Come on out, don't be couch-potato-head.
'Spark
p.s. I just came in from an hour of snow-flurry-kiting. T-shirt weather, as long as you keep moving ... It was major fun.
Smithsburg on Sunday
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Smithsburg on Sunday
I'm planning to do some high-wind glider ground (or should I say) snow-handling practice at the 'Burg tomorrow. Maybe some traction kiting too
Come on out, don't be couch-potato-head.
'Spark
p.s. I just came in from an hour of snow-flurry-kiting. T-shirt weather, as long as you keep moving ... It was major fun.
Come on out, don't be couch-potato-head.
'Spark
p.s. I just came in from an hour of snow-flurry-kiting. T-shirt weather, as long as you keep moving ... It was major fun.
Many thanks to Mark for untangling the website and forum mess! You never know how much you value a thing until it is gone ...
So last Sunday I went to Smithsburg and enjoyed the fresh snow. I was joined by Shawn Ray and Eddie Miller. The snow was between 4 to 8 inches deep and the wind was between 10 and 20 with some higher gusts.
Anyway, I had this hare-brained idea that I could 'kite-surf' on the snow using my skis and a smaller paraglider. I wouldn't call my efforts a complete success, but it was fun, and very interesting. Unfortunately, I didn't bring a camera.
I was able to get a few good 'rides' in by dipping my PG crosswind and jetting across the hill. I'm a decent skier (40 years), but this was wayyy tooo alien. I fell a few times (surprise) and found that (although, achievable), it was pretty difficult to 'kite myself' back into a standing position. After my knees started really complaining, I removed the skis and proceeded to kite and practice 'body drags' in the snow.
This may sound a bit bizarre, but it was actually a bunch of fun, laying there on my back, kiting the wing and letting it drag me around. It was too gusty for me to risk flying, so I stayed with a smaller wing and kited for a couple of hours.
Shawn made a few flights in his Pulse, and Eddie flew RC.
I was sore and tired for a couple of days after that.
I'm heading to Quest with Gene this afternoon. I'll be doing the 'scooter tow thing' I hope y'all have some good flying weather over the long weekend.
'Spark
So last Sunday I went to Smithsburg and enjoyed the fresh snow. I was joined by Shawn Ray and Eddie Miller. The snow was between 4 to 8 inches deep and the wind was between 10 and 20 with some higher gusts.
Anyway, I had this hare-brained idea that I could 'kite-surf' on the snow using my skis and a smaller paraglider. I wouldn't call my efforts a complete success, but it was fun, and very interesting. Unfortunately, I didn't bring a camera.
I was able to get a few good 'rides' in by dipping my PG crosswind and jetting across the hill. I'm a decent skier (40 years), but this was wayyy tooo alien. I fell a few times (surprise) and found that (although, achievable), it was pretty difficult to 'kite myself' back into a standing position. After my knees started really complaining, I removed the skis and proceeded to kite and practice 'body drags' in the snow.
This may sound a bit bizarre, but it was actually a bunch of fun, laying there on my back, kiting the wing and letting it drag me around. It was too gusty for me to risk flying, so I stayed with a smaller wing and kited for a couple of hours.
Shawn made a few flights in his Pulse, and Eddie flew RC.
I was sore and tired for a couple of days after that.
I'm heading to Quest with Gene this afternoon. I'll be doing the 'scooter tow thing' I hope y'all have some good flying weather over the long weekend.
'Spark