South Padre this Spring

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:07 pm

Who's heading down? When?

I have a small group coming down the 11th-21st of April. Always fun to hang with other Minnesotans.

champlin · Post by **champlin** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:53 pm

Looks like Sun Country has chnaged there policy it's now $40.00 each way for an oversized bag, they didn't charge me leaving MN to Mexico but in Mexico they charged me the $40.00 to come back.

Mexico was great up until the Stingray encounter.

P R Key · Post by **P R Key** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:09 pm

Danyelle and I are heading down April 18th - 21st.

steveb · Post by **steveb** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:13 pm

Nancy and I will be there the 2 nd and 3rd week of April

jeff1 · Post by **jeff1** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:28 pm

Jo and I will be down the last two weeks in april (4-20-08 to 5-2-08), hopefully we'll see some of you down there.

I'm anxious, Jo's never kited on the water before, so I'm crossing my fingers that she will get the hang of it and enjoy the trip.

peterrib · Post by **peterrib** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:36 pm

Continental charged me $95. oneway to the Dominican, and said they were giving me a $55 BREAK. On the way home they checked it through with no charge. Go figure.
Peter

Kevinousdigian · Post by **Kevinousdigian** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:42 pm

Champlin
Was your bag one of the 'golf' deceiver bags (like 152 cm) or was it a much bigger/longer one?

Where did you kite in Mexico?

Tell us about the sting ray encounter...

champlin · Post by **champlin** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:13 am

My bag is what we like to call a coffin bag, oversized 160cm, I was able to put three kites in it two pumps three harnes, two boards one 154cm door and the other my North Xride, three bars three towles snokeling gear grab bag, two kite bags and so on, so it was not the golf bag, but Sun Country would only charge you $40.00 each way if they charge you at all?

I kited mostly in the northern part of mexico in the Cancun area, mostly kiting at the Sun Palace and the Moon Palace, I didn't feel like spending the money and going any farther south being I didn't need to. The Sun Palace gives me 8 to 14ft rollers and waves and the Moon Palace gives me the flat water heaven I craved!

The stingray happened at the Moon Palace, I was kiting that moring in perfect 15 to 18mph constant wind for about 2 hours and then came out to take a water break and rest. Got ready to go back out and stupid me was not doing the stingray shuffle, I knew better but was stepping out on my toes like tippy toeing, I don't know why I was doing that? Anyway about 6ft off the the shore in about 18 inches of water I stepped right on top of the little guy and I knew it was coming and grit my teath and bam right in the bottom of my foot below my arch! Damm that hurts!!! So I had my wife grab my kite and I sat on the beach and have my wife get my FIRST AID KIT, ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH A FIRST AID KIT, and here's a good piece of advice, have at least two heat packs with you and a bottle of vinager for the initial sting, HEAT PACKS ARE WHAT YOU WANT NOT ICE PACKS, heat packs neutralize the venom that was injected into you and basically kills the pain instantly!!! You should keep you foot in heated water or a heat pack on it for at least 1.5 or 2 hours.

So for those of you traveling to other countries if you are not at a resort where they have medical facilities better bring a good first aid kit.

RobH · Post by **RobH** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:52 pm

Heather and I are hitting padre either on 18th or 23rd and departing on the 28th

Tom L · Post by **Tom L** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:40 pm

For baggage most airlines lay out the rules clearly. Check out this page for AA. If you use the Deceiver and throw in a 2 clubs there is no way they can charge you. I can get a 2 boards 3 kites in. 141 is max length in the Deceiver. I had to vacumm pack the kite and I kept it under 50 lbs, although Golf bags are allowed more. I think we are in for a lot more charges in the future since in the aviation business weight=fuel=$$

http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/ ... owance.jsp
Great page, they even address the issue of packing Antlers!!

AA has added Kiteboards but they still limit the bag to 62" (adding legth + width + height) which is ridiculous and under 50 lbs. So golfers are getting off very easy, with no length restriction and a 70 lb limit. Golfers must really buy a lot of tickets, to get treated so well. Ski bags get a pass too.

Disguise your boards and kites as skis or golf clubs and your good to go!

MartinS · Post by **MartinS** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:12 pm

When i flew to Cabo San Lucas, the NWA counter worker first told me the bag was too big to take along..after a protest he weighed it and said 70 pounds is the max weight, so I removed a wetsuit to clock in at 71.5 lbs which he let "slide" and promptly charged me a $25 over 40 pound fee..even though I am a NWA pilot and thus his co-worker!!

So, at least make sure your "deceiver" bag weighs less than 70 lbs!

Looks like two groups for Padre, one april 11-21 and another 23-28?
Mike Boyles and I had a ****ing blast In La Ventana, will tell you about it over beers at Wanna Wanna!! I lost my cell, so call me at 775 232-1300 if you need to talk to me, owe you money, etc..
Cheers
Martin

ollie · Post by **ollie** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:47 am

Bev and I will be heading down to South Padra on the 3rd of April to the 18th. Bryan and Bev!!

djmadmike · Post by **djmadmike** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:06 pm

I am heading to S Padre April 23 or 24 until the 28th. Can't friggin wait.
rock on
Mike N

chanrider · Post by **chanrider** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:09 pm

If all goes as planned the fam (wife plus 2 boys ages 2.5 and 7mos.) will be heading down to SPI this Thursday 3/20 thru the following Thurs 3/27.

Maybe we just haven't found the zone yet, but why did it seem so much easier traveling with 1 kid versus 2? Oh well, I think we sort of have it coming together!

Weather looks pretty decent, hopefully the spring break guys did not burn the joint completely down!

Oh yeah, if there's any other locals down there... we'll be in rented minivan

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:40 pm

I'm going down April 17th - 21st.
I'm the smiling British chick if you want to say hi.

steveb · Post by **steveb** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 2:51 pm

Smiling British chick....where are you from? I'm from Clitheroe in Lancashire.
About time we had another Brit on this forum to help me with all the racsist comments from the yanks.
My Yanky wife Nancy and I will be there the same time as you so we'll get to meet.

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 2:59 pm

Chester, Cheshire - would love to meet up and have a chinwag

steveb · Post by **steveb** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 4:39 pm

Spent many a day in chester, heckling the town cryer.
How cool another Brit, are you local now and going to be here for a little while?.

Nathan B · Post by **Nathan B** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:20 pm

Steve im sure the towns cyrer isnt the only thing you were heckling.

this should help all us racsist yanks .

Noun: chin-wag chin wag
Usage: Brit
Light informal conversation for social occasions
- chitchat, chit-chat, chit chat, small talk, gab, gabfest [N. Amer], gossip, tittle-tattle, chin wag, chin wagging, chin-wagging, causerie

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:24 pm

Hahaha, you looked it up

OK I have taken this conversation offline, but I might start a new post of fun British - American word translations

LAKAWA

South Padre this Spring

South Padre this Spring

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