For some reason I got it in my head that this might be a good idea.

It’s for an upcoming project that I’ll explain later.

Looking at the results, as well as this setup, I think there’s a better way. Probably not any less mad, but somehow better.

It’s been a busy weekend. Worked part of the day yesterday, then went to help a friend with their new computer. We went for lunch, then I headed home. I managed to sneak in a little flying time at Hartkopf Park, about 1/4 mile from my house before meeting family for dinner.

I woke up early today and the weather was so nice, I went back to Hartkopf for some more flying time. It was almost perfect: sunny, not too warm/not too cold, and a good breeze. I got to the park about 0800 and packed it in around 1030 or so, just as it started to cloud over.

I flew the Bullet both yesterday and today. With the wind as strong as it was, the Hawaiian Team Kite might have been a better idea. The muscles in my legs, arms and shoulders certainly would have appreciated it.

I really love that kite (the bullet) and really need to figure out were to do some traction kiting in town. It would also be nice to find someone who can take some pictures or video so I’d have something to show rather than just writing about it.

Sort of on my way to Patrick’s house for dinner and tech talk Saturday afternoon/evening, I got a chance to fly the Bullet for a little while.

The weather was kind of cloudy all day and it rained in the morning. To my delight it started clearning in the early afternoon and I wasn’t supposed to be at Patrick’s until 1830, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Leaving the house around 1530, I headed out near his house and found a park.

Vetran’s Park in South Saint Paul turned out to be kind of small, but I didn’t need a lot of space. With the short lines on the kite, I only need the rough equivalent of half a football field to have a comfortable place to fly. Thankfully the only people in the park were using the playground and not the ball-fields. The park is surrounded by houses, so low-altitude work wasn’t going to be easy, if even possible.

Once the kite was ready, I spent maybe 15 minutes warming up with some basic turns, spins and dives, then settled in for the real workout. The wind was running about 12 mph gusting to around 20 or so, which made it interesting on occasion.

Occasionally the wind would just die, but other times I’d catch a gust just right and get yanked around a bit. I came away from it tired, but exhilarated. My legs, shoulders, and arms are sore from pulling against the kite, but it’s a good kind of pain.

At one point I brought the kite through a ground pass (flying across the wind window with the wing-tip close to the ground) and caught an unexpected gust of wind. The result was grass stains on my shorts after I got dragged 20 feet down the field. That’s my favorite part.

I want more. More flying time, and more adventure. I’m looking into either a landboard (kind of like a modified skateboard) or a buggy. First I need to find a good field to practice on, then I’ll buy the extra gear.

I also need to figure out a way to get pictures too.