Power Kite Forum

Midwest Kite Jam

flyjump - 28-6-2011 at 11:29 AM

Some of you have talked about this before, and I would like to help get an event started in the middle part of the US. Is anybody else interested?

Maybe we could get something started this fall. Even if it's just a meet up of a bunch of kiters, but it would be nice if we could get something started. So I guess the first thing we would need is a large space for a dozen or so kiters to start with. anybody have any good spots that are windy in the fall? I guess we should just start with that.

What do you guys think?

ripsessionkites - 28-6-2011 at 11:54 AM

im coming!!!

as long as the dates dont conflict with other events.

thanson2001ok - 28-6-2011 at 11:56 AM

I am very up for this. I would be happy to recruit flyers in WI.

flyjump - 28-6-2011 at 11:59 AM

Awesome. Do you happen to have any open spots in WI? I have a few people here that are interested too.

thanson2001ok - 28-6-2011 at 12:14 PM

Doing this at EEA in Oshkosh would be cool. I will have to call them.

There is a big soccer complex in Appleton. It is always shared with soccer teams though unless we do this in late fall.

elnica - 28-6-2011 at 12:30 PM

Would it be land-based kiting only or H20 kiting as well?

Sounds good to me!

flyjump - 28-6-2011 at 12:33 PM

Land based unless you know a good spot that has water next to it

Jason-G - 28-6-2011 at 01:10 PM

Is north west Oklahoma too far. I have a friend that has a huge wheat field that could work. It is 20 min. from Woodward Oklahoma. He lets ABATE/vets motorcycle group hold their annual spring and fall dirt drags there. There is also Ft. Supply lake near by and I hear there is someone who kites on it but I have never seen them and so far I have not tried kiting on water.

Jason

flyjump - 28-6-2011 at 01:13 PM

Jason check it out......that could work if we could get people to show up :) check the weather patterns too

elnica - 28-6-2011 at 08:23 PM

Also, Voice of America Park in Ohio could be a good place... it was the location for first worldwide radio broadcasting system due to the flat area and stuff... There is a kite fest there every year but not a power kite fest yet:

http://www.wguc.org/airwaveskitefest/voa.asp

not like Im biased or anything (VOA is 30 min from my house) :smilegrin:

The wind right now sucks but should pick up in a few months. The place wouldnt be the best for speed races or buggies though because of the breakout of the park. Mountainboards and all terrain skates are good.

Here is a description from the kitefest website:

Located on 330 acres at Tylersville and Cox Road in West Chester, Ohio, Voice of America Park is the former location of the Bethany Station, the first Voice of America radio facility capable of broadcasting worldwide. Its flat fields, favorable winds and place in broadcast history make it the perfect place to launch this exciting community event.

Map of kite event:

http://www.wguc.org/kitefest/images/Kitefest_Visitor_Map.pdf

windhunter - 30-6-2011 at 09:37 AM

New to this Craze and living in NW Indiana it would be great to have a Midwest event. How big an area? Summer, Fall Winter? Lots of farm fields open after crops harvested and snow is on. Maybe find a cattle farm with pastures or hay farmer with fields that could be used after cutting. What kind of issues do you have with liability and land owner permission. I know from experience, Indiana has laws in place protecting landowners /liability and the hunting, fishing etc. sports... but not sure about kiteing? Couple years ago they started putting up wind mills about 30 mi south of me. Now there's hundreds of them up and working. I assume this is a fairly good sign of consistant wind conditions. How do you get an event like this started. Anyone else in this area.... I've been asking that in several sections of PKF and have yet to get a hit. I can't be the only one that flys a BIG BOY kite and want to play with an ADULT BIG WHEEL am I??

flyjump - 30-6-2011 at 10:20 AM

Hunter, i love the input. I would imagine the first midwest event would be more of a get together to start out with. It takes years for a kite event to start to gain steam and become official. I like the input that you have. Actually my parents live in Springfield IL which isn't to far from you, only a few hours. I hope that we can get some good info started on this thread and then we can collectivly decide a place to have the event. If you are interested in meeting up in IL sometime even without an event, i'd be glad to meet up and ride. there is an excellent field close to my family's home....Adam

Drewculous - 30-6-2011 at 10:56 AM

we have a big a$$ lake in Nebraska... over 100 miles of white beach :dunno:

im gonna go scope some buggy spots down there this summer... lake mac, near ogalala nebraska. There's a best/wainman dealer on the north side. There was a member here that was really big into kiting there, but i havent heard from hin in a while.. rudboysaude, i think?
:crazy:

surfing, beach, woot!

thanson2001ok - 30-6-2011 at 12:21 PM

OK. I have spoken to an official at the Experimental Aircraft Association ( www.eaa.org ) located in Oshkosh, WI. This is the place that several regional events take place and the world's largest air extravaganza takes place, AirVenture, otherwise known as the Oshkosh FlyIn ( www.airventure.org )

EEA recently had a kite festival on the grounds in June called Wings on Strings. Lot's of fun activities and some of the PL giant air sculptures there like the teddy bear, 140' long octopus, etc.

