14 replies to this topic

[Guru4tru]

[attachment=1995:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 283.jpg]OK…YES!!

My wife and I made it to the “7th Annual Kitty Hawk Beach Kite Festival” this last weekend. It was a 10 hour drive, one way, for us...and because of some physical difficulties I have, the trip required that I “pop” some muscle relaxants, (to keep the cramps away), and ingest some energy drinks, just to make sure that…“someone was driving the bus!!” so to speak! (No…I don’t get paid for this add, but the stuff works great! (especially when driving...& it might save a life or two...and that's equivalent to: "more kite time"...heehee!) http://www.drugstore...877?brand=48148

BUT...Was the trip “really” worth all miles and all our sufferings and the money, too??

Yes!!...”Absolutely!" And I’ll tell you why it was “Sooooo Great!”

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Now I know that most of you, including myself, suffer from some form of "ADD" (Attention Deficit Disorder) So, I will start with the bottom line and those that are “able” can then continue on to the finer aspects of the “Kitty Hawk Kite Festival”, (if they so desire and as they are capable!) heehee!!
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As it has been said: “Every person gets 15 minutes of "Fame" during their life!”...(a saying that was attributed to Andy Warhol)..certainly held true this last weekend with respects to “me!” After 62+ years on planet earth… I finally got my 15+ minutes of fame!! And who could have ever imagined that it would have been because I fly kites!! That’s funny…but...GREAT!! heehee!!

Check it out---I’m the guy with the white hat!! I glanced over to my wife at one point and a guy was talking to her…and then she called me over to introduce me to him...and he said…”I know you...I saw you on TV last night!! heehee!!...What a BLAST!! I was on TV?!?!



http://www.wjhg.com/..._119125539.html

http://nwfdailynews....ms=0&thisPage=5


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And for those of you that can continue on with this post…. I suppose the best way to tackle this post would be to take things in order “time wise” as they happened…..And those that can…hang in there, because I don’t think you will find it boring! heehee!
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We, my wife and I, got to Destin, Florida late in the afternoon on Friday and went to eat dinner before we went to “Okaloosa Island”; and because the “Destin--Kitty Hawk Kite Shop” was in that area we decided to check out the places to eat around there. Kitty Hawk has their kite shop in a place with a marina and a really cool shopping area called “The Harbor Walk”. Let me mention that this: “Where to eat dinner”...“thing”...wasn’t an easy task…there are “SO” many great places to eat in that area that it’s totally impossible to even give any type of recommendations as to where to go or what to eat, with our only having a one weekend of experiences there. I will say that “I love seafood” and I don’t know of anyplace, at any price, that has better seafood food, then this last weekend!

So we had dinner on the “Harbor Walk”…where I had a “Bucket” of steamed crabs and shrimp and clams and lobster…with melted butter and all!! Yeah…once in a while…”Life seems to be really Good!!” heehee! (I can’t mention the name of the place, because there are so many other great places “yet” for us to eat at, that I can’t recommend one over the other in one weekend…but the food was totally great!!

Then after a great meal I decided to check out this Destin Florida’s “Kitty Hawk Kite Shop” to see what they are all about. And…WOW! This experience was certainly the right desert after a great meal! There is nothing I love more then the “High” I get when I walk into a “good” kite shop and see all the kites on display and hanging from the ceiling and walls and all the different colors filling the entire place. It is the best kite shop that I have ever been in. The largest part of what I think made this kite shop so great and beyond any of the past experiences I’ve ever had was meeting with Diane and Cathy (the manager)…Kitting doesn’t exist on its own…it takes kind, loving and happy people...and also, “with kiting knowhow too”, to make it happen; and Diane and Cathy are extraordinary in this capacity!! It was truly my honor and pleasure for us meet both of them.[attachment=1970:OkaloosaIsland 041.jpg] [attachment=1971:OkaloosaIsland 042.jpg]
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The next morning, Saturday, Rhonda and I headed for Okaloosa Island to the “Kitty Hawk Kite Festival” area. We got there early so I could “maybe” figure what’s going on and where I might be able to set up my stuff, so I’d be out of the way, so I wouldn’t be interfering with anything. I unloaded all my stuff on my cart that I made and headed up the boardwalk toward the beach. We got to the top of the boardwalk and as it declines toward the Gulf…I could see the sand, water and the beach area ahead of me. [attachment=1974:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 081.jpg]

