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SHBKF

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Everything posted by SHBKF

  1. SHBKF
    KiteLife magazine's "Flying with Intent" really helped me when I read it a few years ago. At that point in time I was struggling to just trying keep the kites in the air. While I still remain a flailer at heart, it helped me along the path & encouraged me to make real progress. When I applied intent it gave me some direction that was missing from my prior efforts. I need to go read it again. Many Thanks, SHBKF http://kitelife.com/kl-archive/flying-with-intent/
  2. SHBKF
    Thanks for the blog system John. "Notes from the field" is my first attempt at a blog. Some of the appeal to me is that I don't have to start a topic or ask a question nor do I wind up hi-jacking someone's existing topic. It allows me to ramble on, post pictures, tell a story & so on I also do not have to be concerned about killing a thread for which I seem to have a special knack of doing. So if you visit it just realize I am indulging myself a bit. SHBKF P.S. All the blogs have great names IMHO.
  3. SHBKF

    Kites in the trunk

    SHBKF commented on SHBKF's blog entry in Notes from the field

    Manufacturer’s specifications Tube tail, 75’ x 2-1/2” diameter, color - black & white with yellow tip Bora 7, 49” x 36” with 200” tail, color - Blaze, line 300’ x 80#, wind range 6-25 mph Quantum, 84” tip to tip, color - Ice, lines 85’ x 150#, wind range 3-25 mph Zephyr, 92-1/2” tip to tip, color - Inferno, lines 100’ x 90#, wind range 1-17 mph 4D, 58” tip to tip, color - blue, lines 50’ x 50#, wind range 0-15 mph Micron, 39” tip to tip, color - red, lines 50’ x 50#, wind range 5-25 mph Zero G, 42” x 47”, color - Flame, line 100’ x 30#, wind range 0-15 mph
  4. SHBKF

    Kites in the trunk

    SHBKF commented on SHBKF's blog entry in Notes from the field

    Added image of assembled kites to original post.
  5. SHBKF
    trunk kites assembled

    From the album: SHBKF

    Here they are assembled & laid out. The 75' tube tail is hard to see. The Flip kite looks over them. It's the one that got me flying again. http://kitelife.com/forum/blogs/entry/19-kites-in-the-trunk/
  6. SHBKF
    Other fliers talk about their “A bag, B bag, Rev roll up bag, single line bag” and so on. This is what’s usually in the trunk of my car. The Cruze is a fairly small car with a trunk you’d expect. If you want to carry large dualies with the leading edge tubes together you have to lower the rear seat back to let them poke through. So you can see I have the Quantum & the Zephyr broken down. The 4D is in a 3D case that allows full length storage. You would also notice I like Prism kites. Four of these kites were among the first kites I bought three years ago. The 75’ tube tail, the Quantum & the Bora 7 are fairly recent. With this selection of kites I can fly just about any wind & mood I might encounter. Sometimes the Revolution Roll-up bag is in the trunk & it fits nicely but that’s another topic. These are the kites that are always with me & they may be enough. I would not be unhappy if they were the only ones I had. For a while they were my main kites. But it is still a substantial investment as this collection of kites cost almost exactly eight hundred dollars. So my “A bag” consists of fancier kites but these are always ready, just in case. SHBKF (specifications in comments below)
  7. SHBKF

