April 9th 2010

(Spokane Wa)
There was definitely something familiar about walking around downtown Spokane. Although for the life of me I couldn't remember where Aunties & Uncles was. I vaguely remembered it being near the Opera house, and with enough sidewalk stumbling I found it. It had changed somewhat inside. Downsizing to almost only the bottom floor. Still bright and loving, the walls the same muted white with that almost obnoxious green accent. It felt different this time. As I walked amongst the neatly lined shelves it felt like something was missing. Perhaps it was the lack of the oppressive weight of floors full of books above me. Even the attached cafe had changed. From the artistically over colored photographs on the slate gray walls to the perfectly handwritten chalkboard menu above the stereo playing french nouveau jazz. The quaint cafe had become that psuedo-neighbors dining table style of upscale fine dining. It reminds me of the Kitchen in Boulder and I feel sadly under-dressed in my hoodie with my americano and Byron. (Book: The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron)

Don't get me wrong, I love it in here. The manager, whom I talked to for the better part of an hour, and the owner have done a fantastic job. It is just that feel like a stranger in a town that was once my home. Oddly it only spurs my desire to be back on the road. At least that is familiar from my past, a feeling like I always needed to get out of Spokane.

The music changes slightly, still the words are in french, but the beat feels distinctly Cuban or Puerto Rican. I is with this change that I am blindly following Byron through the Mediterranean eastward. Funnily enough, I am continually distracted by a particular patron within the bookstore. From where I sit I have a clear view of the magazine rack and the books on Astrology and Metaphysics. It is there that he has been perusing for the past twenty minutes. As if the answers that he has failed to find in his anarchy might be hiding in the pages of an untold horoscope. All black clothes with various slogans of the anti-corporate, gauged ears, and long black dreadlocks that reach towards his studded belt. If eel as if he is a cross between several of my friends and a cliche. I think he knew I was watching him, for he looked right at me, walked away, then circled back a moment later to return the books.

NABX 2010

For more photos see: Chris NABX 2010

Aoxomoxoa, we have all felt it. Whether we fly stunts, fighters, traction, or anything else our childish community of peter-pans has devised to put into the sky. It is that divine feeling, or transcendence that one feels at any age. Pure unaltered bliss that you can only know when you fly simply for the sake of flying. It is aoxomoxa that overcomes you and makes you smile even when you snag a kite in a bush or snap your lines. You are happy because you are doing what you love. Aoxomoxoa lives within the playa, and it calls out drawing everyone from near and far. Although, most of us traveled from all over the United States, this years North America Buggy expo (NABX) brought crews from Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, and Japan. Whether it was the possibility of setting new land speed records, or just to be surrounded by fellow kiters, we all converged on Ivanpah Lake south of Primm, Nevada.

The reports from the pre-event were of conditions boasting 30-40 mph winds with 75 mph gusts. It was on one of these days that Fast Arjen set a new record of 82.89 mph with a 2.7m kite. As he sped past Buggytown some dropped what they were doing, others were desperately trying to tie down their own gear in the rolling wind. Everyone, however, knew that they were witnessing history. It was into this boiling wind that the HQ Powerkite team thought they would be falling into when arriving early Thursday morning. However the storm front that had brought about those conditions had cleared out and passed to the west the night before.

The lake bed baked in the gradually increasing temperature while everyone walked around lazily awaiting for even a breeze. The more seasoned fliers watched as every now and then a ‘sucker wind’ would come through and the newbies would run out to the field to set up. Only to have their kites fall out of the sky. Time came to a standstill as the sun wavered in the sky. In the heart of the mojave, the middle of the day is the hardest. For almost 8 hours everyone floated between chatting, checking gear, and snagging lunch at Buggytown headquarters. Then at 4:29 pm, Aeolus (greek god of the winds) flipped the switch to ON and Ivanpah came alive. Buggy town emptied out as one after the other ran out to their kite of choice. The night ended with a HQ sponsored party under the big tent, with the fresh flowing nectar of Ska Brewery. The Matt’s (Kite fliers hailing from Ska Brewery) themselves stood behind the taps pouring one cup after the other for each successive thirsty kiter.

