After waffling a bit about going to NABX this early in my power kiting career...ya, to be totally honest, I've had the bug drag my butt around our little local park only a couple of time so far. My first time out on the bug, the wind was so low that some of the time I just sat on the little nylon seat flapping my arms to try to get in a little short ride. The next time the wind was so high I almost superwomaned right out of the field just trying to launch my wee kite. And the third time we were already into the monsoon season and I fearless rode, repeatedly, through one of the large ponds on the field in a wild and slightly out of control effort to get in some rides on the bug. And with that limited and rather chaotic background, I think I may be NABX bound....don't say you weren't warned...'stay out or Erin's way' you need to shout to anyone nearby should I actually be seen rolling on the playa.

Now a few questions:
- does the kiteflyer's hotel, Buffalo Bills, have wifi - a girls gotta stay connected to her geek kingdom while away now, doesn't she?!
- if I arrived in the evening on Tuesday March 30th would there be a chance of catching a ride out to the hotel from Las Vegas airport with someone or would I be better off arriving midday Wednesday March 31st?
- if I flew back from Las Vegas on Monday April 5th do you think I could get a ride to the ariport with someone or would I have a better chance if I left a day earlier or should I just suck it up and rent a car while I'm there for NABX?
- what advice could you give a complete newbie preparing for her first time out on a playa?

thanks,
Erin

the wifi at the hotel is horrible. It was very expensive and so slow you could barely use it.

Quote:

Originally posted by DAKITEZ the wifi at the hotel is horrible. It was very expensive and so slow you could barely use it.

:o

oh no!

no internet!

ahhhhh.......<thud>

I seem to remember a few people heading into vegas every other day or so to use the internet. I might do the same this year ... but only when the wind is not blowing ;-)

Quote:

Originally posted by airin the wind was so low that some of the time I just sat on the little nylon seat flapping my arms to try to get in a little short ride.

:Ange09: What no video?

Quote:

Originally posted by airin oh no! no internet! ahhhhh.......<thud>

Shop around for rates and coverage, but a mobile internet card/usb adaptor should get you sorted. Order, shipped to you, use at NABX, and then you mail it back. Sort of like geek NetFlix without the committment.

ATB,
Sam

There are computers over at the little store, south of the roller coaster, the same block as "primm valley". Kinda slow.

As for transportation to and fro the airport; there should be others who will be flying in. Keep a heads up here and keep this thread toward the top.

Bring all your kites (especially those small ones)!

Don't feel bad about being a NABX newb. I showed up with my bug crammed into the back seat/trunk of a rental car with my ride stuck 2 states away in a mechanic's shop. I had never even buggied before, let alone in an untested home brew. The wind was huge and I didn't even ride (don't tell me about some others having a skirt out there:lol Still had a great time, met some new friends (the Nor-Cal kiters are way cool.) Can't wait to go back and actually do some serious riding this year. Oh yeah and like Dino said the Primm internet sucks and is pretty expensive, but there are other options. I think someone from the BC crew had a cellular broadband card that they were willing to share. Just go- you will never forget it. Maybe CentexBuggier will be there again. That way I could gift wrap his car again like I did at SOBB.:wee:

Quote:

Originally posted by airin After waffling a bit about going to NABX this early in my power kiting career...ya, to be totally honest, I've had the bug drag my butt around our little local park only a couple of time so far. My first time out on the bug, the wind was so low that some of the time I just sat on the little nylon seat flapping my arms to try to get in a little short ride. The next time the wind was so high I almost superwomaned right out of the field just trying to launch my wee kite. And the third time we were already into the monsoon season and I fearless rode, repeatedly, through one of the large ponds on the field in a wild and slightly out of control effort to get in some rides on the bug. And with that limited and rather chaotic background, I think I may be NABX bound....don't say you weren't warned...'stay out or Erin's way' you need to shout to anyone nearby should I actually be seen rolling on the playa. Now a few questions: - does the kiteflyer's hotel, Buffalo Bills, have wifi - a girls gotta stay connected to her geek kingdom while away now, doesn't she?! - if I arrived in the evening on Tuesday March 30th would there be a chance of catching a ride out to the hotel from Las Vegas airport with someone or would I be better off arriving midday Wednesday March 31st? - if I flew back from Las Vegas on Monday April 5th do you think I could get a ride to the ariport with someone or would I have a better chance if I left a day earlier or should I just suck it up and rent a car while I'm there for NABX? - what advice could you give a complete newbie preparing for her first time out on a playa? thanks, Erin

if you didnt mind sitting at the McD's the internet was fine for us. slow but not possible.

you can actually pack light on your trip.

