Comparisons...

A week ago I got a new PB of 62.7kph (on the GPSr) but Endomondo showed a top speed of 64.4kph...

I know the official PB is the GPSr, but the max speed often sticks on my Etrex and doesn't update unless I reset it. And typically Endomondo has always recorded a couple of k's below my GPSr. 

On Good Friday I had another nicely powered up session, I nearly equaled by PB according to the GPSr - but Endomondo again recorded by max speed 2kph below my GPSr!

Officially my PB is 62.7kph, but I think unofficially it's more like 65-66kph. But look at my moving average - 30.8kph - now that is officially a PB!

Video - dogs!

I was on Lake Walyungup today and had a close encounter with a couple of dogs...

No animals were harmed in the making of this video!

Review - Customised Peter Lynn Comp XR+

Over the last couple of months my humble Peter Lynn Comp xr+ has under-gone a transformation and grown! I have previously reviewed it as a standard buggy - now for my opinion on the super-sized version...

standard Peter Lynn Comp XR+

My buggy now has the Peter Lynn 140cm gigastrong axle, longer and stronger side rails, a custom made back rest and 6 ply highway rated radial tyres on the back.

beefed!

Compared to one of my previous buggies of lust, the Sysmic S2 it is a very similar size (length and width) and has the same sought of footprint, but overall it is still a lot lighter in weight despite the modifications. The heaviest addition is the gigastrong axle as this is much thicker as well as longer.

gigastrong!

The side frame extensions have also added some extra height to the frame allowing me to lower the standard PL seat while still having a reasonable clearance under my butt! This means I sit lower between the frames and am able to wedge myself in more.

And the custom back rest and cover (made by my wife) provide that extra support which makes the overall experience much more comfortable - no more back ache after a couple of hours in the bug.

Overall these modifications, along with the new rear tyres, have made the buggy feel much more stable. I am now able to block myself against the side rails and the overall feel of the buggy enables me to hold down more power. And rather than that power translating into sideways slippage the buggy tracks forwards better - I think this has enabled me to increase my speed and also the upwind performance.

The new rear tyres are less likely to slide on the surface of the lake and this has also helped. With a slight shift of my weight I am still able to un-stick the rear end either to scrub speed or power slide - but it did take a bit of getting used to.

I am really pleased with how the buggy is handling and the comfort side of it and I am so glad now that I didn't spend a couple of grand on something else (the mods so far have cost about $400). I'm not saying in the future I wont want to upgrade but some of the other production buggies are a lot heavier than my comp xr+.

Ozone Method 4m - review, part two!

Back at the beginning of the year I wrote a review on my 4m Ozone Method I thought as I had continued to use this kite it was about time I wrote part two...

It rocks!

Everybody always goes on about Ozone kites and the quality of construction but that is because it's true! After four months use and probably being flown nearly every week, there is still not a loose thread, the bridle is immaculate and hasn't suffered any stretching and the handles are perfect. 

Apart from everything being a bit dustier it looks hardly used. And it has taken a few knocks and scrapes and also there has been a couple of times that the kite has become un-hooked from the roller (my fault!) and I have had to chase it across the lake! Not a scratch or a scrape.

The kite continues to do everything it says it should in the blurb...

"The Ozone Method is a kite for anyone who is looking for the speed of a high performance kite, the stability of a beginner kite and yet handles like a sports car! It's your perfect next level engine for taking your traction kiting sports such as buggying or landboarding to new heights!"

As a 4m kite it behaves more like a 3m and takes a fair bit of wind really to develop the power - but even in the lower end of the wind range once you get it moving the power really comes in. Last weekend really demonstrated, to me the, performance that the Method can produce as I managed to get a new PB.

The 4m felt seriously powered up and at first was pretty scary and I was wishing I had a smaller kite - but in the end I was so glad I stuck with it...

Dropping the Method into the power zone and it just accelerates, a little bit of a sine wave to further increase the speed and then add a bit of break tension and wow! off it goes. For the first time I was consistently hitting 60kph and was so excited when the GPSr showed 62.7kph (and more excited when I saw 64.2kph on Endomondo!).

At the end of the run, start to turn the buggy up wind to scrub some speed and edge the kite to the top of the window - no lift, stick the buggy into a power slide, drop the kite back into the power zone and of it goes again - smooth, predictable power. But it was pure exhilaration - I just didn't want to stop!