The sun broke on friday morning with a day of no wind. The bug was in us by this point, and Team Wee Thump of HQ took off across the mountains to the west in search of wind. Before reaching our destination, we were sidetracked and stopped at the edge of a true Joshua Tree forest to fly some stunt kites and deltas, trying desperately to keep them above the kite eaters all around us. Large bushes and blooming joshua trees thrusted their snarling fingers towards the sky trying to pull each one of our kites back to the ground. But HA! we were successful and walked away with only one accident, our fateful teammate Wheelie Willy had backed into a barbed wire fence. The day was only half over when we stopped by the Whistlestop Cafe in Nipton California. Once a favored stop of famed silent film actress Clara Bow, this town with a population of sixteen had become a ghost town holding on to the edge of the desert. The crew played with the bobble-head turtles and toy tanks inside the store, until that tell tale whistling of the wind started to pick up along the road. Oh sweet wind it called to us and brought us forth to the southern end of the lake bed. Would it be possible to kite back to buggy town from here? Only eight miles from the fencing along the road back to home according to the GPS. The question was, were there unseen hazards? Like what about the old evaporation pond and the berms with kite eating thorns? To do it on a buggy is one thing, but for Kiteloop Kyle to think about crossing that distance on a landboard, meant that the day would be over by the time he poured himself into camp. After much debate, the plan was scrapped in favor of bringing the wind back with us to camp. The camp was rejoicing as the dust rolled off the back of our car at a steady 15 mph. Several folks stopped by the HQ camp to try out our new baby, the Prodigy 6.5m. Others simply wanted to learn to fly either a de-power or a kite on handles. We were more then happy to teach and help set up, only to be rewarded with watching that smile spread across their face. Priceless. Flying once again into the sunset, more than the HQ Wee Thump team rejoiced when dinner came out and Lenka and Slava (Snowkite Cinema) threw on videos of the day.

Saturday came parading into buggy town with perfect wind in tow. Over 8 hours of flying and free-riding and all of us felt that great aoxomoxoa feeling wash over us. All types of traction kiters, buggiers, landsailers, and landboarders spent their time riding the pleasurable playa. If it moved, chances were that we put a kiter in it and watched it sail. With the perfect lighting and all of us out on the playing field, it seemed only perfect that we set up a tandem buggy and head out to capture some footage. Kiteloop Kyle grabbed the Montana V 7.0m in the 16 mph wind and Chris and myself in the tandem buggy popped up the Apex II 7.0m and headed to the softer side of the lake. A perfect place to throw some tricks and fly as a group. The sun set on buggy town and those not out on a midnight ride were treated to a fabulous banquet and the raffling off of many fabulous gifts.

Team Wee Thump was all too sad to wake up on Sunday. Other then the lack of wind, there was a sense of sorrow in the air as we all knew that we would be going our separate ways. We were also sad to say goodbye to those that made this event amazing. Thank you Dean, you are the embodiment of living-breathing aoxomoxoa. Thanks also go out to Jose and the various characters that aided in making sure that everyone of us left with a big ole chuckle in our hearts and a smile on our face. Thank you Lenka and Slawek, and the Peter Lynn boys for the amazing footage to keep us entertained at night. And last but definitely not least, a special thanks goes to everyone that helped in the kitchen. Without your hard work and delicious meals, we would of been relegated to eating cold McDonalds and marshmellows.

Personally I want to thank Ska Brewery for suppling free beer to all of us thirsty kiters. Not only are the Matt’s kiters themselves, but they are spreading the word and the fruits of fabulous Colorado Breweries. I also want to thank HQ Powerkites for being so amazing and accepting of a silly girl in a gray skirt that just loves to fly. You guys are always making the weirdest places feel like home for me. To everyone else that went to NABX and spent a minute talking with me and my crew, or just flew with us, you are the reason more people need to get into the sport. Finally, to the members of the new Team Wee Thump: I love you guys.