Nothing else provides the most freeing feeling than the purest form of human flight ... hang gliding. And, Nashvillians are lucky to have the top hang gliding mecca in the country less than two hours away at beautiful Lookout Mountain.

In the sport of hang gliding, a pilot flies a light, unmotorized aircraft called a hang glider, which is often made out of aluminum with a composite-framed wing. First-timers, though, go tandem, where you fly with a certified instructor literally right by your side. If you thought you’d have to jump off the mountain and pray, you’re in luck! You begin on the ground with a nice and relaxing start. Once harnessed up and attached to the craft, you and your instructor are aerotowed by an ultra light plane. At 2,000 feet, you’re released from the aerotow and off you fly. The immediate disconnect from the plane is a momentary “stomach drop,” but as soon as you catch the air , there’s nothing quite like it — truly soaring like an eagle! After about a 20-minute flight through the valley, the landing zone awaits below. The instructor allows you to direct the craft during flight and explains to you the altimeter, wind, directional signs and more.

The best and longest flights occur when you’re lucky enough to hit a pocket of warm air called a thermal, which lifts you upward rather than flying downward. Some pilots have been known to fly for several hours before landing — sometimes hundreds of miles away — after hitting a thermal! Other beginner options include flying tandem for double the distance to a height of 4,000 feet or taking an introductory experience where you pilot your first flights in a controlled environment, surfing the slopes of small hills, only about five to 10 feet off the ground. Once you master the hang glide on a few introductory sessions, you can try flying on your own and get professional training.

Tandem hang gliding doesn’t take much physical effort. In fact, it’s more of a carnival ride than anything else, but the adrenaline rush can wipe you out. If you take the introductory experience and continue lessons, the exertion level dramatically increases as you learn to maneuver your craft, set it up and take it down. Your core and arm muscles do most of the work, but certainly walking your craft up and down the training hills is great exercise, too.

Wherever you decide to glide, the experience is like no other. Give it a try, and you’ll be hooked.