Facebook is going off .... pics pics

why are we still here and not there

I'm not able to view the second page of this thread on my phone or computer. Not sure if anyone else is having this issue.

So here is the update. I DID IT!!! Got there and the winds were going from 15-30mph sustained with gusts to 50mph. Decided to wait it out for a while. Once the wind steadied out I got the kite out and hooked up the 500kg lines with my freestyle handles with a shortened leash to the 2.7 Vapor that I borrowed from BB. Went over to the buggy to get everything ready and realized I left my harness at home. So you can guess by now that I also left the spreader bar....YIKES! So after I got done crying, , I called Beamer Bob and asked for his since he lives very close to the edge of town. He agreed to let me use it so off I was.

Once I returned to the dry lake the winds were perfect. They were sustained at 35-40 with gusts to 55mph. We quickly hooked up the spreader bar and pulled the kite back out. When Johnny was helping me to launch the kite the wind was blowing it all over the place. The bridles kept getting tangles, it was actually quite stressful. We were finally able to launch the kite from the side of the wind window. The first time we launched it, we did so without being harnessed in. So as soon as the kite went up I was sent dancing across the playa! Johnny had to run over and hold me down in order to hold the kite down and walk back up wind. Now that I knew the kite was in working order(since it was my first time flying this specific kite) I decided it was time to harness in and go. Didn't want to harness in till I knew the kite was right. I sat in the buggy and we launched the kite with it secured to the spreader bar and off I went. At first I was cutting almost straight up wind. Went out to the middle of the lake and let it go. Turned the buggy down wind and it accelerated quicker than I have felt in a car. The winds were almost straight west so I thought I would be able to go the length of the dry lake. However there was so much power that I was sliding around at a high speed. Tried to tack back up wind with no prevail.

So here I am barreling toward the brush, on the edge of Ivanpah, at a high rate of speed. I decided there was no saving the run and I would have to let the kite go. I turned downwind a little and tried to pull the leash out of the spreader bar but the kite was loaded with so much power that it wasn't budging. After about 4 tries to free the leash I turned straight downwind and gave it one last pull and out it came. Let the kite go and turned away from the brush that was now only about 100 yards away. I turned away into the small rocks that run the length of the lake right next to the brush. It was like marbles...I slid a little in the rocks and hit the brakes. Must have slid about 500 feet before it finally stopped. At this point I didn't think I broke the record but I knew it was a personal best for sure. When I got out and looked at the GPS's they said 84.0, 84.1, and 84.4 mph!!!!! This all happened within 2 miles. I had just left the camp. Johnny rushed over in his truck to check on me and when he got there I was jumping and screaming. I ripped off all 3 gps and brought them over to Johnny Losada and Steve the Land Sailor Guy(Sorry Steve, don't know your last name). Not sure what I have to do to make this official but doing it again is no problem. I could have gone faster if I would have went all the way to the freeway and started my run from there. Many thanks goes out to Johnny and Steve for being kite monkeys! Thank you Craig Hansen and Gavin Mulvay at Peter Lynn Kites in New Zealand for allowing me to run their buggy. Thanks to Michel Dekker for making this incredible kite. And Most of all thank you Bobby Muse for letting me borrow you 2.7m Vapor, GPS Units, and spreader bar.

The best thing was I had no idea I was going that fast. I love this PL Speed Buggy and can't wait to go out again! Not sure if the Power Kite Forum is going to fix the issue with seeing the second page so if you reply try to use facebook. I will repost this message there. You can find me by searching Brian Holgate! Cheers.

Wow, simply amazing story !!! Good on you !!! :bouncing:

Outstanding job Brian and support group! Bob has a record holding kite in his quiver.

Congratulations from Spain Brian!! :singing:

go Brian go,

Quote:

Originally posted by Todd Outstanding job Brian and support group! Bob has a record holding kite in his quiver.

I've offered Brian the option to just replace my kite so he can keep the one he broke the record with. I had only flown the kite once so it still only has a few miles on it lol.

Hey Bob, I wouldn't underestimate that super aerodynamic ultra high performance pro line spreader you lent Brian - that's a keeper!

Hey a guy on Kite Crowd asked what happened to the kite after you released it Brian, good question - how far did you have to go retrieve it?I've seen dust devils take kites a long way across the playa or off into the distance.

Luckily since I was near the brush it only went 100yards or so and it stopped when it hit a bush. My buddy came down quickly after he saw me release. He went and grabbed it and then came to pick me up. It just goes to show you that its always a better idea to release your kite than hold on and crash. If I would have held on, the kite could have easily smashed into the ground destroying it. The kite still looks like new. Had a bunch of small sticks in the bridles but no damage.

Somebody give this guy his own Vapor and imagine what he can do ? ;-)

:cool2:

Quote:

Originally posted by markite Hey Bob, I wouldn't underestimate that super aerodynamic ultra high performance pro line spreader you lent Brian - that's a keeper!

I don't think the spreader bar is going to be sentimental and it can be my own "already done this" part of my gear when I'm trying to meet some goal out there.

