So I made the drive up to Sunset Beach early this morning. Hit the beach around 8:00am, and had really nice winds, NW @ 10-12 mph to start. By the time I had unloaded the buggy and gear (and set up the coffee pot :smilegrin the winds had dropped to 5-8.

The "Army guys" were out on the beach, and set up shop about 100 feet from me, guess the smell of the coffee brewing attracted them.

From here it was all down hill.

While attaching my lines to my Scorpion some dill weed drove over my control bar!!! Now the funny thing is the "Army Beach Patrol" drove by me not more then 5 seconds before, followed by Mr. Dillweed, and they drove around my bar. The bar was only five feet in front of my truck and off wind. This guy had to angle in to get it. Good news is no damage to the bar.

Once I got that sorted out, and launched the Scorp I decided to "pop" the cherry and climb in the buggy with the scorp.
Yes Jon I flew the Scorp and drove a buggy!!!

By 9:30-10:00am the beach was filling up quickly. Guess the valley was boiling again.

Now the next problem was that the little rugrats saw this really big and cool looking kite and started running towards it. YIKES!!
So after playing "Dodge the Kiddie" I actually made it back up wind (again for Jon ;-) yes I made it upwind) to my truck and landed the kite.
I was hooking the safety back up when I saw my bar move in a rather strange way. When I turned around I see this five-six year old boy jumping on my 16m Scorp! I yell up to the sweet little child not to jump on the kite, that he could get hurt.
This is where Mr. Dillweeds brother, Brainiac appears.
Dad comes running over and tells me not to yell at his boy, that his boy is only playing. I try to explain to brainiac that this is not a toy, and 1)if his boy was to punch a hole in the kite could he afford to replace said kite, and 2) if his boy was to somehow get a line wrapped around him he could possibly launch the kite and get seriously hurt, which I would not want to see happen. This went back and forth for a few minutes.
Now he shows just how intelligent he truly is. "How can he punch a hole in it? He wasn't punching anything he was jumping!" Now I lost it. "I can't believe someone allowed you to breed" Now before you all start to flame me for that one, after having a few hours to cool off I know I shouldn't have said that. I should not have stooped to his level. But damb it it felt right at the time.

By now the "Army guys" are rolling on the beach laughing their asses off.

Now this guys kid showed who had the brain power in the family. "Dad, it's alright. It's not mine, so I should have not played with it before asking." Hats off to the kid. They decided to pack up their stuff and move "farther" down the beach.

So I was planning on staying overnight, but I was ready to beat something, so decided that it was best just to pack up and head home. Will look at the wind forecast for tomorrow locally, and maybe drag the buggy down the 1/4 jetty where the Brainiacs and Mr. Dillweeds have a harder time getting to me.

UGH.

I can empathize - this country is full of those kinds of morons ... deep breaths!

Why are retards allowed to breed?

damn, sorry to hear that i too find my self in sticky unlucky situations like that often. I hate getting steamed over such a dumb situation like that, can ruin your whole week. Good luck next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, the little kid can't be blamed for thinking the downed Scorp was a beached Moonbounce!

Otherwise, it sounds like the real life application of the opening minutes of "Idiocracy!" :wink2:

Sunset has some morons (a lot) We had a guy and his girl friend that drive through the dunes in their truck around and through all the kites that were set up one day. and in protest I flew my kite over to the guy and went from the zenith to the top of his truck cab in one great dive and you should have seen the rage from the driver because I crashed into him, as a couple of guys helped to uncover the truck with my kite and after I pointed out the kites and the lines under his truck he tore off down the beach never to be seen again. Very lucky no damage to any kites or people, but I would like to think that the kite left at least a little dent in the roof. some people just don't have a clue.

I was a newbie when that happened. I don't do things like that anymore:saint:

Yeah, I think I met that guy's cousin the other day in my first ever negative encounter with the public while kiting.

I'm flying my 18m Phantom in the bug on Kite Beach. It's a weekend so there are enough people that I am boxed in to a space about a couple of football fields in size, working short chops. Then I see on the other side of the usual crowd to the north, a long stretch of empty beach, about a 1/4 mile or more. There's a gap in the crown big enough that I can safely sneak through, slow and depowered with the kite overhead. Toddlers are everywhere, but with exaggerated head movements I make it clear to parents watching that I am looking out for them.

