Well, today I lived a dream come true. I loaded up my buggy and drove from my (temporary for 3 more weeks) home near Vegas and went to Ivanpah for a buggy run. Since I have been involved with the move for the last few months since NABX, I had unknowingly slipped a pink skirt back on. It took a few runs to the interstate to get the skirt off then I was comfortable when the wind blew enough for "hammer down" time.

It was my first run in my new Apexx XXtreme and I will make some adjustments on my next run to adjust leg length.

I didn't have a gps but I had 2 blasts that put me over 35 mph, maybe 40. I was using a 5m HQ Apex I got out for my younger son Jared, then a gust came along that made me do a few quick steps and he decided he would just watch today. I have a limited few of my kites right now and no fixed bridles with me. 3 more weeks and the full stable will back up to the garage. Then I'll be figuring out how to haul 3 buggies. More to come on that. For now I realized the back axle on the Apexx comes off with 4 bolts, so I take the axle off and it all goes in the back of the car. Eventually I'll need a 2 buggy rack for the Apexx and Hero. XR+++ in the back of the car.

Life is good!

Lookin' forward to the running thread. Jealousy is the color of me...

DO IT BOB!

No gps means it didn't happen. Hehehe.

Getting practicing you only have a year and a few months for WC 2012 in France.

Well, its not like I'm making any big claim here, so no credit required. lol. When my toolbox arrives, I can mount my gps and then we'll know the rest of the story. I hope someday, I can be confident enough in my skills to say to myself "hmm, I wonder what WC would be like". 2012 is coming fast though. Maybe regular riding will brings the skills fast.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob Well, its not like I'm making any big claim here, so no credit required. lol. When my toolbox arrives, I can mount my gps and then we'll know the rest of the story. I hope someday, I can be confident enough in my skills to say to myself "hmm, I wonder what WC would be like". 2012 is coming fast though. Maybe regular riding will brings the skills fast.

never say never, only you hold the keys to your success.

less time on the forum / puter taking shop / skype sex with dino and more time in the seat, BRO.

:P

Very soon, life will open up enough for me to go multiple rides per week. I feel like my hands are tied missing most of my kites, and most of my tools. It will be nice when it all gets in one place again.

Bob, you are welcome to any of my gear until the rest of yours gets here. Just let me know and you can take out my bag(s).

Finally managed to get back out on the playa today. Almost didn't know what to do when I realized I had free time. Then it all came clear.

Get the car loaded up and away we go. Get to the entrance to Ivanpah and find the gate blocked by orange ribbon and a sign that says "no vehicles". I call the BLM number on the sign to inquire and found that it was closed due to still being muddy from rains last week. They suggested I go across the interstate to the west side of Ivanpah so off I went.

I got the buggy set up with barely a breeze blowing. I walked out on the playa with a 9.5 Montana and barely got it out of the bag when the wind picked up to over 20 and stayed there! Took the montana back to the car and traded down to a Reactor II 3.5m. I rode it for a bit but it was too much kite most of the time so back to the car for the HQ Apex III 5m. I got along well with it but it seemed the wind was picking up even higher. I decided to change down again to the 2.2 RII when I came in hot with a totally depowered Apex 5m sliding me sideways and not giving up. Then of course the wind died down again and I was underpowered. It started getting pretty hot then so I called it a day.

NOAA says winds of 16 gusting to 23 but the number and size of the dust devils along with the power the kites had over me and the buggy tell another story. I'd guess the big gusts that were too much for the 3.5 RII and 5m Apexx III were over 30 mph, which would've been fine for the 2.2 or a 2.8 that I don't have. The 10m synergy would've been good too in the higher winds. Don't have my light lines in yet and was trying to keep setup and breakdown quick, yet I got out 3 different kites in 2 hours riding. I'm learning.

nice bob. 10 SYN should be pulling a lot of time out there.

Finally beaver beats the heat and gets a ride in, nice!!!. whats with the down sizing?!! Hello the plan was to get you too 100km this year. Use the prodigy that you have. You need something that sits infront and not drifting back.

Dino has one up on you now. No it's not the speed. Hehehehehe.

Sorry Rip, didn't see this one since I was out of town for a few weeks. The problem was that I was on the west side of the interstate due to the east side still being soft from rain. The whole run is a half mile and there are "potholes" on the interstate third of that. Nowhere to build speed and bear off downwind. When the wind peaked I had to drop down from the 3.5 and the 2.2 was my next step down from there at the time. I'm hoping the rains yesterday didn't soften the east side and I have room to let it ride.

Meet up on the playa tomorrow? Yes it will be hot. 9 - 13 with gusts to 18. Should be a confidence inspiring ride. Camelback will be riding along with me.

i hear excuses after excuses, like Dino says "man up"

going for speed doesn't matter about the AR, theory, this that ... honest, you need a few things

- a set of ....
- the right conditions
- tuned kite, it doesn't come like that out of the box. play around with the bridles and get the kite to sit far forward.
(refer to Arie's speed run, or Mama on the rear) the 2.7m is a sweet machine to have.
- you can A) go for a long distance to build speed or B) go big in shorter time.
- do Dino and I have to make a road trip to egg you on??? hehehe, j/king

here is a video for ya. I've driven this beach and its short!!! they all went above 100+ that day.

http://vimeo.com/25788070

All that will come with repeated visits to the playa with consistent winds. I need hours of time there to have an internal database of what to use and what works for the conditions. Sharing that time with the locals will steepen the learning curve for me too. Anyone with more experience than me to chase around and get equipment advice from will be HOOJ!

You talk big Rip! Make the trip and pick Dino up on your way. I'll happily chase you guys all day unless you get in my way!