Now this is the “Biggie”!! As I came into sight on the ocean (Gulf) side of things, I looked out into the distance and no one was there except some people, way off in the distance, driving stakes into the sand with orange tape around them to mark off the flying areas. And one of the guys in the group started waved "toward" me!! [attachment=1972:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 064.jpg]Yeah...Yeah...”Waving 'Toward' Me” is different then waving at me...heehee!….I’ve been here before...and I’m not about to make a fool out of myself “again” if I can help it, by waving back...who would ever be happy to see me anyway...I'm a nobody?!?! heehee!....But, he “happily” waved at me again...so...I looked behind me to see who he was actually waving at...and...no one was there...”Damn, I think he is actually waving at me!!" heehee! And he was..."someone" who was actually happy to see me...and I’m a Nobody!! heehee!! I waved back and then I moved closer and I now recognized the person to be Martin Blais...a wonderful person that I flew beside at Treasure Island’s Sports Kite Competition (TISKC). Such a “Joy” to me...I can forget about the 15 minutes of personal fame (although I love it), but it doesn’t compare with the experience of someone actually happy...just to see you again!!
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Now this might sound a bit stranger for any of you that might not know me, but as "I’m" told sometimes, “You’re not playing with a full deck, Duane!”…but more often then that "I’m" told, “Your playing with a “TOO” full deck!”…Whatever the case may be...I actually didn’t know that there was another “Kitty Hawk Kite Shop” right here at the site of the Kite Festival, I thought it was actually just a sort of thing (PR) for this event! Anyway, after I checked things out...Yes!...there are 2 “Kitty Hawk Kite Shops” within about a 20 to 25 minute drive of each other…right here!! Hell!! I’m living on the east coast of Florida where, to the best of my knowledge, there are no kite shops near Palm Beach...and "these people" up in the "Pan Handle" of Florida get "2" shops almost right beside each other!?!? Well...so much for my opinion about the injustices in this World!! heehee!!
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So I checked out "this other"===“Kitty Hawk Kite Shop”===And, although I was totally impressed with the "Destin" Kitty Hawk Kite Shop...This shop was even slightly more impressive...now my feelings might be a bit slanted because "over here", where the festival is being held...is simply a better location to fly at! heehee!

But, I was able to meet with Mark (the marketing manager, who was out in the field driving stakes when I met him! heehee!)[attachment=1996:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 029.jpg] and Petra (who is the manager of the operations at Okaloosa Island)[attachment=1997:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 035.jpg][attachment=1973:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 034.jpg]...and although I was totally impressed with the Destin Kite Shop operation...this shop was really, really great! BUT...I still don’t know "WHY" the Florida Panhandle gets such great "kitting attention"...and us on the "East Coast" have little or nothing; and no where to go to...when it comes to Kiting!! heehee!

So, for any of you (non-ADD people) that have been able to get this far in this post...here are some pictures…and maybe some videos...(that presently don't seem to be working out well...heehee!) of the “7th Kitty Hawk Kite Festival”…taken by my personal photographer, and wife, Rhonda! heehee!!