The runs on the other side are great, with a great sea breeze right off the water providing fast easy beam reaches.

Every once in while I am compelled to sneak through back to Kite Beach to check on my stuff. I wait for no kids running back and forth and roll through at a jogging pace. Then I here a guy yelling "GET OUT OF HERE" . So I figure that this won't do to have someone mad at a kiter, and I don't want any complaints to the Jekyll Island Authority, so I double back to go introduce myself and apologize. I approach the guy at a walking pace in the bug, stop at about a kite line length away then get out of the bug with the kite bobbing overhead as walk towards him. I begin to apologize to him for startling him and start to explain that I was watching his son and was in control, etc. The guy has a beer in his hand and it was immediately clear that it was far from his first. After every statement I made to him, he responded with a belligerent non-sequitor, indicating that he was not getting anything I said. So I just said "Sorry, have a nice day" loud enough for everyone else to hear me and walked away.

That kid has great role model, huh?

All the other parents were smiling and waiving at me.

Best idea I've heard of is having our water supply laced with birth control. They you have to get approved (intelligence and are you prepared) before being able to get the antidote for the birth control.

Yeah, I think I met that guy's cousin the other day...

...Or... they were both the offsprings of first cousins to begin with...:wink2:

Since we are sharing experiences with Mr. Dillweed and Braniac. I'd like to share mine with their good friend Coach Douchebag.

So I'm at a large public park with some kiting buddies enjoying the excellent wind and the wide open area we have to kite in, when this guy comes running at us from across the park and starts yelling at us to leave. When we ask him why he feels we should leave since we were not to near anyone else. He says we are ruining his soccer game.

This guy is the coach of a soccer team playing at the same park and says that the kids keep stopping to look at the large kites flying around in the air. We apologize and suggest we move a little farther away, and he goes ballistic. He starts swearing and threatening to call the police and made a huge scene in front of a lot of impressionable little kids. It was sad.

Long story short, we moved farther away, but of course we didn't leave cause the wind was too good, and we hadn't done anything wrong. Anyway, leaving after being treated like teenagers just didn't seem like the right thing to me, since we use this park for kiting all the time.

I hate empty threats and hollow promises. Lame Lame Lame

Quote:

Originally posted by geokite Best idea I've heard of is having our water supply laced with birth control. They you have to get approved (intelligence and are you prepared) before being able to get the antidote for the birth control.

Won't work when all the fools drink is beer :ticking:

the public, love them

from about a 1/4 mile .

public domain demonstrates the civility we've achieved

respectful curiosity is the best.

if i do a tight launch and beachgoers sit down to close . i set up then advise what's going to happen for courtesy accident avoidance if possible. mostly for the sand wind flash that pops with launching.

and a fast getaway. and ride til everyone is gone.

but my best solution (for land) do it in the dark. out on a ride sunday 12AM-3AM

rarely see anyone afew teens.. i can see there cell phones about a mile away and of course the everpopular flash light . if isee one i will fly to it like a moth. i have flown up wind 4-5 miles on a ka billon tacks to get closer . but my all time fav is the "deck party" doing a fly by is a guarantee show starter . for them and me. i have know idea what it looks like in the moonlight but the radiant light from the deck attracts me. but soon blinded after looking too much i leave.

distance and open space seems to keep us all happy

It's so much better when you get just plain ol' curiousity, even when they approach from the wrong direction. I have had on a few occaisions someone approach from downwind (under the kite) so I'll fly to the edge and land, then wave them in. They have asked, "Why, do you wear a helmet to fly a kite?", I'll answer, "The same reason I landed, when you approached from downwind, safety. The helmet for my safety, you can't see the wind, and sometimes a gust can come from nowhere, tossing even the strongest kiter, I land the kite for your safety, the lines on a fully powered kite can be dangerous, cut like a knife, or I could get caught in a gust with you downwind, and be pulled into you, hurting us both." This can often turn into a fun conversation, and I meet a new "possible convert". The worst I've gotten has been being razzed from afar by some teenagers for wearing pads while buggying, but they never tipped over at 15+!, and they're teens, after all. I did hear a T-ball coach telling his team that the game was 'over here' one day when I was static flying the NPW in no wind, running up and down the football field to keep it in the air, doing loops, and figure 8's all the while!:bouncy:

Sucks to run into a-holes at the beach, but this is hardly the "worst day ever kiting".

