The Kite Shoppe

And when there is absolutely NO wind...the next best thing is 'Sticks'!

Sooooooooooooo.......John & Dave..........how was the fly yesterday at Delta Park? Any pictures with your new kites? T

Question.....any suggestions for where to stay in LC during the March 23 to 26 Indoor Event at Taft High School? Thanks! Theresa

Just received from Ron: Theresa

Just received this announcement from Ron: Theresa

SWWKA President Jim, Sec/Treas Scott and I got the calendar figured out, printed, and with donations collected throughout 2004, sent a check off to AKA for the Club's sanctioned scheduled events for 2005. Basically, until one of us figures out how to post the dates on the AKA calendar....sorry Dave, it's probably simple, but I'm techie impaired sometimes.....Basically.....you will find us flying every Sunday of the month at Delta Park, with the 3rd Sunday of every month, at Frenchman's Bar. May through October, we add Tuesday afternoon's at Frenchman's, for those who just can't make Sunday's....or....for those of us who just can't get enough flying! The reason I said basically....is becuase if there is a festival, comp, or event going on somewhere.....some from the club may be attending those events....... This is an open invitation for any and all to come on out and fly! Theresa

John, Thank you for the great job you did in sharing the experience we had at the Trade Show (and our little side adventures too!) You left out The Fremont Experience Saturday night! There was so much to see and do. Scott and I visited with about a 3rd of the booth vendors, if that, and I know you made attempts to get to all the kite manufacturers represented. Retailers weren't allowed on the Trade floor till Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday morning's demo fly was severely limited due to low wind. Two that we'd hoped to see in the parking lot were Prism and HQ....either I missed seeing them out there with us....or..... That left Thursday afternoon, and Friday morning, to make the rounds, before booth tear down at 1pm. All in all, you scrambled trying to get time with as many as you could! Good job! I came away a bit disillusioned. But that's OK. It's good to see all sides, listen and hear what others are doing, and what works for them. We don't sell toys, we sell kites. This works for us, but then again, we're not in a high traffic tourist beach location, our customers come to us...for kites. We love kites, as you well know, and share our passion on the field, in the parks, at the beach....and in our Shoppe. We plan to continue to focus, promote, expand, contribute, in any small way that we can, to kiting. We support AKA, KTAI and Kitelife as they reach out and touch the kiting community. The flyers are the core of our industry! Without them, there would be no need for kite stores. To that end, it is only sensible, to succeed in the retail business we are in, to support, encourage and promote more kiting around our communities. Go out and fly! Join us for Fun Flys! Share a kite with someone watching! Share the joy! The fun! The thrill! Young or old....doesn't matter. Yeah...Got Milk? It may be our inside joke, but.....Got Kites? Thanks again John! See you on the field Sunday....Flying! All are welcome! Come on out and play! Theresa

Yes! More Subscribers!! Let's all pitch in and contribute! John's doing all the work, to bring us priceless history, available to be viewed by everyone. Support this heart filled endeavor by showing your support! Let's see more Subscriber # tags on everyone's posts! Theresa

Scott, Thanks for the info! We've recieved serveral invites to attend, and we sure wish we could be there! Good job on putting together the event. Looking forward to seeing lots of pictures and reports on the event. Unfortunately, we'll still be at Primm, at the trade show, and won't be able to make it. Wishful thinking here...that next year, it could be held the following weekend???? Have Fun! Theresa

Yea!!! Maybe you'll get a buggy ride afterall! T

Thanks!!! T

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......don't say that 'S' word!!!! T

Exactly, Jay. Sometimes there is so much pre-production chat about a kite...and then very little about a kite after it's released. Especially if you look at something like the STX series, for one example, and the tons of follow up interest and chatter on them. If there's a New Tech kite out there that is sparking your interest, have no worries, Chris has assured us he will do everything possible to get it to us! We would be more than happy to stock all the New Tech kites that our customers ask for! As to more info on the pilot writing a review, make sure you tell us a bit about yourself, your flying style, where you fly etc....when you get around to writing one for the new Skyburner Delta Drive.... Theresa

Just took a peek there.... I see us, TKS Mid Air, and the Argentina Team: http://www.kites.org/elfabulosoteam/ Where'd TKO go? Theresa

Ok...I'm lost again....somebody help! I'm sure I read somewhere, that there'll be buggying going on in the desert, January 16th. Anybody out there have any info on this? After the 2003 KTAI in Primm, it was scheduled for that weekend, but my flight was leaving that day, so missed it. Thanks! Theresa

Congratulations John! Now you really have your work cut out for you! Although, I know...this is not really work at all for you, but a labor of Love and Sharing, that we oh so much appreciate!! Now...let's hope for that subscriber base to climb in 2005! As well as the hosting plans that you can provide to all who are interested. Kind of like, let's keep it in the family, the kiting community, and work together to grow Kitelife.com and spread the word!! Kiters...do you all realize what John does here? Support and contribute to this passion we are all addicted to!!!! Happy New Year!!! Theresa

Seems like forever, since we flew! And it was just 2 Sundays ago! Time to fly! See you all tomorrow! Theresa ps...dress warm.......

