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Hey all you kiters in kite land, Chris has handed the main workload of this site over to his good friend me, Andrew. I want to get a speed rank page up and going again so please send in your speeds with what equipment you were using ex)kite and skies or board, and the wind and ice condition to acm19830602@hotmail.com and ill be sure to post them.

send along a pic of it and ill post that too.

As for prizes this year i wont be able to fullfill that, next year for sure. Sorry

Thanks Andrew

There was 5 of us out flying, One brand new to the sport, 2 with about 2-3 years of flying and two that kinda knew what there doing (Andrew & Chris). We all met at my old cottage, and left from my bay to fly. (There will be pictures of this outing in the photo gallery). Chris was flying his 10.5 smart as always, it really is a good kite, but i still like my 6 m leader when he flys that 10.5, Chris brother was there with his Girlfriend and she was flying a kite for the first time, i love to see new people introduced to the sport, an then  my girlfriend who knows how to buggy, but was on skis for one of the first times, she was making it up wind really good considering the kite she had, and in those winds, thats why she has a nice new 8.5 smart kite on the way, yea!  We tried the buggy but there was too much snow to be able to roll properly, so she switched to the skis, i helped her out a bit untill she started moving and felt comfortable, and then i got my kite up and went and flew with chris. It was not the greastest wind on the inside of the islands and i was kinda bummed that the winds weren't co-operating, then chris yelled at me and said that there was wind out past Oak Is. so we managed to get out there barley, just because the wind would dissapear then appear then gone again, untill we got out past the Island out in to the open, and wow what  great conditions, prefect ice , i mean perfect, not a crack or deviation in it at all, and just an inch of snow, and very consistant wind, i figure we hit about 60km/hr that day.   Check out the pics in the Photogallery .

It was our first flight of the season, it was Dec 28/09 i was supposed to be working for a full day ,but i managed to get off at noon and fly .The funy thing is that where we set up to fly is right in front of where i work (i work at a marina) so i had to tell the truth to my boss that i was actually going to fly my kite. Luckly she was cool with it. Now the guy i work with didnt let me off so easily he was poking fun of  me all morning, but it was worth it.

So the winds were average, i decided to put up my 6m leader, and i made it about two tacks before i had to tear down, it lifted me and i had no up wind control, no fun, so i walked back inside to get the 4m, and by the time i came back out, it was too windy for that, so i ended up flying the 2.2, and boy if you haven't felt the power of a 2.2 leader from concept air then you should buy one and try, WOW is what i have to say. The winds were about 60 km/hr and very gusty,  i figure i was cliping about 50km/hr not the fastest but fun none the least. Chris was right behind me when he saw me go down i start to twril like a top then the 2.2 lifted me about 15 feet according to chris, and he said it reminded him of those maple keys, you know the ones that you drop from a hieght and they look like mini helicopters. That was me! I made it about 4 rotaions then slammed pretty hard to my side. Once i landed i was laughing, i couldn't see a thing around me i was maybe about 100 feet from the shore and the white outs made everything disapear. I made a tack straight home and packed up and called it a day.

The end.

Trip log, Stardate March 24^th 2008

Saturday March 22^nd morning,  Andrew, Terry and I start out for a kite trek From Dillon to Parry Sound… about 26km as the crow flies …

We have done this trip many times and it’s a great little journey with wonderful scenery and mostly large ice covered expanse.

We started our journey by launching our kites right in our little Bay near Dillon , Ontario . Andrew, Terry and I got our kites set up and going ,

Terry having some difficulties at first with his kite …the winds were shifty and weird to start off …

 broken wind provided us with the momentum to escape the little bay …

 I flew a Smart 10.5m kite to start off with...Way too big of a kite …

but having a few other kite choices on my back …

Andrew was flying his 6m Leader and Terry was putting up a 7m + Flexifoil …

We got out to Oak and did some tacks waiting for Terry to solve his kite ……

The going was great once we were on our downwind cross tacks . Terry pumping hard Andrew cruising like a rocket and by this time I had my 4.5 M Smart up to replace the overpowered  10.5m … whew …

what a large canvas it is … was a little big for a long kite trek ..

so I decided that a little underpowered would be better …

We get in between Red Rock Light house and Snug Harbour Light house

when we hit a huge expanse of pack ice … frozen tombstones and daggers sticking up, ready to mess you up… We go as far around this untamed ice to avoid incident …but have to at some point enter the unfriendly ice zone ……

 a few minutes into our pack ice corridor, Terry hits a ski snag and loses a ski and wipes out hard …he spins a couple of times and comes to a stop in the graveyard of ice tombstones.  

 We have a kite code that if you are OK after a fall or tumble, to put up one

arm to state to kite friends ALL IS WELL … Terry’s arm didn’t come up,

so I headed towards him to check on the situation …            

As I Got close to him I asked Are you OK .. and he replied..

”I ‘m All F**ked up …

Oh Shit was the first words to my brain   …

 I was thinking OK Andrew and I are going to have to get him out .. …

Make a slide splint out of our skis , lash them together … ..

