Date:	Thu, 4 Aug 1994 06:23:07 -1000
From:	dquad@aol.com (DQuad)
Message-Id: <31r4lb$7iq@search01.news.aol.com>
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
Subject: Thang  Report (& Bekeley)

The  Combo of the thang and Berkeley was quite exhiliarating to say the
least. The wind on both the high desert and at the Bekeley marina were an
experince.  Meeting the kite oracle in the outside element  was a joy.
Buggying on the high desert was unlike anything i could have imagined. 
Speeds on a buggy of over 30 mph and on land sailers of 50 mph. Went thru
the famed Pucker bumps  of El Mirage(much like moguls on a  ski slope) in
a double tandem(two in tow) with Fritz  Gram. The third buggy catching air
quite often. Fritz was using  a 3m peel to pull that Train. Intense film
at 11.
Andrews care takers on the left coast(D. gross, B. vanderslice, D. arnold,
D. jordan) all benefited from each others experiences on the tricycle.
Brian was flying his own vesion of wheels of doom as fast or faster as the
bugs could go. Buggying at night (with a 10m peel)with the moon casting
long shadows across the lake bed  was unforgetable. 
  Berkeley, as well as the desert was well populated with Rec kiters as
Andrew said. The crowds and winds of Berkeley were unbelievable. The
crowds seemed to be well versed in what  was happening on the  multiline
and single line fields. They were singing, clapping, cheering, and dancing
in the streets when they saw a routine they liked. The buggy demo on sat.
afternoon was well taken. We (Dean, Dodd, Dave, Brian, Andrew, and John
Morrisson) showed  how well buggys could be handeled in confined spaces.
And it was really cool when the hugh red white and blue arch was put  up
on the field, and we could bggy thru it - kite and all. Just like a big
video game.
The east coast fliers were  recieved well by the  Berkeley family. With
several of us taking home some wood -no I mean marble. With the depedable
winds and appreciative crowds, no wonder kiting in general has flourished
in this area.
Indoor note. On Saturday night we visited Petr Werba's Buena Vista kite
factory and  got to see his setup.  We  flew  a super ultra light dual
line kite made with graphite standoff material for spars and a colored
florist  celophane material for the sail. It had  a wingspan of about 3
ft.  It flew and it flew well. After a few turns with it, the flyer could
put it throgh its paces(360, axel, over the top, spins, turns) without
actually having to move your feet. All accomplished with arm movements.
Sweet!!
If any of you east costers can make it out for any resaon go!


Still sleepy

Dave arnold


 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =