Those that have been around a while know I've been fond of the Montanas for years. I keep thinking they've gotten the design perfect and wait nervously when I hear a new model is coming out hoping they don't "fix" something that messes up the overall design or even more worry that they take the design in a direction that doesn't suit what I do with it. I know the designers are not thinking of buggies, Ivanpah Dry Lake, or speeds over 50 mph, but somehow their design parameters keep on making me a go fast kite.

Days at Ivanpah that are truly epic don't come along very often. I've had 3 and remember each one very clearly. I had one yesterday. Winds were supposed to be 25 gusting to 32 and it was supposed to blow like that all day. I was talking to a local landsailer Gary Weddle on the phone since he had gone down earlier. He was telling me it was sprinkling rain and ice pellets, it was 14 degrees colder there than back in town and on top of all that, there was no wind. So I delayed going down, but ended up going on thinking once that low pressure thing blew through, the winds would show up. Eventually they did, but not like the forecast. I had intended on trying a new fixed bridle kite I bought but haven't ridden with, but since the winds were only in the mid teens, I decided to just put some miles in with the new Montana.

I went back and forth a few times running 35-40 mph and was enjoying the smooth runs, the sun and the predictability of the Montana. Most describe Ivanpah as huge, but at high speeds you can run out of space quickly. I had chosen my track which gave me about 3 miles to work with. I would run towards Whiskey Petes on my upwind leg and then straight towards the SE corner of the lakebed for any potential speed runs. On about my third run, the wind picked up considerably, but I felt I was still in ride mode instead of escape mode. I don't have many miles on the new Montana at high speeds so I was nervously watching the kite to see if it had any bad behavior when the adrenaline pumps up. I knew I was going fast and figured I'd gotten to 55-57 mph. I had too much power to turn upwind so had to use my new trick of turning as much downwind as possible and keep the kite flying to bleed off speed so the loss of apparent wind will allow me to edge upwind. My track I had chosen kept this scenario in mind and I'm glad I planned well. I finally got slowed down and wiped the dust from the gps to see 61.4 mph.

It's always a treasure to see something that starts with a 6 on the gps and while I was certain I had been going fast, I was astounded at how the Montana tracked straight and true the whole run. Not once did it fold over at the nose, turn in some direction that I didn't point it, or do anything other than pull hard wherever I had it pointed.

I ran like this for about an hour and 15 minutes and had 4-5 runs that flirted with 60 mph and one that pushed my max up to 61.6 mph. I had 29 miles in that short time.

I had never been much over 59 mph with a Montana and the only time I had done that was with a 7m. This new one is an 8m and you can feel the extra size but it must have a wider wind range or more depower or something.

I also have a feeling of security knowing if I have bushes or barbed wire coming up too fast, I can kill the kite in an instant by pulling the tophat.

It's like striking gold to find a kite that can handle winds into the 30s and run over 60 mph and the kite have a personality like this Montana has. While color and graphics don't matter much when you feel like your hair is going to catch on fire, I must say this is the most beautiful Montana ever made. Striking solid bright primary colors. This 8m is bright orange and it looks like it means business. Gary, the landsailer that is the toughest one to catch on Ivanpah unless Brian has the Speed buggy out, said he was afraid he would't be able to catch me when he saw me launch "that orange kite". I feel like I'm doing things right if I have Gary worried.

Thanks HQ for a fantastic ride.

HQ Montana VIII 8m by Chris - Topher, on Flickr

That was a fun read...thanks for sharing. Congratulations on the > 60. Beautiful kite!

Good write up, Bob. Fabulous photos too! Is that a solar farm in the background of some of them?

Thanks lunchbox and John. Yes John, that is the Ivanpah Solar plant. It is across I-15 from the east section of Ivanpah we normally ride on. It is both cool to see and a scar on the mountainside. There are 3 towers and sometimes you can use them as heading markers to find yourself back upwind.

Great post. Joan showed me the video link you posted on BookFace. Didn't realize you were hitting those speeds, though.

I too have always been fond of the Montannas and am always comfortable recommending them to to first-time de-power riders. I hope Chris brings some to JIBE!

The video shot by Chris? That was at IBB and I was just making passes around Chris so he could get pictures of the kite. A buddy Gary shot some video on the fast day, but every clip is of the upwind runs. Not so exciting. We have plans to go at it again on Wednesday.

I really like the looks and color of these.

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

I really like the looks and color of these.

Agreed! One of the best looking depows out there. I love the bright solid colors and that big azz HQ logo!

Great post Bob!

Fantastic pics Bobby! The colors of the Montanas explode against the desert background. Good job on the speed. Always a great feeling beating a personal best.

I like your enthusiasm Bob. How much are they paying you! :P
I wonder if thats the fastest Montana. Would you say you've now found your kite? I finally found mine and its a relief on the bank balance I can tell you.

man thats fast on depower! you the man Bob 8m at 60! thats alot of juice!

i got to say going that fast would scare me to death on a buggy, just goes to show me i have along way to go

Thanks guys. Redsky, I have the feeling that the 8m can handle the major load of my riding. I would have total confidence in winds 30 mph or lower with this kite now.

Cheddarhead, those pics were taken by Chris Shultz, cryptically know on here as "Chris". and yes, they are some of the best kite buggy pictures I've ever seen, with the kite, sun angle and the awesome sky the passing front gave us that day.

Pastor, this is a different place to ride from anything else you could try. I had never been faster than 35 mph before riding at Ivanpah and oddly, that was with a 9.5m Montana IV at Jekyll Island, GA

Great write up Bobby... Wish I had the cash for one of those guys... They do look sweeeeeet!

Thanks for the post, Bobby. You are one fast rider.

The skies were amazing the day most of these photos were taken. And in case anyone missed the link on another thread, here the video referenced: https://vimeo.com/91840693

Angus ~ these Montana's are all I want to fly in a buggy now. You know they will be at JIBE for demo.

All this talk about Montana's and now I really want to fly one. I love HQ in general, and I can't wait to demo some of the new stuff at JIBE!

Quote: Originally posted by chris

And in case anyone missed the link on another thread, here the video referenced: https://vimeo.com/91840693

Awesome vid Chris! Again, what a sweet looking kite that Montana is. Friggin' love that orange

Dittos all around

Nice write up and nice ride Bobby. I heard it goes upwind well and my first thought on seeing the amount of curve on the kite is that it would have some characteristics similar to using an arc and that high upwind angle sounds like it. The stability at speed is an absolute must - no confidence in a kite then you aren't going to go for it. If it also has the right balance of de-power without sacrificing on the speed side it sounds like a great kite - and it looks good too!

Thanks Mark, you seem to have hit the nail on the head. It does have a pronounced arc shape. I think that is why it is able to go faster than the smaller M VII 7m even while it's a meter larger. It's the best of both worlds since it has the added punch of the larger kite.