They are very interested and have plenty of wide open spaces, buildings to rent if we want AND a campground. Lake Winnebago (Wisconsin's largest lake) is 15 minutes away for water fun.

I will be speaking with someone that heads up the museum to see if there is a way to collaborate vs. just using the facilities. The museum, BTW, is huge and an incredible place to visit. Maybe we can work on getting a static display of a power kite in there. Hah!

flyjump - 30-6-2011 at 12:50 PM

Very cool :)

stetson05 - 1-7-2011 at 09:30 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Drewculous
we have a big a$$ lake in Nebraska... over 100 miles of white beach :dunno:

im gonna go scope some buggy spots down there this summer... lake mac, near ogalala nebraska. There's a best/wainman dealer on the north side. There was a member here that was really big into kiting there, but i havent heard from hin in a while.. rudboysaude, i think?
:crazy:

surfing, beach, woot!


Seems like it was Kiteon from lake mac. Rudeboysaude I think is in Minnesota. Seem like last year in August there was a group of guys that met at lake Mac and it seemed to be a yearly event. I think it was more water. I seem to remember Kiteon posting some videos of buggying at lake mac too.

Chicagokitejumping - 2-7-2011 at 10:02 PM

I am coming , just let me know how are you going to do this event or try it

elnica - 5-7-2011 at 08:27 AM

Drewculous - lake mac looks awesome! at least from the google maps view... but... where do you fly in to get there? seems like the closest big city is denver... over 200 miles away?

Midgaar - 28-8-2011 at 08:36 PM

Any word on this?

flyjump - 28-8-2011 at 08:41 PM

still trying to aquire a good location.......have it narrowed down between a few spots. most of them are in springfield missouri. I'm going to ride this fall no matter what, even if people don't show up to it. i'm shooting for sometime in early november

Minshall - 29-8-2011 at 06:00 AM

Sweet deal, I move to Kansas in Nov.

Drewculous - 29-8-2011 at 06:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by elnica
Drewculous - lake mac looks awesome! at least from the google maps view... but... where do you fly in to get there? seems like the closest big city is denver... over 200 miles away?


Dia is the biggest airport around lol... There are regionals all around, I think there's an airport in Ogalala that connects with dia... If not scottsbluff has one.... Hourish drive from scoblo to mac... The googlemaps are all old, that lake is FULL! Theres usually a decent buggy beach, but its all under water atm

/veer

Sorry adam lol

flyjump - 29-8-2011 at 06:38 AM

i don't want to drive all of the way to nebraska lol, theres some wicked spots here closeby.

Drewculous - 29-8-2011 at 06:44 AM

Well I dont want to drive to missouri!
:lol:

J/k I dont care, ill end up at this thing eventually... Where ever it is

I was just responding in case they just wanted to go to mac for the hell of it... Its a great lake to hang out at

pongnut - 29-8-2011 at 07:29 AM

Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc. - color me there, as a new junkie to this sport, eager to possibly test fly some other models that I can only read about! I'm also betting that there are at least a dozen "closet" kiters lurking on the forum that would also come out to experience the fellowship...

van - 29-8-2011 at 01:19 PM

As long as you keep it within 10 hrs drive from Houston so I can join ya ... :singing:

pyro22487 - 29-8-2011 at 03:19 PM

ok the oklahoma one sounds good. im down for that. sorry my field isnt big enough for an event. a small meet maybe but not and event. kansas is also good van may still be willing to drive that far too. isnt texas full of dry lake beds up in the panhandle area. i've heard there is but i dont know. van your the texas guy go find us a dry lake bed lol.

Midgaar - 29-8-2011 at 08:36 PM

Well my vote would be for Wisconsin, because it's my backyard. I'm down to drive a good 10 hours or so myself however. Maybe some of us from the area could car pool. I'd rent a trailer if someone could tow it.

flyjump - 29-8-2011 at 09:13 PM

Theres a great spot im going to in october but I dunno if im willing to share it with the world yet lol. Its got a flat prarie, 4 story grass hill a pond big enough for a couple kite surfers. If few of you are in IL in octobee or novembed let me know, I may be willing to share it with a small groip of fliers. I dont want to draw a lot of attention to that place yet.

flyjump - 29-8-2011 at 09:15 PM

I hat the touch screen on this phone lol, sorry for all the typos

SFCWood - 30-8-2011 at 02:19 AM

I'm in if I can get out of work a couple of days. Sounds like a great idea!

Midgaar - 30-8-2011 at 09:29 AM

I'm less than an hour away from IL. I'm game to come out and fly with you when you're in the neighborhood. Send me a u2u.