[Bob Kuczewski]

I think the words you've proposed are good enough to get us started, but they may be revised as more people come on board.

So what do we do next?

Should we begin contacting a few of the key people?

[Neil Larson]

http://www.yesterland.com/buffalo.html
This is a web site with details of the "PRE" Otto HG days of that historic site -

[Neil Larson]

This week I posted my own recollection of the day at the Famous Great First Annula Hang Glider Universal Championships & 123rd Otto Lilienthal Birthday Anniversary Celebration...I got to tell you I enjoy writing all that out each time it sort of has a fulfilling means of gratification
Anyway - the Newport Beach Historical Society has posted and also given proof of our project by displaying the topic !
here is the Newport Beach Historical Society web page LINK
If anyone alse who attended that day's events wants to post a story of their own there is a place to upload one -
http://newportbeachhistorical.com/

[Rick Masters]

Jack Lambie's plans for the Hang Loose
http://privitt.com/mydocs/Hang_Loose_Plans.pdf

[Bob Kuczewski]

I did a search for "Thanksgiving" and found this post from Neil Larson on Thu Oct 21, 2010.

After nearly 4 decades of "modern" hang gliding progress it may be due time to reflect & contemplate the so called evolution of our sport. It has been suggested that a pivotal date in Hang Gliding History was the "First" Universal Hang Glider Meet , the Otto Lilienthal 123rd Birthday party & Universal Hang Glider Meet, or have I got that title all wrong ? I was 2 months off of graduating from high school, May 23rd 1971- After spending some hours at a friend's house , he had shown me a crude mimeographed "flyer" one sheet hand bill with some grand expressions of an organized "meet" where everyone who had a homemade hang glider could rendezvous that innocent spring Sunday on a hillside in Newport Beach. God only knows I had no car of my own then , but had inspired my parents , through some very dramatic pleading , to escort me and make a family Sunday Drive out of the event. It was only because there was not a football game or car race on TV or Radio that my father gave in to the begging, with some persuasion by Mother of course. We set off to find this strange cluster of humanity grouped on a butter pat grass hill . By the time Dad had set the brake & turned off the key , the three of us were already mesmerized by the sight of some plastic sails being jostled up the rough terrain. - So the story goes from my perspective of events witnessed from the bottom of the hill, that eventful day 39 years ago.
In 2008 I drove from my current home in Florida out to Cali. for a Thanksgiving Family Reunion 3 days non-stop, I arrived in Newport and spent the evening Saturday in a posh Hotel off MacArthur Blvd. Rising early & quietly drove about 5 miles to a densely residential community nestled into a hillside not at all looking like the raw California landscape I left 37 years earlier. I made my way to the uppermost section of the subdivision, parked and took a very nice walk along a beautiful Tree studded central park. Fortunately the developers had the presence of mind to retain the nature of the beautiful hill that is they left this most natural section along the "spine" of the hillside and thus gave the community a great place to share fun outside. I found my feet walking toward the western most end of the public park where the street curves around , there across from the tag end of the parkway the door to door houses form a vigilant barricade to the view of the Pacific Ocean. One spot along the sidewalk you can actually view the Towers of the Galleria Mall which were also present on May23 1971 in the distant haze of background behind Taras & Richard Miller & all. So my US Army Map Survey Training payed off I was standing atop the very same hill which had been the location of the Otto Meet. I took some video clips , thinking I would return and do an in depth "RECON" of the place later. As things turned out that was my only visit back to the Otto Hill. But as far as I know ...I am the only participant/witness to the First Universal Otto Lilienthal Hang Glider Meet &123rd Birthday Partyto ever go back to that Sight -
Here is a You Tube clip of 1971
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-XC0dxerYs way back then
Here is my Google Video video of the place in 2008
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 911960833# - as it looks today-
If you would like further info - Please send me a email - message, I had high hopes of organizing a fund raising project to build a statue Momument on the grass of that Public Park atop the Hill. Next May will mark the 40th anniversary...If anyone is interested in provoking the idea of building a statue of a dude in flight in a hang glider & placing on that Public Park , PLEASE let me know -

Today, I am thankful for friends like Neil.

[Bob Kuczewski]

If you go to hanggliding.org today you'll find Neil's quote posted without a reference to the original location. You'll find it posted on a web site that forbids referencing the original location. You'll find it on a web site that has banned Joe Faust who played a pivotal role in that original event.

If I posted what I was thinking right now ... I'd have to ban myself.