Help!

[Grandpa]

Every open area in Idaho Falls has been taken by soccer players.

The weather has been bad... Heavy (for Idaho) rain, cold and wind advisories (35 plus mph) hardly good kite weather.

The Snake River Kiters decided to BBQ and fly tonight. The rain stopped... the ground dried up... the sun came out... the jackets came off... the field filled with soccer players and the wind died down to less than nothing.

Back in February we reserved the field for April 26th and the soccer players still took over... tripping on our lines and walking on our kites! Then on April 28th about 1,000 people of all ages showed up to tug lines at our Family Fun Fly.

Now I'm asking for signatures on a petition to set aside some land, that no one else wants, for kite flying, model airplanes, rockets, etc. but not at the same time. Hmmm... maybe we could have a new event... shooting down kites with rockets or ripping wings off RC airplanes with fighter kites or... this needs more thought

Back on topic... "Sign" the petition with name and town and I will add them to the paper signatures and take them to the Mayor to show public interest. Don't not sign because you are out of state or country... People who fly kites stay in motels, go out to eat, and shop at malls, the kind of stuff mayors like to hear.

Don't think I'm against soccer just because here it is not a family sport. Parents drop the kids and go shopping or eating or...

Thanks all

[Baloo]

GREAT idea Grandpa, if you think it is any help I will sign. Live a long way from you and dont have much trouble finding somewhere to fly as I work on a 5,000+ acre estate with a large open Deer Park in the middle. HOWEVER if I came to visit you I would sure need somwhere to stay, eat, shop, park and most importantly FLY.

So here is my sig, Chris Bartlett, Malvern, UK.

[Grandpa]

GREAT idea Grandpa, if you think it is any help I will sign. Live a long way from you and dont have much trouble finding somewhere to fly as I work on a 5,000+ acre estate with a large open Deer Park in the middle. HOWEVER if I came to visit you I would sure need somwhere to stay, eat, shop, park and most importantly FLY.

So here is my sig, Chris Bartlett, Malvern, UK.

Thanks Chris...

If you enter Sandy Downs, ID in google maps you will see the area east of the main race track. That spot is all sage brush and trash with a big sand dune in the middle. One of the construction companies has volunteered to clean it up for us.

Just west of the main track, in the green area, we had about 1,000 people flying and watching last month. The line laundry was in the infield and two of us were flying our Revs on the track... the only place with some elbow room.

If you decide to visit, give me a holler, and get travel directions from google! I like the 3,462 mile swim across the Atlantic.

Bill

[Grandpa]

By the way... I promise not to sign anyone up for junk mail or telemarketers

[ant man]

well im not from there but you have my support too my signature is

Anthony v Lauriello jr

let them know we have rights to our sport just like thay have rights to theirs too

and yes please no junkmail lol

[Baloo]

Now dont be silly Grandpa, I will be flying, not swimming across the pond. Kites FLY well MOST of the time anyway. Only a few folks like JB can make them swim.

[Grandpa]

well im not from there but you have my support too my signature is

Anthony v Lauriello jr

let them know we have rights to our sport just like thay have rights to theirs too

and yes please no junkmail lol

Thanks Ant... New tactic, maybe I'll send junk mail to those folks that don't sign my petition

[Grandpa]

Now dont be silly Grandpa, I will be flying, not swimming across the pond. Kites FLY well MOST of the time anyway. Only a few folks like JB can make them swim.

I met a guy in Seaside called the Wizard. He had long white hair and a long white beard. His clothes were made of kite sail ripstop in all the great colors. He rode the beach on a trike with kites tied to the handle bars and blew huge bubbles for the kids. We saw him there for years and then he was gone. A few years ago we went to Pinky's Kite Factory in Cannon Beach and I asked the old guy if he knew what happened to the Wizard. He told me the Wizard was gone. I asked what happened, wishing he went while doing what he loved, entertaining all on the beach. The old man stepped out from behind the counter... he was wearing kite sail shorts over his jeans... and said his wife made him get a job We drank coffee and listened to his stories. My favorite was about his traveling north up the coast of Oregon. He would take a snow saucer and a kite and ride the shuttle bus south to the end of the line. He took his stuff to the beach, setup his kite and got on his saucer and "fly" back to Cannon Beach... he got home before the bus got back

If you don't have snow saucers in the UK, I can send you one

I guess there's no difference between wind currents and water currents when you're a master!

[SKITCH]

Now dont be silly Grandpa, I will be flying, not swimming across the pond. Kites FLY well MOST of the time anyway. Only a few folks like JB can make them swim.

