I just wanted to offer advice for those of you who are learning to board on land.

I've been landboarding for a couple of years and learning tricks at home (missouri) is difficult with a bumpy field and speed absorbing grass. When I rode at NABX, WWBB, and JIBE I was able to go faster, higher, and my tricks were much easier to land.

After returning home after all of my travels I was using my 19m charger in 17mph winds, and you would think that I would have an epic session with big airs and smooth tricks........WRONG.

I don't know if the universe was balancing itself out and making sure i didn't get a big ego, but whatever.

If you are trying to learn how to landboard at an inland location please don't get frustrated and give up. It is much easier to ride and learn how to ride on a hard packed surface and in cleaner winds. To be completely honest it is easier to learn how to ride at NABX than it is at my grassy field location.

Location and conditions are everything when it comes to kiting, sure there is some skill that is involved but it's much easier when you can ride fast on a solid surface.

Today I couldn't even spin 360s or throw any foot outs. It's bad when the wind is 17mph and you are using a 19m kite and still struggling to get moving and get into the air. I'm sure you've all had frustrating days, but geez...i'd do anything to be at NABX again or back on the beach.

Wind is pretty much gone from here for the summer, good winds to the rest of you!

It figures, I got wind out the "wazoo", and nowhere to ride :dunno:

I tried to get out today... Too calm... Need more ripstop!

Need that 50m lei over in the boating section

I'm going to go fight the soccer kids tomorrow, should have some wind!

I hear ya tho, my ego... And kiwis, are much bigger... I need to go get tossed around a bit lol

lol, yeah. its frustrating when your ego and "kiwis" are bigger than your location. Turbulant wind and a soft field makes for crappy riding

Thanks for this one Adam!! All of my buggy fields are lumpy grass and lumpy wind. Maybe a soccer field would be better? What do you think? I really do want to learn but frustration and face plants have been keeping me off the board.

on a bumpy field its really hard to start small. the hardest part is to get moving since wheels like to get stuck on the bumps. I never realized how bad my local spot was until i went to other places. crashing on grass is nice and smooth but that's pretty much it. It absorbs so much of your energy stealing your aparent wind from you. you have to start in stronger winds which is scary for a beginner

That's been the issue so far...getting moving is brutal because the wind will start to kick, board tries to slide sideways and the tires grab the turf sending me into my best impersonation of superman. It's getting painful lol. Was thinking a well kept soccer field might be better. Also, I'm going to try the venom instead of my FB or Montana. Should munch those gusts up nicely I would imagine.

Thanks Adam! I don't feel so bad now. Glad you can understand the craptastic conditions we have to learn in. Almost seems like my area just wasn't meant for landboarding. The well kept soccer fields are much better, but I had one caretaker get a little irrate when he thought I was damaging his turf. I had to explain to him that I wasn't going to harm his field. That seemed to calm him down and then it was ok.

Cheddarhead, the hardest part of landboarding is the initial start. It's difficult to get your board to start moving and continue your momentum and getting your kite to the right spot. If you are on the playa or hard packed beach it's a snap. Your board will move with little effort. Learning tricks and airtime is soooooooooooooooooo much easier when you can get rolling fast. When it's all perfect it's really simple and easy to figure out. Unfortunatly most of us live near crappy conditions

Great point Adam.

My personal struggle is with our typical sub 10kt winds. That and our rough parks / beaches.

We have to travel to get good conditions . Being willing to do so is important. Not only do we get better conditions but also get to be schooled by those who get them every day!

Going home to Garry Point dry lake is always a real downer for us in Vancouver as well. I feel your pain!

:bigok:

Sorry to say it man, its real reassuring to hear from a sponsored rider having tough luck. You look at the videos on the net and it just makes you think that they (the ones riding) have the best conditions. Truth be told, they probably took hundreds of hours of video combined with months on the road to make a kick ass 3-8 minute video. Even though I know that the winds may be too disappointing when I get there; I still, make a point of pulling the kite out and giving it a go. The spot I ride is decent, but small, and really blocks the wind bad. I long for the day that I get to ride in clean winds on large hard packed beaches. Its no wonder some people advance so far in one season, what others need 3 years to get the same level. But hey at least we are still charmed enough to have found this sport, I know tons of guys who own $20k snowmobiles and only get to use them a handful of times a year.And people shake their heads at me when I tell them how much kiting has cost me in the past couple years.

@ Adam, On the flipside learning to ride the chunder in punchy winds has likely made you a more well rounded rider than those that have known nothing but perfect conditions. Good conditions for you might be labled "unrideable" by others.

Good thread tho and good advice.

Good points all!

I've been out too when the wind is making like it's all that - and the 19 won't even get off the ground :o and when it did, I wished it didn't!

I nearly laff my man-tits off at the Condition Snobs at the zooforum ...
"Ooh err my biggest kite is a 10 and my biggest board is a 120x12 and I'd rather spend the day matching my socks to my handbag than try to ride in less than 20 knots don't you know ducky" ok then seriously the latest lot were numptying around saying "not less than 12 knots" ... if I didn't try to ride in less than 12 knots, I'd ride maybe once a month IF THAT at the moment.

Go out in the crap - be safe - you'll push your envelope and experience and be a better rider.

Fo sho'!

you need to man up you wuss.

thats what happens when you spend too much on the couch first before going for a session

probably on the way you stopped off to see the team manager and well you lost a lot of energy.

just saying

Speaking of manning up, it's 107 degrees outside just like it was yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, [to be continued...] and I really don't feel like kiting Someone kick me.

EDIT: It's 110 degrees F right now :o

Glad to hear that a lot of us inlandlubbers have the same challenges. June has been wet here, the fields are soft, and if the gusts don't kill ya the mosquitoes will in the lulls. I was looking forward to a good ATB session this morning, got the 10m Venom inflated and launched, everything looking good, hopped on the board and the wind dropped. Waited for a gust, and off I went with rooster tails spraying off all 4 wheels - gust lasted all of 30 seconds then I stopped dead.

BTW its 48 degrees F here, North wind 12-25 mph, light rain showers off & on. Summer better start on Tuesday.

I heard summer was a bit delayed down there while Edmonton waits to get it first :evil:

Quote:

Originally posted by Seanny Speaking of manning up, it's 107 degrees outside just like it was yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that, [to be continued...] and I really don't feel like kiting Someone kick me. EDIT: It's 110 degrees F right now :o

I feel your pain from 70 miles south of you......It is like being in a blast furnace.

F##$ it..... I'm am flying tomorrow anyway!!!!

Dude, this is ridiculous. It's quarter past 9 in the evening and still 100 degrees. Hmph. >:l

That's hot as nuts.

Windy today and about 75 degrees. Perfect weather.

You're making me feel guilty for not having a board and wasting all this good wind. I better do something about this!