I have my own spreader bar, he was just helping me since I forgot mine. Prime example of not ever leaving any kites home. I left one of my kite bags at home that had my large kites because I didn't think I needed them. Problem is I put my harnesses in my large kites bag so when I arrived and realized my mistake I called beamer to save me an extra 40 minutes to and from my house. As for having my own vapors...that is under discussion.

For breaking the world record in their buggy and with their kite (design ) it would seem you at least deserve most of a set up to 7 meters with all sizes up to 4.5m. Next time I sure hope I can watch and if so, I'll be in charge of at least 1 gopro. You rock man and the buggy world needs to be on notice.

There is really a small portion of the buggy riders around the world that have had the opportunity to ride a dry lake. Most are riding fields or beaches. When you ride field or bumpy beach it's a rare day when you can get to 40 mph, riding 30mph feels damn fast. Riding bigger beaches and smoother beaches you have the chance to open it up and even through it smooth and you can slide - overall beaches don't have as much of sense of danger when I ride them and i find myself working the crap out of kite to get as much as I can and usually wishing for more. On the beach it's a small group that have ridden into the 50 mph range and even far less that have touched 60 mph.
Now step out onto a dry lake like Ivanpah - you start rolling and it feels smooth and effortless to get rolling, the kite is pulling nicely, the lines start to whistle a little and feel comfortable - look down and your in the mid to high 30's no problem. Wind picks up and you get up into the 40s and then you start thinking a bit more about just how the heck are you going to turn or slow down and stop. You turn downwind and don't loose speed, you turn upwind and bang a surge of power that increases your speed. It takes a while to get the feel for it.
Then the wind picks up more, maybe you change kite sizes. You head out the kite fully powered, you're rocking it and you get into a gust and everything goes crazy with the pressure on the kite, the harness you start to slide and adjust your angle as speed ramps up and everything in your head is thinking just ride it out and make sure you don't do anything crazy with the kite. Then BAM you catch a gust within the gust you are now riding and the speed goes super crazy as you angle off downwind a bit more and start thinking way in advance about how you are going to end this run - the highway getting closer or the moguls and desert scrub are coming up fast. You manage a long controlled turn that burns a lot of rubber off your tires and then you slow down after what seems like a mile - you glance down again and see you passed 60mph.
Now the wind picks up a little more and it's surprising just how few people go out riding when their small kites will get them into the 60 mph club - even during NABX when the wind cranks it's a very small number that get out and ride a lot in that wind. Many will try for a short time and then come back to buggy town to wait for safer conditions.
Now take that wind up a bit more so that waves of brown dust constantly obscure what's ahead of you (there are the odd metal pipes and rough patches of ground to beware of), grit is peppering your face and you launch a 2.7 vapor and take off in a sleek speed buggy - I've been there, I've felt what the lake and nature has to offer on days like that, Absolutely no doubt in my mind that you did that speed you crazy bastard.

Thanks Mark!

Quote:

Originally posted by markite There is really a small portion of the buggy riders around the world that have had the opportunity to ride a dry lake. Most are riding fields or beaches. When you ride field or bumpy beach it's a rare day when you can get to 40 mph, riding 30mph feels damn fast. Riding bigger beaches and smoother beaches you have the chance to open it up and even through it smooth and you can slide - overall beaches don't have as much of sense of danger when I ride them and i find myself working the crap out of kite to get as much as I can and usually wishing for more. On the beach it's a small group that have ridden into the 50 mph range and even far less that have touched 60 mph. Now step out onto a dry lake like Ivanpah - you start rolling and it feels smooth and effortless to get rolling, the kite is pulling nicely, the lies start to whistle a little and feel comfortable - look down and your in the mid to high 30's no problem. Wind picks up and you get up into the 40s and then you start thinking a bit more about just how the heck are you going to turn or slow down and stop. You turn downwind and don't loose speed, you turn upwind and bang a surge of power that increases your speed. It takes a while to get the feel for it. Then the wind picks up more, maybe you change kite sizes. You head out the kite fully powered, you're rocking it and you get into a gust and everything goes crazy with the pressure on the kite, the harness you start to slide and adjust your angle as speed ramps up and everything in your head is thinking just ride it out and make sure you don't do anything crazy with the kite. Then BAM you catch a gust within the gust you are now riding and the speed goes crazy as you angle off downwind a bit more and start thinking way in advance about how you are going to end this run - the highway getting closer or the moguls and desert scrub are coming up fast. You manage a long controlled turn that burns a lot of rubber off your tires and then you slow down after what seems like a mile - you glance down again and see you passed 60mph. Now the wind picks up a little more and it's surprising just how few people go out riding when their small kites will get them into the 60 mph club - even during NABX when the wind cranks it's a very small number that get out and ride a lot in that wind. Many will try for a short time and then come back to buggy town to wait for safer conditions. Now take that wind up a bit more so that waves of brown dust constantly obscure what's ahead of you (there are the odd metal pipes and rough patches of ground to beware of), grit is peppering your face and you launch a 2.7 vapor and take off in a sleek speed buggy - I've been there, I've felt what the lake and nature has to offer on days like that, Absolutely no doubt in my mind that you did that speed you crazy bastard.