I met a guy in Seaside called the Wizard. He had long white hair and a long white beard. His clothes were made of kite sail ripstop in all the great colors. He rode the beach on a trike with kites tied to the handle bars and blew huge bubbles for the kids. We saw him there for years and then he was gone. A few years ago we went to Pinky's Kite Factory in Cannon Beach and I asked the old guy if he knew what happened to the Wizard. He told me the Wizard was gone. I asked what happened, wishing he went while doing what he loved, entertaining all on the beach. The old man stepped out from behind the counter... he was wearing kite sail shorts over his jeans... and said his wife made him get a job We drank coffee and listened to his stories. My favorite was about his traveling north up the coast of Oregon. He would take a snow saucer and a kite and ride the shuttle bus south to the end of the line. He took his stuff to the beach, setup his kite and got on his saucer and "fly" back to Cannon Beach... he got home before the bus got back

If you don't have snow saucers in the UK, I can send you one

I guess there's no difference between wind currents and water currents when you're a master!

Now THAT sounds like something fun to try at Long Beach or Ocean Shores on a very slow, windy, mid-week day when noone is on the beach.....that could be a blast.....and you could race!!! Now I've got to go and buy a snow saucer and watch Chrismas Vacation again so I can see how to make it go REALLY fast.

Thanks Grandpa.

P

[Penny Lingenfelter]

I'd sign your petition. We have some kite hills, but people still think the best place to view the flyers is from a blanket in the middle of the field. lol Usually they will scoot to the side if informed and invited. Once in a while you get the stubborn one. What is that about? BB Penny

[Baloo]

Nice story Grandpa. Isnt life wonderfull, just full of strange coincidences.

[Grandpa]

I'd sign your petition. We have some kite hills, but people still think the best place to view the flyers is from a blanket in the middle of the field. lol Usually they will scoot to the side if informed and invited. Once in a while you get the stubborn one. What is that about? BB Penny

Hey Penny...

Makes me wonder where we went wrong teaching these youngsters some manners

[Grandpa]

Nice story Grandpa. Isnt life wonderfull, just full of strange coincidences.

Yes life is wonderful and it beats the alternative

Another quick Wizard story...

That same time of talking with the Wizard, he had a shark kite with some really bad scorch marks and big burn holes hanging on the wall. He shows that kite to warn folks about flying near power lines... good idea, I always like visual aides. September of last year I noticed the shark was gone. It seems at the local grade school there are power lines just above the metal swing sets. The town fathers said it was not in the budget to move the power lines. Some poor soul flew his kite into the power transformer burning it beyond repair and as long as the transformer had to be replaced they might as well move the power lines. Funny how we find the money to do some things.

Never found out what happened to the shark

[Grandpa]

Now THAT sounds like something fun to try at Long Beach or Ocean Shores on a very slow, windy, mid-week day when noone is on the beach.....that could be a blast.....and you could race!!! Now I've got to go and buy a snow saucer and watch Chrismas Vacation again so I can see how to make it go REALLY fast.

Thanks Grandpa.

P

You just need some nylon straps attached to the saucer... kneel on the saucer, pull the straps over your thighs and

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

[sky fish]

Were do I sign.I too sufer from socer player's takeing over the park every night .And now it dose'nt look so prity any moore . And when the wind blow's there garbage ends up all over the neighborhoud

[Grandpa]

Were do I sign.I too sufer from socer player's takeing over the park every night .And now it dose'nt look so prity any moore . And when the wind blow's there garbage ends up all over the neighborhoud

Just PM name, city and state and I'll add you to the list we are taking to the mayor!

Thanks, Sky Fish!

[sky fish]

Were do I sign.I too suffer from soccer player's taking over the park every night .And now it do's 'not look so prity any more . And when the wind blows there garbage ends up all over the neighborhood

Just PM name, city and state and I'll add you to the list we are taking to the mayor!

Thanks, Sky Fish! You are most well come Grandpa

Delia M Cooper Cashmere Washington

[FlyinKen]

Back on topic... "Sign" the petition with name and town and I will add them to the paper signatures and take them to the Mayor to show public interest. Don't not sign because you are out of state or country... People who fly kites stay in motels, go out to eat, and shop at malls, the kind of stuff mayors like to hear.

Don't think I'm against soccer just because here it is not a family sport. Parents drop the kids and go shopping or eating or...

Thanks all

I sent you my name via private e-mail, but I forgot the the city name.

I am a little leary of having my name and city for so many to see.

( hard to fly a kite with a straight jacket on)

Beaverton, Oregon.

I stopped and stayed the night in Idaho Falls on my way to a wedding in Denver about 10 years ago.

Here in Portland,OR we have a field that is used quite a bit for kite flying that might be put to another use.

I saw at one of our local kite vendors,(Elmers flag and banner) a petition about possibly losing a flying field.

John B. Do you know anything about Delta Park?

**FlyinKen**

[John Barresi]

I sure do, it's my "home field" whenever I'm in town... What do you want to know?

[FlyinKen]

I sure do, it's my "home field" whenever I'm in town... What do you want to know?

Do you know why there is a petition at Elmers?

It did not say what is going on at D. park.

Heard anything about it being converted over to a ball park or something?

[John Barresi]

Nope, hadn't heard about that... But it is something I could have missed, haven't spent much time there this year.

Elmer's would probably be equipped to answer that question more accurately.

