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TR: Kitty Hawk Hang Glider Spectatular

Lilgeorg

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks Tricia for helping me upload these photos. This first one is of a loon that we saved after removing tons of fish net.
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The second is what a glider looks like before we open it up. we needed to carry 70 lbs of glider in for about 1/4 mile.
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The third photo is the glider assembled and ready to carry another 1/4 mile up the dune.
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The fourth is a view of several gliders on the dune.
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The fifth is hubby ,Jim, readyto launch.
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The last photo is the whole gang along with Dr. Ragallo in the hooded sweatshirt. Dr. Ragallo is the inventor of the hang glider originally designed to return space craft to earth. he is 95!!!
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SnowHot

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This quote from the Memorial day Weekend Plans thread, looks like you're well into your Hang Gliding season and we should be looking for more trip reports.

I'm looking forward to more pics and a full report of the weekend!
Thanks Lil...........you and Jim are an inspiration!
Last week we went to Kitty Hawk , North Carolina for the Hang Gliding Spectatular Competition. My hubby placed 36th out of 64 competitors who flew the sand dunes of Jockey's Ridge. This is difficult flying for people who normally fly from mountains. Leraning to skim the sand and make low turns is nerve racking. So this weekend , we are back at our home flying site in Ellenville, New York. Believe it or not, running off the top of a 1300 ft mountain is much more comfortable than flying the sand dunes.

We expect over 30 pilots to gather. And after a day of perhaps 2 hour + flights for lots of laughter, food, and beer . It is a wonderful way to start the summer.
 

Lilgeorg

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Num, you asked how we got started hang gliding. Well, actually, Lola was the one in our family who really wanted to try it. So we agreed as a family we would all take lessons. The first lesson was a bust since the instructor thought only our youngest daughter's boyfriend could really fly. As it turned out that day our youngest daughter and my hubby flew. Then we all went down to Kitty Hawk a couple of years later. We all flew that day from the dunes. So we started looking for instructors closer to our home which was in the Philadelphia area at the time.

We ended up in Ellenville, Ny. This time our youngest daughter, a new boyfriend, my hubby , and I took lessons. We all flew but Jim was hooked big time. We continued lessons and he began preparing for the 1300 ft mountain launch. This was at age 50!

Since then, I have flown tandem countless times reaching 3000ft and flying for 1/2 hour. Jim ,however, has flown for over 4 hours and has been over a mile high. This weekend he had 2 hour long flights.

Many people think the sport is risky but it is just like skiing. You take lessons and develpe skills for bigger and greater challenges.

Hope this wan't too long an answer. We love the sport and the diverse community of people who gather to do it.
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
That's just awesome!

Always wanted to try it, but never had the opportunity or the guts :o .
 

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