Day at the Cape

After Atlantic city we head further North, New York City. In the mean time it is starting to rain. Cool we kind of liked it. I think Clark liked it too, to a certain extent. Anyway it has been raining for a week straight. Finally a nice solid sunny day and a little break from the weather.

I got to see Time square! Where they drop the New years ball and with all the crazy magnetic billboards saying look at me! It was really cool. What was even cooler was New York closed one street in the middle of time square and made it a walking zone. They also placed cheap lawn furniture like the skinny plastic straw material. Funny to see all the heavy butts sink down in them. Yeah you know the chair that stretches when you sit in it!

Thanks to Eddy and Tina for taking us around downtown New York. We got to eat Delicious sushi at a restaurant called ??? with good Okinawan beer called Orion. Yum.

After the funday in New York we went back to the safe confines of Teaneck New Jersey. I wouldn't dare to drive Clark (The R.V.) through down town. It was mad mayhem with taxis, people, semi's, bicyclist, and everything just moshed together. Big props out to Eddy who drove us smoothly through the all the city traffic.

Next, we left for the Cape! Cape Cod. To go visit Eric with FunSeekers and Jonny D with Masskiting.com. We left New York with rain, not to bad at first, but then it started to pour! Had to go instantly and buy new wipers because the sqeecky ones were not going to cut it. Man was it a long drive from New York, the traffic was crazy! With about an 1 to 2 inches of water on the roadway, people were being stupid and driving to fast and then stopping and then going, long stressful drive with poor visibility.

We made it to Cape Cod late in the evening and we were staying with Johnny with Masskiting.com at his family's Cottage. But the funny thing was we showed up at night to this niehborhood that looked like munchkin land! The whole place is just these little gloryfied sheds that are the cuttiest little things. Decorated in everybodys image of beach style and sassyness. It's wonderful!

Glad we made it. Felt so good to stop and park and fit in with all the huts. Maybe someday Clark can become the Mayor of Munchkin Land!!

The next day we got to go ride in the waves!!!!!!!!! It was sick thanks to Eric from Funseekers. Calling early in the morning and motivating to do a down winder. We got to go ride near Wellfleet, and along Ocean View Drive. The conditions were so good. The wind was side on to side, with rain squalls in between and pretty strong about 15 to 25mph. It didn't look as windy but it worked out.

So it was Eric, Mike and I. We got to ride 4 to 6 foot waves with some really big over head waves. Some of the biggest waves of the whole trip, and some of the biggest waves I have ever turned and faced on a strapless board kiting. Great fun! I definitely got my ass handed to me a couple of times and had to go all the way back in to the beach and retrieve my board. I am getting so close to sending the kite and grabbing the board to do bigger jumps also! Mike, the life guard, is also getting really close to landing his bigger strapless airs. He saw me do a couple and losing the board and having to body drag back to it. I guess that isn't the best idea because he told me that "There are Great White Sharks out there." Of course he tells me after the down winder. I guess if you see lots of seals there is a good chance there is Whitey out there!!

Eric also ripped it up on a 12 light and his strapped surf board. I might have to try it. He was catching all the waves with ease and muscling through the surf. He is a rocking rider and teaches people to rip. I wish I had the ocean in my back yard. But now I got the whole U.S. as my back yard so I can't complain.

After the day of the down winder we went and hung out with Johnny and his family at his Cottage. Wow what a fun family. Thank you once again DeSalvos for all the hospitality and blue berry pancakes. I would come back next year just for that!

We had a great "no-winder" demo on Saturday but still got a pretty big following to hang out on the beach with no wind. What was even cooler is MASSKITING.com and community still came out that evening and partied with us at the Sand Dollar Bar. There were at least 40 people there which was amazing for a no wind day!! Thank you Johnny and Jeremy for creating such a good core group of people that interact with eachother just because of Forum!

After partying until about 3 am we had to leave Sunday Morning and cater to Andrew from Powerline Sports in New Hampshire. It was raining in sheets all day Sunday but it wasn't a bad demo because we had tons of wind and really good surf. Thanks to all the NH peeps who came out in the nasty weather to kite with Ozone.
Man what sucked even more was 6 wet kites in Clark and no way to dry them off. With non stop rain for about 8 days our front window in Clark also started to leak! Sucky!

I am glad that we have Ozone to buy us a Hotel room for the night to dry off a bunch of kites in the hotel room. You would never think that a 14m light looked so big! We had all the kites out, some pumped up and some hanging by the bridles. Good thing was the carpet matched the color of the wet sand. You couldn't even tell that we had such a mess in the room! Lucky I guess, we were joking that the kites are so important that they get there own room. But moldy stinky kites always suck. Finally we are dry in Clark. With a one nice day to make repairs to the 23 year old windows.

All is good now! But back in the rain again, when will it stop. So depressing :( But now we are in the Hampton's in New York. Blog you next time.

