Just how fun is IBX 2016?

Just how fun is IBX 2016?

I'll say it is pretty darn fun. Hardly does it justice just saying it like that. PRETTY FREAKING AWESOME!! That's more like it.

Yesterday's winds were brisk and a bit punchy at times. There were definite areas on the playa where you'd be ripping and a couple hundred yards later your kite would be on the ground. There was a storm system nearby which made for the somewhat sporadic winds. As a (reluctant) member of the Janky Wind Club I will say the conditions were super fun and very manageable.

Many PKF regulars are here and it is great to finally meet folks in the flesh and spend time together doing something we all love.

Let me tell you, Utahtami may be small in stature but that girl can rip on the playa! On Monday she laid down a cool 58.8 mph, setting the female record I believe. Yesterday in the later part of the day a bunch of us were making laps. I had my 4m Peak2 up and was feeling frisky, going every bit as fast as I'd ever flown and feeling plenty fast enough, thank you very much! Tami just kept lapping me and lapping me. Each time she sailed by I felt a little bit like Charlie Brown when he gets blown up on the pitchers mound! it's all good; we are all just having fun and getting it done!

Today's winds are supposed to be much more mellow than the last couple of days. There will be lots of larger kites in the air! My weapons? Session Saver (12m Peak2), 15m Summit, and 12.5m NS3!!! :karate:

Quote: Originally posted by utahtami

Steve was like the Everready bunny: first one out yesterday in the morning, and on his skates with a good looking NS3 as sun was setting. He was putting in some respectable speeds.

Great to here!

Congrat's on the new record !

Steve, message me with the whole story on the Blades. VERY interested in your opinion!

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner

Quote: Originally posted by utahtami   Steve was like the Everready bunny: first one out yesterday in the morning, and on his skates with a good looking NS3 as sun was setting. He was putting in some respectable speeds. Great to here! Congrat's on the new record ! Steve, message me with the whole story on the Blades. VERY interested in your opinion!

I'd be pleased to discuss at length via messaging, email, however. In short I have been on the playa twice now with skates on my feet and a kite in the air. Both sessions had their challenges wind wise which clouds the issue somewhat; I've yet get some good consistent wind to really level the playing field and establish some rhythm. What I can say at this point however is my initial impression is that on a surface like the playa that the "wheels of doom" approach works dramatically better for setting a hard edge against the side pull of the kite.

The set ups I have now are both with 150mm pneumatic tires. Three under foot (coyote frames) or two front and back (base of foot more or less aligned with center of wheel). I found it difficult to get leverage against the ground perched up high in the coyote setup so I was pulled downwind when the force got higher. The lower COG position of the doom set up allows for edge setting quite similar to the feel of edge setting on skis on snow.

Both wheel set ups required that I step my turns; I couldn't carve on either set up. I had expected to be able to carve on the coyotes but if I could carve (something I've yet to do) the turn radius would be too wide to make it practical for coming about without loosing all line tension and stuffing the kite (akin to a super lazy turn on a buggy). The doom set up sets a tack line as if it's been drawn with a straight edge. I found I had to make tiny step turns to shift my direction in relation to the wind.

I can take more onto the skate section of the forum. All in all fun, but a little nerve wracking. Fear of falling! :o

Quote: Originally posted by skimtwashington

Turning on hard pack sand requires no step turn or blade lift generally...excepting very tight shorter radius turns. Hardpack sand (and perhaps..some packed dirt) may be an ideal surface for the Coyotes because of the give and thin`peel' of the sand surface allows carve and some give, without catching your wheels as it would on pavement or rock hard playa.

Surface issues are certainly central to this. Good points here. I'd say the playa grips the wheels pretty much exactly like asphalt. Bumpy asphalt. I'm not sure how much (if any) sand experience I'll get in the near future. Grass is what I will have the most of round my parts so I'll experiment. Thanks for your comments!

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Epic day today! We had a few hours of a session with gust in the mid twenties and then some with extra in there. I was running with Eli Anderson and Brian Holgate. Ran 50 miles with a top speed of 58.1. Had an adrenaline high for several hours after. Indescribable feeling.

Sounds like I missed another great day on Friday. So glad the 44 highs didn't materialize as we discussed at Thursday's morning meeting. 58.1 is fantastic! Almost as fast as a certain young lady laid down earlier in the week. You know the one, about half your size?

Thanks again for such a wonderful event. Can hardly wait for IBX 2017!!! :karate:

VIDEO!

Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite

great video Steve, that editing and music really capture the spirit of cruising on the playa. We had a great time flying with you and "talking shop" at camp.

You betcha John! Glad you liked it. You were featured both in the beginning and while we were cruising together towards the dirt nap outer post.

Glad you liked the music. Those are our chariots! Paul let me know you OBE'd after I left. Hope that turned out OK. BTW, a set of your exact upper body Road Warrior gear (size XXL) should be mine this Friday. $149. Well spent.

Hoped you got to enjoy the last few drops I left for you on your camper's table. You were out on the playa working up wind when I was leaving. I honked at you but you probably couldn't hear me. My best to you and Amy. :D

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite   great video Steve, that editing and music really capture the spirit of cruising on the playa. We had a great time flying with you and "talking shop" at camp. You betcha John! Glad you liked it. You were featured both in the beginning and while we were cruising together towards the dirt nap outer post. Glad you liked the music. Those are our chariots! Paul let me know you OBE'd after I left. Hope that turned out OK. BTW, a set of your exact upper body Road Warrior gear (size XXL) should be mine this Friday. $149. Well spent. Hoped you got to enjoy the last few drops I left for you on your camper's table. You were out on the playa working up wind when I was leaving. I honked at you but you probably couldn't hear me. My best to you and Amy. :D

I noticed myself at the beginning, did not notice the moving shot

Yeah, I think I got caught by a gust while trying to execute a high speed turn and everything lifted but my AQR let the kite go and the breakaway link broke letting me out of the buggy. Even with the armor I got about 1" square of road rash, hate to think what it would have looked like without the armor.

Yes, thank you for the refreshments that you left, that really was not necessary. I saw you as you were going up the road but was as you say concentrating on working upwind to the power lines [and trying to catch Paul ]

We definitely need to fly together more.

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Video is missing from the original post. I dug deep and found it manually. Great capture of what riding on Ivanpah feels like. Thanks!

Thanks Bob! I just put it up top too. Counting the days till next IBX!

Quote: Originally posted by Cerebite

I noticed myself at the beginning, did not notice the moving shot

John - that's you beyond my yellow Peak-2 from about 1:06 to 1:55. This footage was shot while we were heading out towards marker #2 on Thursday afternoon.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Great stuff Steve... you know JIBE is coming up... :D

I know that only too well! Unfortunately, JIBE dates fall during one of the most important professional meetings I attend each year, really screwing things up. One year I really hope to make it, but unfortunately it won't been 2016... I'd love to see you guys and ride that beautiful beach together.

Quote: Originally posted by Windstruck

Quote: Originally posted by soliver   Great stuff Steve... you know JIBE is coming up... :D I know that only too well! Unfortunately, JIBE dates fall during one of the most important professional meetings I attend each year, really screwing things up. One year I really hope to make it, but unfortunately it won't been 2016... I'd love to see you guys and ride that beautiful beach together.

I remember you saying that, I was just giving you a hard time... It moves forward or back a week annually depending on the tides, you'll make it out sooner or later.