Demonic Wind & Freshly Cut Grass

Prepare yourself for a tale of woe but then ultimately, triumphant-ness. :D

Monday night, 30th March: At work.

I pulled a muscle in my back while vacuum cleaning which was a shame because I had planned a sneaky weekday buggy session for the following day. The forecast was looking good, 35mph-48mph winds, pretty high for inland! Red arrows covered most of the UK weather map indicating some heavy gusts to come. Nonetheless I was keen to test my new rearward facing camera and GPS setup that I had prepared over the weekend.

All I can think about now is getting back home, taking a load of painkillers, rub in some deep heat and getting plenty of rest but unfortunately I still have another five hours of mopping floors, sweeping car-parks and cleaning toilets ahead of me.

I was in a lot of discomfort. Just lowering myself into the car was a carefully orchestrated affair. My back was so bad that I couldn't even reach for the seatbelt. Forget all hopes of sitting in the buggy tomorrow. Just get me home I thought. It was the early hours of Tuesday morning before I finally made it back, although very late, 3am. Exhausted and in a lot of discomfort I slept through til 10am.

Tuesday 31st March: The morning after

I awoke with what I can only describe as a miraculously recovery! Well actually there was still a dull pain but compared to how it was last night I can only think that some sort of divine intervention was responsible, either that or strong painkillers. Last night I couldn't even think about sitting in a buggy, but now I'm thinking, Hmmmm, maybe. I'll see how I feel after work.

Arrive at Purley

I check the forecast again, gather my stuff and head to work for a couple of hours then decide to drive up to Purley and check it out.
I arrive to find that the council are cutting the grass. Nice! However, as expected the wind is murderously strong. The gusts are so powerful that as I get out of the car I'm shoved straight back inside. An omen perhaps? Luckily I catch the door with my leg and not my fingers. I glance in the rear view mirror and see my hair that only moments earlier was fairly tame was now looking like I had been pulled through a hedge backwards.

Play Time!

Omen or not I decided to do this. I unhook the trailer that I use to transport the buggy with all my gear and push it onto the field. I want to keep clear of the tractor mowing the grass so I settle under a football goal post. The high winds were making the goal posts reverberate in a harmonic way like a choir of angels.

My first attempt at launching the kite failed. It flew to the zenith and immediately fell out of the sky. It was near impossible to trim for the conditions. I recorded wind speeds at waist height as low as 16mph and as high as 45mph and the wind would often switch between the two extremes within just a few seconds.

The 9m Genetrix Hydra I was using has an official wind range of 16kts - 40kts on water which is huge but the sub 10mph lulls were making my attempts to climb into the buggy difficult.

On the Move

Though like any kite the Hydra settled down once on the move and I had enough weight and momentum to roll through the lulls until the next blast wave hit.The gusts were just extreme. The power from the kite would try and wrench the buggy sideways but the Dominator is just too solid, heavy and planted to stand any such nonsense.

I had to cross myself a few times and hope for the best. In the video there is nothing much to really convey the true nature of the beast, it really doesn't do it any justice at all. Sheeting the bar in had me groaning as the air was squeezed from me, much like a bear hug. Under the cool calm exterior of the helmet lies the contorted face of fear. Much breathlessness and ranting is concealed beneath.

Towards the end of every run I carefully millimeter by millimeter edge back upwind. Power-sliding to slow down is not an option on this dry surface as the very real possibility of flipping the Dominator doesn't bare thinking about, especially as I'm shoe horned in. So you'll notice that at the end of each run you'll see me hanging off the bar fully de-powered and taking a long time to slow down.

Sum up

At first glance 'Purley Way' looks flat and level but it actually lies on a hill that declines northward. At the far southern end you can clearly see the city of London laid out before you on the horizon. The most recognizable landmarks are visible. At the northern end you cannot. You may notice this incline from the footage captured with the home-made weather vane. My new PB was achieved going up that hill. That as they say on Top Gear is, 'the power of power'.... yeah I don't know what that means either, but it sounds cool.

I had the place to myself on freshly cut grass and the winds I can only describe as demonic, not because the wind speed was particularly high but because of it's quick tempered schizophrenic nature on a surface as dry, tyre snatching as that made it potentially dangerous in the gusts, but what a session! I'm so glad I made the effort, and a new grass stained PB to boot! Very pleased!

I'm not sure how to wrap this up except to say that the buggy was amazing, the kite was amazing and the wind was biblical and frightening. It was riding on the ragged edge for sure but it was also the most fun and powered session I've had there in a long time. You could ride at close to 50mph up and downhill all day.
I wish it was like that all the time.


Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pV3YZ8BQmM

Epic as usual. Loved the video I need a buggy upgrade.

You pulled a muscle vacuum cleaning? DUDE!! If it's dirty, just DON'T LOOK AT IT!! Works for me.