Peace
Patrick and Karabeth

King Of Steaks

So after leaving the crazy confines and traffic of Washington D.C. We had to stop and have the Original Philly Cheese Steak. We went to PAT's King Of Steaks. Of course we had to go to Pats, not only for the name but it was the first. Who cares for Geno's across the street? Geno's just looked like the Disney Land of Philly's. Besides who can't let down a Cheese Whiz Philly (wit). It was cool to sit out side across the street of the enemy. I wish we ate only half of a Pat's steak and then went across the street to have half of Geno's to compare. But what the heck, maybe just the original taste is all we need. Let me tell you, parking Clark on Philly roads is FUN. Driving down narrow streets with trash cans on one side and cars parked on the other, tight!

When we got out of Philly we went and surprised Rich and Beth from Atlantic Kiteboarding. They let us stay in front of their house and swim in his salt water pool! Nice, oh so nice! We had a great stay and demo with Rich.

I got to ride with Rich 3 ot of the 4 days there. We had a couple of light wind days and also a backwards wind direction. I guess they don't get many northwest days. We had a really successful demo on Sunday with local guys trying the whole lineup: Edge, Sport, and Light. In the afternoon we decided to do a down winder. It was awesome, I had 7 kites out and all Ozones flying down the beach doing a down winder in the surf! It was even cooler because we were the only guys out, it was like a private Ozone session. After the day was out, I was beat. Riding and talking all Ozone all day! Good days!

On Sunday Kara and I decided to ride our bikes down in Atlantic City on the board walk. We road the whole thing from start to finish and back again. Then we got a wild hair and went to Ocean City to cruise most of the board walk there. I am happy that we brought bikes on the trip. I think I would go stir crazy when there is no wind. Really enjoyable bike rides. I don't know why people say Atlantic City is so dirty and bad. Only parts of it were but not every where. We were absolutely impressed with the size of the homes and beautiful yards people had just south of Atlantic City. But it was weird because there was a certain point on the board walk where the sites went from ok to Oh My God gorgeous!! Ocean City was a whole different story. For sure people have money down there! Another absolutely pretty bike ride.

So we had a great stay in Absecon with Rich and Beth. Thank you so much for the great dinners and lots of laughs. Thank you, Thank You. Also Big props out to all the kiters that made it out to Bergantine Beach. Rocking Ozone's! Atlantic City Kiters are a sweet crew, and thank you for coming maybe next year well have more wind and even more people.

Anyway off to Cape Cod, Massachusetts....

Peace

Patrick and Kara

Crazy Capital

When we left the Outer Banks, North Carolina we headed for Richmond, Virginia. We visited some historic sites and checked out the Civil War monument and museum. Super cool to see, at least once in your life. I don't know why people are so backwards. A war over slaves, who would have thought we would get past all the racism.

Before we left the sound of OBX we also stopped off at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. It was so inspiring to see all the work they did. The determination just to fly. I think it is human nature to want more, maybe it is the drive of the imagination. Or maybe it is the feeling of flying and soaring. I wish I could fly. I would be right next to them trying the same thing back in the day!!

I recommend to anyone that is a soarer or a dreamer to go to the site of the Wright Brothers Memorial. It is awesome! You get to see the replicas of the glyders they started with and the models they tested. Who would have thought that two bike mechanics could figure out how to fly. No PHD's or engineering school just determination. Geniuses back in the day.

After we visited the memorial we headed further north and made it to Washington D.C. Wow what a cluster F@#k! The people in the east just don't know how to drive. Everybody drives fast and furious. They drive to close, cut each other off and honk like mad. Clark defiantly was a little stressed driving through all the interchanges and off ramps. The traffic was amazing! Driving just 5 miles through the thick of it all, took about an 1 hour. Getting cut off in a camper is not fun, do people realize i don't have any brakes!? I don't think I have seen so many near misses and crashes in my life. Super entertaining to watch out of the mellow front seat of Clark!!

After we made it through all the traffic. Me and Kara parked the rig and took the bikes off the rack and started to tour the sites. First stop, was a statue of President George Washington in a beautiful park setting. He was sitting on a bench with a book and paper deep in his thoughts, pretty.

Next we rode to the Jefferson Memorial. Absolutely amazing! The architecture was great and the statue was even cooler. The quotes on the wall were very inspiring. But man the tour groups of kids and people were crazy. So many mass hysteria kids running around and chatting, screaming, and giggling. I guess it is good that the schools still take there students to see the Nations Capital. I hope all the kids take something home from the history and think about what has happened in the last 200 years of the United States of America. How lucky are we to live in such a amazing country!

After the Jefferson memorial, Kara and I road our bikes to the National Memorial and to the Lincoln Memorial. Once again very inspiring. Men that wanted to see change in the way people live, to have good and stable lives in a country that is safe and full of opportunities.

Thank you founding fathers for this country. Hopefully we can keep progressing and making this country better and stronger. I wish this stupid recession would end too, all in good time!

Well after all the touring for two days we head of to Atlantic City, New Jersey. We are doing a demo there for Atlantic Kiteboarding. Hope to blog again and keep in touch.