    Just enough kites

    SHBKF posted a gallery image in Member's Galleries

    Just enough kites

    From the album: SHBKF

    These are the kites that usually stay in the trunk of the car. http://kitelife.com/forum/blogs/entry/19-kites-in-the-trunk/
  8. SHBKF
    Joyful news for all of us! My most sincere congratulations to both of you, Takako & John. Ralph Davis (I believe this is the video the image originated from. Great stuff to watch with a new perspective.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RThm_pIKQWU
  9. SHBKF
    Next time you head out, after you fly around a bit, fly straight up to the top of the window over your head & just keep on going until the kite is behind you. The kite will be flat, parallel to the ground gliding on it's own lift. The upper leading edge has a curl in it to give it the airfoil shape of a typical airplane wing. Go far enough to get uncomfortable about it. When the lines get tension on them again give one of your top lines a little pop to spin the kite around & let it glide back downwind. Or you can sort of guide it around the "back window" to the side a bit to the same effect. If you get it too sideways it will fall out of the sky, you'll see. Just get it headed back down wind somehow. The lines will go slack as the kite passes back over or by your position. The kite is gliding like the big wing it is. It will keep gliding slowly losing altitude. It's kind of like a toss launch. It will eventually get to the end of the lines, pop back into flying position & zoom off again. If you like this little bit of special fun It is even more dramatic with the PB 4-8. You'll have to get one of those too. SHBKF
  10. SHBKF
    A great testimony. You've come along a wonderful path growing all the way. The change in perception is life changing. Sharing it is magnificent. I am right behind you. SHBKF
  11. SHBKF
    Looking west toward downtown Portland
    Impressive image, almost makes me want to buy a new phone.....naw. SHBKF
  12. SHBKF
    Blowout in the right engine!
    Somehow I would be proud of that & figure I had braggin' rights.
  13. SHBKF
    At least I'm not the only one haulin tail with Lam's kites.....
  14. SHBKF
    I have flown dualies on five meter lines quite extensively. The very small window is fun with five foot wide kites but the eight footers barely have enough room to make a sweeping turn. Your personal wind shadow is a factor also. Some power kites are flown off the bridle lines for urban mayhem. I'll stick with the thirty foot quad lines for now. SHBKF
  15. SHBKF
    I am not at the level of skill to fly over humans but I have picked on a few dog critters. Of course I have always tried to soar with the birds. SHBKF
  16. SHBKF
    Glad to see another KiteLife blogger. You certainly have a beautiful place to fly. Makes me want to visit Sydney. I really enjoy seeing the kites in the background too. I have just recently made my first attempts at one handed flyin & seeing your grip of the handles is helpful. I need to go equalize my lines to make sure they are spot on. Chance of snow here today but the kite dungeon is long enough to tune the thirty footers. SHBKF
  17. SHBKF
    The KiteLife mobile makes a great kickstand
    Kind of like this image taken at my nearby flight field. Had to wait for the wind to let up to get it off the Cruze.
  18. SHBKF
    Short lines, a bit of wind, just enough light & adventure is open to inspired flight. I especially like your comment on the changing winds. It used to frustrate me but now I embrace the challenge. I haven't gone any shorter than a 30 foot line set but 20's are on the horizon. Some of my best, or maybe most enjoyable, sessions have been at night. Great pictures. Your custom car tag is so cool. SHBKF
  19. SHBKF

    Headin' out

    SHBKF posted a blog entry in Notes from the field

    The leaves are gone now. As I gaze out the bay window, looking for wind in the hollow, I see the tops of the tall white pines gently waving, calling. Down to the dungeon I go, pondering which kites to select this day. Some days I only take one type of kite like maybe just foils. Other days I select to sort of force myself to fly something that has challenged me previously. Plenty of times I will just take one or two of my latest favorites. Additionally there are also at least five kites living in the kite cart which would be enough to cover all local winds anyway. In three hours I will generally fly three different kites. Wind changes come as often as my whims so it is unusual for me to fly only one. If I would concentrate on just one wing I would probably make more progress. Five miles away there is a large open area of a stalled housing development. Mowed a couple times a year it works for me. Hop in the Cruze, turn on the jump drive tunes & listen to Tom Petty sing about Melinda as I get going. Approaching the field I see a flag gently rustling on it’s pole & I begin to smile….SHBKF
  20. SHBKF
    Wow! That is some flyin'! A few years ago I would not have even been able to figure out what was going on. Some of the flight path is pretty subtle. The side views show that wing flapping that others have mentioned after watching me casually. But my flapping is barely starting to occur. A video like this can feed me for a long time. Dang, where's my kite? Time to head out & get down. SHBKF
  21. SHBKF
    G0065431-1450306988476-high-1.jpg
    Once in a while a perfect shot shows up. I love it. I would call it "Golden Calm". Your friend in flight, SHBKF
  22. SHBKF
    I can't fly like Rob but I do have a Sea Devil Light & it has been a kite I have connected with. Mine is black & looks like a raven flapping it's wings when I manage the correct little pop & accidentally get the slack right. My thanks to Rob for letting me know it was a kite I might want to acquire. Pay attention. There are major clues given daily in KiteLife. See you in chat, SHBKF
  23. SHBKF

    Solus EC UL

    SHBKF posted a gallery image in Member's Galleries

    Solus EC UL

    From the album: SHBKF

    The Solus is a big kite. Thought the tree might show the special Prismatex panels. You should see it in the sun.
  24. SHBKF
    Sounds like the same path many of us have been down. I really enjoy hearing of kite flying re-awakenings. I feel your joy & enthusiasm all the way across the ocean. Keep going, it's gets even better. Best wishes, SHBKF
  25. SHBKF
    I agree with John, you should do a blog. Your topic is already pretty long with you as the most frequent poster. I feel you would get more views & it would leave more room for comments on each entry. Sometimes by the time I view a particular video you have already posted several more & the one I might have commented on is a few posts back. If you did the blog format I could still comment right on that particular blog entry. And by the way, you're videos have given me inspiration & ideas for the days that I get to fly Revolution Sportwings. Just out here in the woods, SHBKF
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