If you are only 5 miles from a good glider strip you wouldn't have to waste too much of your day driving there and back.

The closest glider strip to me is over 90 miles. This place:
http://www.soarfl.com/

Watch their video.

If I had one 5 miles away I'd probably have my ticket by now. It's only about a 10 hour transition course if you already have your powered license.

I have shopped online for what they call Self Launched "Powered Gliders" but if you think the unpowered ones are expensive, look at a self launched! Well above $50K for an old used one, over $100K for new...
You want to see toys that cost a lot more than cats, start here:

http://www.barnstormers.com


Here is the glider equivelent of Catsailor;

http://www.ssa.org/