Caribbean XC Open-Spiritual Advisor to Extreme Sports Athletes
Mar 20, 2008

I must say it was good having Mike with me on the scene for the Caribbean XC Open. It is always good to be with known and trusted friends in foreign lands and especially so during a paragliding competition in which there is a bit more risk involved than in just your usual travels. If I were to have been going it alone down there I don't think I would have been as competitive as I was, I just wouldn't haven't pushed it as hard. It is a very mental sport and every little advantage as far as confidence goes makes a huge difference in a pilot's performance. You are constantly making decisions about whether to push on into unknown territory or to play it conservatively and just land or take a less advantageous line. Knowing somebody will be on the look out for you gives you the needed confidence to go on and make a big flight verses landing short of the distance you could have gone.  It is also somewhat of a solitary sport, being relatively alone up there in the sky, so it is just good to know there are concerned eyes looking out for you back on terra firma.
Whether it was hiking some of my gear up the hill or helping me layout my glider on launch Mike's assistance was invaluable. I had incident in which I launched with a small tangle in my lines and had to land back at the take-off site to sort it out and Mike was right there to assist me with the situation. Thanks Mike!

Best Regards,
Peter Schaefer
www.sugarhousebookworks.com
 

photo album coming soon

In June 2007 I undertook one of the most physically and mentally challenging events of my life - soloing the Baja 500 on a dirt bike. For this journey I needed spare parts, some money, lots of training and...guidance. Mike Green served as a spiritual advisor during the 10 day excursion. I chose Mike because he is well versed at travelling, smart, generous and funny. Mike was an equally important a part of that trip as the motorcycle itself. He volunteered to drive through the night while my fellow racers and I slept, then gave up a bed in a Mexican hotel so we could be better rested.

On race day, Mike chauffeured my girlfriend and the wife and friends of another racer to various stops along the way so that they could keep tabs on us. Without Mike at the helm, that crew would not have had the opportunity to view the race from the course and would have had to wait in town for our arrival.

About half way through the race I broke and dislocated my elbow. As I limped my way into what turned out to be the final pit of the day, Mike immediately sensed that something was wrong. He took my motorcycle for me, got me a chair and some water. After some discussion, he scored me a bag of ice for my injured elbow, the whole time filling me with words of encouragement. When I decided that I could not finish the race, Mike unselfishly decided to ride my bike, unassisted, back into the town of Ensenada, some 90-100 miles away. There aren't enough words to tell you what a huge help Mike was - he was so unselfish and just made the day!

Mike Green, Spiritual Advisor - he'll get you where you need to go, help you do what needs to be done, keep you focus on the task at hand, and make sure you get back safely. I can't wait for my next adventure. Thanks, again!

Marc Morelli
Baja 500 2007