I was at the park today flying my 3 meter (some wicked wind) and i noticed a thermal rising off the basketball court and i decide to see what would happen. I brought the kite above me and walked over. as soon as the kite was over the basketball court i felt a huge upward tug without the wind increasing. I have read enough about PG to learn how to catch a thermal so i found the core and turned the kite. HOLY #@%$#! I got locked into the thermal and the kite kept spinning as it lifted me up (i was about 10 feet up) and i panicked and pulled the other way and i lost the thermal. However i am now 10-15 up above asphault and i am no longer in a thermal. Now keep in mind this is a 3 meter kite and mother nature decided to lay off the wind for the few seconds i was up and i fell and hit the court with a nice smack to the noggin (im all good but from now on I'm wearing a helmet) But it was pretty sick.

Deathwish IMO

I didnt mean to! But it was cool!

never question mother nature if your not able to handle the answer...


no disrespect! but we all been there to test the limits ,but just remember you, me ,we asked for it :o

also panic is not a option in power kiting...

any powerkiter would have added a trick like a heal click in to say I ment to do that

LOL! I meant to do that escpecially the landing on my head part

What you encountered was a dust devil. It's still lift, but much stronger than thermal lift at low altitudes. Smart move to bail when you did! You could have been taken much higher had you stuck with it. When some friends were setting up their hang gliders at a mountain site, they heard what sounded like a truck full of sheet metal climbing the mountain road. It turned out to be a monster dust devil. It blew through launch and when two of the wings which had been laying flat began to rise into the air, all jumped on the gliders. Four people were all on one glider and were lifted easily. They wisely bailed at about the same altitude as you. Both gliders continued to rise, embraced, and then crashed down on a brand new toyota truck. Two harnesses were lifted as well. Have you seen this video? http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4767038126722012100...

Yeah dude ERIC ECK! It prob was a dust devil then but it was prob a coincidence it was right were a thermal was (i saw the heat distortion) so one was there but prob didnt play a role. A DD makes sense as the area is surrounded by tall trees about 30 feet out. the wind would enter and circulate for sure.