mgatc - 12-1-2009 at 12:07 PM
YeeHaw!
First tracks with the bug today. Winds 10 to 15. Started with the 3m and got stranded on the far side of the field. Walk of shame back to the
truck.
Josh (son) got on the board with the 11m and I pulled out the 8m. For the
next hour we traded off bug and board and did nothing but make tracks. Quite a few of them sideways!
Wind dropped to 5 or less and we packed it in time for lunch.
Great Kiteing and the best news? The wind is supposed to blow ALL WEEK.
BeamerBob - 12-1-2009 at 12:11 PM
I need to come up there and ride with you guys. You talk like your regular place is better than my good place. Nothing like mixing it up with other
kiters too. So Josh is warming up to the buggy some? How are you getting along with it?
csa_deadon - 12-1-2009 at 12:46 PM
How did that NEO work out as a buggy engine?
mgatc - 12-1-2009 at 01:44 PM
Both kites were rock solid earlier in the session while the wind was 10kts or better. We used the 8m for the bug and the 11m for the board. Pretty
much park and ride on the bug and the board. One hand on the bar was all it took. My son just corrected me; "one hand on the bar and one hand on the
buggy rail" as an OBE preventative.
As the wind dropped, eventually to 5-6kts, the 8m was of little use and the 11m demanded quite a bit of attention. This was expected as both kites
were pretty much out of their range. In the correct window however, they have been excellent.
mg
arkay - 13-1-2009 at 11:58 AM
I'm still amazed that you found a spot like this... well really that the farmer lets you ride on it 
There are a bunch of farms out by me and I'll likely only ever be in the pastures; the crop fields are so bumpy
because of the tilling; a speed bump death trap. I've found a really nice field that just grass cover, which I hope to be able to fly on in the
spring... but this guy lets you make tracks on sod he's going to sell? I've only really ridden on sand, so I'm wondering if your ripping up the grass
at all or the buggy and board pretty much don't do damage. I'd imagine 180's or swerves would cause some havoc.
BeamerBob - 13-1-2009 at 12:17 PM
It would be fine as long as you don't ride when the sod is soggy. Otherwise, the buggy isn't nearly as much of an impact as the mowers. That's the
key. tracks aren't an issue because the sod is rolled or stacked and the tracks would disappear from the trauma of shipment.
I'd like to see some pics of this fine place you have MG
acampbell - 13-1-2009 at 12:27 PM
Mel, is the 8m behaving more for you now?
mgatc - 13-1-2009 at 02:14 PM
The sod farm is inactive at the moment. The owner is out of the business. He still keeps it mowed but does not maintain the grass. BB is correct that
unless it is saturated, the tracks are no worse than the mowing tractors. I'll try and drop a Google Earth photo of the field.
Downside: The owner is an older gentleman who I sense allows me to use it with some reluctance. I still have to call and let him know EVERY time that
I go out there. It feels very tenuous.
So, I have some other fields that I use and am constantly on the lookout for new ones. I saw 2 this morning that I am going to persue. They do not
have as good a wind signature or the size but they are certainly rideable.
Angus, I have found the key to the 8m Neo is to keep it powered up. This slows it down and prevents the overflying at the zenith. When I am moving on
the board or the bug, I can fly it de-powered and get more kite speed with no problems.
The other issue is the winds here are mostly at the bottom of the range.
We went to the beach last Saturday and flew it in smoooooooooth 12 to 15 and it was a dream.