Sadly the course was postponed due to insufficient snowcover on the lake but it wasn't all a loss. We had to come home tonight so I went out to the second location where they will meet tomorrow and I'm happy to report that I successfully strapped on the skis and had a good couple of runs (thanks to some pointers from the course instructors and a couple of great guys I met when I got to the second lake from the Calgary Kiteboarding world).

I'm absolutely amazed how much easier it is than I thought it would be! I was cautioned to take the 3m out but grabbed the Rage instead and it became a pure #@%$#!cat on skis - much different animal than flying it static. Unreal. It was a GREAT day and I certainly won't forget it. Funny enough, on the 3 hour drive home I was tossing between thoughts of more skiing in our plethora of snow here at home and what on earth I'm going to do in the summertime to keep moving. I'm totally sold on this traction thing - static is fun but harnessing the wind like that is so wicked!

Dean, it was great to meet you and I'll see you and the Muller guys soon for the reschedule......although by then I think all I'll have left to learn is freestyle ; )

To report on the course - if you've kited before but never on skis or a board I'd say take it - if for nothing else than the support, encouragement and watchful eyes of experienced kiters. They are great to deal with and are willing to reschedule my lesson until a date that will be more likely to be a go.

I expect that you just had a day you will remember the rest of your life.

What locations are your refering to ? Ghost ( busted ) and then Spray Lakes ( success ) ?

You see how knowing your kite makes it so much easier to pay attention to what you need to do next.

As far as the summer season goes. I picked a set of Coyote Rollerblades up for about $100. Follow them on Ebay and you will find your size soon enough. I was amazed at just how reasonable a cross over these things are. I feel very stable with them at some pretty good speeds. ( I am the one that tears up the beach on Khookes video. ) I'm amazed at how much rough terrain and hard sand they can handle. Doom Wheels are another option. A better one if you have to run on super rough terrain or softer sand.

Next to my skis My Coyotes are definately my second stoke these days

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy Funny enough, on the 3 hour drive home I was tossing between thoughts of more skiing in our plethora of snow here at home and what on earth I'm going to do in the summertime to keep moving. I'm totally sold on this traction thing - static is fun but harnessing the wind like that is so wicked!

Yeah, it's amazing how much easier it is to handle the power when you're on something that'll move with you. Way less chance of getting dragged over or lofted. On land a gust that drags you for 10ft down the beach is a hassle, on a buggy/skiis, whateve you simply swerve downwind a hare, you unload the lines a little and get no out of control dragging.

Sounds like you're well hooked, time to start looking for a cheap buggy/ATB for the summer. Buggy is more like the skiis, you either have the kite to the left or right but always travel forwards, ATB is more like a snowboard, you'll have to learn to ride regular or goofey because you'll eventually want to ride back to your bags.

Cochrane Lake was busted - the snow blew off. Chestermere was Plan B and it was great - just a few icy patches and none bigger really than the length of my skis.

* sigh * Of course today in Edmonton it was dead-dead calm. Seemed almost like a vacuum....not even wind when you walked......

That's why God invented tomorrow I guess ; )

COOL,

Chestermere is handy. I hope it holds !!!
Anyone from Calgary able to head out on Dec. 24th please send a message. A couple of us Transplants will be home for Christmas and are hoping to head out . It would be great to hook up.

Macboy has to be one of the most enthusiastic guys I've met in a long time! I'm glad he came down to see us, its too bad the weather gods didn't help us out enough to get the lessons done. We're hoping he'll come back to Calgary for another visit when time allows.

The chinook winds were forcast to blow 50 km/hr and thats what we got in the mid-afternoon. Kelly wasn't the only one who had to sort his lines out after having to ram his kite into the bag in a whiteout. :o

I hope Calgary is typical of the kite community in that if you just show up somewhere like Kelly did at Chestermere, there are folks around who will give you a hand and a little free advice. I'm glad he got a chance to get out and play and had a good time.

Dean

You know, it's people like yourself Dean, and Ian, Jeff and the other two guys (I'm bad with names) that make or break a sport to newcomers. I'm super glad I got out because I may have waited until the reschedule to try something so amazing - and then what a waste this winter might have been. I can't wait for the winds to blow right so I can introduce the neighborhood to the spectacle. It'll be like a postcard in our own backyards!

You can bet I'll be keeping a bag in my car from now on....