I've ridden in conditions like that in the video and that would be welcome compared to the 5mph gusting to over 30 I was dealing with. Had I sized for the gusts, I'd have been sitting still most of the time. Lots to learn for sure.

I'm game in 2012 ... we can get the 8 Gang together

08 Jellis
008 Alex
888 Grant
88 Me (KC)

Took the boys out to Ivanpah yesterday. I was worried about the lakebed being wet because some thunderstorms came through during the day Saturday. I could see that the surface had been wet, but it was dusty dry and hard everywhere.

I didn't measure the wind but would guess lows of 10 and high end maybe 18-20 mph. I flew the 7m HQ Montana and wow did they get it right in all counts with this M6. It is very steady and stable but you can whip it around to make power if the wind slows down. Much of the afternoon, it was steady cruising at 25-30 mph which is fun just putting in the miles. Sometimes the wind would kick up and we could just lock it in and roll. When the wind would pick up like this, runs over 40 mph were common with several hitting 45 or so. My fastest of the day was 48.5 mph. I was hoping for a little extra pull to break my pb, but I'll have to settle for an otherwise exciting day on the playa. Awesome day and it was nice to shed my pink skirt hopefully for good.

Wexler was using the Apexes and floated between the 5 and 7.5. He was safe and steady with the 5 and better powered with the 7.5 but a little overpowered when the strong winds would kick in. In the light winds, he would slowly pull away from me with the 7.5, but my weight advantage (and maybe the Montana coming into it's zone) would prevail when the winds picked up from time to time. We had trouble resetting the data on the etrex he was running in the PTW Hero but he said he was over 40 mph several times. Not bad for a 16 year old. Even the teenager commented that it was really cool to have gotten to ride in the PTW Hero on 9/11/11 which was dedicated to the fallen Policemen and Firemen who died trying to save others in New York City 10 years earlier to the day.

OH! I forgot to mention I pulled off one clean suicide jibe! Others ended up just being a downloop turn or I luffed the kite. 1 was a smooth tight lines balancing act though. I'll keep practicing these, because its really cool to be able to maintain speed and just turn around and head back.

i'm jelly bro..........

howd your habs turn out?

Sounds good Bob. Glad the heat relented. How is a suicide turn executed?

isnt it like flying a 360, back over your head, winging around and taking off lit up like no ones business?

lol horrible explanation...... ricky does em most of his videos.... i think the most recent nabx one had a bunch in it




@ 1:25 kinda lol, i thought the movements were more exagerated tho

Exactly like the second video at 1:25. I didn't do the downloop since I was doing it at speed and trying to keep fast through the turnaround. I'll try it with a Toxic or Reactor II next time if the winds are more consistent. Also want to try my 10 syn with the lighter lines, as well as the 12m Phanny, winds permitting. Elmers this Saturday for a full day of it.

Most excellent!! get one of the boys to get a video of that jibe. Wexler's topping 40? Jeez. Sounds like you guys are settling in just fine.

Go Pro is on the birthday list. There were some cool scenes with Wexler and I tracking each other yesterday. It is fun to see the effects of a burst of wind hit. We would both start to have a dust trail and rocket ahead simultaneously. Video would be cool to share with those that haven't been there............. Well and to those that wish they could be there more often.

I feel very lucky to have Ivanpah as my local playground. I've been on the other side where buggy locations to choose from were between bad and horrible. Not to mention access issues. It is crazy to have a 3 mile run with the ability to adjust my track to either build or bleed off speed. I can go south just a bit and mostly double that run length.

way to commit Bob! nice flow

Nice long day on the playa today. I wanted to ramp it up a bit with fixed bridles so I ran my 5.5m Reactor II since it is my biggest one right now. Winds were minimal but that kite is exciting when the speed builds. I got over 37 today during an uncharacteristic gust. Most of the day was running at about 20-25 mph just keeping the lines tight. Sometimes the wind would edge up and that Reactor II would light it up. I remember being terrified of that kite at NABX 10 in my Flexi buggy. In the Apexx, I have the confidence to just strop in and take what comes. So much help and advice I've been given makes sense now that I have the Apexx.

Also my youngest son went with me today. The winds were more variable when we arrived and then later the big gusts didn't show up any more. Jared started out on a Buster 1.4m that awoc graciously gave him since a 2m Toxic is our smallest kite. Jared took the 1.4 out at first and then when he was wanting for more, he moved to teh 2m Toxic, then later still, the 3m. The winds kept going down and further down and Jared finished up on the 3.5 RII. After sunset winds dropped off to nothing and we packed it up.

The biggest success of the day is getting Jared's confidence up on the playa. He has only buggied at the sodfarm and the resistance there is confidence inspiring. On the lakebed, you just roll and roll and he thoroughly got used to that today wanting more power most of the day. He loves the Toxics and has me wanting to put in some miles with them when we get a touch more wind. Rumor has it we might be going back tomorrow so we'll see what wind we get handed to us.

Gah jealous!!!! I've been stuck working forever it seems now! Next week I get 5 weeks off, we gotta meet up!

I was thrilled to find Awoc out there today when I arrived, and then disappointed to find him packing up. It will really add to my learning curve and the fun to have some locals out there too. As always, the more the merrier.

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob I was thrilled to find Awoc out there today when I arrived, and then disappointed to find him packing up. It will really add to my learning curve and the fun to have some locals out there too. As always, the more the merrier.

did you find that sitting out there by yourself a new skill builder???

just playing, hehehehe.

not much sitting and only walked to camp once way after dark when the wind completely stopped. But no, the sitting doesn't teach me much other than I need to get my life so I can go when the wind is really supposed to blow.

Go Pro 960 is in the quiver now. You guys get to go along for the ride next time. I'm sure I'll be like Phreerider on the no edit, raw footage style vids.