Happy New Year! Actually the winter flying isn't too bad. There was a rough team practice a couple weeks ago in the high winds, but the Saturday before was absolutely perfect. I got some serious flying done on some serious kites. I even got to fly some new kites last week that aren't even out yet in the Genesis and the Delta drive. The New Year looks promising. Scott

Llama Guy... point taken Mario... You are more than welcome at our forum but bring constructive criticism and valid points. What you started on this forum with your post is exactly where GWTW goes bad. As far as New Tech goes... Nobody wants em... First we can't get them, then when we do, we can't give em away. We have had a Dynamite on sale at 50% off for almost two years which is below wholesale cost by quite a bit. It's so old now, we're gonna end up scavaging the rods. It's not worth the effort to build a page for them. Like I said nobody has ever even inquired. And you still don't get it... It's not about the kites... It's about the attitude and the community... I commend and applaud your efforts on a website to generate a kiting community, that's what kiting needs, and if you were doing it right we would link your website. But you are generating the haters, you don't have an open mind and can't accept criticism on one of your favorite kites. With that attitude there is no purpose for what mad kiters is trying to do, or even exist... and to a certain degree, no matter how good your intentions are, it's hurting the sport and the community. There is nothing wrong with being loyal to a manufacturer, I'm loyal to a couple but I'm not gonna follow the detractors around and tell them how wrong they are. "Fly what you like and like what you fly", leave everyone else to figure out what they like. Express your opinion and suggestions, but don't get so torqued out of shape when the majority doesn't agree with you because it's different for every person. I don't even tell people what my favorite kite is anymore for two reasons. One... I don't want their opinion, and two... I might change my mind tomorrow. I am not a hater, and I don't mean to be harsh, but the community is small enough that people like you can make a difference, and as high and mighty as your website claims you can be, you can do more damage than good. I don't mean to preach... and I am not the utmost authority... Just tired of seeing it done badly... and with the effort and energy you seem to have towards the sport, I know you can do it better. Happy New Year Scott

Well since we are all getting to spout opinions here, then I guess it's my turn... First off Mario... Why is it that you are bringing up an issue that has been long hashed out in other places and in other forums? Your issues and questions have been answered multiple times with every opinion possible in the kiting world. If you are at GWTW how did you miss it? Second... In my opinion, everyone has their own opinion... I very much dislike a kite that is the rage of the rest of the world, why? Because I don't like the way it flies, and I don't want to like it... Does that keep it from being everyone else's favorite and kicking my behind everytime I fly against it in comps?... Nope, ya know why? Because it's not the kite that makes the flyer, I have seen people's clocks cleaned by a punk kid and an E2 of all things. Just because I don't like it doesn' mean I don't respect it. Third... I have read the review and it was pretty straight up and fair and it's your opinion that there is something between the lines because you have a kite that nobody else really seems to like. I understand that feeling, I've been there but it's not your place to decide what's between the lines or put anybody at fault but yourself. You need to accept the absolute fact that the kite was designed to be an entry to mid level freestyle flyer that is intended to go head to head with the popular E2 and appeal to the masses of casual flyers, and will never live up to the scrutiny of the very experienced flyers that end up reading the reviews and the opinions voiced in these forums. The fact of the matter is The Kite Shoppe has sold exactly zero and we have had exactly zero inquiries or requests for it. That's nothing against Dodd, New Tech or the Bang itself, but there is no opinion, or reading between the lines in exactly zero. If you think the Bang is all that and a bag of chips, by all means revell in your accomplishments, when it kicks my behind where it counts on the field, I might be right behind you, I doubt very much that will happen, but you never know, you or your buddy just might do it. Lastly... I have seen your site and the kites you review, which gives me a frame of reference on where you're at, and in all honesty, I respect Brent's opinion more than yours. You need to live by the words prefaced on your front page because you're not even close to livin it. You ask for the truth, (which Brent did in his opinion), and when you actually get it, you can't swallow it. If you spout the ability to accomplish the goals that you think you can, you need to learn some lessons about diplomacy, grammer, respect and how to accept opinions, pro or con, because you're not going to get honesty with the way you're doing it now. Your New Years resolution should be to do something good for the kite world... Earn some respect (as Brent has), and learn to express your opinions the best way you possibly can. But... That's just my opinion. Scott

Hurray! Just saw the AKA vid up in the subscriber area! 11 minutes and 34 seconds and over 20,000 frames!! If you haven't aleady become a subscriber, now's a good time! Check it out!

Thanks Penny! Looking forward to it! Oooops, Sorry I didn't add Maggie's link earlier! Thanks John! Got some pics of 4 pretty Shivas in the air today...before the downpour!

Looks like it will be on Tuesday evening, in the Primm Valley Hotel, so must be where the banquet area is? And not over at Buffalo Bill's where the Trade show is held in the arena. My suggestin of who to ask...would be Maggie. Maggie knows Everything! Theresa

Two Things. The placement of the bridle, too high or too low. Second, add a tail to hold the bottom down. Scott

Yeah... somethings wrong, that's the perfect wind range for the Quantum. Do what Dorsal says.