The Thrill of First Flight

Posted by girlsround on 07 16th, 2009

Categories: Featured Articles | no responses

firstflight I’m sure most everyone who’s gotten through the WotLK content can relate. You’ve been in Northrend for a while and cruising through the journey to level 80. And finally, one of those landmarks that you’ve been waiting for - Level 77: the level you become eligible to train Cold Weather Flying. And if you play it right, it’s also a transition to some quick leveling.

I’ve been questing in Northrend since level 68, so I skipped over expert and artisan riding that became available at level 70. But regardless, flying has been something I’ve really been looking forward to.

Leading up to hitting 77, I had been questing in Zul’Drak, then headed back to Borean Tundra to catch some quests I missed earlier. When I dinged, I headed straight away to Dalaran and paid a visit to Hira Snowdawn at Krasus’ Landing to buy the skills, and Dama Wildmane in Shadowmoon Valley to pick up my swift purple wind rider. About 7,000 gold later, I was ready to fly. The only problem? It takes some getting used to.

I summoned the wyvern and started off with a jump. Flight practice. I tried aiming for the top of a tower in Shadowmoon Valley, and started the flying climp up. Much, much faster than I anticipated, I had overshot the roof and was hovering above it. I changed tactics and decided to aim with the mouse. Just like swimming. I aimed again, and touched down on the tower. Not too bad.

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I got the hang of getting around, but still am perfecting the art of picking out the perfect spot to touch down when near mobs. And running off the side of a cliff still makes my stomach flop over as I expect to start falling. But the wind rider’s got my back.

For now, the act of flying is still somewhat of a luxury for me because it’s still so new. But I know soon enough, it’ll become just another aspect of the game that I take for granted – that’s the natural course of things. I remember how paying for my first trip between flight paths also seemed pretty magical, and quickly was only a means to get around.

Especially with all the changes to mounts coming for patch 3.2, it seemed the appropriate time to reminisce a bit about the thrill of first flight. Do you all remember your first jaunt on a flying mount?

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