LAKAWA

Got down to Nokomis today; there were a number of ice houses out, with 4-6" of ice. I'll take a kite down next time.

Hi everyone! Once every few years since 2000 I've been visiting MSP from London in winter, and bringing my kite and skis with me. I haven't been here for 5 years but have just arrived for 2 weeks. Are there any metro-area lakes which are kiteable at the moment? Nokomis has been my regular in the pas...

Thanks to the kindness of Scott Smrstick, I am sorted for this week. Many thanks!

Hi Does anyone have a beaten-up old board that I could buy and then donate, near the twin cities? I'm in town from the UK for a week and the foilboard that I had purchased on ikitesurf.com for shipment to Bloomington has turned out to be a scam. There is no board; I've been completely duped. I've br...

Hi Sorry for the newbie question but I'm visiting the Twin Cities for this week only. Is the ice likely to be safe to kite-ski on this weekend after a few days of 48 degree temps? I've been kiting on Nokomis for the last 10 years during my annual visit, but never had to worry about thawed ice before...

Dean

Many thanks - I'll still take care, obviously. I'm trying to find a pair of nordic skates for use on the uneven ice.

James

Hi I'm not quite a newbie (kiting on the lakes here since 2001) but I'm from the UK and not a regular. Are the metro lakes Calhoun and Nikomis safe to kite on at the moment (even if there is no snow)? I've used skates before, but about 7 years ago in December, when the ice was smooth. Are there any ...

Thanks for the link - a fantastic resource.

Here is the wind for Minnesota in a little more detail...
http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphi ... element=Wx

The Moths are bizarre - my friend has one here in the UK and the foils are very fine (and fragile). I have chased him with my kite but in light winds he has the edge. Once he is up on the foils he barely needs to hike out - the amount of drive required falls dramatically.

James

I went kitesurfing there about 4 1/2 years ago in the summer - at the time I was the only person kitesurfing there and had the beaches to myself. I remember that the beaches to the north (about 20 mins walk along the sand) were pretty open though somewhat crowded at the weekend, and that the wind wa...

Hi I have arrived in Minneapolis for 10 days from the U.K. and don't want to make a fatal mistake - are the city lakes (Calhoun or Harriet or Nikomis) kite-skiable yet? I don't know if I can persuade my wife to drop me at Minnetonka. Also, I bought short skis and skates with me - can someone tell me...

Hi I am visiting Minneapolis in late August and have 4 completely clear days to kitesurf. Should I hire a car and be ready to visit whichever lake was forecast to have wind on a day-by-day basis, driving out from Bloomington each day? Or should I pick one lake (perhaps further away) and wait for win...

Steve

I'm from London - I normally kitesurf in the Solent and at Southend on the Thames estuary. For Southend I rollerblade through the City, past the bankers, with my board and kite under my arm, and get on the C2C line - a very odd sight, but I'm not afraid of being called eccentric.

James

On Calhoun near the southern launch area, left lying in the snow. Give me a call before I return to the UK at my in-laws on 952 884 3358 or email me at james_sayNoToSpam_@takepart.com

James

I had a great time - can't do this anywhere in the UK. The irony is that the Peter Lynn Waterfoils can't be given away in the UK, but I learnt kitesurfing with them and they are great on snow. I was also using Snowblades (short skis) - a bit more drag in powder but highly manouverable. I'm going bac...

Chuck

Thanks for the welcome. The powers that be have ordained that I will be back at the school field today but I will certainly be at Calhoun tomorrow at noon.

James

Hi, I'm from the U.K. and have bought my kites and snowblades out with me for the next week. In Christmas 2001 I just blasted around the local school playing field - there wasn't enough ice on the lakes. I'm keen to go out on the lakes this time - I'm staying in Bloomington and can get dropped by ca...