Why do I feel like I need a shower to rinse off lakebed dust? Very well described Mark!

Guys, no way Brian would hang himself out there by not having done exactly what he says he has. I've spoken with him at length about this record run and I fully believe in my heart that he did exactly what he described with 2 witnesses that are going to give their account of the run. Kite skills are apparently kite skills. I rode with Brian all day on Sunday and we rode side by side many times at 40 mph (with winds on average 10-13 mph) and he wasn't in a race buggy, but in a well ridden comp XR+. His kite skills are crazy good and we share a not-too-common competitive spirit that many wouldn't understand but is the reason he and I had a most enjoyable day pushing each other to outdo one another in fun.

Our whole personal best system is dependent on honor and respect and I think a little more needs to be extended towards one of us that has achieved greatness.

We are going to hook my Earthmate gps to the computer tomorrow and see what data can be extracted from it, so maybe this will be less a leap of faith for some of you, but if not, so be it. Brian said from the start that this might not be accepted as the official speed record and yet that is fine since he says he made the run for his own personal satisfaction, and not to prove anything to anyone else.

I know my opinion on this will mean a lot to a few of you and little or nothing to a lot of you but now you know where I stand.

cool.....................hey Brian next time an on board vid thru your eyes (helmet cam) looking forward and with the kite in frame at 80mph would be awesome (Ill tell my grandchillins this was me back in the day :dunno::lol) just kidding.................congrats!

Sweet summary Markite! Congrats again Wolfpaklv.

Hey BeamerBob, You gotta start taking video of your excursions to the playa. They would be much more entertaining than my same-o runs up and down Southwick solo! :D I don't see what the question is? What is to be gained by a false claim? Brian already has MY respect (and doubtless that of countless others) for what he has already shown he can do, including going faster in reverse or on two wheels than I have ever driven myself. No reason in my mind to doubt this, just as there was no reason for me to doubt Fast Arie, either. I just keep wondering, what would happen if you sneezed at that speed, in those winds....??? :dunno:

Quote:

Originally posted by bobalooie57 Hey BeamerBob, You gotta start taking video of your excursions to the playa................ I just keep wondering, what would happen if you sneezed at that speed, in those winds....??? :dunno:

looie I take video when its good running with others. Great footage of last Sunday with Brian, Wexler and I running fast and together. I've already culled the boring stuff and now have to do some editing. That's the hard part for me because I just don't know what I'm doing yet.

On the sneeze issue, how do you think Brian goes backwards so fast?

Quote:

Originally posted by markite There is really a small portion of the buggy riders around the world that have had the opportunity to ride a dry lake. Most are riding fields or beaches. When you ride field or bumpy beach it's a rare day when you can get to 40 mph, riding 30mph feels damn fast. Riding bigger beaches and smoother beaches you have the chance to open it up and even through it smooth and you can slide - overall beaches don't have as much of sense of danger when I ride them and i find myself working the crap out of kite to get as much as I can and usually wishing for more. On the beach it's a small group that have ridden into the 50 mph range and even far less that have touched 60 mph. Now step out onto a dry lake like Ivanpah - you start rolling and it feels smooth and effortless to get rolling, the kite is pulling nicely, the lies start to whistle a little and feel comfortable - look down and your in the mid to high 30's no problem. Wind picks up and you get up into the 40s and then you start thinking a bit more about just how the heck are you going to turn or slow down and stop. You turn downwind and don't loose speed, you turn upwind and bang a surge of power that increases your speed. It takes a while to get the feel for it. Then the wind picks up more, maybe you change kite sizes. You head out the kite fully powered, you're rocking it and you get into a gust and everything goes crazy with the pressure on the kite, the harness you start to slide and adjust your angle as speed ramps up and everything in your head is thinking just ride it out and make sure you don't do anything crazy with the kite. Then BAM you catch a gust within the gust you are now riding and the speed goes crazy as you angle off downwind a bit more and start thinking way in advance about how you are going to end this run - the highway getting closer or the moguls and desert scrub are coming up fast. You manage a long controlled turn that burns a lot of rubber off your tires and then you slow down after what seems like a mile - you glance down again and see you passed 60mph. Now the wind picks up a little more and it's surprising just how few people go out riding when their small kites will get them into the 60 mph club - even during NABX when the wind cranks it's a very small number that get out and ride a lot in that wind. Many will try for a short time and then come back to buggy town to wait for safer conditions. Now take that wind up a bit more so that waves of brown dust constantly obscure what's ahead of you (there are the odd metal pipes and rough patches of ground to beware of), grit is peppering your face and you launch a 2.7 vapor and take off in a sleek speed buggy - I've been there, I've felt what the lake and nature has to offer on days like that, Absolutely no doubt in my mind that you did that speed you crazy bastard.

Great read that. Scary and awesome at the same time. :D