Here is a short video with some of the footage I captured last weekend with the helmet camera. Nothing too exciting just trying to figure out all this video stuff. Need to fasten the camera better so the base doesn't rattle on the mount - need to figure out how do undo a proportion change on some sections when it switched from wide to narrow and compressed the image. It was a nice day and few Arcs out - filmed Luther Marsh Ontario, Canada.
Starring:
Dave Glofcheski (Vortex 17/snowboard) - location scouting and launch assistant
Ted Goddard (12m Rise/snowboard) - token LEI rider and props
Norm Perreault (13 Venom/old school skis) - high speed stunts and costume design
Dave Aikman (Ozone something/skis)- special effects and stand in
Me (16 Scorpion/old school skis) - playing the role of Sven Ürgenson

Here is the link:
http://www.vimeo.com/8749438

Mark

Great Video brotha! tell me, why do you use Vimeo over youtube, is it better?

Ummmm no real reason, I have posted on youtube before and have had the audio turned off by youtube because of some song copyright. I haven't compared upload capacities and everything but there were quite a few people posting local video on vimeo recently - I think vimeo handles larger files? When I was using some save options the "Youtube" compatible size was much smaller and lower quality.

nice vid. funny that's the second time i've heard that song in a kite vid =)

That was an awesome video. I'm so jealous of the open spaces and arc cruising. I've got everything I need to do that except the wide open frozen space. Looks like the skis can hold the edge a little better than the board in that shallow snow. Maybe always? Nice ride for sure. Keep em coming.

thanks, im going to start posting on vimeo now. again great video, keep them comming.
I live in the south so watching ice/snow kiting really "takes me there"

Nice video! Sure makes me want to find some snow and try that out.

Question: I've never skied or snowboarded before. But lots of other board experience (ks and landboard for 10 years, skimboard for 20+ years, surf for 10 years). How hard would that be with a snowboard for me?

Nice video. Looks like you were moving out there. Definitely faster than the others. You came up on everyone quick and then slowed to mess with them I love it.

Awesome video! looks like some good speed! Were those touring skis you were using? They look much skinnier than down hill skis that I use.

Keep up the good work!

Quote:

Originally posted by geokite Nice video! Sure makes me want to find some snow and try that out. Question: I've never skied or snowboarded before. But lots of other board experience (ks and landboard for 10 years, skimboard for 20+ years, surf for 10 years). How hard would that be with a snowboard for me?

Probably not too difficult. The second time is usually much more fun than the first.

The skis are old straight edge skis - for some reason the video went to "fit" mode and compressed in width in a number of sections so it makes the skis look like cross country skis.
Old straight edge skis work fine especially on icy conditions that require riding more edge contact and take an edge file and do a quick sharpen so it's like riding a knife edge - that's fast. On snow any ski works you just need to adjust your style a little with newer carving skis otherwise if riding on edge you'll be turning upwind too much.

You need more power on a snowboard vs skis probably one size difference - and steady wind is definitely best for snowboarding so you don't get caught in lulls and drop on your ass more often - with skis it's dead simple. The snowboard is almost identical to riding a twintip on the water. The only hard part is getting used to being stuck on a board without moving your feet like you can in footstraps. You have kite experience which is really key to any of these kite things - if you know what your kites doing you can concentrate on what you are doing with your board fine - I think you'd be up and going no problem and as long as you are comfortably powered it's fairly easy pointing upwind.

We pick up old straight edge skis everywhere - all different sizes and and just move the bindings as needed. Rough ice and aggressive riding can tear an edge off a ski so gathering a collection is good. I have at least a dozen skis and they range from free to maybe 15.00. The short skis bi-directional are a laugh as well.

Yes we have lots of places to kite ski and snowbaord, a good number of places to surf but buggy locations are scarce and the best beach we can only get on early spring and late fall and that's a couple hours drive to get there. Winter - maybe 5 minutes drive and the beer is always cold at the end of the day.

Impressive vid and impressive riding as well.

Nice
What kind of bar is that?

A perfect example of how beautiful this sport is. Super vid - Thanks man!

Sunday....praying for wind Sunday......

