Randy and I decided to take advantage of the last day of access to the park as a 10-20 SE wind predicted. I got there about 2:00PM to hit 15-20 E and put up a 2.5 Blurr for some nice speed runs on the black top runway.
About 4:30PM wind dies off to around 10 and I put up my 7.3 Frenzy, every thing is lookin good Randy is tootling around on a 2.5 Rage and then a tan dust wall comes out of the east at 39MPH unseen be me.
I felt the power, pulled the cross over strap, did a superman out of the bug, grabbed the chicken loop eject, popped it and, let the kite go byby and did about 3 tumbles in the grass.
Jumped up and gave Randy the thumbs up for OK.
A cut on the right elbow
3 sore fingers
lightly bruised hip.
retrieved the kite and lines, packed it in went home.
What a fabulous day of buggin, we win, big smiles and I love that Frenzy, Ozone makes great stuff!!!

Sounds like you did all the right things when you needed to! Glad you are ok after that.

Yup,
using a leash like flying a tube on the water could have put me in the hospital.
My life is worth more than a kite and lines.
If you fly on dry land, let it go and live to tell your tale.

Are these sudden 'dust wall' wind surges common in your Geo area? Is there an early warning of dust color coming at you to prepare.... but did you miss it?

What if you were using the Blurr when it hit? Don't know how you fly that.....but those on FB hooked in on strop w/ no release would probable have fared poorly.

I am not sure as to the blur but the Ozone 2m Flow does ok in 60+ winds from my experience. I do not recommend this but I have had to hold it down in those winds and faired alright. Sand at that speed does not feel good on exposed flesh.

the dust wall is probably the result of moist cold air falling from over 10,000 ft down to 5000 ft.
The storm cell was over the Sandia mountains and it was clear over balloon fiesta park which is about 10-12 miles away as the crow flys.
This is a common feature here in the Albuqerque metro area.
The high recorded gust was 39MPH so unless you are facing the direction of the oncoming wind you will not see it until its too late. It was east and I was looking SW.
The locals call it thunderstorm wind and it packs a mean punch per velocity.
If I fly a FB kite it is with handles only, no strop or kite killers, just let go and collect your twisted stuff later.
The color of the dust is the color of the dirt being picked up along the way; yellow, brown, red, black, etc.

:o

I can't imagine a flow 2m in 60+ MPH! I have only flown it in 40+ gusts, maybe once or twice. Seemed close to it's safe limit-for me( manufacturer's recommended limit is 39mph) Okay...maybe I can imagine a bit.....that I might -if it doesn't yank me out of the buggy- hit a buggy speed matching the wind speed...but I would not know!

From my angle I thought you were going to kiss the fence-
Nice session.

Quote: Originally posted by skimtwashington

:o I can't imagine a flow 2m in 60+ MPH! I have only flown it in 40+ gusts, maybe once or twice. Seemed close to it's safe limit-for me( manufacturer's recommended limit is 39mph) Okay...maybe I can imagine a bit.....that I might -if it doesn't yank me out of the buggy- hit a buggy speed matching the wind speed...but I would not know!

My buggy plus me at the time weigh around 350 pounds so I needed power when we started it was only 35-45mph but after an hour the wind just started going crazy my passenger ducked down to avoid the sand gettin in his eyes. My arms were being pelted it ended up not being as fun during those gusts.

Nice work on the reaction to a sketchy situation. It's this kind of thing that really is valuable to new kiters trying to be safe. I've been leaning more and more towards not wearing a leash, but it should be noted that in a park, where anyone downwind within 3-4 line lengths is in danger of getting eaten by your discarded kite.

I know from experience that a kite wrapped around you In one of those dust walls is terrifying and dangerous. I can't imagine having that happen to a non-kiter. So in those cases where downwind traffic exists at all, I suggest using a breakaway leash like the HQ one.

Incidentally, those dust devils and walls happen all the time here. Not so much in Denver, but certainly a bit east of here and on high country plains like South Park and the San Luis Valley.

BTW, no one else was in or at the park that day, just Randy and myself and Randy was up wind of me.
My rule is if there are other non kite people around or close in I avoid them in sketchy conditions.
If the wind is mellow and predictable I get a little closer.
After doing this for 7 plus years the only one to get cuts and bruises is me.
If Randy,me or anyone else hurt a person in the park with our gear, we would probably get the boot out of the park so we make an effort to be cool and fairly considerate.:evil: