Fun at 7000 feet up

Today was another beautiful day up in Big Bear.My son and I broke out the kites and went to the lake. We like the lake shoreline for kite flying mainly because of the view and the lack of trees in various locations around it.(trees are a kites worst enemy followed by power and telephone wires if you didnt already know that lol)

My son Billy and I have about 10 different kites depending on how energetic or lazy we feel at the time. We have 5 stunt or dual string kites that require standing and more energy to fly than a single string kite but the dual string kites give back so much fun and excitement.

It takes a little more time to prep a stunt kite before you can fly it because you have 2 strings to even out,no matter how long they are they must be even or its going to take off and do all circles if it takes off at all lol. Once you have them even with very little practice time you will be able to make the kite perform amazing maneuvers or tricks with ease.From figure 8's of any size or circles in any direction. (just remember to count them so you can do the same amount in the opposite direction to seperate the strings back apart from the kite to your handles)

Each and every trick or stunt is performed by moving one of your handles towards or away from the kite while in flight,and that will in turn make the kite turn a certain way. Its really quite simple and easy to understand after a few crashes and a quick string adjustment when you 1st start out... Oh did I say "crashes", dont worry todays kites are made of non-tear materials and have carbon-fiber or composite rods that replaced the paper or plastic and wood construction kites of the good old days and cost a little more but considering its a "one time" purchase for endless flights and fun they are worth every dollar.(I have had most of mine for years and years and lots and lots of fun crashes too)

1 kite of each type for each of my family would have been just fine except for all the family and friends that come visit and in many cases stay several days at a time up here in Big Bear. Now my wife Robin on the other hand prefers a single string kite that can be enjoyed from a lawn chair in the grass while shes reading a book or busy chatting to friends.(she likes to just use fishing line on an old fishing reel instead of kite string and tie it to her chair or a fixed object like a park bench or a car door handle lol....and just reel it in or out..... Imagine that...sheeeesh Women "rofl" )

Ok back to flying.. I like to fly my kite from left to right keeping it a few inches to a foot off the ground and cover a few hundred feet of distance in each direction just to show onlookers how much control one has with these types of kites and they can see how easy they are to fly close up.For now let me just say as far as kites go.. A single string kite is controlled and its direction is determined by the wind.. Whereas a stunt kite controls the wind and its direction is determined by you...

Kites can be a "year round" low cost hobby.I hope this was a little bit helpful to any with questions about kites... BE SAFE OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN... MICHAEL..... Tharizingsun hobbies
kites as a fun low cost year round hobby