Hi Brian,
HG was my first interest from when I first saw it on TV ~1976.
I started with sand dune lessons at Kitty Hawk while down there for windsurfing safaris around 1990.
Upon moving to Hawaii, looking at the steep ragged mountains with very few open spaces, I resigned myself to giving up that dream. Then I saw paragliding, a doable and very reasonable alternative, perfect for Oahu.
Still, I have one windcheck from Kitty Hawk that I keep thinking I'd like to use. Why? I still see HG as more bird-like flight, quicker response time, birds-eye view, more L, less D. PG is a great approximation of the dream as well as much more practical. HG *is* the Icarus dream, a bit closer to actually strapping wings on your back.
Similar differences are also incorporated in my experiences with windsurfing and kitesurfing. I've windsurfed for many years and still consider that my favorite sport (great exercise, high thrill/risk ratio, speed, grace (most of the time

), mental challenge, out in the elements). Kitesurfing takes less gear, is easier to learn, and is growing rapidly, with many of my windsurfing friends converting. It's a more practical alternative to WS, but still, I loathe the delay to my control inputs. The power source is a floppy bag 30m away. I am a creature with a rigid frame, extending my reach into the elements with another rigid frame seems most natural.
Now having been paragliding many years, I do appreciate the many practicalities of it.
And I also fear many of the more daunting aspects of hang gliding: faster speed and reaction of the glider requires quicker and more accurate control inputs and responses; cliff-ramp launches =-0 yikes!; the size and availability (or lack thereof) of safe LZs.
So, since the opportunity presents itself, I will try to take a few more steps down the path toward learning HG when I can. Weather permitting, I'll spend few days with Steve Wendt, and then on to Point of the Mountain, Utah. But of course, since I won't be able to get very far with that in my limited vacation time, I'm really looking forward to using my bagwing to get soaring above the beautiful Blue Ridge.