Power Kite Forum

Back in the sadle

doddg - 2-10-2011 at 08:56 PM

I'm not exactly sure when I started to buggy, but I do remember my first ride down wind around 1992 in Miami in South Beach during a sport kite competition with my friend Dean Jordan. Then we went to the desert and our skill level went way up, way fast! By the 2nd day we were getting up around 30mph with those skinny tires. We had so many great times buggying at Ivanpah, Roach, El Mirage and many lake names I don't remember over the years over the next 10 years....
About 2005 or so, I buggied for the last time, injured my back doing tricks for the camera, buggying with my friends in Galveston, including AJ.... until a couple of weeks ago. Vacationing with my family in wildwood crest Nj, flying kites on the beach where kites are banned.....and along came Don Swords on a buggy....well, I had to take a ride, a short one, but after i got home, I found an old buggy and went back to Wildwood Nj, happened to be during the AKA convention.
Arrived Wed afternoon, immediately went out on the beach, because I knew the winds were suppose to switch from the perfect 10mph east, south east we had.
3 and a half hours with many runs later, it was perfect for my first time in 6 or 7 years on a buggy. I was all alone, although I did run into a guy from a South jersey buggy club teaching a high school class a few mile up the beach from the convention center....but other than that, just me, but it was great!

The next day I tried to find parts for my better, PL Comp suspension buggy, but could not find a 15mm axle bolt, so went out again with my old buggy and had another 4 hours of awesome buggying. More of a challenge the second day with west wind, climaxing to a high teens if not more by 2:30pm, so it was time to stop but what a great two days!

Next week is the Wildwood Buggy Bash and although I am also a musician and working that weekend, I will try to make it a couple of days, depending on the weather report, but I will try to go. Next up is Galveston, and I am really going to try to make it to Dead Bird, an event I always loved in the past. NABX is also in my plans now for next April.
I am very Glad to be back! Still need that 15mm bolt....

rtz - 2-10-2011 at 09:05 PM

How did you hurt your back?

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/servlet/the-637/Peter-Lynn-...

van - 3-10-2011 at 07:02 AM

Great to hear that .... we'll see you at WWBB if you can make it. If not, you will be in my neck of the woods if you can make it to DBBB.

lamrith - 3-10-2011 at 08:17 AM

Welcome back Doddg!

markite - 3-10-2011 at 08:27 AM

Welcome back to buggying Dodd. I remember riding with a lot of you guys back in '97 at the Wildwood AKA - Dean J, Glen P, Paul L, Jeff H, Ray M, Fritz G and many more.
I think Dean's posting of that vintage photo of you guys on the playa had some buggy karma to get you back in the saddle.
look at you young guys with all that hair.

photo.JPG - 94kB

doddg - 3-10-2011 at 02:56 PM

Thanks for the link, just ordered some bolts, bearings and a bag....I was doing a lot of 360's, riding backwards a lot and although my back began to hurt, I kept going. The pain lasted about one year.
For WWBB, I will go Thursday depending on the weather, and for sure on Saturday and Sunday, maybe Monday too...depending on the wind direction..
Vintage photo...lol I think that was our second trip to the desert, 18 years ago wow!