Cowboy Up Hang Gliding (www.cuhanggliding.com)
is listed on the 43.479999833403,-110.761667,Jackson, Wyoming Chamber of Commerce's home page
(look on the left under Summer Fun -
http://www.jacksonholechamber.com/). They have brochures in every brochure
location in the Jackson area, along with all the many folks offering float trips
down the Snake River. They are the only hang gliding operation in Jackson (the
area was opened up by Scot Trueblood), but they compete with all the other
recreational activities here as well as with the well established paragliding
operations (which strangely enough aren't listed on the Chamber of Commerce's
home page) operating out of the Teton Village.


People call in April to sign up for tandems in July with Bart and Tiki,
during their upcoming Jackson Hole vacation. Cowboy Up is oriented to the
tourists and is located in a major tourist destination (some folks think that it
is just a minor stop on the way to
44.749276854667,-110.55036900052,Yellowstone National Park, but we know
better). The 43.758879481414,-110.74424,Grand Teton National Park
is just north of Jackson, and there are
plenty of hill side launch areas around Jackson in addition to Cowboy Up's
towing operation out of Alpine (south of Jackson on the Idaho/Wyoming border
along the Snake River).


Actual hang glider pilots get to get towed up after the morning round of tandem
flights, as the air gets a little bumpy, and before the evening tandems. They
are sort of free riders, given that it is the tourists that actually pay for
Tiki and Bart to live in wonderful downtown 43.500829833321,-110.87444,Wilson
(Wilson is too small to have
a downtown, so they live off Fish Creek). Bart and Tiki find other jobs to make
ends meet during the winter. Tiki does paralegal work and Bart does construction
(which goes on year round in Jackson).


Jackson is an incredible place to stash the family while you are having a great
time flying over some of the most beautiful scenery in America, most of it
national forests, but some of it the national park. Your family can be riding
down the Snake, biking on the umpteen thousand miles of paved bike paths or on
single track in the forest or back country roads. They can be taking in the
43.383648447489,-110.7255240287,hot springs on Granite Creek
(as we did on Sunday after a glorious walk next to the
creek itself, checking out the beaver homes). They can be visiting the park,
climbing, hiking, fishing, or checking out the wildlife.


I can't imagine a better place to take a vacation with the family and enjoy
flying and other pursuits. Cowboy Up is what makes Jackson perfect for the hang
gliding enthusiast (and you can foot launch in many locations also). Great
restaurants, movies, all the facilities set up for fun.


Here's hoping that Bart and Tiki continue to have success (enough to pay for
their summer living expenses) and that they want to stay living and towing in
this beautiful country for years to come. We'll certainly be back to visit them.
We've thoroughly enjoyed our stay here (I just wish that this
43.512482548948,-110.842852,KOA on the Wilson Moose road hadn't been sold).