old. He’s flown above 7,000 meters in Pakistan, paramotored over the Marquesas in French Polynesia, glided over volcanoes in Guatemala and Tanzania, hucked acro over Victoria Falls and is currently working on sailing around the world. His accolades and accomplishments are too many to even list here, but it hasn’t all been a rosy romp through la-la land and in this episode we dive into his two accidents this year, one a major accident during his Adriatic expedition with Paul Guschlbauer and the other that ended his X-Alps campaign on day 7; we talk about how Tom approaches risk; how he plays the sponsorship game; how he prepares mentally and a lot more. Check out this highlight reel of some of Tom’s incredible travels and then have a listen, prepare to be entertained!
A buck an episode, that’s all we ask.
Subscribe to the Cloudbase Mayhem Podcast on Stitcher Radio, Google Play, Tune In, or ITunes!
Show Notes:
* Tom talks about how he got started paragliding at the age of 15, his mentors like Raul Rodgriguez and Ramon Morales and how he got hooked
* Tom talks about how he approaches flying new places and getting over the fear of flying new sites
* Tom talks about competing in the X-Alps at age 21 for the first time, and how accidents have affected his approach, and how he’s come back mentally from injury
* Tom talks about the usefulness of acro and SIV training for staying safe
* How important it is for being honest with yourself and being mindful of the saying that “if there is a doubt, there is no doubt.”
* How much you can get done on a safer glider
* Tom talks about his experience of flying high in Pakistan, and one flight without oxygen where he passed out
* How important it is to enjoy the sport rather than chasing numbers
* What’s next for Tom?