Lunatic fringe!!

Stay connected in the wind. This forum is for anyone who rides the wind, winter or summer, on whatever board suits their fancy. Share the stoke, find out where people are going, ask any question, share your discoveries, and discuss any esoteric idea you may have related to the pursuit of wind. Please keep it positive.

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steveb
Posts: 2146
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 3:31 pm
Location: sblain@frontiernet.net

Lunatic fringe!!

Post by steveb »

This is Nancy...I really need to get my own user name here one of these days! We got back from 2 weeks in SPI on Sunday. Monday morning I get to work and relay to coworkers " Wow, I had lots of great windsurfing days and had a couple learn-to-kiteboard sessions where I got a 10' ride, then a 100' ride and a jump 3' x 15' long....." and I noticed their eyes were glazed over and they asked "How was the weather, how was the drive..blah blah blah". Did they NOT HEAR that I had some rides on a little board powered by a big kite with a THREE BY FIFTEEN FOOT JUMP??!!! I never even got to the part about the super fun body drags (the one with the full facial salt flush was somewhat less fun) not to mention the tea bagging!!! I came home to Steve and he told me all about his day which really did have some awful components...then I said "Do you want to hear how terrible my first day back was? Nobody cared about my awesome windsurfing and kiteboarding fun!!" :cry: Well, he said he'd talked to Christian, Chris B. and John & he told them all about it, and they all were stoked!! I just wasn't talking to the right people....we are part of this very small percentage of active adrenalin loving people that do fun things all year round, etc. SOOO....I'm gonna tell you all: DUDES!!! :o I had my first water sessions, got tea bagged, got a 10' ride and then a 100' ride and when I tried to turn around I brought the kite up to 12 o'clock but I was so much more powered in the H2O than on the snow that I got a 3 x 15 ft JUMP!!! :shock: WOW!! I didn't even know what was happening until I looked down and thought "Where did the water go!!" :lol: When I fell I even kept the kite in the air!!! YEEHA! It was all so smooth...it feels like a dream! I am so looking forward to learning this so I can actually be aware of what is going on at the time....everything so far I've had to confirm with Steve! I know you all remember the feeling you had after your first sessions so you can share the excitement with me!!!! See you on the water!!
Jim N
Posts: 378
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:34 am

Color me GREEN

Post by Jim N »

Green with envy(shades of Kermit) that is!! Happy 4 U that we share the same sickness. It'll add whole new levels to your "windictionitis." Do they make a pill to cure it ? I hope not!! Only wish I coulda been there to watch. Missed those beers at Louie's with you guys, not to mention your Hubby's smart-ass remarks. Hope I can be along for the next ad-venture!! Welcome back! :wink: Jim N. P.S. Make Steve bring you along to Malmo this season.
Denis
Posts: 639
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2003 7:08 pm
Location: Saint Paul, MN

Post by Denis »

Alright! Welcome to the kite clan. :) I hope I can make more trips to Cedar this year and see the progression of the kiters there. Yeah, I remember my first session and the incredible feeling that you get when you plane on the board for the first time, not to mention the floating sensation of the first jump. Speaking of which, congrats on the first air, that was a fast progression. :)

And yeah, getting your own account is a good idea now that we can expect more kite stories. :twisted:

Denis
Tighe
Posts: 5274
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:06 pm
Location: Here, Now

Post by Tighe »

Great time with you guys down there. It was always fun to hang in the evening, everyone glowing from such good sessions. Thanks for including Sophia and I. I hope she didn't give you any unwanted presents.

I know what you mean about people just not getting it. I've found that others that are passion driven, even in other areas, "get it" and are enthused to hear our stories.

I feel fortunate to have found such a wonderful passion, and to share it with others.
Tighe
Mike G.
Posts: 132
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 12:31 am

Post by Mike G. »

All right Nance!! Woo Hoo!! You definitely were talkin to the wrong folks, but we feel your excitement here.. I'm hoping to give it a whirl myself this summer. Glad you had an awesome time.. keep the stoke going and see ya soon..
TJ
Posts: 356
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 5:16 am
Location: Bloomington, MN
Contact:

Post by TJ »

I want to get to that point too nancy; I think time is not letting me practice so much but someday I will post something like that. I am happy for you!!!

go on!!

TJ
Enjoying life and Windancing.
Dean Rizer
Posts: 319
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2003 3:52 pm

Got bit too!!

Post by Dean Rizer »

I had so much fun getting yanked across the Padre flats. Thanks to all of you guys for your help and suggestions. Mike Kellet encouraged me to try this on the water.....very different! I am hooked. Minnesota was well represented down there. Nancy's courage and progress inspired me to go out again and again for another session. What happened to windsurfing? I learned that if I didn't close the neck opening to my wet suit neck the suit would baloon full of water and I was bigger than Steve! The first time I noticed Steve it was near sunset, he was doing 5' leaps down the bay. Turns out he was tired and trying to park his kite, when someone sailed close downwind of him to ask if he was having fun. At that point he was unhooked a gust hit and the fun started. Nice Pics of Steve jumping in the local Padre paper. Some day I WILL do that too. I've saved the pics. Can't wait to go again!
steveb
Posts: 2146
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 3:31 pm
Location: sblain@frontiernet.net

Post by steveb »

As a proud husband I have to say Nancy did really well, as with all the new games we've learned she makes the things I thought hard look easy.... Yes she can be very annoying.
I really want to say is how fun it was to see other guys all with grey in their hair, or in my case no hair, decide to learn to kite. It's nice to know I'm not the only middle aged nutcase. It's really cool is too see the faces of Dean, Mike ,Nancy alive with the excitement and adrenaline of the new challenge of kiting. There's something about the raised heart beat, the slight shake of the hands, wondering if you had too much mexican food the night before or is your stomach really doing somersaults. There's a glow that eminates from a person once they are back on the beach after being dragged around by the kite, see that glow and you know the person is hooked.
I hope all the new kiters will get the chance to come play with us this water season,I really enjoy sharing the time learning together, it's a gas. We have a nice selection of water craft available for the ride back up wind and Cedar is usually a really quiet lake without too much boat traffic. Jim I'm sure we will end up at Malmo this season.
Stroh.... John sorry I have not got back to you yet, having just got back from Padre I had a lot of catching up to do. This has also been one of the fastest most dynamic weeks of my life, so I apologise for the delay. To answer your question, unfortunately I am one of those people who can usually only get out at weekends. So any North, Northwest, South or Southwest wind on a weekend I can gaurantee we will be kiting on Cedar, unless we go to Malmo for a Southwesterly.See ya out there.
steveb
Posts: 2146
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 3:31 pm
Location: sblain@frontiernet.net

Post by steveb »

Steve is trying to earn brownie points for something...hmmm...is there a new kite in the garage I haven't heard about yet??!! I don't dispute being called annoying, but learning fast is not my forte! However, I am kinda smart in that I let Steve have a year to work out some kiting kinks before I made my first water attempt! And Denis, fast progession? If I made it sound like that jump was planned I'm sorry!!! But it was fun none the less! Have you seen the Mauritius article in Kiteboarding? Thanks all for sharing my excitement with me...I knew I had just been talking to all the wrong people!!! Nancy
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