Along the Desert Pylons

I've had a busy, somewhat awful time time recently having missed a windy weekend of buggying due to flu (not the piggy type). I have also bought another house that I plan to move into at the beginning of September. Just at such a sickly & busy time, my home PC crashed for good measure.

As I repaired & reloaded my PC which took a couple of long evenings, I came across a vid. I'd made earlier in the year but forgotten to put on YouTube.
I added it last night:

Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNINqzUDa2o&feature=chann...

You may have seen in some of my earlier vids the occasional pylon in the background.
A few years ago a major project to run power lines across the desert was finalized much to my disgust as it destroyed the desert’s serene beauty.

Soon after it was completed, I used to think it great fun to buggy under the deadly lines ensuring to fly the kite close to the floor. This was about as smart as flying in a severe electrical storm.



Angelo who is part of the desert buggying gang once brushed the power lines with his kite accidentally. No bright sizzling flashes & no electrocution of Angelo to frazzle him into a Joan of Arc look-a-like occurred. This confirms that 40 m of dry dyneema lines provides good insulation.

The pylon buggy route is in some small but fun dunes close to the Pylons. Running parallel with the pylons is the now disused military track. It’s the very white coloured track that you see me tearing along in places.

There are what looks like wooden telegraph poles in places. This is a recent addition and they carry power lines to a weekend retreat built in the desert by the ruling Sheikhs. They are a dam nuisance as well but I shouldn’t complain, after all it’s their country to do do with whatever they please. I have a harmonious relationship with all the desert people including the Sheiks and their desert rangers who have no objection to our buggying all over the place.
The desert rangers are very friendly and are there to protect the wild life. Hunting of animals is strictly prohibited and they make sure of that.



The 4 minute vid. has been cut from a couple of hours of recording as my Mrs followed me through the desert on her 800cc Polaris Razor. At the end, you will see me pushing my DB-I (Death Buggy Mk I), as I roll it to go under the power lines. I guess I'm getting just a little wiser or my nerves aren't what they used to be as I don't fly under the lines anymore.

I was born in Wales (Yes! it's a country) but have both Swiss & British nationality, which is allowed by both sovereign states. Welsh people are famous for their great singing abilities & Wales is known as the Land of Song in the UK. I have dedicated this vid. to all the Welsh kiters in the world by having a Welsh choir singing in Welsh language as the theme music to this vid.

sand -yeti, you are the coolest old guy ever! I hope when I'm your age, I still have the ability to fly. You have the best kitin spot on earth. How do you hold down a job? If you get decent wind alot, I would be in trouble. " sorry boss, can't make it in today either" Yeah, I would be a kite bum!
cheers, and many more years!
WG


PS Love the vids

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD sand -yeti, you are the coolest old guy ever! I hope when I'm your age, I still have the ability to fly. You have the best kitin spot on earth. How do you hold down a job? If you get decent wind alot, I would be in trouble. " sorry boss, can't make it in today either" Yeah, I would be a kite bum! cheers, and many more years! WG PS Love the vids

It does bother me that I'm twice the age of my buggying mates but to be honest I feel OK except when I had the recent bout of flu.
I can't imagine ever stopping kiting but to be realistic, I will have to pack it in one day. I put my Mum in a buggy when she was 84. She had a blast. In 10 days she will be 89 but her buggying days are over I'm afraid.

We get winds very regularly during the afternoons and I get into the desert every Thursday afternoon & Friday (Islamic weekend). If the wind forecast shows less than 11 knots, I won't bother but that happens just on a couple of time a year. I used to work for a large American Multinational but retired early. I now work for a local UAE company still affiliated to the American Multinational but have less stress and a lot less travelling.
I don't have to work but I like what I do, makes me get up in the mornings and keeps me active.
Sometimes, I look out of my office window watching the palm tree branches swaying vigourously and think it wouldn't be a bad idea to just chuck it in and go buggying.

At the moment, I'm planning with Giorgio to buggy from Dubai to Salalah in southern Oman, which is 1200 kms as the crow flies. This is a serious project that I planned 2 years back but haven't executed. We plan to take at least 14 days next April to make that run. There won't be any spectactular dangers like, land mines, bandits or shark infested waters etc. but simply dealing with the logistics of crossing oil pipelines that criss cross the desert, being able to carry enough fuel and supplies in the support vehicles & having enough wind etc.

We have our own home built buggies that won't break in our harsh desert environment, so that won't be an issue.

There's no reason WELDNGOD why you can't be buggying at my age and even older. You don't have to be a fitness freak going to the gym regularly etc. but just take care of your body and don't abuse it too much. You'll be fine.