I have reached the stage in life where the only time I am able to buggy is our annual Beach Trip. Looking forward to it this year as always, but we're starting even earlier than in the past. This year we will be on SSI for the last week of April, prior to JIBE.

Having recognized that I never get to ride while at home, I disassembled my buggies for storage and found most of my bearing had seized up. So in an effort to keep myself from making some last minute purchases, I ordered a boatload of new bearings for both wheels and front for pivots.

I have to pick a tire from Northern Tool and equipment as my Golf-cart tires I've been running on the Stinger finally killed my plastic rims so I'm back to running Barrows. I have all of what I need except 1, thus the need for a new one. If buggying were something I could invest more time in, I'd shell out a little more and get all 6.5" tires, but its just not worth the money for the sake of looking cooler.... That ought to cove the purchase needs. Many thanks to Jim Weldy (SSIJim) last year for supplying me with some much needed rims!

I plan to assemble my buggies in early April and open up all the kites and look them over then as well.

For now, I'll spend some time with my mandolins and wait for the time to come for a good breeze on the Golden Isle's Coast!

Any one else already prepping?

Angus, are you working out your finger muscles for that afternoon Sea-breeze Switch?

I sent in my NAPKA renewal today.

Quote: Originally posted by Randy

I sent in my NAPKA renewal today.

Right! I usually wait until about April 29th. :-)

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Any one else already prepping?

I ordered 2000ft of flying line yesterday, so I think that would be a yes for me. Judging by the contacts I've been getting about kite bars, I can assure you we are not alone.

It's snowkite season here so I'm using my stuff and it's ready to go. We will be down early as well at the same place on Hyde for most of a month. A pile will begin to gather in the hall soon.

glad you are having a decent winter season Ted, it was horrible around here in southern ontario - a small handful of kite ski outings, i short ice buggy run the first week of january and that's it. It's been rainy and warm all week so making things soupy crappy out there.

Like Spencer it seems JIBE or traveling somewhere is the only chance to buggy in recent years.

So JIBE 2020...well Fiona and I have been discussing it and were looking at rentals but the whole Covig19 and possible travel complications/restrictions etc, many things changing quickly we are hesitant to book anything unsure of what will transpire over the next 2 months. So it's a wait and see from us at this point.

Winter has not been good this year. Been out a half dozen times. When we've had snow there's been no wind. We have had lots of bare ice crossed with all kinds of tracks. We are hoping for some corn snow from the deteriorating surface from warmth and sun today.
The travel situation is sketchy at best upcoming. I wouldn't be coming down on a cruise ship! We went with travel insurance as a hedge. There could be some great deals out there as the travel market tanks.

I think that even if I was able to devote time to kiting, I wouldn't have been able to this winter. It has rained almost constantly in the metro Atlanta this winter.

Looking forward to JIBE.

You're right Spencer - worst season since I started riding buggy in 2016 due to rain and not so great wind. I did make a go of it pretty well at my lakeside parking lots. Unfortunately, the rain killed any chance of riding on the beach shortly after the first few times I tried it. Water now covers the entire beach.

The fairgrounds has been a mess because of all the rain. Tomorrow looks like a good day for wind, but ground probably be sloppy since it's rained for 3 days now. Sometimes I've been able to make a go of it by staying on the gravel "road" or at least as close to it as I can.

Today looks stellar! If I had a buggy assembled and some time, I'd be out riding the fairgrounds!

It is a high wind/gusty kind of day, so I'd be underneath a 2.5m NS2!

Headed to Northern Tool here in a bit for another Barrow tire

Was not so stellar for me. First, the ground - standing water and plenty of mud, too easy to get pulled sideways. Second, the wind - very erratic - you would get sudden burst of wind, followed by not enough to keep me rolling all within the space of a few seconds. There were some absolute psycho gusts. Third, me and my kites - wasted too much time rigging, re-rigging and untangling my kites. Just not my day. It is odd that the reported wind was about the same as last Saturday, which turned out quite well for me.

We will certainly miss all you guys. It's been too long seeing everyone at JIBE. So many good memories down there. Just not in the cards for us again this year...

Zero snow covered fields here in upstate ny... what a bummer of a winter. WWBB is my hope for some riding.

I'm calling this the Year without Winter here in GA, might fit NY as well.

So finally I got around to it and ran out on my lunch to Northern Tool for a new barrow tire and lo and behold they do not carry them in store, only on their website ... crap that's a waste of about an hour!

Fought with their site and couldn't figure out how to get it to ship to store to save the $7 shipping and gave up.... check Home Depot dot com and found it for even cheaper and shipped to store FOR FREE! And the nearest HD is about 5 min from work.

So here's a helpful tip for the kite buggy community. Home Depot dot com has narrows for only $13.50 ea (plus tax) and will ship to store for free... good cheap option!!!

I have been prepping since late January. I am looking forward to getting out on a beach.

I started with this.



Made all of this...



Put it all together...



Now just need to finish the padding.



Then I will finish it off with a PL Comp seat and a custom bag.
Can't wait!!! Hope to have it all done for WBB in a few weeks.

Then a few weeks after on to the JIBE.

looking good..!!

Quote: Originally posted by jantie

looking good..!!

Thanks, I will post a more complete story in the kite buggy section once I finish the project. Hoping to be done this weekend.