Epic story!! I'm thinking with enough buggy trips, there'll have to be a publishing deal down the track.

Unfortunately, when I click the youtube link, I get 'sorry, this video is private'.

edit: Worked for me this evening. Epic session, Tom!! That tune the goalposts were making was hauntingly similar to The Last Post.....

Doubt I'd be brave enough to fly in those winds. Pretty sure I wouldn't.....

Quote: Originally posted by 3shot

Tom, your vids are most epic! Thank you for sharing. I would love to buggy over there some day.

Thanks!...and anytime, I'll be your host and supply the buggy. Just bring your kites.

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

Epic as usual. Loved the video I need a buggy upgrade.

Thanks very much! You don't need an upgrade, just eat a lot of pies like me and put on weight instead. We who eat grass must stick together.

Quote: Originally posted by cheezycheese

Question time... I noticed that you had the bar all the way in. Shouldn't that backstall the kite..? Or were you so overpowered that it didn't matter..?

Good question and you are correct but to answer in more detail...

The kite was close to it's upper wind range of 46mph but it was never really in any danger of being over-powered.
Seb Cattalan used the same 9m in 60mph wind to break the speed record. Pulling in the bar delivered efficient power.
As you know, an LEI will only back-stall if the AoA is so great that it prevents airflow over the top of the kite.
Only a sub 5mph and a high AoA will back-stall this kite.

Quote: Originally posted by John Holgate

You pulled a muscle vacuum cleaning? DUDE!! If it's dirty, just DON'T LOOK AT IT!! Works for me. Epic story!! I'm thinking with enough buggy trips, there'll have to be a publishing deal down the track. Unfortunately, when I click the youtube link, I get 'sorry, this video is private'. edit: Worked for me this evening. Epic session, Tom!! That tune the goalposts were making was hauntingly similar to The Last Post..... Doubt I'd be brave enough to fly in those winds. Pretty sure I wouldn't.....

As an office cleaner I had no choice but to vacuum clean despite my poor back. Personally I abide by a strict rule regarding my work life balance....
NEVER TAKE YOUR WORK HOME WITH YOU.

Publishing deal ! Now you are taking the Michael. Admittedly I'm sad that the editing part is over. I do enjoy it.

Regarding the lack of bravery, BS! Up until only 2009 I would arrive at the beach, see that the wind was whipping up the sand and I would get back in the car and drive home. Nowadays I won't even consider the beach unless the sand is skipping. You don't get any braver with age. The right equipment is all you need. A stable bug and a depower kite can make anyone look like a hero.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

That was all kinds of awesome Tom... loved all of it; the write up, the vid, all awesome!! sounds like an epic day!!!!

Thanks man. You read the write up!

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Video says private on my mobile and pc.

Sorry Bob, you can watch it now if you like. I re-uploaded it because the resolution didn't look right and while I was at it I made one or two improvements. Hope you like it.

Quote: Originally posted by markite

That was a great video and congrats on the new PB. The video did bring back haunting memories for me as back in the early 90's with first bug and riding it the 2nd or 3rd time I had an unfortunate meeting with a goal post in a high gust on wet grass. That's one crazy ride! Thanks for sharing it. Mark

Thankyou!! Yeah wet grass, gusts and goal posts don't mix well together. Your memory of your encounter still vivid must have been a bad one. Hope you weren't too hurt. I too hit the rear axle of my PL bug in the early days and bent it. I had to buy another axle. Early 90s? You have been going for some time .

Quote: Originally posted by PHREERIDER

finally veiwed it. heavy wind pretty good snatches . good stuff music was cool...with the forward framing of you sitting and riding . for a moment wow he's gonna get snatched out and the buggy would just keep rolling and filming along with you there...music was set for it.

Thanks Phree. That would have been some funny footage. I've had a bug shoot off down the beach without me before. That would have been great if I had a camera on board but alas sadly no.

I love that shot of the wind meter in the foreground and you going past in the background, really gives perspective to the speeds involved , great video, thanks for sharing.

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

That enhanced my confidence in the 7m to be able to handle winds in the 30s. Looking forward to wind and opportunity coming together next. That is an awesome riding spot! I've never seen such a large grassy area. And I've spent lots of time on a sod farm.

I had the kite trimmed 70% power and 30% depower. Purley is pretty big but it shrinks fairly quickly at speed, so I had to spool up sooner rather than later. If I was at your big wide open spot I'd probably trim 50/50. The bar would be in a more comfortable position too.

The 7m will pull strongly in wind speeds from 22mph -with an official max of 63mph. 30's! pleeeeeese.

Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite

I love that shot of the wind meter in the foreground and you going past in the background, really gives perspective to the speeds involved , great video, thanks for sharing.

Thanks! That's exactly the reaction I was hoping for.

Quote: Originally posted by John Holgate

If it's dirty, just DON'T LOOK AT IT!! Works for me.

never thought of that !!