Great video. Looks like you guys had a great time with some nice conditions.

Nice vid. Where did you get those old Tyrolias? I forgot they made a ski for a while there.

I curious about your bar set up. Is that a stopper ball? Where is your trim system?

Looks like hell of a nice place to ride.

The first song is awesome. Empire of the Sun is awesome... reminds me a lot of MGMT

The bar is an old Zero 4 stripped down then a new trim line set up as a long throw with an adjustable stopper - there is a cleat on the side of the chicken loop to adjust the trim.
depending on wind conditions set the trim to the point where the kite will not back down - get your max power and good to go - your full arm extension then gives you full depower. If you want to set the stopper in a bit so you can ride with more power and have the bar butt to the stopper or take your hands off the bar and it'll still be under power. Simple set up and works for all the Arcs.

Usually I wear gloves but was trying some mitts and just wasn't as comfortable getting a good feel on the bar when riding one handed and kept fiddling with the balance point on my grip that day.

The music - someone else mentioned hearing it used in another kite video and I think I saw it (maybe same video) used in a nice video of kiting in the UK - that might have stuck in my mind for inspiration as well.

It can be a fun place to ride with all sorts of little islands that can drift over and give some beautiful ramps - or it can get the rare clean ice but usually mixed snow and ice patches with the weather all over the place the last few years. Best memory of that place was flying along in a white out on a 9m Phantom doing just over 60mph, lines singing and a herd of deer appears ahead spooked by the noise coming at them through the white out - tried to chase them but they disappeared in the swirling snow. Those little magical moments you get by yourself.

I see. Similar set up as the Ranger Bar. Arcs rock with stoppers.

Everytime I get on a kite now w/o a stopper I hate it. I've gotten too lazy I guess.

I was looking at the satellite images of your marsh. Pretty big, looks like it get good winds and lots of room to run.

Nice story about the deer.

Love it Mark. A vicarious thrill for someone who only sees sand (not that I complain about that). Have you GPS'd your speed? Not that it matters too much but I am curious

The Empire of the Sun track "We Are the People" was used in the BKSA Nationals video on Vimeo "This is Redcar... Do not Panic" http://www.vimeo.com/8155425 (2nd half of the vid)

It made me buy the whole album, which is saying a lot since the last album I bought was probably by Alan Parsons or Emerson Lake and Palmer

The song "walking on a dream" was the first song from Empire of the Sun I heard in some kiting video. I thought at first maybe it was one of carltb's, but I can't be sure. Maybe a pushkiting vid?

//EDIT//
It was a video from Dave Ursell and the push kiting guys. Grey Skies and Dirty Highs.
http://www.vimeo.com/3163556

Hey Angus did you recognize "cooler kid" in the video - that's Norm on skis using the red Venom.
Once and while I'll take out a GPS but only when it's nice conditions - that day was a comfortable wind and we varied from a gentle cruise to maybe a top speed in the low 40's mph - the camera makes it look faster. I've had days in the 60's never cracked the 70's that I know of but have had some days that made me wonder (no GPS or killed batteries on those days).

Ahh yes I remember the music in the Redcar vid but I've also heard it on another video recently. It may have been one where they were snow kiting (probably lake district UK or Scotland) on some nice hill tops cruising along - I'll look for it...
found it, snowkiting Caldbeck Fells - looks like a great place, wish we had nice hills like this (no trees): http://www.vimeo.com/8489004

Yeah I thought that was Norm. Tell him I said hey. Now you have me all sad 'cause I won't make NABX this year and I will really miss the Dirty Buffet Gang.

Quote:

Originally posted by markite Best memory of that place was flying along in a white out on a 9m Phantom doing just over 60mph

60 + on skis??? Now that's some crazy stuff! Wouldn't want to catch a tip then:shocked2::shocked2:

it's not bad on ice but it's the pressure cracks you need to watch for. Hard pack crusty snow is also really nice but yes there is the odd rut from snowmobiles etc that can take a ski off pretty quickly.
Now for great speed on skis check out Chris's (Feyd) web site/blog. He gets some great speed rides in every year.

Looks awesome, we need more snow here. What were the wind speeds?