Too much of a good thing...

I haven't posted in a while as I haven't had the opportunity to buggy much due to the weather and life.

Today was the day, the forecast looked good with 12-15 knots.

Everything was loaded ready to go. This morning I woke to gently swaying trees, got up and got out. 

On the lake checked the wind and it was 15 knots + blowing an easterly so thought I could buggy all the way down the lake. I was motoring down the lake approaching a narrower bit which was blocked by a man and his dogs!

Power slide to stop and de-powered the kite, which went behind me, bow-tied and ended dropping into the bush! Thankfully missed all the trees and sat still on the grass!

Disconnected the flying lines and after half an hour of careful extraction and then bridle de-tangling I was able to pack the kite away, could have attempted to reattach the lines and given it another go but the wind had kicked off.

20-25 knots is too much for me, wouldn't have flown the 6m Access no way I was going to try my R1!

Reality...

The forecast is for 12-15 knots, the reality is it's 2-10 knots (when it try's hard)!

Ready...

It's going to be hot and windy tomorrow, so I'm getting ready to play...

Cameras charging and the buggy is loaded...

Buggying...

I got to buggy today! The wind was a bit all or nothing but at least I had an hour and a half in the buggy and I even over took a butterfly!

Ozone R1 in a buggy...

I had a go with the R1 today, 11m, I would have preferred to start on the 6 or 8m and build up - but what a kite! And what potential, I got nowhere near unleashing it as I felt overpowered and wasn't confident enough to really let it rip. 

But Andy from http://www.max-vmgracing.com/ is getting an 8 at the end of the week and may get a 6 as well - so hopefully I will get to play some more...

I arrived at Lake Walyungup before sun-rise...

Ozone R1 11m

KAP-tured it...

I had my first attempt at kite aerial photography, I went to Lake Walyungup first and then headed down to the beach...

Wind confusion...

After being very confuddled with the wind forecast on Willy Weather yesterday, unexpectedly the trees started to move so I headed to Lake Walyungup.

I started with the 10m Ozone Manta...

Until it became over-powered then switched to the 6m Ozone Access...

And had just over an hour of buggying...

It definitely has its advantages living so close to such a great buggying location.

First day of winter...

and a public holiday (WA day or foundation day) so I went buggying this morning...

The forecast was good but the wind came a lot later than forecast and wasn't quite as strong, but I had some really good runs, once I had navigated my way down the lake, and according to Endomondo even got a new personal best of 62.9 kph...

track

personal best!

buggy selfie!

Buggying Sunday...

Winds looking good for early Sunday morning.

best thing ever...

It doesn't get much better than the sight of a big kite against a blue sky!

Video - kite buggy, Soloshot 2

Kite buggying on lake Walyungup. 

Another great morning in the buggy, winds were 18 knots with gusts up to 25. Had a blast until the wind changed direction to a northerly then a big walk back! Got some good video using the Soloshot 2 with the camcorder and the GoPro...

Kite buggy - Soloshot 2 from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

screen shot

Buggying...

Had a good morning in the buggy, before the wind swung around to a northerly...

Videos down loading!

Be prepared...

ready for a Sunday morning kite buggy session...

kites and buggy loaded-

Cameras charging-

wind looking good-

windswept...

windswept

ˈwɪn(d)swɛpt/

adjective

adjective: windswept; adjective: wind-swept

1. (of a place) exposed to strong winds.

   "the windswept moors"

   synonyms:

   exposed, unprotected, bleak, bare, desolate; More

   antonyms:

   sheltered

   • untidy after being exposed to the wind.

     "his windswept hair"

     synonyms:

     dishevelled, tousled, unkempt, windblown, untidy, messy, disordered,disarranged; mussed up "his windswept hair"

     antonyms:

     tidy, sleek

Too windy...

Down at Lake Walyungup and it's howling! 18-25 knots. Buggied part way down the lake and then landed the kite as it was a bit scary.

The Ozone Access 6m is supposed to be good up to 25 knots - but I'm not!

It's really says something when the fully loaded buggy moves in its own!

What's the best thing to do when you OBE?

Make sure you get it on video!

Yesterday started off fine I even checked the wind before getting the 10m Ozone Manta out, it was 8-10 knots and was forecast to drop. Hooked in and set off down the lake - all good.

This was my first outing with the Soloshot 2, after reading the instructions a few times (yes I am a man and yes I do read instructions!) I thought it might be a bit tricky to set up - but it was very straight forward and pretty simple to get it paired and calibrated.

I had some good runs with the Manta and the green LED on the front of the Soloshot 2 is really visible, even from a distance in bright sun - so you know it is tracking you. 

The wind did appear to be increasing as I was going sideways a fair bit and a gust flipped the buggy with me in it! Without the hotwire I think I would have been lofted a fair way and then dropped. The best thing was the Soloshot 2 recorded all this...

strewth mate..! from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

Only a couple of minor grazes and bruises!

Best of all I got it on video! 

Ended up playing on the Ozone Access 6m and as forecast the wind dropped! Not the best days kite buggying but a good test of the Soloshot 2.

I wasn't sure how the Soloshot 2 was going to work, I played around with the zoom levels and the positioning of the camera and the RAW footage is great. 

The only downside is my JVC camcorder isn't compatible with the auto-zoom function and the battery top up. But otherwise really happy - if not a little stiff and sore today!

my track