The title's self explanitory, Where do You Kite locally??? The size of the area, winds, obstacles??? Whats Yours ...???

A series of baseball fields near work (sport kiting and landboarding).

A series of soccer fields at home (sport kiting and landboarding).

The pond in my back yard (kite skiing).

I fly at the beach and also have a nice set of athletic fields only a couple miles from home that I use on the weekends. The "series of fields" work great because you get a very large open area. And they moved all of the goals out of my way last week!

I'm dying to find a place near work. No luck yet, but there is a big lake nearby that should be freezing soon. :D

I found the athletic fields using google maps and have found that the satellite view is awesome for finding open space to kite on. It's how I found the great big athletic fields I use.

Static flying only so far. I'm going to try skiing this winter, but don't know if I'll ever bother with a buggy because I don't know where I could ever use it around here.

B-Roc,

Do you find that the landboard leaves causes any damage to the athletic fields that you use? They look like they might rip up grass fields. I think by spring I'll be ready for some type of wheeled vehicle, but again I don't know where I could use it.

I haven't had any complaints from security (the fields that I use are on a private school campus) but I want to tread lightly so I can continue to use it without problems (I'm even a bit nervous about scuds and wearing old "bald" sneakers when I go).

IMO scudding does far more damage to grassy fields than the landboard. If the fields are soft and mushy your tires will sink in and you will leave impressions over the area you ride - but those will settle out.

If the grass is in good condition you can ride and slide with no noticeable damage.

If the grass is burned out and dusty, you can slide a lot better and still not rip it up. Damp you can slide but may rip some of the grass up.

I suppose it depends on the tires you ride, but I've had no problems. Parks and Recreation folks have seen me ride regularly at the two fields I use most. Neither has ever said anything to me or asked me to move along. They often watch and wait for me to finish before cutting the grass (but I make it a point to never ride over infields or track up the clay)

We fly at Garry point park in Steveston B.C. it is about 44 acres but half of that you can only use with a buggy it is right at the mouth of the river so any wind direction is good but every winter with the rain it starts to flood.

I have a smallish park right near home with nice clean winds off the water from West or North.
It has many down sides, It IS and was a stunt kiters park 1st. They are pretty good with me and allow me a track through them! So far I've lived up to their trust :saint:
It is right along the Sea Wall so plenty of gawkers to try and remain safe around .
It turns to goose poop soup for almost 5 months of the year.
You just get up to speed and it's time to start prepairing for your turn :flaming:
Not often enough downwind space to jump safely accept static.

It ain't much but some warm afternoons and the place to myself have been unforgetable !

We also have a large tidal bay with Tons of room but only semi hard sand.

Gary point is the popular / populated park and a lot of fun but an hour drive.

When I dream, I'm always on Sunset Beach Oregon :wink2:

Same here

But the lake (700 acres) is 30 mins from my house.

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Originally posted by B-Roc A series of baseball fields near work (sport kiting and landboarding). A series of soccer fields at home (sport kiting and landboarding). The pond in my back yard (kite skiing).

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Originally posted by snowbird I have a smallish park right near home with nice clean winds off the water from West or North. It has many down sides, It IS and was a stunt kiters park 1st. It turns to goose poop soup for almost 5 months of the year.

Are you near Clover Point? The area you describe sounds very similar to where Steve Brown and others I know through the internet fly sport kites in Vancouver. He was a JOJO traction guy for years but now flies sport kites.

Calgary is pretty good for lots of wind & soccer fields with 3 or more pitches. Google Earth is great for finding local spots to checkout, then bookmarking your favorites.

There are 2 main obstacles - goalposts have nasty hooks for holding nets and snagging kites/lines and off-leash dogs crap all over (it is disgusting that people don't scoop their poop on a playing field - there even is a By-law and fine if they get caught!) The only time you might damage the fields is in Spring as the frost comes out of the ground, but by then all of the soccer teams have started practicing and are tearing up the fields with cleats.

The fields I landboard/rollerblade/snowkite at are within 15 minutes of home ( 51° 7'51.63"N, 114°11'44.18"W and 51° 2'10.51"N, 114°11'22.56"W) but the lakes are at least 45 minutes away. Lots of choices !

I'm not familiar with Clover Point, or Steve ? I'll definately ask around !

I'm refering to Vanier park. If you are familiar with Van. It is just west of the Burrard St. Bridge. The park with the gaint flag.

Unfortunately there aren't many of our spots that don't get slopped out over winter . Our days are short and tides are high so this is a slow time here.

BUT IT'S SNOWING :tumble:

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Originally posted by B-Roc Quote: Originally posted by snowbird . Are you near Clover Point? The area you describe sounds very similar to where Steve Brown and others I know through the internet fly sport kites in Vancouver. He was a JOJO traction guy for years but now flies sport kites.

I kite in an old airfield turned park. They put in a series of cement barricades down the strip, but it just makes for a more fun flight trying to weave in between the barricades, even trying to jump over them.

The park is in Warminster, for anyone near the Philly area. Plenty of info about it can be found here.

I fly down at the jetty's here in Florence..
When the wind blows in the right direction and the tides low I get a good run..
Sands a little soft so low tide helps with the landboarding..
Ive seen guys on there buggys ride right through the softer sand..

Good long runs when wind comes from dead East or West..

Never to many people either.."knock on wood"

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Originally posted by B-Roc Are you near Clover Point? The area you describe sounds very similar to where Steve Brown and others I know through the internet fly sport kites in Vancouver. He was a JOJO traction guy for years but now flies sport kites.

Clover Point is in Victoria BC. It is on Vancouver Island. It is a bit confusing, but Vancouver is not on Vancouver Island. Victoria is about 60 miles and a fifty dollar ferry ride away.
Snowbird is talking about Vanier Park across False Creek from Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver. Vanier is very popular with Vancouver stunt kiters.
S

Vanier Park is home to Ray Bethell . + many other friendly and talented flyers.

http://www.raybethell.com/

He isn't too fond of us buggy nuts. He is quite right ! The park is awfully small. It is THEIR park so I try to fit in with minimum disturbance or go home.

Snowbird, you need to drag a lawn roller behind your buggy to flatten the ruts from when they took down the Children's Festival tent last spring. Then maybe we can buggy at the bottom end.

We fly on the beaches of Jekyll Island, Georgia, located about half way between Jacksonville, Florida and Savannah.

http://www.jekyllisland.com/

Jekyll is state-owned and administered and the beaches are public, with easy access, parking and facilities. The Jekyll Island Authority has fully embraced the kiting community, both land and water. I have frequently been able to "chase" the Georgia Highway Patrol truck on the beach in my buggy and they get a kick out of it.

There are about a half-dozen local regular hard core kiteboarders, a local PASA school, and a bunch of regulars visiting often from Atlanta (5 hrs away) and north Florida. We have a small but growing group of land kiters.

We have adopted the section of beach in front of Bleackbeard's Seafood Restaurant as "Kite Beach" and self-police for safety. There is a large beach with hard-pack at low tide and a sand-bar that makes learning kiteboarding easier.

The beach is oriented north-south or more NNE-SSE and the prevailing winds from the High-pressure systems sitting off the Carolinas that bring the breeze in from the northeast or east. In Spring and Summer when the island heats up, the sea-breeze effect brings the wind right off the water.

Crowds are not huge and during the (still warm enough) winter, there are few people on the beach, leaving it open for long runs in the bug (over 4 miles each way). Even in the summer with tourists, Kite Beach is usually clear, leaving a couple of football fields of space at low tide.

More photos of the beach can be seen here...
http://www.coastalwindsports.com/HQDemoDayJekyll07.html

Come join us!