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| 2005.Feb.08 |
How extreme is power kiting? |
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This talks about
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For many people, their first
experience to power kiting is usually from a piece
of media; photo, video, or brochure. Sometime this
can be a real turn off as it may portray an extreme
adrenaline sport minded athlete doing incredible
jumps, tricks and possibly speed. True those people
exist in the sport of power kiting and they've
likely been riding for quite some time, but it all
has to start somewhere. Of course what would the ads
be like if it didn't look like something really
exciting? |
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It's really difficult to explain
to someone that has never harnessed mother nature in
the palm of your hands, what the sensation feels
like. Most people that don't know about how much fun
the winds of mother nature can be, they simply see
it as cold, blustery, and a time for bundling up.
But for those who have felt the power of mother
nature, something awakens in their soul; something
deep down that says the elements are there and I
know I can challenge myself, I can reach a level of
achievement, I can find serenity and a sense of
balance with those uncontrollable forces of nature. |
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One the other hand if you were
lucky enough to see kiting first hand, then it's
probably because you saw or knew someone that showed
you what was like. This is what you want to
strive for. In a safe non-intimidating environment,
get some assistance from someone that knows what
they're doing. As you extend your essence upward
along the kite lines to the nylon wing held by
Mother Nature, you'll begin to feel why so many
before now look forward to those blustery days. Now
bundling up is the cradle that allows you the safety
in the wings of Mother Nature. |
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Just like other sports that deal with the
unpredictable forces of Mother Nature like rock
climbing, surfing, sailing, or parachuting a certain
amount of respect is required. This is something
that you should only get from an experienced
instructor. They'll teach you all the necessary
safety precautions and kiting techniques, that will
guide you on a safe path to freedom in the outdoors.
The sport has been around long enough that you
really don't need to learn and struggle by yourself.
Not only could you endanger yourself but other
riders and spectators too. Would you jump out of a
plane with a parachute without getting some training
first? This sport demands the same kind of respect.
The wrong kite in the wrong conditions can lead to
serious injury or even death. |
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Once you've got some basic instruction, take things
slow. There will always be windier days. If you're
not sure about the power of the winds with your
equipment, start with the smallest you have and
don't go out alone. If you're still not sure, get
some advice from someone else locally who rides or
check the internet. There are so many news groups,
someone will have the answer. You'll find that
riders are generally very willing to help others
that need assistance. |
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So now you're out riding with some of your new found
enthusiasts. They're wizzing by you and jumping, all
sort of things. This takes a lot of practice;
sometimes years. But you'll find that your initial
start up time to enjoying the sport is probably a
lot shorter than you thought. And off season, you'll
be able to practice flying the kite in the safety of
an unpopulated beach or field. This sport is all
about flying the kite. Of course you have to learn
how to direct yourself, but many things can be
achieved simply through techniques of controlling of
the kite. Something a little different about the
sport is that you can be out with those so called
extreme riders, in the same winds in the same
conditions and have your own comfortable safe
experience. This is achieved by the simple fact that
they are usually on a more powerful kite and have
more skills with which to use it. That means that as
a family or group of individuals, you can all
progress at your own level together at the same time
in the same place. |
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Some people will call it extreme simply because
they've never seen the sport before. Over time it
will only grow and more people will find out about
it. For years I've been trying to figure out why the
winter sport hasn't grown more. I think for the
people that have found out about it, they are having
so much fun, they'd simply rather be riding than
promoting. |
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So, you ask yourself is it really that extreme? The
choice is literally in the palm of your hands. After
some amount of practice, the next time your friends
see you, they might think that you're extreme. That
little voice inside your head might like the sound
of that. It may even catch you off guard because it
just became part of having fun and getting some
exercise. Your humbling nature will reply "I'm just
having fun flying my kite". |
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Grant Fitz |
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