Learning to fly in Temascaltepec

When I set out to create this piece, I thought I would be writing about the development of air sports in a small region in the southern State of Mexico. Only after I started talking with the pilots and locals did I realise I was actually writing a love story.

In El Peñón, a mountainous site located in a hidden nook in the southern municipality of the State of Mexico called Temascaltepec, free-flight is a way of life: one with distinct values and perspectives, one that shapes identity, and even one that forges new paths in both professional and personal spheres.

Pilots and locals of El Peñón described free-flight as a journey of discovery and unconditional surrender; an account of tragedy and fear; a chronicle of thrilling moments; a tale marked by trust, and, most importantly, transformation.

Originally from Argentina, Alejo Idoyaga Molina visited Valle de Bravo, a town next to Temascaltepec and a popular tourist destination and vacation spot for Mexico City residents, after moving to Mexico as an expat. Fourteen years ago, he took paragliding lessons out of curiosity and a desire for adventure, but his life changed after his first solo flight. Later, his 12-year-old son also learned to fly. “I don’t know how to live without flying,” he told me.

His son, Benjamin, echoed the same feeling, describing his relationship with paragliding as one that has allowed him...