1. TDMC should have space for you buggy / kites in the trailer.

2. What is your ETA? there is a freebie bus from LV to Primm Mall. (also Toolman Tim likes to stay in LV over Primm, so he could drive you out there when you arrive too)

3. Use Priceline if you're renting a car, some people got cars at $5.00 per day. LOL. Name your Price. hehehe.

that Hornet 2m will be put too some good use down there.

Oh yeah Playa advice- Good helmet ( I wear a full face MX helemt), gloves, sturdy shoes, elbow/ knee guards, etc.. You will see people out there with shin guards, body armor, things like that. This year I will have motorcycle style goggles to keep the dust out of my eyes too. The surface is like asphalt with a good layer of dust. As far as ride to and from Vegas, that will be something that will be easier to handle when it gets a little closer.

Depends where you are in the hotel for internet; some spots better than others but OK for e-mail. Everything including the lake bed is next to the interstate highway, so there is good 3G coverage for iPhone/ Crackberry.

Get a cheap car if you can swing it. there are lots of generous people there but the place is so remote, it's nice to come an go as you please. there are some pretty side trips for when the wind is gone.

As stated you do not need a lot of clothes; everything gets dusty anyway so I wore much of the same outer clothes every day with just fresh undies. Early in the week a lot of the restaurants are not open so you are not dressing for dinner much- jut fast food. Bring layers for cold mornings and warmer but windy afternoons. Most clothes I brought served only as padding for buggy frame parts in the luggage. Bring long pants and padding like knee and elbow pads; the lake bed is like 60- grit sandpaper and unforgiving. Sailing gloves are nice.

Buy snacks, water/ soda and a cheep toss-away cooler in Vegas or on the highway just south. There is a Target on the way out of town about 1/2 mile from the highway; someone can remind me of the exit. . There is nothing besides a convenience store in Primm. They have ice, though and a bag would last me 2-3 days.

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice, I really appreciate it.

I am probably going to book a Westjet flight for Wednesday, arrives early afternoon. I don't have to return home until the Monday so that should give me four full days to kite...hopefully I can learn to buggy a bit better during that time.

I'll bring a couple of Rev's too just in case I want to mix things up a bit. And yup, got a good helmet, just bought some goggles today and plan to snag a set of elbow and knee pads.

The rest of the details sounds like they'll get sorted out, no problemo.

Ohhhh, I really shouldn't be getting THIS excited THIS early! :wee:

I'm reading this as well. This will be my first year in attendance but not my first year I wanted to go. I'll have the luxury of driving in in my own car with my stuff locked inside. (Now I'm remembering that several others had all their stuff stolen from a car). I'm excited but my main target right now is to just get some miles in with my buggy in CA. Then my objectives will expand. The advice for NABX is well taken for sure.

I am pretty sure that someone from the Van crew will be able to pick you up from the airport. I expect to be there by then and can do it. I'm not as sure about the Monday following but like Rip mentioned I think there is a bus ?
You need to get out snowkiting with me to get ready !
:Ange09:

This will be my first NABX and I am way stoked. I am bringing ATB, kites, hillybilly pads and all the rest of safety gear and almost forgot, my wife I have been to Ivanpah before but wind was non existent. I am wanting to transition to buggying. Priceline.com is great for rental cars. You get shuttled from airport to rental car complex in about 12 minutes. Same when you return rental car and you are shuttled back to airport. I should be getting my vacation time cleared this week, then Ill book airfare through allegiant air and then keep counting the days until Mar 30th.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner I am pretty sure that someone from the Van crew will be able to pick you up from the airport. I expect to be there by then and can do it. I'm not as sure about the Monday following but like Rip mentioned I think there is a bus ? You need to get out snowkiting with me to get ready ! :Ange09:

BC Crew should be booking now for WESTJET!!! Boxing Week Sale is ending soon.

