c3h5 - 21-1-2008 at 02:27 PM
Finally the lake at my work froze enough for me to trail my new Ice buggy.
The ice wasn’t smooth and the wind was anything but predictable but I was glad to be out there!
I will be making some adjustments tonight so that tomorrow I might have some better runs.
Also stopping was a bit of an adventure!
http://www.dmicomputers.com/darren/ice/iceb1.jpg
http://www.dmicomputers.com/darren/ice/iceb2.jpg
http://www.dmicomputers.com/darren/ice/iceb3.jpg
http://www.dmicomputers.com/darren/ice/iceb4.jpg
http://www.dmicomputers.com/darren/ice/iceb5.jpg
http://www.dmicomputers.com/darren/ice/iceb6.jpg
I’ll try to post some videos on youtube.com later today.
The funny thing that happened today.
I first went out on the lake with my ice skates to check out the conditions.
Deciding I needed a rest and would bring the ice buggy out when I came back, I left the kite out on the ice with my equipment bag on top to keep it
from blowing away.
I placed my helmet on top of that bag before I left.
Well my work is about 100 yards from the lake and I can see my gear from there so I thought nothing about leaving it there.
However the lake is a popular location for joggers and by the time I got back out there with the buggy there was a small gathering and the cops had
showed up with a reporter!
One cop yells I see him!
Pointing out at my gear! I suddenly realize that my kite had wrapped itself around my bag and it looks like someone wearing a ski jacket up to the
shoulders in the ice wearing a helmet which is facing away from us, and ends of the kite are flapping in the wind which looks like some waving for
help!
Needless to say I had a lot of explaining to do before they would go away. And the reporter harassed me for more information as well. So I expect a
small mention of myself in the local paper tomorrow.
The cops said that about dozen calls had come in about someone who fell through the ice.
NPWfever - 21-1-2008 at 02:32 PM
10 points dude! Be sure to let us know if you end up in the paper. Oh man that is by far the funniest kite story I've seen on here. :D
popeyethewelder - 23-1-2008 at 10:39 AM
Great story, I have added your pics
Ice Buggies
BeamerBob - 23-1-2008 at 11:08 AM
That is Readers Digest Funny. People not even associated with kites would get it. The helmet just "capped" the story perfectly. Pun intended.
c3h5 - 23-1-2008 at 02:16 PM
Later I did ponder… hmmm I wonder how many joggers ran out onto the ice to try and save my gear from drowning?
c3h5 - 23-1-2008 at 02:17 PM
I did go out again yesterday but this time when I needed to take a rest I put my helmet IN my bag!
I made a few improvements for this second day.
1) And unlike my first trip out I remembered to charge the GPS.
2) Lowered the rear axle and extended the front fork.
3) Changed the screws to a hex head in the bottom of my boots. Yes! this is my current method of slowing down and or walking on the ice. I need to
come up with a way of stopping like a bob sled but with a foot brake!
4) Shortened my kite lines. A whole lot less to untangle after a crash. And being on the ice with nothing to stop you your kite or your gear from
taking off to the other side off the lake in one big ball! It makes my life easier!
So results of Day #2 with a 2.0M Pansh and crazy swirling winds.
27.8MPH on skates.
34.2MPH in the buggy.
7.47 Miles traveled total
And one sore hip. Yes I crashed … well more like I fell out of the sky attempting to jump with the 2.0M.
I didn’t trying going to fast with the buggy as I had a scary moment.
I was attempting to slow down with my right foot before turning and the screws on the bottom of my boots got caught on the foot straps. Cause I was
stepping on them instead of threw them at the moment.
Well the front fork cut completely to the right and the front buggy was stopping like a hockey stop. But hopping a little as I hit the rough ice.
Luckily the buggy stayed straight!
But after that, I spent the rest of the time getting use to turning etc.
I think I will put something on the fork to prevent it from being able to turn that far in the future. It maybe fun on the sand but the ice I had
visions of being ejected out of my seat as the buggy flipped and sliding on the ice until I reached land!