20 minutes of Kite bliss

Glück|see|lig|kite [f] means: the right wind in the right place with the right kite.

Only after a few hours of lying around in a weak wind around 25km/h does the wind finally pick up in the early afternoon at Hood River. I’m out immediately and do a few laps. Strange: the wind is fairly constant on the ground, but quite rough at kite height. After just 20 minutes I have the feeling that the wind is getting stronger, much stronger. Fully depowered, I can barely keep contact with the ground. The feeling is not deceptive. A gust pulls me out of the water and hurls me right in front of a small kite school group.

My backlines are already at the extreme knot, I can’t get any more power out of the kite. When I land, I’m torn a few more metres through the air. I land just before the wind suddenly picks up to over 45 km/h again. That was it. Should I complain? Or just be happy that I was finally able to kite for 20 minutes after 6 weeks? Happy kiting? I’m still thinking about it.

The whole kite scene reminds me massively of the snowboard hype 15 years ago. If you had a board that was more than 3 weeks old, you got the outsider stamp for free. My kite is 3 years old. Purebred Cabrinha Nitro C-kite, 4 lines. I’m the only one. Here, 50% ride bowkites and the rest ride hybrids or at least 5-liners. I’m beginning to understand: things are really still happening, technically speaking. And especially today I would have liked 50% more depower.

I have no business flying my kite in strong winds over 45 km/h. A one-legged man with a prosthesis goes out with a bow, while I have to have both my knuckles sandblasted. Every 10 minutes, I hear the horrible noises of kites hitting the beach or water. Some of the riders were good, but the wind is just very strong and rough.

Dear kiters, please never come to the Columbia River without a bow or 5-liner!
I want a bow! Please ask for the current donation address under “Contact”…