Am I really ready for the 2013 US Nationals at Big Spring?

Wow, I can't believe that it was just over a year ago that I logged my first XC (cross country) flight at the 2012 Florida Ridge Team Challenge. I got into hang gliding with the dream of flying XC and the reality of that dream is so much better than I could have imagined. In the last year, I have been fortunate enough to participate in the 2012 Florida Ridge Team Challenge, the 2012 East Coast Championships, the 2012 Highland Challenge, the 2012 TTT TC, the 2013 East Coast Championships and we are two weekends into the 2013 Highland Challenge. I have logged some amazing flying adventures and I am just getting started.

What is next.... the 2013 Hang Gliding Nationals in Big Spring, Texas, August 4th-10th!

It seems like just yesterday I was sitting under the pavilion at Blue Sky Flight Park in Manquin, Virginia, watching the other pilots climb to cloudbase and trying to imagine what it would be like. Now as I am making preparations for the promise of BIG air in Texas, it's almost hard to believe that I am ready for this next adventure, but I am. The spring/summer flying conditions on the East Coast have either been drowned out by the seemingly constant rain as of late or blown out by high winds. Good flights have been had, but as an admitted addict, I have been hungry for more. Most of my XC flights have been in competition and despite making goal on my share of days, I have yet to break 50 miles. Will I bag a new personal distance record in Big Spring? Highest flight? Longest XC flight?....... I am counting on it! As a newb to XC flying, Big Spring caught my attention early on. My good friend and mentor Peter Kane made the trip to Big Spring in 2011 and returned with tales of multiple 100 plus mile flights and altitude gains over 10K. At the time that seemed as sketchy as it did exciting, but now I can't wait.

Here is a picture from my first completed task. I got to goal a little high. :)

Stay tuned, as I will be documenting my adventures here.....