The other thing is I don't have to watch the kite all the time, all i need is an occasional glance to confirm what I know - where it is in the window and what it is doing. Mind you it looks great that green against the perfect blue skies of WA!

The Method has given me the confidence to fly harder than I had before and I am waiting for the next day when we get some decent winds so that I can really put it through it's paces and push harder and faster and this time get the 65kph on the GPSr!

I have also flown it static on the beach and had great fun and despite it not being a lifty kite was still able to do some pretty impressive jumps!

I have tried high-performance race-kites and didn't enjoy the experience, the Method is a compromise it gives me speed and performance with out the anxiety that it may chew me up and spit me out!

My only issue is I could really do with a couple more a more a 3m and maybe a 6.5 would about do it!

Weight - Part II

Back in mid November I posted that I had dropped below 80kgs. Well after the Christmas blip, a holiday in January and relies from the UK staying I gradually got that back up to around 82kgs!

Well thanks to my wife and her inspiration - today I finally managed to get below 78Kgs!

Now I just need to buy a new kite to celebrate!

Never satisfied...

It's my birthday a week today and I have been mulling over what new stuff would satisfy my desires!

I have got some brilliant kit - my 4m Ozone Method is an incredible kite and I love it and after flying it seriously powered up I can't wait to do it again.

My Peter Lynn comp xr+ - now has the 140cm gigastrong axle, the longer stronger side frames, a custom back rest and new rear tyres. It inspires confidence allows me to hold down more power and I am so glad I didn't fork out for a bigger heavier buggy. (these upgrades were officially an early Birthday present!)

But what is it about this sport that means you are always on the look out for the next new thing?

For me it is now a couple more Methods - one bigger and one smaller, to complete my quiver. But I am glad that I didn't have a smaller kite on Friday as I would have probably gone with that rather than a fully powered up 4m...

I would love to try Ozone's Turbo bar as well - but how can you justify spending $250 and might not like flying on a bar? I would still like to try one though!

Ozone turbo bar

I now want a new Garmin Etrex 10 - I'm convinced on Friday my top speed should have been more like 65kph and that my Etrex H had frozen (it has done it numerous times before!). Then I have been unable to download the data off my Etrex H - annoying!

I reckon $1500 would do it - but then I'm sure that still wouldn't be the end of it! 

And what do my kids want to get me...

a onesie!

Vanity mount

I recently found that I still had a flat mount for my GoPro, so have been contemplating where to place it...

I have decided on the down tube so that the camera can either point forwards or backwards, looking at me (hence the vanity mount!).

the vanity mount!

Forward facing

the view forwards

I will give it a try next time I get out in the bug, which will hopefully be once or twice of the Easter long weekend.

Video - on and off...

...Lake Walyungup

Last weekend, easterlies meant that I could buggy from the car park to the wide bit and back again. The wind was a lot less on the way back and I should have probably gone for a bigger kite!

Pain!

After yesterday's hard and fast session I'm now suffering with various aches and pains!

I've PBed myself!

After an Awesome afternoon in the buggy with the 4m Ozone Method, I have finally beaten my PB in the buggy, but which would you believe...?

The GPSr says 62.7kph and Endomondo says 64.4kph. Sometimes my GPSr sticks and doesn't update the top speed and Endomondo consistently reads lower than my GPSr.

So which should I believe?

Don't you hate it when...

...work gets in the way of life?

This week has been really full on at work, I cant wait for the weekend!

Nuts and bolts

I think I am going slightly nuts....

I have changed the nuts and bolts that hold on the gigastrong axle, the ones that were on there were a bit fiddley. So now I have some hex-bolts along with locking nuts and should be easier to do...

Saturday

The forecast for today was looking much better than Sunday-

So I got down to Lake Walyungup at about 9am as my wife dropped me off as she took my car in to have a new tyre.

The wind was pretty on and off but I had a good session and best of all I was able to buggy from the car park down the lake-

There were a couple of toy planes down there but after a bit they moved off and it gave me chance to use the whole lake. Which was pretty good as the wind direction was also variable as well as gusting and dropping.

I did just over 36km, no PB's but had a good time - and that's what counts!

There will be some video to follow...

Thursday

I don't particularly like Thursday, now Friday is a much better day...

Autumn!

The first of March was the first day of Autumn and earlier this week we had the first taste of it with a storm dumping the March average rainfall in an hour and a half! Most of it into our pool with a good load of sand, leaves and grass!

The wind on Sunday was pretty disappointing, but the forecast for the rest of the week and into Sunday is pretty good...

I am hoping that Sunday morning stays good or even improves (it was looking better than that yesterday). I cant do Saturday which is looking epic as I have to take my car in for a new tyre!

Video - Mad Way South

This video was recommended to me by Jorg on Google+

"Ein extremes Abenteuer, dass es so noch nicht gegeben hat: Nur von Wind angetrieben, fahren zwei Australier und zwei Neuseeländer ein Rennen quer durch die Sahara. 2.200 Kilometer mit Kite-Buggys von Marokko bis nach Senegal, dramatische und emotionsgeladene Szenen inklusive. Dabei bleibt auch die Konfrontation beider Teams mit Banditen, Piraten, korrupten Beamten, Landminen, Sandstürmen und kaputten Kites nicht aus - und all das für einen Weltrekord..."

Frustration...

I was down at lake Walyungup early yesterday morning, in the vain hope that the wind would cooperate. By all accounts the wind was pretty good Saturday (but we already had plans) and as it turned out was none existent when I first got to the lake...

Bloody frustrating!

By about 8am and during a very light shower the wind did pick up I kept persevering with the 5m Ozone Flow and was going anywhere fast - I couldn't even get over 30kph...

panorama of the stormy skies!

The wind came in fits and starts and as the guys and their toy airplanes left the lake, I decided to try my 4m Ozone Method. It changed from an easterly to a more northerly and at least I was moving more...

I also played around with my GoPro and set it on photo mode-

Eventually around 10am I cracked 30kph and eventually got up to 40kph! Well below my PB! Not my best day, but it was good to give the buggy a decent run and I am loving the way it is performing and can't wait to really try for some speed...

Well off my PB and a really low moving average

Hopefully we will get some decent wind soon as I think the last good session I really had was New Years day...

Frustrating - but wouldn't of been anywhere else!

Sewing - part deux!

We bought some rip-stop nylon and some Velcro and my wife made me an awesome cover for the back rest - in Peter Lynn blue...

First time...

Today was our first time, as Australian citizens, that we could vote...

Willy Weather App

I have been using Willy Weather for their wind forecast for the last 18 months and have found it's forecasts accurate.

Willy Wind online

I checked in on my iPhone yesterday to look at the weekend forecast and found that Willy Weather now have a free iPhone app - of course it's now installed on my phone...

the app on my phone

Sewing...

Not me, but hopefully my wife - to make a cover for the back rest similar to those on the side frames.

While it was in the boot of the car with the axle on top it got a couple of holes in the duct tape, nothing major but I don't want to have to keep patching!

Kite buggy on a snowy beach!

Crazy! Makes me cold just watching it maybe I should turn the air-con down!

"Just a small flavour of my 45 mile kite buggy session on 23rd Feb 2013. I thought I was warm when I started but after 4 hours on the beach, I was cold. I had no idea that a thin layer of icy snow would send me sideways......

the sound track isn't from the alien movie......."

What do you do when there is no wind?

Swear a lot! And walk home!

I had a dream that when I went out in the buggy yesterday evening I would buggy from the car-park down on to the lake at 74kph (a new PB) and have an awesome session...

The reality was very different as I struggled to keep the kite in the air and the buggy moving, I think my top speed was 32kph. The wind was just rubbish...

On the bright side the back rest is excellent and the buggy feels great, now I just need some decent wind to really push it.

Are you speeding?

We went down to Bunbury yesterday for the day (labour Day in Western Australia), which is about an hour or so from home.

Panorama using iPhone 5

We had a good time walked on the beach, did a couple of geocaches. Then discovered the car had a flat!

No hassle changing it and putting on the spare - the biggest hassle was the spare is a space-saver with a maximum speed of 80kph.

So driving home was interesting as the highway has a speed limit of 110kph and there was us cruising a long at a very sedentary 80kph - I did receive a couple of rude gestures! And what is it with big 4WD towing motorbikes and quads that think they can pull out and overtake at the very last minute? There were a couple of times I thought somebody was going to go into the back of us!

I did pass at least two fixed speed cameras (double demerits in WA over a public holiday weekend), with little signs up after you have passed them asking "Are you speeding?".

The journey home took just over an hour and a half  - but I think I saved some fuel!