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Grand Mesa spring splash

Forum for snow- and landkiters
Anthonyshopguy
Medium Poster
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 4:07 pm
Kiting since: 2015
Local Beach: Grandmesa CO
Favorite Beaches: Ivanpah CA, Metro Park MI, 6 Mile on lake Mohave NV. Daulpin island Al
Style: Snow kiting, buggy, water
Gear: 21m Flysurfer Soul, 17m LEI Cabrinha Contra, 13m Waroo LEI, 11 m foil Frenzy Ozone, 11m Lei Escape PL, 9m Lei Nemesis Best, 7m Lei Waroo, 6m foil apex HQ, 174 SB for the Pow, 169 split SB for the outback, Cabrinha 154 twin tip for the lake, 600 switchback Polaris to get me there, and why not add in a nice new big foot buggy for that once a year buggy blast at Ivanpah.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 67 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Grand Mesa spring splash

Postby Anthonyshopguy » Sat May 13, 2017 1:49 pm

Forecast for this weekend is epic. Plan on being up there both Sat and Sun. Barby and burgers free for all kiters on Sat. See you there. :D 8) :bye:

Anthonyshopguy
Medium Poster
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 4:07 pm
Kiting since: 2015
Local Beach: Grandmesa CO
Favorite Beaches: Ivanpah CA, Metro Park MI, 6 Mile on lake Mohave NV. Daulpin island Al
Style: Snow kiting, buggy, water
Gear: 21m Flysurfer Soul, 17m LEI Cabrinha Contra, 13m Waroo LEI, 11 m foil Frenzy Ozone, 11m Lei Escape PL, 9m Lei Nemesis Best, 7m Lei Waroo, 6m foil apex HQ, 174 SB for the Pow, 169 split SB for the outback, Cabrinha 154 twin tip for the lake, 600 switchback Polaris to get me there, and why not add in a nice new big foot buggy for that once a year buggy blast at Ivanpah.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 67 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: Grand Mesa spring splash

Postby Anthonyshopguy » Thu May 18, 2017 4:04 pm

The splash was not so much of a splash but more of a hurricane. Sat found us with good conditions, wind steady at 22 Mph with gusts over 30. Highs and lows, well more lows than highs. Went to my trusty 7m Waroo which thrashed and burned at IBX. Our repair did not hold and she would not hold air :cry: . So up went my 9m Nemisis. Got some runs in but the gusts made things difficult. Bow tying and eventually flipping the kite inside out. Trying to fix it, actually ended up totally releasing it.!!!! :o Some luck was with me. She stopped in the ditch just on the other side of the road. Another low was my board. The dusty snow had removed most if no all of my wax and it was a struggle to even move. So much for Sat.
Sun dawned a beautiful breezy day. Cleaned up the Nemesis, patched a few small holes, switched the steering lines because of some confusion attaching, and put fresh coat of wax on my board. Let's go.!! Today it was Zach, Todd, and my self. Zack on his 7m frenzy had a good day burning it up, Todd also made lots of fresh tracks having a great day on his 5m Apex. I on the other hand almost didn't survive the day. All ready and excited, winds howling, I attached an anchor rope to a tree something I've never used before. Most of our winds are on the calm side. Kite inflated, check, lines attached correctly, check, board waxed and ready, check. Let's go so I started pulling the kite out of its parking spot exposing the wing tip to the wind. Wait something's wrong oh shit :o Oh Shit!!!
Flash back to IBX 2 years ago, tangled a steering line around an axle, cut it in two, emergency repair tied a knot. Worked rest of the week. Flash forward to last fall. Gee I should fix that line, oh this old bar here I can use a line off it. Darn it's three feet shorter than the original. No problem I'll just add a short length at the handle. All good. Flash forward to Sunday morning remember Sunday morning (switched some steering lines) Flash back to present, kite inches away from powering up and lines switched creating a 4' difference in the steering lines. Repeat OH SHIT, anchor line 4' away slowly reaching for rope, got it, tying to chicken loop" Yeh forgot a Beener", thank God knot tied. Whoosh kite powers up into full death spiral!!! I get ripped 5' to the right and just stare with awe at the incredible amount of force that kite is generating and thanking God I made it to the anchor and nobody was in the way of the kite!!! Well every :wink: story should have a happy ending (thanks Dimitri Maramenides for showing us what to do in this emergency) I pulled the slack steering line tight bringing the kite back under control, switched the lines back!! And proceeded to have my best day ever on the Grand Mesa. My previous speed record was 22 MPH, that day I averaged 12 MPH, put in 13.5 miles in two and a half hours and hit a new personal record of 27.6 MPH and the adventures continue :cool2:
Last edited by Anthonyshopguy on Thu May 18, 2017 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Anthonyshopguy
Medium Poster
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 4:07 pm
Kiting since: 2015
Local Beach: Grandmesa CO
Favorite Beaches: Ivanpah CA, Metro Park MI, 6 Mile on lake Mohave NV. Daulpin island Al
Style: Snow kiting, buggy, water
Gear: 21m Flysurfer Soul, 17m LEI Cabrinha Contra, 13m Waroo LEI, 11 m foil Frenzy Ozone, 11m Lei Escape PL, 9m Lei Nemesis Best, 7m Lei Waroo, 6m foil apex HQ, 174 SB for the Pow, 169 split SB for the outback, Cabrinha 154 twin tip for the lake, 600 switchback Polaris to get me there, and why not add in a nice new big foot buggy for that once a year buggy blast at Ivanpah.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 67 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: Grand Mesa spring splash

