Martin Hellman writes
I would appreciate if you can write a SHORT paragraph about why soaring (and
soaring competition if that is what you do) is so special to you. Why do you
do it? What does it mean to you? How important is it in your life? You can
post here or email me at . Let me know if I can quote your name
or if you would rather remain anonymous.

I'm the least qualified to contribute. So far a total of three launches,
perhaps two hours in the air, maybe a little less. But you can quote my
name if you wish, if you want to use anything I have to say in answer to
your question.

Life is a fast, complex, crowded and noisy thing on the ground. You
can't see the wood for the trees, you can't hear yourself think.
Everybody and everything wants something from you. Hanging at the top of
a thermal just below the dewpoint at 4000 feet with nothing but the
whisper of the wind and the cloud dappled sky to embrace you is the
closest sensation to peace, to complete perspective that I've found. The
complexity, the crowds, the noise - all gone. You are simply alive. A
thing of the sky.

Does it need anymore explanation than that?

I've only just started. The dream of doing this solo is still a long,
long way off. I'm naive and a little idealistic. For some reason, it's
taken me thirty years to reach what is only the starting point. But I
can't remember ever not wanting to do this, and have always been baffled
by my earthbound friends that are most comfortable with their feet on
the ground and incredulous that anybody would harbour such a dream and
ambition.

--
Bill Gribble, UK