Video - Quadcoptor

First attempt at filming with the Syma X5C quadcoptoroutside my in-laws house. No image stabilisation used in post-production.

Syma X5C quadcoptor from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

screen shot

Happy Christmas...

From the sunny, but cold UK....

Back home to Aus in a couple of days - woohoo!

New toy...

No kites to buy in Hong Kong, but picked myself up a little quad copter with HD camera today ...

Comes with spare rotors, so should be good to learn on and have some fun in the process.

Departure...

Just waiting to board our flight to Hong Kong and then onto the UK. Back on the 28th December before heading down to Esperance...

Esperance - Part V

I have booked myself into a Caravan Park for my Esperance trip...

Esperance Bay Holiday Park

I didn't fancy an 8 hour drive with no garuntee where I was going to stay.

This site also has power for the iPad, iPhone, GoPro's and our Engel...

Esperance - Part IV

My Christmas present arrived yesterday, a Malamoo 3 Seconds X-TRA - a tent! Had a play around with it this arvo and made a short video!

Malamoo 3 Seconds X-TRA from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

Bought from Snowys on-line, with free delivery! And about $40 cheaper than I could buy it locally!

New T-shirt...

Thanks to Steve at Ozone kites, it's replacing my red one that I had managed to trash...

Also a Kite-Power stubbie holder. 

The hunky, model dude is actually me!

Homemade GoPro roo bar mount...

Knocked this up this arvo, using the GoPro tripod mount...

Kite surfing from Perth to North-West Cape...

From ABC news on-line...

"Ian Young served 22 years in the Australian Army and knows very well that many veterans come back from serving with a variety of health issues.

Ian decided to do something about it and has embarked on a wild, windy adventure in the hope to raise funds and awareness for Soldier On, a charity which assists wounded soldiers.

I met with Ian in Port Gregory, half way through his journey toward the North West Cape of Western Australia.

In a straight line, the distance from Perth to North-West Cape is around 1300 kilometers, however Ian says he will be travelling a further 600-700 kilometers due to tacking and weaving in and out of strong winds, predominately coming from the south.

Prior to this big adventure, Ian's longest distance traveled by kite surfing was 120 km from Fremantle to Lancelin. On the first day of this trip, the ex-SAS soldier left from the Perth suburb of Scarborough and made it to Jurien Bay which is around 200 kilometers. It was his new personal best.

"I found those 200 kilometers a lot tougher that anything I've ever done before," he says.

"The last few days, the conditions are becoming tougher with the swell picking up. So I try not to go anymore than 400 meters off the beach. But, I'm dealing with beach breaks and sometimes overhead waves."

Ian says he's been planning this trip for the last two to three years and has a support crew travelling up the coast with him.

"A lot of the coastline is very inhospitable where you can't just land on the beach because of ledges and cliffs.

"But I have a very able support crew with me who are ex-SAS mates of mine and they've been a fantastic help to me. It gives me a great deal of confidence to know that they are not to far away."

Ian is wearing a GPS tracker that shows where he has been on his journey which you can view.

"There are many veterans who suffer a variety of health issues and I would like to use this adventure to increase the awareness of these problems.

"The realty is, is that soldiering is not normal business and the psychological and physical traumas that people suffer are unique. The government does provide some support but it's just not enough." "

To donate got to...

https://soldieron.giveeasy.org/campaigns/kitesurfing-perth-to-the-north-west-cape/

Esperance - part III

Just ordered my Christmas present for my Esperance trip...

Malamoo X-Tra

Camping...

Went looking at swags today and came home with this...!

A family camping trip is now being planned for next weekend!

Still need something for new year, but reckon I could put the tent up on my own if 10-15 minutes!

Video - a few days on October...

Kite buggying on Lake Walyungup on a couple of very different October days.

a few days in October from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

Esperance - part II

I think Ive found where I'm staying in Esperance, just need to show up with a swag and they will find space for me...

Pictures...

The weather was pretty hit and miss this morning, I seemed to manage to catch most of the showers!

Some pictures captured from the video...

Sunday...

...20% chance of a shower and winds 10-12 knots, looks like a 10m Manta kinda day. The Utes loaded and ready to go...

Esperance...

I'm planning a road trip to Esperance over New-year to camp and for some buggying?

Anybody want to come?

http://www.extremekites.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=18335&view=unread#unread

Video - Bike Cam

Filmed by my daughter with the GoPro attached to her bike. Also using the GoPro 3 way mount.

Music: Bom Bom, Sam and the Womp (sorry, thats what happens when you involve an 11 year old in the editing process!)

Bike Cam! from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

Buggy transport...

You'd think now that I have got the ute that I wouldn't have any issues transporting the buggy - it goes in the tub, with all the kites and associated gear without any problems and room to spare.

There has been a discussion on Extreme Kites about transporting buggys, particularly leaving them fully assemble. I usually store my buggy in the garage with the rear axle off and then into the back of the car (or ute) two nuts and bolts and the axle is on and away we go.

But I have created space in the garage so I can store the buggy with the axle on and I now have a bike rack for the back of the ute...

The buggy on the bike rack is very wobbly, would need some proper tie-downs and some other way of bracing it - without spending any money!

In the mean time it will be off with the axle and everything in the tub!

New car...

It's ute-iful!

From the weekend...

Some screen shots from the video at the weekend...

Test drive...

Went to have a look at a ute this morning, we took it for a test drive. It has now come home with us for the weekend to see if it likes us and may stay!

The dog wasn't to impressed...

But the buggy and kites fit in easily.

Life can be hard...

...when your trying to do things while keeping everything crossed so the forecast doesn't change.

Evolve Electric mountainboards and skateboards...

I think I know what I want for Christmas...

I was talking to a guy at work today who has one of these, huge range, awesome top speed and maneuverability!

"Dear Santa,

I have been a good boy this year..."

Equipment checks...

The forecast is still looking good for the weekend. Got everything out this morning to check it was ready to go.

Tyre pressures, bolts tightened, both kites checked, pads, helmet, gloves and harness ready...

Then inside to make sure I have all my GoPro mounts and both GoPro cameras are fully charged...

All good just bring on the wind!

Buggying...

After a long winter break the weather is finally spring like and it is looking hopeful that I might get out with the kites, buggy and board at the weekend...

I will still need to fit a weekend run as well!

iSmoothRun...

Bought a new app today to help improve my running. I was after something which help set your pace, as I have a tendency to go out too hard and fast!

So after reading many reviews opted for iSmoothRun...

Went for a 5k run after work and got a new PB and my pace was much more consistent and ran most of it!

Not sure how much was the app and how much is my fitness level!

It's warming up, so maybe back in the buggy and board soon...!

Losing it...

I haven't been buggying or boarding for a few weeks, but I haven't been sat on my butt!

Using my fitbit and endomondo I have spent the last three weeks training and losing weight. Aiming for 15000 steps a day and burning 3000 calories. I have been running twice a week and even bought myself some decent runners...

And after three weeks I have dropped from 78 kgs to 75 kgs, I would still like to lose one more!

daily steps

running map

daily calories burned

We are now into spring so I am hoping the lake starts to dry out a bit, though we do have more rain forecast for the weekend and the beginning of next week. I am looking forwards to getting back in the buggy.