https://www.facebook.com/groups/2379942232235288/permalink/2439684202927757/

Robin Hamilton writes:

We moved west to Hobbs to get out of the forecast northeast winds
in the Texas panhandle. Wow! Did the Land of Enchantment bring it for us. First
a super friendly, welcoming airport community and in particular a shout to Brian
Nelson, a Hobbs resident and previous hang glider pilot who went way above and
beyond to help. A big thanks.

We had some lively tows off the large concrete runway complex and were all three
of us quickly hoovered up to clouds that were at maybe 12,000´, higher than
we've been all of the journey. I can say now that it seemed a little chilly up
high on that first climb but it was only the beginning. We had no supporting
tail wind component with light easterly crosswinds with us throughout the
flight.

Heading NW initially we passed Lovington and then out into the high plains
terrain scattered with farms and oil fields. And as we went, with the strong
consistent 600-1000fpm lift we got higher. And colder, for the main middle part
of the flight we were getting up to almost 16,000´ and cruising for extended
periods at over 15,000´. It was truly spectacular, awesome, beautiful even but
the cold was brutal.

I got to where I couldn’t really feel my fingers and was shaking uncontrollably
in my harness. I was wishing for ski gear. We were almost certainly also a
little hypoxic. Larry sounded like someone running an old 45 record at 33 speed.
At one point Larry´s main flying instrument stopped working and he asked over
the radio for a ft-to-meters height conversion. It took us over a minute to get
him an answer for what is a fairly simple division calculation.

On a couple of occasions both Glen and I glided from an extended cruise up at
15,000’ the whole way back down to 8,000’ just to get warmed up again.

The clouds mercifully quit at around 6pm, allowing us to fly lower and de-frost.
At the end of the day we all landed at around 7pm having made around 140 miles
on this cross-wind day. It was an amazing day. My fingers are still tingling
with pins and needles.

This flight takes to around 650 miles covered and 950 to go. For Monday, we may
move laterally back into Texas near Amarillo to take advantage of stronger
forecast tailwinds.

As you follow our progress please consider supporting our partner, the Susan G
Komen organization through either the dedicated fundraising page

http://www.info-komen.org/site/TR/DIYFundraising/HOU_HoustonAffiliate?px=25152683&pg=personal&fr_id=7388

or through buying X-Flight shirts from Mark Dowsett´s Instinct Windsports web
site

Please visit www.instinct.pro/xflight

All profit goes to support the Susan G Komen efforts in fighting breast cancer.