[attachment=1975:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 110.jpg][attachment=1976:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 103.jpg][attachment=1977:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 111.jpg][attachment=1978:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 171.jpg][attachment=1979:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 177.jpg][attachment=1980:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 287.jpg][attachment=1981:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 288.jpg][attachment=1982:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 231.jpg][attachment=1983:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 230.jpg][attachment=1984:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 232.jpg][attachment=1985:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 289.jpg][attachment=1986:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 197.jpg][attachment=1986:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 197.jpg][attachment=1987:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 187.jpg][attachment=1988:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 064.jpg][attachment=1989:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 188.jpg]][attachment=1990:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 190.jpg][attachment=1991:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 181.jpg][attachment=1992:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 286.jpg][attachment=1994:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 275.jpg][attachment=1993:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 185.jpg][attachment=1995:OkaloosaIslandKiteFest 283.jpg]

Keep It Up!
Duane

[John Barresi]

Looks like good clean fun.

[--Pete]

Nice pics! Nothing like a sky full of 'line-laundry' to brighten up the day. Thanks, Duane.

[stroke survivor]

Hey, I see sunshine in those pics!!! Might remember what it looks like, considering all the rain we've had here!! Looks like a beautiful time there, hope you enjoyed it!! Nice pics too!!!

[Jynx]

Duane ~ Great look at what appears to be a WINDerFULL event!

[Guru4tru]

Jynx, on 05 April 2011 - 12:50 PM, said:

Duane ~ Great look at what appears to be a WINDerFULL event!

Yeah!! It was really great weather and a whole lot of people!! Lots and lots of people!

I suppose many of them may have never seen a Rev. before because, even though I'm no expert with the Rev., many of them were applauding me...and when I made the Rev. walk...they started laughing and clapping and cheering!! BOY!! Did I eat that up!!! heehee!!

Keep It Up!
Duane

[Guru4tru]

OK...I think I have some videos. Now, we are new to this video stuff so...bear with me! heehee!
These were taken before the crowd arrived and I really got to show off!! heehee!!

This is Lucy (in the sky with diamonds) & Sundancer


http://www.youtube.c...u/2/KJQLRaM0YDI

This one you have to turn your head 90' to the right!! heeheehee!!

http://www.youtube.c...u/1/9K3GsG-lSv4

Elvira with tails!

http://www.youtube.c...u/0/R3rJ8hRZNgE

Keep It Up!
Duane

[stroke survivor]

Nice work, Duane!!! Looking good!!!

[John Barresi]

Damn, wish I'd been there... Looks beautiful.

[Guru4tru]

Thanks!! I wish y'all were there too! Maybe next year!!

I was so busy flying that I never got to go down to the other section where they were giving flight instructions, so I don't know if they were flyings any Revs. or not down there. There was one other Rev. flyer where I was at...Chuck from Chattanooga, Tenn. We played follow the leader for awhile and we learned, as we unraveled the lines, that we both need more experience flying with others!! heehee!! But, it was really fun!

And thanks John for setting up the videos properly in the above post! I think the video that you have to turn your head to the right 90' is representative of our filming expertise!! heehee!!

I probably shouldn't mention this, but it was funny. Yellow Octopus Mike asked if he could fly my Rev. I said, "Sure! I need a break (and a beer! heehee!)" When I got up to my canopy, I turned around, and he had wrapped the Rev. around his Yellow Octopus and everything had to be grounded to sort things out!! heehee! All I could say after that was, "Damn, I sure am glad "I" didn't do that!! heehee! He's a really fun person too!
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EDIT:
One thing I'm going to have to do at next festival I'm at is to make up some sort of "handouts" or "calling cards" with information about Revs. and my Gomberg Skyform60...or else...stand well away from the boarder of the taped off area, so people can't catch my attention. heehee!

Sooooo many people wanted to know all about what I was flying... especially the Revs. This was a bit difficult because I can't hear much, so I'd have to ground the Rev. and explain to each person that I'm mostly deaf and then rough it through a conversation with each of them. Sometimes when my wife or Martin were around they'd take over, but it was a bit uncomfortable. One thing for sure...there were an awful lot of people at this festival who wanted to know all about the Revs.! heehee!

Keep It Up!
Duane