Peace
Patrick Nedele and Karabeth Hanna

End of the Triple S

As we come to the end of the Triple S event at Real Kite boarding, the party last night was amazing. With all the top pro kiters from around the world, chillin and hanging out with random joes as myself. I felt really proud when Aaron Sales from Kiteboarding Mag. introduced me to Ruben Lenten and Aaron Hadlow as one of the best US Snow kiters. Wow thanks Aaron, I didn't think I was that good! There are alot of sick snowkiters out there that kill it, I guess I am one of them! (I have to toot my own HORN!!)

As the evening went on, the riders of the event were signing autographs and chatting with people. It was neat to see all the top riders in the world hanging out and talking with people, as if they knew them. All the idols were there Robby Naish, Shannon Best, Aaron Hadlow, Ruben Lenten, Andre Phillip, Davie Blair, Ect.

The party really set off when Island Dub from Chuck Town, S.C. started to play. Everybody started to groove and dance. Not many pro riders know how to dance! It is funny when you see people all liqueured up and trying to have good times!

Anyway the party was great thanks to Trip Foreman and Real. They diffinantly know how to PARTY. Here are some of the Results from the event, Triple S Results.

Next Stop Washington, D.C.

Peace
Patrick

Epic Days in OBX

 
Will Brooks rockin some of the biggest rallies and unhooked kite loops I have seen this year. We decided to go out and shoot late, Will and I thought the pictures might not turn out. But now, I kind of like the silhouette shot with the sunset in the background. Will was throwing down some pretty sweet moves on the 9m edge. Rumour has it he might start rockin Ozone's soon.

All the shots were taken after having a killer downwinder from Kitty Hawk Kites to Pea Island on the Outer Banks. Everybody had a great time. Will showed us around some of the slicks. He even showed me this sick land gap, which was a pretty big commitment to pull off if you were going to jump it. I cleared it twice! One jump being bigger than the other. As Will, Craig, Bryan and I cruised down wind I totally got hosed. Right before the entrance of the slick! I had crashed my kite and some how when I crashed the kite, one of the pump hoses from the leading edge came off and my kite deflated.

As all the other guys saw what happened, they just said to start walking for the road. In the mean time the instructions from Will were, "Dude walk in the water and watch for water moccasins, snaping turtles, huge cat sized rats" and even mad deer that have chased him before. So I am stressed as it is because of the snakes.

I look around me and take a deep breath and start to fold up my deflated kite. And I start to think to myself, "If i was younger I would break down and cry!!" Worried as I start my adventure towards the road. As I am walking through these water canals I am holding my kite in one hand and my board in the other to protect me from the crazy critters that were described to me earlier.

Walking through tall wet grassy nasty marsh land, getting eaten by killer mosquito's and chewed on by huge green horse flys. I was going NUTS. I didn't know what to do first, should I swat at the 15 mosquito's on my arm, hit the green horse fly eatting my neck or defend myself from the swooping birds that were probably just defending there nesting area. All while trying to walk through waist high grass and bushes while on the looking out for snakes, rats, deer, and every other swamp critter out to get me.

As I was getting eaten alive I made it to the road. Which was not any better, I started to fold up my kite and I got swarmed by every bug that likes eating human flesh. I was swatting and running in the wind trying to put my kite together smaller so someone would pick me up. As I was rolling my kite I was hitch hiking and some curious people stopped to give me a lift back to Kitty Hawk. The poor people that gave me a ride got eaten too! Not only that, they got like 80 or so mosquito's in the car. Oops. Thank you though random people that gave me a lift.

The whole down winder was worth it. I will do it again soon, I hope this time I will make it farther and get to ride Pea Islands slicks of buttery water.

Moral of the story = Booties on your feet aren't as gay as they look, especial when you have to walk out of the marshes of the OBX!!

Peace
Patrick

Great Dayz in Chuck Town

 

We had a awesome time down in Charleston, South Carolina. The people were great, hospitable, and a solid crew of good friends. We had such a good time with the Charleston crew that we are considering moving! We enjoyed going on a bike ride over the new bridge into town. The town was fabulous, full of history and culture. The people there seem really into the outdoors and staying healthy. Kara and I loved the lifestyle down there, even for kiting. During the week when everybody has to work they still go kite after work and have great sessions from 4-8pm. I wish we had something like that in Colorado.

As we were there for 4 days we got to ride 3 of the four days and had a great time. The Saturday that was scheduled for the demo didn't work because of lite winds and lots of beach goers filling the beach. But Sunday and Monday were super. Lots of people got to ride the new 09 instincts. I think almost every size and model went out and got demoed. We were excited to hear all the great feed back of the kites.

Thank you once again Air Company for inviting us down to your local spot. Thank you for all of your hospitality and cruising with us on the town bikes around Charleston. If any of you guys really read this blog go to there site and try to go kite Chuck Town it is bad ass.

Peace
patrick and kara