2009: Decatur Kite Fest, April 25-26

[Mike]

Decatur was good fun. Saturday we flew team as 180GO! and met some new faces.
Sunday...well here's the weather service report:
Date / Time / winds/ gusts
26 15:54 S 28 G 37
26 14:54 S 26 G 38
26 13:54 S 32 G 48
26 12:54 SW 24 G 45
26 11:54 S 26 G 40
26 10:54 S 31 G 39
26 09:54 SW 26 G 32

We decided not to break any more lines and didn't fly team today. We instead flew individually, on 75' lines --messing with the crowd and goofing around.
We had a Vented B-series, a Vented standard sail, Big Bri's super vented, and a extra extra vented kite. All with 4 wraps spars, none of them with doubled-up leading edges. Flying on 90# lines.

The standard Venteds were very zippy and occasionally lofted me and RevChris.
Big Bri's was very smooth, maybe my favorite.
The Extra vented (I'll have to get a photo) was smooth and slow with minor pull.

It was tons of fun, I flew continuously the whole day. Bet I'm gonna be a little sore tomorrow....
What a great way to spend a birthday weekend

[Jynx]

Decatur was good fun. Saturday we flew team as 180GO! and met some new faces.
Sunday...well here's the weather service report:
Date / Time / winds/ gusts
26 15:54 S 28 G 37
26 14:54 S 26 G 38
26 13:54 S 32 G 48
26 12:54 SW 24 G 45
26 11:54 S 26 G 40
26 10:54 S 31 G 39
26 09:54 SW 26 G 32

We decided not to break any more lines and didn't fly team today. We instead flew individually, on 75' lines --messing with the crowd and goofing around.
We had a Vented B-series, a Vented standard sail, Big Bri's super vented, and a extra extra vented kite. All with 4 wraps spars, none of them with doubled-up leading edges. Flying on 90# lines.

The standard Venteds were very zippy and occasionally lofted me and RevChris.
Big Bri's was very smooth, maybe my favorite.
The Extra vented (I'll have to get a photo) was smooth and slow with minor pull.

It was tons of fun, I flew continuously the whole day. Bet I'm gonna be a little sore tomorrow....
What a great way to spend a birthday weekend

Wholy Cows... dem some winds!!!!!!!!
What a great way to spend your special day! Next time, though, I'd suggest tethering yourself to one of the larger club members... we don't want to loose you!

Thanks for the update!

PS Friday was at times over 20 (here at the Milwaukee lakefront). I flew over 5 hours... didn't learn a dang thing BUT had the greatest time since KP7!

Back in the sadle... as soon as the rain-horse leaves again!

[Jeff]

I feel compelled to repost what happens to Mike in high winds...

[youtube]lAjS9cBxikw[/youtube]

[Jynx]

Truly the best laugh I've had in a long, long, long time! Thanks Jeff! ...and you too, Mike!

[BillLamm]

I feel compelled to repost what happens to Mike in high winds...

We need to buy Mike bigger birthday cakes.... (just my two cents)

[Jeepster]

I feel compelled to repost what happens to Mike in high winds...

We need to buy Mike bigger birthday cakes ...

I respectfully disagree. You see, Mike is a little like the canary in a mine ... sort of an early warning system. When you see Mike go sailing past you, it's time to hunker down 'cuz the winds are picking up. Now if you see Big Mike go sailing past you ... JUST LET GO OF THE HANDLES!!!

For good friendship the whole weekend was great.

For winds, Saturday was fun ... Sunday was interesting. On Sunday, Zack put on Ken's coat and a pair of roller blades and proceeded to "sail" on the access road. We tried to talk him into using Paul's parachute kite, but he's now at an age where he actually looks before leaping. Darn. I'm pretty sure the plowed field at the end of the road would have slowed him down ... and softened the landing. Nick turned out to be the smart one with Big Bri's mega vented kite. That was a sweet flying kite in those high winds. Mike K's screen door kite was also good, but not as precise. Chris demonstrated that a standard B-series with 4-wraps could fly safely in Sunday's wind ... ah but, I'm sure he's sore today. Paul took out a smallish power kite ... flew it for a few minutes ... then commented, as he was putting it away, that it was a dumb idea. Tom P. flew his dual line kites almost continuously both days. It was amazing to watch him do slack line tricks in those winds ... absolutely don't know how he does it. Mike let me fly his new REV II on Saturday ... it's the first time I've ever heard any hesitation when handing over the handles. Something about "be careful those are race rods." Actually, those are very strong race rods.

Oh yes, the trip was worth it just for the cheeseburgers that Paul provided for lunch on Saturday. Thanks Paul!!!

Cheers,
Tom

[Mike]

We need to buy Mike bigger birthday cakes.... (just my two cents)

Speaking of birthday cakes...
When the waitress at the Chinese restaurant heard it was my birthday she said they would make me a special birthday cake:


Notice the birthday candle is in a tomato with sprinkles

[prairierose]

Speaking of birthday cakes...
When the waitress at the Chinese restaurant heard it was my birthday she said they would make me a special birthday cake:


Notice the birthday candle is in a tomato with sprinkles

Wow, that's spectacular!

[revkidChris]

Haha, yes, I think we can safely say that was an interesting birthday cake, and yes, even though winds were strong enough to loft me once or twice, im not sore! just burnt. haha, gotta work on that sunblock thing...may'be i'll get it right next time. Great fun though, and I feel like I learned alot

[Mike]

Me too. Turns out I'm not sore, but I'm a little burnt.

[Frodos Majik]

As always great times were had by ALL. Weather it being out at the field, dinner or just hanging out at the hotel after the day of flying.

Tom (Knoted4ever) with his flying in those STRONG winds yesterday, its a wonder we werent calling him STRETCH armstrong!! What he can do with those dual lines is wild with no wind - mild winds or gail force winds.

Paul THANKS A BUNCH for lunch, those double cheese burgers were the BOMB!!!! Please pass the thanks on to the family for running them out to us too.

and yes Mikes impromptu B-Day cake was a sight to behold. Hats off to the staff for coming up with that master piece.

[brownssl]

SOUNDED LIKE FUN WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE IM BACK IN SCHOOL KNOW DOING ALOT OF STUDYING ITS BEEN 25 YEARS SENTS I HAD TO STUDY FOR A TEST

[Knoted4ever]

It was great seeing everyone those two days! The winds were really unrelenting! Those poor farmers plowing the top-soil away from their fields were a sight to behold! A lot of folk's kites were imploding in the nasty winds both days... but we all had fun!

i didn't get any of those free kites... because they were Revs. It was very nice meeting Dhiren and his wife; hope to see them at a fest again.

That new section to fly in was a lot better. i hope that we can be at that spot next time.

A lot of people mistakenly thought that Mike's birthday cake was made out of tomato and fruit; it actually was a dead baby Humboldt Squid!

[vyasdhiren]

Tom/Mike and Others,

We had really fun at Decatur Kite Festival and We will try to come out again for sure.
Special thanks to Tom and Mike for giving me lessions to fly Quad Line kites.

You guys are not just passionate about kite flying but very nice people.