Seems with all the CanucS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s attending NABX it's time to hold our own event for those who can't afford the trip south of the border. Just a thought.

what do you have in mind NNABX (Northern North American Buggy Expo)?
Sounds good.

probably the best place to hold it would be somewhere out on the east coast - everything in between is filled with rocks and trees. Unless you guys have come across a good spot hidden away someplace in the middle?
"The Alberta free beer for all and buggy games" - that's still a bit left of middle though.

there is some drylake in AB, contact PraireWind.

I think wolfee tried to do something in the "middle" (Winnipeg) once - never heard more than the attempt.

I really think that Las Vegas (Ivanpah) is a better draw than any Canadian Locale for meeting up buggywise. It is cheaper to get a flight to vegas from anywhere in Canada than it is to get a flight to anywhere in Canada if you know what I mean. I think Wolfee is just having a few too many tears in his beers being injured and all.

the Dry Lake in Alberta is Tide Lake,... last year it wasn't so dry -so a lot of scrub. There ain't no Buffalo Bills to put people up in nearby. Wolfee - just go to NABX and see Ivanpah -even with your buggered shoulder. You'll realize that there is no Canadian spot that could do it justice. Not enough desert in the great white north.
I don't think you have been to Ivanpah Wolfee,... go and you'll think a little differently.

Ivanpah has to be seen to be believed.

I can't see it ever happening for me, way to much hassles going across borders. No shortage of spots where I live and am going to hit the Athabasca desert this year for sure. Sure it a great spot by the pictures but just not into traveling to the USA. Seems like a lot of people were having problems with the hotel issues i.e. not shipping gear etc and taking all the gear on a plane makes the cost look a little insane. I have family in California and they can't get me down there for a visit.lol. Maybe I look to much like a terrorist, bloody black Irish..lol.
Would be nice seeing everyone at NABX but just not going to happen. The only thing that killed the Winnipeg thing was insurance, which sucked. With all this land I'm sure there has to be a spot in Canada as good as or better just have to find it.
Just sad we can't get it together in Canada, and yes the shoulder is definitely bumming me out been nothing but wind since I got hurt.

hey Wolfee glad to see you are still interested in kiting. how is the shoulder coming around...?

overall it sucks, love kiting dam wind won't stop blowing 20 mph this morning and 4" of fresh snow dam dam dam....lol

Quote:

Originally posted by PrairieWind I think wolfee tried to do something in the "middle" (Winnipeg) once - never heard more than the attempt. I really think that Las Vegas (Ivanpah) is a better draw than any Canadian Locale for meeting up buggywise. It is cheaper to get a flight to vegas from anywhere in Canada than it is to get a flight to anywhere in Canada if you know what I mean. I think Wolfee is just having a few too many tears in his beers being injured and all. the Dry Lake in Alberta is Tide Lake,... last year it wasn't so dry -so a lot of scrub. There ain't no Buffalo Bills to put people up in nearby. Wolfee - just go to NABX and see Ivanpah -even with your buggered shoulder. You'll realize that there is no Canadian spot that could do it justice. Not enough desert in the great white north. I don't think you have been to Ivanpah Wolfee,... go and you'll think a little differently. Ivanpah has to be seen to be believed.

This pretty much mirrors my thoughts. A person can swing NABX on under $100 a day . Most cities have seat sales there and Ivanpah is a VERY special place!

I think if we hosted an event it should be on snow ?

Still IMHO many will never go, $100 a day seems a little unrealistic.

Pemberton perhaps?

See, the thing with anything around here (mountains included) is that we don't have reliable winds. Seems to me that Ivanpah is what it is partly because even if there is no wind it gets thermal winds? Here in the winter the temperature gradients are too close to generate any thermal activity really. Maybe a BIT in the summer months but you can't count on them and therefore couldn't plan a festival around them.

Sadly. Sad because I'd love to show people where we play and that we don't live in igloos. I think Markite is right - if it were possible it'd have to be on the east coast where we can find stretches of beach to play around on. I really do think I live in the wrong city for this sport but I make do. Paul figures I'll be uber claustrophobic no matter where I fly back home after playing at Ivanpah. $700 a week seems like a cheap vacation to me. We dropped about that much PER DAY (for two) to go to Grenada.