Postby Anthonyshopguy » Thu May 18, 2017 4:33 pm

And the adventures continue. I know most of you have put up your parkas in favor of board shorts, but here in Colorado on the Grand Mesa we are in blizzard conditions. Todd my trusty friend and I have come up for some more sessions in the freshes. 4" When we arrive at 3 pm. The light wind ends up dying after a few minutes, and being an unusual off shore ( away from road wind) I end up slogging 1/2 mile back to the car dragging my board and flying my 15. Land it, start wrapping up lines, let's go cross country. Todd agrees and starts putting his kite up. Wait!!!! What is that, a small breeze. Todd holds up his wind Gage 8, 10, 12, 16,18, hmm maybe we should try again. Play for a while going back and forth in hundred foot stretches. Hmm more wind, let's push it. End up with grins from ear to ear because the wind averaged 15 MPH the rest of the afternoon. I caught several lifts the highest 4' still working on landings :thumb: but by now we had over a foot of the best powder you have ever seen so who cares if you make the landing it's softer than water. Again I put in 13 miles, seems to be the point where my arms and legs start wobbling from exhaustion :D and I hit a nice 22 MPH. Heading up today I suspect we have over 20" of powder and its not supposed to stop until tomorrow. Yepeeeee :bye:

User avatar
matthepp
Frequent Poster
Posts: 491
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:51 am
Local Beach: RMP
Favorite Beaches: La Ventana
Kino Bay
Red Mountain Pass
Style: Rich
Gear: OR Flite 15m
OR Razor 12m
OR Prodigy 7m 9.5m
BD Carbon Megawatts
Slingshot Dwarfcraft/ Gamma 68
Brand Affiliation: Alpine Edge Engineering
Location: Ridgway
Has thanked: 7 times
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Re: Grand Mesa spring splash

Postby matthepp » Thu May 18, 2017 6:45 pm

Nice work Anthony and Todd! 6" here at my house. Jealous being tied to work, birthday parties, etc.

Anthonyshopguy
Medium Poster
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 4:07 pm
Kiting since: 2015
Local Beach: Grandmesa CO
Favorite Beaches: Ivanpah CA, Metro Park MI, 6 Mile on lake Mohave NV. Daulpin island Al
Style: Snow kiting, buggy, water
Gear: 21m Flysurfer Soul, 17m LEI Cabrinha Contra, 13m Waroo LEI, 11 m foil Frenzy Ozone, 11m Lei Escape PL, 9m Lei Nemesis Best, 7m Lei Waroo, 6m foil apex HQ, 174 SB for the Pow, 169 split SB for the outback, Cabrinha 154 twin tip for the lake, 600 switchback Polaris to get me there, and why not add in a nice new big foot buggy for that once a year buggy blast at Ivanpah.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 67 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: Grand Mesa spring splash

Postby Anthonyshopguy » Thu Nov 08, 2018 6:03 am

Heading up tomorrow for a session come and join me.


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