Name: Kite Crossing
Date: February 28, 2014 - March 2, 2014
Event Description:
Ice Kite Race on Mille Lacs Lake
Location: Garrison Bay

Located in central Minnesota

Anyone going to the event this weekend? I intend to go with our area club if I am feeling well enough, been sufffering with some kind of bug.

The wife and I were finally going to make it up there this year, but wimped out in the end because of the forecast high of -1 in the afternoon... We just don't have hearty enough gear to stay warm in that, maybe next year.

You wimp!

You wimp!

It's my wife's fault, she's the wimp... (I'm pretty sure she never visits this forum) :evil:

I paid for 2 registered.
Just canceled my 2 night hotel
No wind on Friday and Sunday per forecast
-10 sat -16 sun too cold for me
Wind 13 on sat. May drive up from Mpls for the day
Depends on sat tempature

I have some bug I am trying to shake as well but its sticking with me for the weekend I am sure.

I am head up there this morning and will stay until Sunday. It would be nice to meet up with anyone else from the forum thats going.

Mike

I'm going! Won't get there till Saturday morning though.

I am bringing demo HQ Ignitions in a 12 and 14. I'll have the 10M Peter Lynn Lynx as well if anyone wants to try it.

We're sleeping out on the ice. It'll be cold, but probably not as cold as it was sleeping outside in Wyoming for the Bighorn Snowkite Summit!

See you all there.

Quote: Originally posted by rudeboysaude

I'm going! I'll have the 10M Peter Lynn Lynx as well if anyone wants to try it.

a 10m Lynx? Did you get a one off Aaron? They come in 9m and 11m (and smaller)

Sounds like a cold weekend but should be a fun weekend.

Yeah.. 11. It's been a cold winter in MN.. My fingers apparently have suffered from the cold and I can't type!

-9 below Saturday morning with a wind chill of -28

Sunday morning temp is forcast to be -24 below 0 F and a -48 windchill Burrr

It was an awesome day on Saturday! The wind picked up and the race was exciting, one of the biggest turn outs despite the cold weather and rough lake conditions. I cant wait until next year, pretty cool to see that many kites in the air. The race start was everyone at once it kind of reminded me of roller derby people jockeying for positions and battling it out.

Disappointed I didn't make it this year. Working a 36hr night shift over the weekend and short people. I'll have to plan vacation for it next year and attend. It's not that far of a drive from Green Bay.

Did I hear there was @ 70 kites in the air for the race? I don't know if I could do that without tangling with someone else, I'm so used to kiting alone. It's down right lonely being a kiter in these parts.

Yes, I believe there were 70+ that started the race. I am not sure how many finished. I was so far from the start I didn't even know it started until I saw a mass of kites moving out past the starting line. I could have been closer but I knew I was not a contender so I stayed back a bit so I wouldn't have to worry about a tangle up. My goal was just to finish the race.

To be honest after getting out to the first turn around (4.6miles) my legs were pretty tired. I don't know if I could have finished four legs of that length this year. The surface had a lot of drifts. It was really bumpy. It turns out there was plenty of wind and it seemed to build right at the start of of the race.

As I was coming back from the turn around I was feeling pretty overpowered. I was getting blown downwind off the course - and I was getting fatigued. I pulled my top hat safety to bail out. That immediately turned into a somesault with skis flying off and all that. After 10 minutes I got it back together to ride in and finish one lap and I threw the towel in.

Maybe next year I can finish? I hope so. Its a great event. There is the big race but more than anything I think it is a social event for many folks. I find I have really enjoyed that part of it. I know I will keep going back.

I have heard that there will be a piece on the Crossing aired on the CBS Evening News on Wednesday, March 5.

Man, next year wifey either joins me, or I go alone! :evil:

Quote: Originally posted by slopecat

I have heard that there will be a piece on the Crossing aired on the CBS Evening News on Wednesday, March 5.

I caught part of this on last night's news. They spoke with an 80 yr. old gent, who described getting caught in a gust, and getting lofted 30 feet. He did say that he normally does not try, nor was he trying at the time, to get air!

Here's a link to the story on the evening news.
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/minnesota-snowkiters-dream-of-...


A slightly longer version for the local morning news program
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/03/05/snowkiting-group-ba...