You didn't get skunked.
You didn't get hurt.
You didn't lose any gear.
You didn't ruin any gear.
You didn't have any gear stolen.

Agreed kiteNH. If you read between the lines, the reason it was my "worse day ever kiting" is I allowed a couple of idiots to completely ruin my attitude and my day. The things you stated above are "for the most part" out of my control. The one thing I can control, I gave up for a brief moment.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE DUMBEST THING IN THE WORLD TO DO!!!! IMO YOU SHOULD GO FIND SOME OTHER PLACE TO PISS OFF PEOPLE. SOMETIMES LOCALS DO OTHER THING THAN KITING.

REMEMBER WE ARE THE MINORITY AT THE BEACH! IF YOU MESS UP ACCESS TO OUR BEACH YOU WILL FOREVER NEVER GET WIND!

WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY, IS I PURPOSELY STAY AWAY FROM SUNSET IN JULY AND AUGUST. THE MILITARY AND ALL THE TOURISM REALLY DOESN'T LEAVE ANY ROOM FOR KITERS. UNFORTUNATELY OUR ACCESS HAS BEEN A RESULT OF OUR VERY GOOD ATTITUDES,

IF MY DAD TAUGHT ME ONE THING OF MANY.

IT'S WHEN NOT TO FLY!

PLEASE LEARN FROM BIGKIDS MISTAKE AND DO NOT EVER DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote:

Originally posted by bigkid Sunset has some morons (a lot) We had a guy and his girl friend that drive through the dunes in their truck around and through all the kites that were set up one day. and in protest I flew my kite over to the guy and went from the zenith to the top of his truck cab in one great dive and you should have seen the rage from the driver because I crashed into him, as a couple of guys helped to uncover the truck with my kite and after I pointed out the kites and the lines under his truck he tore off down the beach never to be seen again. Very lucky no damage to any kites or people, but I would like to think that the kite left at least a little dent in the roof. some people just don't have a clue. I was a newbie when that happened. I don't do things like that anymore:saint:

and I feel for you here. We learn as we go! But if you can make an positives out of this day please try.

Quote:

Originally posted by csa_deadon Agreed kiteNH. If you read between the lines, the reason it was my "worse day ever kiting" is I allowed a couple of idiots to completely ruin my attitude and my day. The things you stated above are "for the most part" out of my control. The one thing I can control, I gave up for a brief moment.

USA, I'm not trying to argue with your statement, but your use of capital letters was perhaps a bit excessive...

It seems Eli is having a bad morning and has let loose on two threads. I hope he feels better now.

DOOD...I'VE BEEN KITING AT SUNSET FOR 20 YRS. MY PARENTS ARE THE FOUNDERS OF SUNSET BEACH AND I PROTECT MY FRONT YARD WITH MY WEAPON OF 'CAP LOCS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-. WE WORKED VERY HARD TO KEEP ACCESS AND A COOL REPORT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER BEACH USERS.

CSA_D probably wasn't opening a thread for people to explain the wrong thing to do.

I'm going to be very territorial at MY sites because access has been our life's work!!! DO NOT PISS PEOPLE OFF AT YOUR SITE OR YOU WON'T HAVE ACCESS AND THEN YOU WON'T FLY!

ITS UNAVOIDABLE THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE RUN INS OR BAD DAYS. DON'T FIGHT IT. JUST PUT THE KITE AWAY AND GRAB A SEAT!

THAT'S WHY I PREACH 'TAKE A LESSON' IT'S TO TEACH YOU MUCH MORE THAN HOW TO KITE!!!! PLEASE PLEASE KEEP OUR ACCESS IN MIND ONCE ONE FEELS LIKE TELLING SOMEONE OFF!

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU ARE YELLING AT!

· Use caution around spectators or innocent bystanders. Approach them with caution and
give them the right of way, since they are unaware of the actions of buggiers.
· Use caution loaning your equipment. Avoid letting others use your traction equipment unless
you are absolutely sure of their ability to use it in a safe and respectful manner.
· Be aware of your surroundings. Always know your surroundings when buggying, in order to
avoid damage to your equipment or injury to yourself or others.
· Safety is important. Teach other traction kiters the importance of safety through your actions, as
well as words.

MORE EXPLAINED HERE!!
http://www.napkra.org/pdfs/SafetyForBuggyPilots.pdf

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob It seems Eli is having a bad morning and has let loose on two threads. I hope he feels better now.

AND I JUST WANT TO USE CAPS, I AM HAVING A GREAT MORNING. BUT ITS A CAP LOCK AND EXCLAMATION POINT MORNING..

I'VE KITED EVERYDAY FOR WEEKS NOW.

AND IF YOU GUYS ARE INTO JUST CHATTING, IT'S CALL SKYPE.

IT'S WEIRD, NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE POINT.

GUESS WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE BEACH

Quote:

Originally posted by flyjump Why are retards allowed to breed?

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob It seems Eli is having a bad morning and has let loose on two threads. I hope he feels better now.

Really??

I think he had a valid point and was just trying to protect his local spot from poor behavior from fellow kiters. Flying one's kite at any person or object is way out of line and he rightly called the guy on it. Nobody should be flying their kites "AT" anyone or anything, period.

Eli no worries. All ready made it a positive. What surprised me was the way I allowed these people to get under my skin. Better yet NOAA forecasting winds here northwest to southwest for the rest of the week.

cool, that's my worry is that sometimes, some people have nothing better than to step on toes, with negative attitudes and meaningless participation.

NW winds make the Day Great.

I've got 10 new kites I'd love to share out there today, but....dooty calls at SI.

Alright I've got to sound off here before this turns in to a flame session.
I opened this thread to relate what was my "worse day kitting ever" and it was.
I started flying kites back in 1984, and have seen my share of bad days; broken lines,
stolen gear, no wind, and even the occasional separated shoulder.
Eli is right about we are the minority. With just the flick of a pen we can lose the beach.
In my 25 years of kiting I've never made a face to face negative remark to the public, except
for Saturday.

So tell ya what. Lets close this thread and we'll just go out and do what we love. And when we are approached
by the public as to what it is we do; we will gleefully explain the joy and financial hardship that is powerkiting.

And when we run into Mr. Dillweed, Brainiac or any of their relatives we will just be the polite people that we are,
and show that we are above the ones who have consumed their body weight in alcohol.

Are you saying that we should not plan to go to Seaside in July or Aug. unless we plan to ride on the water ?

We choose not to ride in our local bay those months due to crowds.

Sounds to me like not flying at Sunset in July or August is a personal choice made by Eli. The beach population in Oregon explodes in July and August. Eli has made a personal choice in this matter and I can respect that.
I have seen days where there were wall to wall people on the beach, and others when the seagulls out numbered the humans. I think the point here is we just need to use common sense. I should have known that with the Willamette Valley boiling that the beaches were gonna be crowded, and the occasional knuckle dragger was gonna be there. Just didn't realize I would run in to two of them before lunch. :wow:

Quote:

Originally posted by kiteNH Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob It seems Eli is having a bad morning and has let loose on two threads. I hope he feels better now. Really?? I think he had a valid point and was just trying to protect his local spot from poor behavior from fellow kiters. Flying one's kite at any person or object is way out of line and he rightly called the guy on it. Nobody should be flying their kites "AT" anyone or anything, period.

I don't question the point. The all caps were used on this thread and another along with the condescending tone. My comment was related to the nature of Eli's posts this morning in general, not just on this thread but the other thread as well where he raked someone over the coals because they asked a question that the search function might not have given good results for. Off to fly now.

Edit: I wish I had made my comment on the other thread or even made no comment at all. I'm sure it becomes personal quickly when you feel like someone is needlessly threatening a great site for kite activities.