 I thought Terry had broken his leg or something ..Flashback to a few years back when Terry and I attempted a trip where I twisted my ankle very bad .. 20km into a 110km trip .. I was remembering this event and having

 Empathy for him …. A little times passes and Terry gets to his knees and

stands up .. I was so relieved .. He is a resilient machine as I know of him from

ice and rock climbing together . I have seen him hold onto the smallest little rocks to gain a hard boulder climb .but ice is still hard …

He voices for Andrew and I to keep going and finish the journey and he would head into Snug Harbor to get home …. I was ready to pack it in and call it a day .. but Terry insisted that he was OK and to go on and kite the trek …

Andrew and I continued on our way kiting slowly towards the pancake Islands circumnavigating the push ice as much as possible ... Once closer to Snug Harbor , the ice flattened out and we were able to gain some speed once

again …

Past the pancakes towards the little light house we were on a great passage,

the winds were perfect and the legs holding out .. yet another pressure crack

to get thru by the light house. An easy one it was this time. The ice was well locked in …

 Time stands still for me when I am on a journey such as this… just me and

the kite and the ice … I love the big frozen expanse ….

We get into the narrows by Davies Island near the Northern Killbear Park ,

when the winds starts to twist on us … my kite, Andrews .. We had to skirt along the far shore to get our needed winds …

On one kite twist … I took my skis off to fix lines and sort kite .. and began

to realize the ice below was whining from the waves below it .. you would hear and see the ice crack beneath your feet … for hundreds of feet …cracking between your legs , just like in a cartoon, but the ice was thick enough, not to become float ice and break up, and me the coyote with a wet umbrella …

 it was very nerve wracking and made me hurry to get my kite back up

and me on skis ..

We eventually get out of this narrow .. and can see the light house @ Killbear point .. as well as the open water on either side of our channel …

This is a very bad spot of currents between two big bodies of water .. Andrew kites in for a closer look .and I can see him suddenly crash his kite slightly and back step … he never crashes a kite .. he built up speed and motioned to get away from there …

As he was approaching the middle point between the open waters .. he discovered a crack that he can see was only about 2 inches thick  …

his weight standing there on skis was already starting to push water thru …

 very very scary moment for him ..

We escaped to the northern side of the point and tore down our kites .. and walked over the landmass for about 300m to the other side , where we were greeted by a nice, no wind, exposed sandy beach …and a view of our last stretch of kite skiing for our journey ..

Wow what a nice calm spot to sit and hydrate and rest basking in the March

sun … it was gratifying to get passed the point and see ice to kite and not

more open water totest our mind and skills  …

We rested well and get our gear together for the last leg …

I put up the 4m Leader for my last run … it was on the edge of

overpowered for me .. but fun even with mushy weak legs …

Andrew flying his trusty 6m Leader took off like a rocket again ..

hard to keep up with him most days now … He seemed to have refined his

 kite skills perfect and qwick this winter.     We kite like mad to the salt docks realizing that once there , we have no ride to get home … and by chance

a new kite friend was at our landing to see if any crazy kiters were out …

We were very relieved and thankful that Larry was there to cart our tired

bodies home ..

Andrew logged over 100km from 900am to 400pm on Saturday March 22^nd 2008,

and hit 70km p/h 

And I, about 75km logged and much slower than he  … but good fast runs ..

Another great kite trip to remember ….

Feb 20th 2008 Andrew Manwaring and I decided to go kite skiing during the full lunar eclipse. The moon was a blood red and dark ...and the stars seemed to jump out of the sky. We launched our kites at the point where the moon was dark and kited around with our headlamps .. the wind was about 30km and gusts up to 40-45km ... with a surface condition that a Zamboni couldnt provide .. 

You can see the shadows of land , the dark , tall , frozen conifers on the islands,  giving slight visual guidance as we whipped around hitting 50km without really seeing the ice surface in time if ever there was a problem with what was coming   ... at that speed you have no clue what you are going to ski accross , frozen shark fins , tombstones, debris from the local ice huts .. a little nerve wracking ...

But i must say this was one of the most glorious times kiting , during an planetary event one doesnt seem to see very often ...

I wil remeber this lunar eclipse kite session for a long time as it was a perfect zen kite  moment ... Life is too short NOT to do these kinds of things ...   

Peace and kite fast , during eclipses

Christopher Hess ... Speedkiter

Well Hello Folks, Kiters , 

Andrew M, John M and Myself spent a week of wind chasing , having some of the best kiting seesions we have ever had.

Lake Wanapetei near Sudbury proved to be a perfect spot to kite on Saturday Feb9th Wind conditions were perfect with a vast aren to kite on .... If you go to Capreol, Ontario and follow signs to a bar called ROCKYS on the native reservation, you will find the perfect kite spot with very nice folks, Rockys is a bar in the middle of nowhere basically a place for the skidooers to congregate and race their gas gusling machines ... i think some were suprized as to how fast we were going as Andrew took a few passes on their groomed drag race track ...the wind was perfect for it ...

Next day @ same place was also good kiting , but winds were off shore so had to go out to get a ride ..

Then Manitoulin Islands , Kagawong , Mudge Bay was a perfect snow condition for fast runs ..none of us hit over 100kms , but had great long tacks and logged many hours , so , it was a perfect time ..poker at night , exploring ice caves on the no wind day , only one ..

more to come Peace

Hey Folks for 5 days a group of us are going up to Manitoulin Island to find the perfect spot to reach fast speeds ... no wind we Ice Climb,

If you kite, and good person, and happen to have some time off between Feb 11th and the 15th , please call us @ 705-774-BIKE(cell)  or 705-342-9017 to join in on the fun ..  

Peace & kite fast