On my soapbox!

jbruxer · Since 24 Jul 2005 398 Posts Beaverton, OR Obsessed

Okay, so I need to vent....on to my soapbox!

For those of you who were at HR today, you know how fluky the wind was (on again, off again, on again, off again). So after body dragging back into shore on my 9m (because god turned the wind off), I decided to wait a while to see if things were going to pick up. After waiting for about 30 minutes, I decided that it was time to put up the 13m!

Ready for its maiden voyage, the 13m takes to the air! What a magnificent site! Out to the water I go!

As I start walking out, I notice a guy slightly upwind of me getting ready to ride...might I note that I don't think he even saw me as he was diving his kite almost all the way down to the water. "Fuckin' A" I say to myself as I lay the wingtip of my kite on the water! After the person finally past, the wind instantly stopped and my kite decided to fall back and twist into the window.

By now, my kite was almost straight down mind and rolling around like a ...a...a....a kite rolling around on the water! Here is where I got pissed!

So, my kites flopping around right by two dudes that are standing on the shore. I start yelling, waiving, whistling at them to grab my kite and what do I get.....????? NOTHING!!! Not only that, one of them who was looking right the fuck at me then turned his back right after he noticed the kite 10 ft behind him!

After a few minutes yelling, what do I notice now???....another person walking their kite out the sandbar and walking right into my kite that is flopping on the ground (now almost in launch position)! So now, my kites getting ready to hot launch, some dude is walking right towards it, and two douche bags are 10 feet from my kite! By this time, I figure the only thing I can do to not seriously hurt people is pull on one of the back lines and start the flopping all over! Finally this time, someone who just came in (and still attached to their bar) ran over and gave me a hand....to that person, THANKS!

So....to the two dudes who turned their backs on a kiter in need....you can both eat my shit! Especially because you looked right at my kite and then turned your backs! Evil or Very Mad

Alright, off the soapbox!

Am I wrong here? Was it me who was being an ass? I consider myself a very cautious kiter, and to me this was freakin' unbelievable!

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

nah, man, its good to let that stuff out. i always feel good after a good rant, and maybe we all learn something.

perhaps the two dudes on the beach were nonkiters who didnt know how to catch a kite? i know its a reach, but benenfit of the doubt kinda thing?

kiters in the nw rock, for the most part, i mean when i was in cabarete i just started self launching every session it was so hard to get someone to help. here, for the most part, its a big family. but all families have their dysfunctional a**holes.

just my two cents

jimmi

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1738 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

TWIN-FIN · Since 24 May 2006 805 Posts Portland, OR Hot Monkey

That has happened to me the two times I have kited at the sand bar.
Its like they are looking at you thinking to them selfs..."WTF does this kook want?" I gave two dudes talking the - I want to land my kite signal (Tap on the head) establishing eye contact and yelling CAN YOU CATCH MY KITE PLEASE?. I lowered my kite right next to them and nothing!
So I picked the kite back up and moved down wind and droped the Mother F#$%er right on thier heads. The one dude that caught the kite pitch me shit about being careful. I asked him why he did not help me after I gave him the signal and lowering my kite to the ground for him to lay on the sand. He said, and I quote "I was talking to my buddy".
I replyed thanks for the help.
This is the only launch that I have ever had this happen at. WTF!

Bettyboarder · Fri Aug 17, 07 9:46 pm

Yardsale · Since 29 Mar 2005 387 Posts Portlanastan Obsessed

STORMRIDER · Since 17 Jul 2007 229 Posts Stoked

YARDSALE--is it bcuz they were as useless as a male plant,so stupid they would smoke the wrong sex of weed or just cuz they must have been stoned? whats the implication?

Dickfircrick · Since 29 May 2007 62 Posts Hood Rever

Whats up w/ the male pot plant implication? I think that calls for an explanation for sure!If you are insinuating that the two people who did'nt get involved in your situation were stupid enough to grow male pot plants then I think I get your drift, but if not,your way fuckin out of line!

brokenlizard · Sat Aug 18, 07 2:04 am

I've had similar experiences at the sandbar as well. There doesn't seem to be that sense of everyone looking out for each other like I've experienced at Stevenson or Sauvies. That being said I have also met a lot of cool people at the sandbar who were more than happy to help out. Especially when I was first starting.

BTW. Isn't that a picture of your living room Steve.

Yardsale · Since 29 Mar 2005 387 Posts Portlanastan Obsessed

boardrider · Since 05 Apr 2006 1034 Posts Ventura, CA XTreme Poster

I don't think some people new to the sport quite get the 'help each other out' thing. Maybe they will understand when something happens to them, and they need help.

Mark · Sat Aug 18, 07 7:44 am

With the water level so low, Alot of non kiters are walking around on the beach. Maybe they were just clueless.

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

wah... all this crying about the sandbar all the time. So many kooks come from, cant help them all. Quit yer bit**ing and self land your kite, or hot launch that s**t, its no thing. Oh yeah and if that was me out there I woulda helped yall, so its not all bad out there, maybe just some lame bystanders.

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

I was out at the sandbar yesterday - it was a weird day. I was in a similar situation when my kite went down near the sand bar and no one would help. I finally convinced a guy to give me a hand - and he was like - yeah, OK whatever, I'll grab your kite.

People who ride Stevenson and Sauvie's and Lyle seem to know eachother more. The sandbar there are so many new people that come and go that its more anonymous so people don't care as much. That and it seems like there are a lot more kooks at the sand bar than anywhere else - so people may be getting tired of helping other people out.

Hopefully today will be better!

jbruxer · Since 24 Jul 2005 398 Posts Beaverton, OR Obsessed

I wish the two had been non kiters, then I would have understod that they would have had no idea what to do. But actually, they were both kiters, and the one who saw my kite and then turned his back was even giving pointers to his buddy! Shocked

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Dude - do you remember what kite these two dudes were flying? A yellow rhino? If so - neither one of them knew what the hell was going on. One was teaching the other and both were pretty clueless. One of them caught my girlfriend's kite and then immediately deflated the kite??? She was like WTF? And he said - oh, you didn't want your kite deflated?

jbruxer · Since 24 Jul 2005 398 Posts Beaverton, OR Obsessed