[The Kite Shoppe]

I sure do, it's my "home field" whenever I'm in town... What do you want to know?

Do you know why there is a petition at Elmers?

It did not say what is going on at D. park.

Heard anything about it being converted over to a ball park or something?

Old Jonie Mitchell song....pave Paradise, put up a parking lot.......

the jest of it is.....according to the PIR Manager.......an additional track is being planned. They plan to have a track that they can rent out to oganizations such as police departments, county and sheriff departments to practice speed control and saftey in high speed chase situations.

This idea has been in the works a LONG LONG time. Nothing has happened, as they do not have funding to build the track. If they find the funding, then it looks like we loose the field.

Theresa

[Grandpa]

I sure do, it's my "home field" whenever I'm in town... What do you want to know?

Do you know why there is a petition at Elmers?

It did not say what is going on at D. park.

Heard anything about it being converted over to a ball park or something?

Old Jonie Mitchell song....pave Paradise, put up a parking lot.......

the jest of it is.....according to the PIR Manager.......an additional track is being planned. They plan to have a track that they can rent out to oganizations such as police departments, county and sheriff departments to practice speed control and saftey in high speed chase situations.

This idea has been in the works a LONG LONG time. Nothing has happened, as they do not have funding to build the track. If they find the funding, then it looks like we loose the field.

Theresa

They should drive fast the same place I do... on the streets. How would they like it we flew on their streets... Oh wait, I do.

[JoneZ]

Now dont be silly Grandpa, I will be flying, not swimming across the pond. Kites FLY well MOST of the time anyway. Only a few folks like JB can make them swim.

I met a guy in Seaside called the Wizard. He had long white hair and a long white beard. His clothes were made of kite sail ripstop in all the great colors. He rode the beach on a trike with kites tied to the handle bars and blew huge bubbles for the kids. We saw him there for years and then he was gone. A few years ago we went to Pinky's Kite Factory in Cannon Beach and I asked the old guy if he knew what happened to the Wizard. He told me the Wizard was gone. I asked what happened, wishing he went while doing what he loved, entertaining all on the beach. The old man stepped out from behind the counter... he was wearing kite sail shorts over his jeans... and said his wife made him get a job We drank coffee and listened to his stories. My favorite was about his traveling north up the coast of Oregon. He would take a snow saucer and a kite and ride the shuttle bus south to the end of the line. He took his stuff to the beach, setup his kite and got on his saucer and "fly" back to Cannon Beach... he got home before the bus got back

If you don't have snow saucers in the UK, I can send you one

I guess there's no difference between wind currents and water currents when you're a master!

Hah!! I met Wizard as well.

Hello all, first time kite flyer, and addict from the first time I raised my kite. Also new to the forums. Greetings.

I went to Cannon Beach last weekend. We wanted to go fly my Fiances Kite (a nice single line butterfly kite), and my neighbor loaned me his little trick kite, but it had no strings.

So after we unpacked at our camping site, we drove up the road, wanting to stop in at the first kite shop we find. We stumbled across Pinky's Kite shop, and lo and behold ---- The Wizard. This guy was probably the coolest cat I've met since I moved to the PNW. He gave me a couple of lines for this trick kite - asked me if I knew how to fly one. I of course said no, and he just went into it! Gave me a crash course in about 3 minutes. lol By the time we were done, my head was spinning with info, and we were on our way to the beach. I strung my kite up, and raised her, and then I was hooked. I can't remember the type of kite I was flying, but the spine was frayed at the nose, and patched with a zip-tie. It was a little difficult to fly, and a little noisy, probly cuz of the slack that zip tie created along the leading edges. Not to mention the wind was pretty low on that day.

So, we flew for about an hour, and packed it all in. I immediately wanted my own kite, knowing how much fun a half broken kite was, and wondering what a brand new one would be like, so the next day we went back to pinky's, and he took one look at me, saw the addict in my face, laughed, and immediately showed me some kites.

So I ended up buying a Cherry Bomb Kite, by Dodd Gross. He said it was probably the best value (coming with a fig. 8 winder, and hand straps) and controllability for getting into trick kiting.

We shot the conversation for a bit, he gave me a tonne of websites to check out for tutorials on stunts, Thanked him, and we were back to the beach.

It was cloudy, kind of spitting rain on and off, but the wind was just right. About 20Mph. I set the kite up, and raised her. Hoo boy. Magic. .... We flew for about 3 hours straight, and I didnt want to pack it up, but the rain was telling us that the day was at an end.

Wizard? If you're out there, thanks a million for all the info, and the kite. Lovin it.

And if anyone else on the west coast is up around Cannon beach / Seaside, you HAVE to go see Wizard. Coolest cat! Hes also got this octagonal kite in his shop he made that he says lifted a 300Lb man off the ground.

I live outside of Portland,,,, not much wind here. Im just waiting for the next sunny weekend, then we're back out to cannon beach for more flying, and practicing stunts.

-constantly licking my index finger and raising it above my head;

~Spz0

[John Barresi]

Welcome to the forum.