This afternoon the wind was almost directly onshore so we hit the beach and I gave the girls a few tandem runs to the south tower an back until the deep dark thunderstorm looming in the south brought rain and thunder and lightning. We packed up and said our goodbyes to the crew that I saw on th beach and in the lot. A few guys said they planned to come back after the storm around 5:30.

Got back to the house and wifey said she could handle the girls for the night so after a dinner with the family, I went back to the beach to the surprise of all the guys I had said goodbyes to. We rode until sunset. The winds were light and from the SSE so there was a lot of tacking to get south and then fighting with the kite to get back downwind.. that was solved with a 12m Peak.

Great times y'all!!!

Many thanks to Angus for another great JIBE!!!

Yes, thanks to Angus for making JIBE possible, and this one was really great. I enjoyed every minute of the time in Jekyll and enjoyed saying hello to everyone. Lots of fun in the buggy, made it a long ways down to the water tower Monday and back, made my personal best speed with a mere 2.5 m kite on Tuesday, and got a lot of great riding in all the rest of the time. Thanks to NAPKA for helping make this event possible as well.

Made it home yesterday with only one flat tire on the car. New tires installed tomorrow! It was so good to get back to Jekyll Island and to see old friends and meet so many new ones since we were at the first two JIBES. I had forgotten how confidence inspiring that sand is. Run out of room? Need to stop NOW? Just point the buggy sideways and slide to a stop. No matter the speed. This is great for every skill level.

Thanks to Angus for putting in the work for us to have a week we can all aim for to ride and fellowship with each other. Don't forget he does it solely for the satisfaction of seeing our smiling faces covered in sand and sunscreen. I can relate as well as anyone the joy that brings.

We got home late yesterday... one of the best JIBE's to date IMHO... wouldn't you know it, the day after I get back I found my etrex GPS while looking for something else

Thanks again of course to Angus for putting on a great event!

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Phillip Chase was another fast one. He was running beside me on a run over 45. It was amazing how there was an extra push of wind in the half mile in front of kite beach. It's like the wind just knows!

You noticed that too, eh? That was so weird. It was consistently higher at kite beach. Now that you're entering the highest density of kites and people, let's add a little more juice!

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

...I don't like to change kites if I can avoid it.

And that is why I fly depower. On Thursday I could tell the 12m Phantom II was more than I needed in the first two minutes. Yet I flew it the whole time. Just adjust that trim for the tack.

I exploited my overpowered situation to do some epic dirt slides at kite beach. 40 mph to zero in a powered slide. I haven't done that in years. It takes me back to the days when the game was how much sand I could pile into my lap by sliding.

Bobby it was great to get to meet you and put a face to a name. I had a blast riding this past week. Like several have said, this was probably the best JIBE I have been to. The winds were up all week, and I definitely did my personal best fastest speeds this week with the favorable side shore winds. I don't carry a GPS on my buggy, but from the very first downwinder I felt the highest speeds I have ever felt on the buggy because I could barely keep my line. I think I just about reached the maximum speed of the wheels on my bug because up over about 45mph the ride gets really wobbly.

To everyone there, and especially to Angus for gathering such a group of people, thank you for making it great year after year!

I had a great time with all of you as usual and hope to see you all soon. Keep those Canadians coming!

Jekyll island is the Holy Grail of locations. If the wife can love her visit as much as me, the fun never stops. Ted, thanks for the Peak demo...new Peak on the way as of today so hurry Wildwood! Good to see you folks again and Davis, you're one of a kind, sir! Angus, thanks again and keep up the good work, and as usual, thanks Ines. Howard, that arc is calling me, I hear it!

One last update from the actual week of riding just so we have every day covered - friday May 18

the weekends are always busy on Jekyll with beach goes and friday is the start of people arriving - friday morning started with groups of school children on the beach but they always leave by noon. Some people were departing today so i missed saying goodbye to a few of you. It was looking dull, forecast was a mix of rain and the wind was straight south and a small number of us were socializing up by Davis's RV then we noticed the wind had swung SE again and was that direction steady. Jim and i headed down to the beach and looking south past kite beach there were small numbers of people spread quite a distance south and tide was starting to go out but the wind was great. Jim set up a Phanny 12m and headed north. I replaced the lines on the 6.5 Libre Spirit and launched to test the lines and it was really powered nicely - decided to slowly cruise south but even headed into the wind the kite really wanted to go so had to keep it parked at 12:00 and found an open stretch from the last hotel to the south tower and turned at the tower to come back - man it was juicy speed and power, in no time hit 45mph and accelerating and getting into more wind but getting close to the people zone so just kicked it sideways and did one of the nicest longest side slides fully powered and just kept going sideways - decided this might look way to fast for the people on the beach so slowed down and got back to switch to an arc.
A few others were now out, saw SSI Jim, Howard and Peter, Chris, Frank and Errol and a couple more and we all squeezed in a few runs as the skies darkened to the south and the beach started to empty. A couple of more runs then a quick pack and dash for the pavilion for the mid day rain then moved over to the smaller bbq pavilion after the wedding planners kicked us out - I guess the wedding party wouldn't want to sit in the wet sandy buggies.
Turned into maybe an hour and a half of socializing and then cleared up but took a while for wind to return. About 6 of us stuck around and rode until dark and it turned out to be a fun evening with us all zig zagging in and around each other, working our way south and back in the area of kite beach wringing out the last bit of riding possible out if JIBE 2018 - it was a good day (maybe a little scolding to the two buggy pirates that didn't get back to the house until almost 10:00 for dinner - but all good in the end)