A lot of local kiters whinge about our small park after getting back from Oregon or Ivanpah, but I think I like the action of flying our small park where you have maintain your course and fly your kite as opposed to long parS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-n'ride tacks. It is like the difference between driving a small mountain road and a freeway.
The clips in the video are both sped up the same amount.
S

Definetely motorcross vs. autobahn. Since we have no beaches here, I can relate to the first video the most. Thanks for sharing.

Rob.

your "small" park looks really friggin' huge compared to anything I have around here.

I would love to have something that big close by,... but the beach is sweet too.

Thanks for the vid. but I'm sure glad I'm not epileptic,... I think it might have given me a seizure

Thanks scud.

SMALL park???????? seriously????

Try a football field....

I'm saying I think we are pretty lucky. It is an interesting place to fly. Now if we could just have decent weather, currently a summery 66F and pouring rain.
S

VERY COOL

But you are showing examples of the best of both of our worlds. Nothing beats a good South so we can ride Garry Point that way. It's a bit different on an East but still a good place to be.
Same with Sunset. That is one of those VERY rare onshore winds. On a side shore the amount of usable room would make it look a bit different. Sunset can offer some amazing dune riding terrain that is beyond me when you use bigfoots !

Every place has it's charms and setbacks.

1 vote for the park and ride beach, having said that you take what you can get.

You can always set up a few witches hats for a tight course on a beach if you want to improve your skills. There's just no opening up a small park for a long run.

It's the open spaces for the speed, the crazy slides, and the racing. I like the small places for the technical challenges.

Friday I went to new site. It kicked my arse: not enough wind, grass hadn't been cut recently, kind of narrow in spots. OTOH, it has terrain. There are hills, rock piles, and gullies. When the wind is right it will be awesome. :-)

Philip

I was thinking the same as the others. Your Small park is way bigger than anything we have around here too. We go a 1/2 mile one way then turn and hope to rush back without be blocked by folks with single line kites and little kids. It is a public state park so we always grand the way. But man to run for 1-2miles in one way WOW!! WBB here we come!!

Quote:

Originally posted by rocfighter I was thinking the same as the others. Your Small park is way bigger than anything we have around here too. We go a 1/2 mile one way then turn and hope to rush back without be blocked by folks with single line kites and little kids. Itis public state park so we always grand the way. But man to run for 1-2miles in one way WOW!! WBB here we come!!

A half mile wow!!!! Our park is only half a km. So our small park is smaller than your small park.;-) A mile or two? Longest tack here is about 450m. What made you think one or two miles?
My video is of week day before school is out for the summer. Weekends we share or leave.
I am not whinging about our park. I am saying it is pretty interesting place to fly.
S
Traffic cones are not the same as having to make a turn or hold your line.

HAA HAA in your video it really looks like your going for ever!! I guess it is the wide angle lens!! You seem to have a lot of trees on the edges like we do as well. Makes for interesting flying.

road course definitely my fav, i think the SHAPE of the area has more impact. big , small...more like football/soccer field size is about as small as I would go to be fun without too many obstacles

long thin beach , wind HAS TO BE usable direction to get the full use of the long run. side shore turns a great beach into a tight spot.

a square soccer complex/park/field will have greater range for wind direction.

i'm good with either , good wind arrives i riding! nice video !

Quote:

Originally posted by pbc It's the open spaces for the speed, the crazy slides, and the racing. I like the small places for the technical challenges. Friday I went to new site. It kicked my arse: not enough wind, grass hadn't been cut recently, kind of narrow in spots. OTOH, it has terrain. There are hills, rock piles, and gullies. When the wind is right it will be awesome. :-) Philip

water hazards!

Interesting comparison. Both locations have their merits. I cannot watch the vid so I dont really know what you are looking at. However, I know about riding in small areas. One of the first areas I really rode at was a softball diamond, complete with backstop, fences, benches, picnic tables, a fire pit, trees.. etc. And weaving around that stuff was entertaining and challenging. Definitely makes you a better pilot.

I really do enjoy a nice long haul down the beach though. Chance to work the kite and see just how fast I can get going. Or just a leasiurely cruise. Those are really fun too. Then when the tide comes in, or the winds shift direction, rolling around in the dunes, or the slightly softer sands up beyond them can also be a blast. Lot of fun throwing down-loop power slides through that sand...


