I just loved being in a thermal when you're getting really good lift. The tight turns and and the G's are awesome. We don't have any orographic uplift here (its essentially dead flat), but the thermal action in the spring can be pretty wild when the fields are all black and the air is cool.
The one drawback about gliders is, you have to go to an airport, then you need a tow plane (or car, or winch) to get you up there to begin with, so it's not a sport you can do "Alone" any time you have the urge. It becomes a big production every time you want to go fly, with more money spent (and time wasted) sitting around waiting your turn in line for a...wait for it...a tow-job!
I actually have few shares in a small airport <5 miles away that does a lot of soaring stuff. They've got a couple of tow planes, and number of members. The do have a few gliders that the club owns, but nothing really sexy and cool. But just like catamarans you can get into a base model pretty reasonable. The sexy ones cost a buttload. Time and money as you say though. Usually I have one or the other, but rarely both at the same time.
And remember, you are NOT paying for the Sex, you are paying for her to LEAVE when you are done!
One of my favorite lines.