I just can't see it being only $100 a day seems very unrealistic. Flights are cheap but added taxes extra fees for buggy and kites etc then hotel room $100 isn't going to do it. I've done my share of traveling and have no want to go to the US, better place to go in my mind like home to Ireland to visit family.
Do you think it is only going to cost you $700 dollars, I would guess not.
I guess the fact is I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and maybe drop out of the forum scene and just focus on enjoying the sport I love.

i shouldn't have used the term N-NABX term.
having not even attended yet, i would say NABX is "the event" for buggiers(and others) in north america for all reasons stated. snow is different if you like that sort of thing. it'd be nice to have a couple/few local buggy events on this side of the border is all.
like macboy said we live in the wrong local for this buggying stuff. we have a couple of spots here and there but i'm sure once i've been to NABX everything here is going to look/feel just sad in comparison. to live near a long strip of beach would be cool too.

Oh I see what you're sayin'. Our trip, RV rental included looks to be costing us about $240 a day for the whole family (really, just two - Anna has little financial impact just yet). I think it all depends on the flight. If you score a seat sale I'd bet $100 a day would do it. Of course BR would know it he's a NABX vet ; )

It is probably quite a bit cheaper to go to NABX than it is to go to most places in Canada. Flights have gone up a bit and the room cost has also gone up a little over the years but a few years back when the exchange rate was worse it would cost about 1,000.00 CDN for just over a week including flight, room, car rental etc but the rooms were split cost as well as car rental.
Flying can be a hassle depending on gear but with both air can. and westjest we have been able to squeak in on limit with a heavy buggy and a number of kites. There was a time when you could get more as carry on but some of what you can take on is now out (tools and bolts et)
Don't take tires you can get them down there.
The dry lakes are unlike anything around - lots of room and you can go any direction - not like the beaches in Ontario where you need the perfect direction or it's a no go.
But there are some many other aspects to NABX that you can't explain until you experience it. The friendship, the energy of the shared experience the personal moments that just give you so much that it becomes a a draw on your soul every year to return. When you come home, the rest of the year seems like just riding a little locally to prep for next years event.
There are ways to do NABX even cheaper staying out on the lakebed or sharing more in a room - the travel there is the biggest part of it but not as bad as you think.
on another off topic post - one long time buggy friend from Ontario moved to Ireland a few years ago and he buggies so much with such huge beaches within 15 min to 40 min of his house - he's SW Ireland And I do far more buggying when I go to Scotland to visit my girlfriend than I can do around here now.

I'm from Northern Ireland but endless beach there too. Would be nice to see everyone for sure but just getting tired I guess of the whole scene time to drop out and do my own thing.

yah they are pretty hardcore up there, some great beaches and wind. I follow the Celtic challenge done each year btwn the Scots and Northern Ireland - laughed when conditions were crap 2 years ago so in the pub they decided who would claim victory by way of a dance off.
you or anyone are always welcome to come and share some kiting time if you make it to Ontario - don't bother to pack gear just come, I have plenty to share or lend out as well as other friends that would. And we can share stories of sore shoulders and torn tendons.
Mark

Wolfee, I think your shoulder caused you to have too much forum time with no kite time. At least you didn't sell all your gear like you'd initially set out to do...

Being a way up north you are a lone Wolfee for sure.

Quote:

Originally posted by WolfWolfee Still IMHO many will never go, $100 a day seems a little unrealistic.

if i hadn't waited until too late i don't think i would have paid more than 700 for the trip.
I had enough Airmiles for flight and car rental so that only left registration-75
hotels-less than 300 (priced out for all 5 days at non code rate)
food/water/booze-i eat cheap and booze very little so i think 325 for the 5 days is very doable.
i'm not sure of other odds and ends. i'm sure i'd be spending some time/cash in the local shops.
health insurance covered by work plan.
if i had to haul all my gear maybe i'd be over 700 but it'd be worth i'm sure.
next year wolfie...save your Airmiles.
Paul