Most current Region 9 HG pilots started their flying adventure years after one of our pioneers passed away on a training hill trying to perfect an assisted bungee-cord launch technique. Ron Higgs was a free-flight pioneer/visionary who had a remarkable sense of where the sport was going and had the guts to drag most of us there. He and his brother, Glen, had the foresight to purchase the land that we now call the Pulpit. During the construction of the original ramp, Ron with the excitement and certainty of someone who stands in a pulpit would preach to us about the XC potential of the McConnellsburg site. For many of us who wanted more than just landing at a primary LZ, it was “music to our ears”. Heck, just a quick glance at a PA topo-map back then was enough to understand Ron’s excitement about heading north from the Pulpit, soaring over the interconnecting ridges and flying deep into central PA and even to NJ. This was one of Ron’s principle XC goals!
Now, many of us who are addicted to XC have understood for a long time that with the advances in glider performance, Ron’s dream of ridge soaring north along the interconnected ridges (way past the Sac) is within reach. While achieving this may be one’s “mission”, historically it’s a goal put forth by Higgs nearly four decades ago.
In honor of Ron, I suggest that we refer to soaring north from the Pulpit along Pennsylvania’s interconnected Appalachian ridges as Higgs’ Dream, as it is much more than just a mission.
Ward
Higgs’ Dream
Moderator: CHGPA BOD