It feels like we are getting closer to the end of our winter season with another run of warm weather. The small lake near my home lost all the snow fast and the surface is the soft granular grey ice, which is great for holding an edge, then a number of ruts from snowmobiles etc that ran on it when it was slushy a week ago. But today had some nice wind channeling down the middle and I got a chance for some nice short speed runs although it was getting sketchy crossing ruts at different angles each one looking like an ankle breaker. The 15 Charger II was working nicely - a little miffed I didn't bring the GPS today but it was too nice and sunny to run back home and grab it.
There is restaurant overlooking the lake where we set up and I often will play right in front on a light smooth wind running the kite closer by just to see the kids jump up to look out the windows. A couple of guys on the balcony gave a yell as i went by so i thought I do a slow pass with the kite closer but I cut it pretty tight running the top of the arc just a few inches off the balcony

https://vimeo.com/61507129

Mark

You got to give the diners a show and some extra ambiance for their money........ but,yeah... not too close!:o If you hit them or the restaurant they may curse you....or if lucky- just laugh:singing:

We have a restaurant right on the beach where we fly here with big wide glass for viewing ocean/beach at one end where we set up/ turn around, and i'm sure many enjoy watching.

Was that a house on and island you went past at :47 in video?

Looks fun.:wee:

Nice fly-by! Kinda Top Gun style. Wonder if anyone bobbled their coffee (or Bloody Mary) as you buzzed them!

Yes that's a small island with a house.

Speaking of breaking the law, I show up around noon saturday to have a look at the lake and there is a small house right beside the lake access with a group of 6-7 guys hanging out having a few beer with all of their sleds parked to the side. It sounded like they had started early on the beer and about every hour through the afternoon they would hop on the sleds and rip around without helmets for 15 min then stop for another hour of drinking. But the one that really had me shaking my head, one of them would then jump in the big pick up, drive out onto the lake (now obviously warm, melting and some thinner spots) and then starts doing donuts all over the place and racing and sliding and all the time driving with one hand on the wheel and a beer in his other hand.
I kept thinking it would really suck to get be out kite skiing on a lake and get hit by a drunk driver

911 what's your emergency?

I just got hit by a drunk driver while kite skiing

you were hit while driving to go skiing?

No I was skiing

did you ski onto a road?

no I was on a lake

oh cross country skiing and hit by a snowmobile?

no downhill skiing with a kite on a lake and hit by a truck

sorry sir, which of you was drunk?

Quote:

911 what's your emergency? I just got hit by a drunk driver while kite skiing you were hit while driving to go skiing? No I was skiing did you ski onto a road? no I was on a lake oh cross country skiing and hit by a snowmobile? no downhill skiing with a kite on a lake and hit by a truck sorry sir, which of you was drunk?

Nice. I think I would need to pack up straight away if those guys were ANYWHERE near me. People say that here in Minnesota you can get a DUI even if you are sitting in your parked car on your own land! I would imagine those guys would be busted pretty quick out here if they were on a popular lake doing that.

I'll have to take a look at that video, stupid work has the site blocked.

**Edit** You looked like you were moving! 20-30 mph maybe? You certainly gave them a nice slow pass to take a look at the top of your kite! Awesome.

My little buddy cutting it a bit close to my head on Sunday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v...

Very scary. The truck creates a wave ahead of him under the ice. If the ice is all weak the wave will break it. I have felt it as a crazy ice fisherman was driving around with his 4X4.