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A few of us DC Misfits got our hands on a custom Djinn this weekend. Per usual the wind was, well, non existent. And per usual, these guys make it look easy.

That's one of those videos that if you're feeling a little grumpy will put a smile on your face.

Wow... it took me YEARS to learn the 1/2 Axel. I'm not sure still if I'm even doing it right. Forget about the Slot and the Taz, I've only done those by accident. Maybe. I've never flown with an 'instructor' (not true, I've flown with some very well respected fliers, but never for instruction, just fun), so I am just imitating what I see on uToob. Glad to hear that stuff is 'clicking' for you !

I recognize a few kites there.. The misfits look familiar too.

Yesterday winds were a bit on the rollercoaster.8 to maybe 10 then 1 to 2. Stayed on the Zephyr for a few hours. Kite can get irritating to me cause it doesn't fly like anything else I got.Then I remember fly it like it wants to fly not like I think I want to and the good times return. Didn't do any slots and only did a few cascade starts.Taz is coming along and got some nice ones mostly left side. It's usually right so go figure. For me the purpose flying wasn't so bad for once. Get a little irked and do something else for a bit. Like the dreaded side slide. A year in and no matter the kite 1/2 the time not sure how I pull one off. Such a seemingly easy trick and it feels so cool on the lines. Lifetime to master? Yeah I think so. The virtual contest this year has a prize for longest steady side slide. Master fliers will be entering so that's kind of a tell on that trick.Practiced the KT all over the window. In low wind the 1 hand pop worked okay. 8 center window not so much. A lot harder to stall the kite and get the slack for me. Thinking about what the other 2 guys were showing me. Think I'm just developing a pretty different style. When 1st warming up I was catching the wing tips pretty often. 1 or 2 wraps don't bother me so much anymore. If up high turn the 1 wrap into a insane and have fun. On the ground I can do some work and often get a 2 wrap undone. Few flips, tip stands and such. Guy commented about how I was catching the tips and tried to help. Not one to turn away from advice even if I don't use it. Might come in handy later. Both fliers push forward on upper wing as kite flattens pop the kite into rotation move forward then power the kite up moving backwards. As they hard pop the kite into rotation the hand they're using comes across the chest with lots of slack in the other. Great for a cascade but seems awkward to me for a Taz, Slot,Rixel or to flip the kite. Both fly with hands holding the loop(Dodd Gross). Said they thought if I flew that way I'd have more control. Uh absolutely no. Started that way so I could let go and maybe save a broken part. At 15 mph gets real hard on my hands. Someone said don't worry about hand position. Person will gravitate towards what works for them and no one is wrong.Pretty soon I was flying with a wrist wrap and gripping the handle. Now I fly wrist wrapped with forefinger extended(Chris Goff). Can control most moves with my wrists or finger using my arms for slack more often then control.Sometimes in high winds (20+)I find myself with 2 fingers extended without thought.If one thinks the loop gives more control fly a Micron in 15 mph. I can't.The higher the wind goes the faster I need to react and that takes as little movement as I can get away with.Above 10 mph the loop grip doesn't work for me so I never use it anymore.My favorite straps are becoming Peter Lynn branded made in Jamaica with a metal ring.Got 2 pair black and yellow cause Riff was building the Hive. Add in the colorizer thing and black and yellow was kinda stuck in my brain.Flew in 40 mph with them and a pair of jersey gloves with no discomfort.Got a pair of the thick padded Lynn straps but they are a little awkward. I find my fore finger at times inside the ring. Again without much thought. Before they showed me they're way I could never KT in low winds. Needed 4 at least. Was pretty amazed at how effortless they made the trick look in 1mph. Will keep practicing at the edge on the 1 hand to see where I go with it. Elsewhere in the window I gotta do the 2 hand.