Westjet is the only flight that offers 2 luggages (belly of plane), and one carry on - AT NO FEES.
The best schedule right now with 3 daily flights is
YVR ETA: 010:00am ETD: 12:15pm
LAS ETD: 09:45pm ETA: 12:00am

I would love to go snowkiting ... I would also need to quit my job too. I didnt know that moving up in the chain also meant MORE F'in Hours.

There will be ice on site.

The kitchen will be happening too.

Come, stay, play.

This is THE year to be there now.

AoxomoxoA awaits!

Just like I to have wanted to attend. When you get your first buggy 3 days before the event you tend to error on the side of not killing yourself! LOL

Looks like I'm leaving somewhere around the 25th or 26th. Just picked up 2 sets of slicks. Now working on the quiver.

Dean, any word yet on the hotel group code yet?

See ya there!

I have my Flexi wides and just got a set of slicks too. I'd like to get a set of wheels for the slicks so I'm not changing tires on the playa.

Hey Airin, I'm hoping to bring work along with me which requires me to have an internet connection. I'll be picking up a Verizon wireless as soon as I cross the border and if their maps (Verizon's) are true to life we should have internet out on the playa (rolling down in a motorhome).

Our destination after NABX is Yuma for a few days which means we'll back track to Vegas I think so if you're pinned for a lift we'll have plenty of room. Same goes for anyone in need of a lift. I figure if we can all survive a week together, then surely 45 minutes longer in the motorhome won't kill us.

(And, as long as the Verizon package is unlimited or high bandwidth I'll happily share that too! If it sounds like it's shareable I'll bring a wireless router along with me so we can get wifi out in the buggies on our iPhones ; )

Thanks macboy, your offers of a ride and to share wifi are MUCH appreciated!:roll:

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy Hey Airin, I'm hoping to bring work along with me which requires me to have an internet connection. I'll be picking up a Verizon wireless as soon as I cross the border and if their maps (Verizon's) are true to life we should have internet out on the playa (rolling down in a motorhome). Our destination after NABX is Yuma for a few days which means we'll back track to Vegas I think so if you're pinned for a lift we'll have plenty of room. Same goes for anyone in need of a lift. I figure if we can all survive a week together, then surely 45 minutes longer in the motorhome won't kill us. (And, as long as the Verizon package is unlimited or high bandwidth I'll happily share that too! If it sounds like it's shareable I'll bring a wireless router along with me so we can get wifi out in the buggies on our iPhones ; )

let me know the cost, ill put some money down so i have some net access. i have to keep up to date worldwide, when we set new records on the playa. hehehe.

Quote:

Originally posted by csa_deadon dean, any word yet on the hotel group code yet? See ya there!

I have it, just wrangling over a few issues. Should be up asap!

aoxomoxoa

dean, can you contact me on skype sometime this week about Dutchie's Hotel.

thx

Rip - I'm writing off the cost anyway so don't even think about needing to chip in. I don't think people will be uploading and downloading gigs worth of stuff that week so I'm sure we'll get away with opening up the WiFi to all.

If anyone from the Seattle area needs to have some stuff hauled to and from NABX, I just got a 6X12 enclosed trailer that is more than I need with lots of extra space............

I'll have my Yukon XL heading down from Tracy, CA with 3 extra seats and room for maybe an extra buggy inside and certainly room for lotso kites. If someone has a buggy rack I have a vacant trailer hitch too. I'll probably go down on Wednesday early and return Sunday night. OOOOOHHHH we are getting close enough for me to start getting excited.

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Originally posted by bigkid If anyone from the Seattle area needs to have some stuff hauled to and from NABX, I just got a 6X12 enclosed trailer that is more than I need with lots of extra space............

U2U sent