Hang Gliding!

[Fruitbowl]

Great video Nate! Turns out I was camped near you in the orange tent with the grey shelter. I was up there flying my paraglider all weekend. Wish we could have made the connection. I had no idea that was YOU from Texas. I had the white Ford 350. Very nice flying. I am new to paragliding and the conditions seemed to either be benign or game on that weekend. I only flew Saturday and Sunday morning.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ha!

 

[brendonv]

That's rad, whoa.

No way in hell would you get me up there!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Beautiful vid, Nate. It looked a little crowded up there. Does it add challenges to hang glide at a location for the first time, being unfamiliar with wind and terrain?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Looks like the thermals wer awesome Nate... You were really getting some altitude!

 

[treetx]

Great video Nate! Turns out I was camped near you in the orange tent with the grey shelter. I was up there flying my paraglider all weekend. Wish we could have made the connection. I had no idea that was YOU from Texas. I had the white Ford 350. Very nice flying. I am new to paragliding and the conditions seemed to either be benign or game on that weekend. I only flew Saturday and Sunday morning.

Holy fricken small world. Yeah, I was the guy with the VW parked next to you. I guess you know that though

I wish we would have put it together. One day I even wore my Texas Tree Climbing Championship - T-Shirt

Epic site out there. I can't imagine how nice it must be to have Mingus, Sedona, Flagstaff, etc in your backyard. Must be great for flying. It is lots of towing here in the flat lands. I really miss working a ridge and terrain. At Mingus I got ridge, terrain, and great flat land thermals too. Monday I climbed from 1000 over Cottonwood to 9500msl.

Do you ever make it over to New Mexico? The Alamogordo/Dry Canyon Columbus Day event is always nice. I may make it next month as it is only an 11hr drive (Mingus was a brutal drive).

Great to put it together - even if it is a little late

oh, and apologies if we were a little loud. We tend to live like rock stars and get quite lubricated on our flying trips.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Does it add challenges to hang glide at a location for the first time, being unfamiliar with wind and terrain?

Guess it was a dumb question.... Like asking General Chuck Yeager if he was afraid to go fast.

 

[Fruitbowl]

I haven't ever flown in New Mexico. I'll have to check it out next year. I live in Flagstaff and yes the flying is awesome here. Many hike n fly mountains/hills. You are flying quite the gentleman's wing there my friend. You da man!!

 

[stig]

Jay, Yeager never flew the X-15. You've got your rocket planes mixed up.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Looking it up, I believe you are correct, Stig. I guess that Yeager did about everything but that, during his time as a rocket jockey, including breaking the sound barrier one final time when he was over seventy years old.

 

[treetx]

My date for Valentine's Day

Been too long since I last flew. 1500ft high, 20 mile ridge - Guadalupe Mountains outside of Carlsbad, NM.


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[Bodean]

That's pretty rad, there. The Fun stuff continues. Texas is one tough looking town.

 

[rumination]

Don't mess with Texas.

It must feel incredible flying like that.

 

[treetx]

I'll not lie. It is very Superman like. Especially when you get up in the summer and start kicking clouds.

Do you still make it to NM for part of the year Leon?

 

[rumination]

Yes, still doing my summertimes there.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Ever do Yosemite Nate? Most say it's specatacular...

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[treetx]

It is feasible to get towed up about anywhere but to stay aloft for extended periods you often need some kind of a sharp ridge to deflect the wind into an updraft. We have a 2 or 300 foot escarpment in my region. There is a flying club that tows a big winged (not hang) glider up and they play along that ridge. Sometimes a thermal can provide the lift. The efficiency of your flying machine plays a big part in how long you can stay up also.

No ridge here.... lots of lift. It is common that folks think we need ridges.

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Yosemite looks amazing. It is highly regulated and soaring flights are not allowed. It seems like a long drive for a sled ride (just gliding down) but I hear it is epic! This guy thought the drive was worth it.... http://cloudbaseimaging.blogspot.com/search/label/Yosemite Hang Gliding

 

[Cobleskill]

Your riding thermals, right?

 

[treetx]

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High, oh so high

 

[MasterBlaster]

Too cool for school!!!

 

[rskybiz]

Sure is Butch! I could so love to do that.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't think it's even possible here. I've never seen anyone hang gliding.

 

[Burnham]

Sure it is, with a tow launch. That doesn't mean it's being done much, but possible? Betcha.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Other than not flying over airports, I wonder where it cool to fly... anywhere? What are those rules, Nate?

 

[Burnham]

Avoid over the White House, .