Different strokes for different folks. Or different moods.

Quote:

Originally posted by rocfighter HAA HAA in your video it really looks like your going for ever!! I guess it is the wide angle lens!! You seem to have a lot of trees on the edges like we do as well. Makes for interesting flying.

You can be forgiven thinking that the park is big. I know the park and was all confused with the fast motion.

Like I mentioned both of those are the Best Of situation for the location. Our park is reduced to football field length with our typical winds. Sunset losses much of it's hardpack on high tide and wind is rarely onshore but has dunes to explore.

If the wind is blowing I am just happy with enough space to ride ! Still searching for one near my Mothers !

Quote:

Originally posted by rocfighter HAA HAA in your video it really looks like your going for ever!! I guess it is the wide angle lens!! You seem to have a lot of trees on the edges like we do as well. Makes for interesting flying.

We have trees and buildings on the north and south sides of the park. There is also a small Japanese garden at the southeast corner that acts as a wind block on SE winds. On NW winds, there are several tall poplars close to the NE corner that can almost be guarantied to collapse your kite as you make your jibe.
I am not saying the beach is no good, just that I disagree with the guys who come back from Ivanpah or Sunset saying the local flying completely sucks. When the wind is good, does not happen often enough, flying here can be awesome.
To the neighbour's to the south, Happy 4th.
S
thanks for the many kind words on the vid.

Nice comparison. It sure looked like fun was being had in both videos, but pilot skills are showcased in the park video. Good job!

Sunset Beach has mostly NW winds. Since the weather patterns have changed back to normal we are getting more and more west winds. If your ballzy then the SW winds before a storm are challenging. These are all on shore winds that locals are aware of. Now that's not to say when Blade runner comes down we do change the wind to east................

:saint:

Well Scud if you ever feel like a major road trip your alway welcome to come check out our place. You may like it if you are used to dodging trees and other obstacles!! And if you figure for an October trip you can follow us south to Wildwood NJ for the WBB!!:D

Send the GoogleEarth co-ordinates. I would love to see your field. WWBB would be a great time, but October is when Vancouver's six months of rain starts. I think I would be more inclined to go south for warmth and sunshine than east for wind.
S
We finally have a week of sunshine in the forecast, same forecast says max wind 4 kts.

I wish I had some open space near me.....the only parks I've found are like the one Ragden mentioned with backstops and goal posts. Of course it's lined with trees to help increase the challenge a little....

"
But you are showing examples of the best of both of our worlds. Nothing beats a good South so we can ride Garry Point that way. It's a bit different on an East but still a good place to be.
Same with Sunset. That is one of those VERY rare onshore winds. On a side shore the amount of usable room would make it look a bit different. Sunset can offer some amazing dune riding terrain that is beyond me when you use bigfoots ! "

Straight east, we have 3rd ave beach, straight south, Jerico, and there's always 72nd ave for all those odd wind directions, at low tide it's almost 2 miles out worth of sand flats and probably a good 10 miles end to end, I have buggied in the moonlight from 72nd all the way to 3rd and back. We are truly blessed to be here. only down side to 72nd is it's not called "Mud Bay" for no reason. if you crash the kites lots, expect some good clean up time

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=s&ie=UTF8&ll=33.456293...

Take a look at OOBE Field in Aiken (Jackson) SC where we fly. It's 2 1/2 polo fields side by side. And very well groomed. The owner is cool and let's us use it any time except when horses are around. In the early spring we get a 6 to 10 from the west and sometimes it's gusty. We get a lot of deflected winds because of the surrounding trees but you can buggy and Zooter if the wind is there. We check our wind from Bush Field Airport in Augusta, GA about 8 miles away. From my place to the field is 14 miles so I have to keep my station wagon loaded and ready to go if the wind is there. Then make a high speed haul ass to get there. I have looked for other fields but OOBE Field is the best around here. PoKiteTrash puts on the "Chllie Run" here in Jan.
so keep an eye on meet ups. When "Trash" gives us gas we have a gas.

i fly on the beach more like you were flying in the park. If you are just parking and riding at the beach then you are missing a lot. :/

not if you're parking and riding at speed =D