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East Tennessee Spots?


bbailey49

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You can't fly kites in Tennessee, too many trees. Move to Illinois, nice and flat, one huge manicured lawn.

JUST KIDDING!!!

Look at state parks, there's usually a large open flat area somewhere in most of them.

If Oak Ridge National Laboratory was somewhere other than East Tennessee, I would be there, not here. Alas....

I'll check out the parks and see what I can find.

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every school or park has a ball field, usually with a fence to keep out the soccer and golf folks, scale that fence, claim the field, grab the spectators, make your mark on the community!

They actually use the fences here to make sure that only the soccer folks can use the fields. And they have this charming custom of surrounding the fields with trees, or building them in little valleys.

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there's always a place to fly! It might be the most convenient or easily accessible to you or it might be the BEST place in your area. Myself? I live almost next door to the "soccerplex", 26 soccer fields, some are even indoors! You can hardly ever find one of them available for kiter usage though. I generally fly in the parking lot, sitting on the tail-gate with no one to see me. On the other hand, I drive most of an hour's time to get to the Washington Monument grounds, no parking, inaccessible bathrooms, no food (or beverages unless you bring 'em along), huge hassles occasionally w/security personnel,.. but always lots of witnesses to our activities! The best winds in my area take place at least a ninety minute drive away at Sandy Point State Park, nearby Anapolis.

You can fly in crappy locations, in fact it will improve your skills the most quickly! MAKE the kite fly,... change the frame or the bridle, shorten the lengths of your flying lines, go to longer handles, learn the values of mass & momentum. While you are working in the stinky valley surrounded by foliage or buildings be saving some dough to travel with your kiting friends to meet in a location where the wind is worthy of your investment.

Huntington Beach, Treasure Island, Widlwood, & WSIKF are some of the best locations I am aware of currently in the USA. I go to Huntington Beach occasionally, but haven't been able to arrange a kite-party stay as of yet. Anyway the wind there is so clean and smooth that kites almost fly themselves. If you trained there you are pretty much ruined for place like Richmond Virginia in June. You don't know how to maximize the slightest breeze, recover your field or modify equipment to gain an unfair advantage. you ARE spoiled.

Now examine the other side, if you practiced in the sewer you'd be absolutely amazed at how sweet the conditions can be (if you spend a few bucks on travel) when you come out into the day-light of a pristine kite flying area.

Not flying because everything is not perfect with your location is just plain wrong! Someday you'll be expected to perform in a place that makes you sick, but the show must go on. Make that kite fly, it's a Rev! If it will not go, YOU are the reason why, not the location where you set-up. Don't watch, get out there and prove you can fly in any surroundings, conditions or weather.

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I completely get that the world is not ideal for flying kites unless you are fortunate enough to live on the coast or in the flatlands. I was already comfortable in the fact that I need to work on my not perfect condition skills. If I wanted to hear a preaching I would have gone to church. Even, JB, would call it a bad day if the 2-3 mph breeze from the south was suddenly 12 mph from the north and in your face. If there's a frame and bridle tweak that could help with that, let me know. I'm all ears.

If you really know you need to work on your "bad condition" skills, then go and do it. Sounds like you have some pretty crappy locations to practice at, so quit complaining and go fly them and be a better pilot as a result of the experience.

I flew with JB this weekend. Sunday, we started with 0-2mph, and within a couple hours we were on full vents, wind blowing a different direction. The shifting conditions made the demos performed challenging for anyone to fly. Guess what - not one complaint from JB, just smiles and good times all day long. I wouldn't presume to put words into JB's mouth, neither should you.

With the conditions you described, I would have made it work with a 2 wrap/race frame to start, when the wind shifted I would have put in a 3 wrap, and possibly changed location on the field to adjust to the wind direction. On a standard sail it would be over powered, but it would work just fine.

I understand none of this applies to this topic; you were interested in finding spots in TN to fly, and I have no suggestions for you. However, check your attitude. No one is trying to preach to you. REVflyer might be long-winded but he's only trying to help. The Rev will fly anywhere, anytime, any condition. Believe that.

Android OS ~ Tapatalk2

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With a westerly wind and no leaves on the trees, the field next to the oak ridge civic center is a decent spot. The first good day of flying that I've ever had without being at a beach. We'll see what it's like when the leaves come in, but for now...Yeehaw

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  • 1 month later...

Sounds like the conditions in the mountains of Virginia. Flew in a small parking lot a little bit today, then went across main street to a big church front yard. The farm fields I have been using are now growing tall grass & adapting to conditions continues. Embrace light kites, short lines & constant position changes, you'll be fine. But I'm a newbie & nobody's told me not to do this.

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The first good day of flying that I've ever had without being at a beach. We'll see what it's like when the leaves come in, but for now...Yeehaw

Hey Barton,

Have you been to Corolla yet.........and if so, how was it ?

Speaking of Yeehaw...........this is just down the beach cat_lol.gif, a mile or ten !

(see bottom sign)

post-2742-0-43158500-1368058038_thumb.jpg

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Hey Barton,

Have you been to Corolla yet.........and if so, how was it ?

Speaking of Yeehaw...........this is just down the beach :cat_lol:, a mile or ten !

(see bottom sign)

We got back Saturday. It was a little disappointing in the second half of the week. Too windy. Had some great early morning sessions before things got kicking. Spent a bit of time with Cath and Eliot. Had a blast though, it wasn't work.

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Cath & Eliot? Revs?, Corolla?

Hey, we do a clinic with the Shooks every year over President's Day Weekend (mid-Feb ~ Flying Smiles Kites). You should certainly plan to join us!

It's a grand time. You stay in the homes of great local residents, share a few meals, fly outdoors on a point of grass with water all around and also offered is indoor flight time inside a covered tennis for a few of hours each on the weekend. You share equipment, testing furnished stuff with various available modifications affixed. You determine what you connect with on a deeply personal level thru direct comparisons. Of course Eliot sells all this stuff too, just in case you find a "new mistress" (that you must keep with you ~ regardless of that cost)

Sometimes it backfires on the instructors too (HA!) I helped a guy replicate my own Zen w/French Bridle and Magic Sticks, but his wing is all crisp and spanky new, mine has a couple of thousand hours of hard abuse, it's old. I wound up having to order a new kite myself, after having tuned his to fly like my own. That seems so unfair, particularly to my wife who manages the household's wallet!

Shook's primary flying location, directly across the street from their shop, is the Whalehead Club. It offers a variety of locations, from clean lab grade wind (on grass, off the water) to all enclosed by vegetation, buildings, structures and featuring high turbulence. These conditions call for different set-ups on your equipment. When to frame lighter and when do you need more mass? why do folks carry different handle lengths? Does one set-up "connect better with you" in certain conditions?

Anyway it's a kite par`tay and you'll have a blast. The clinic, housing with a meal or so included, even equipment to test indoors and out, it's all there and last year the cost was under a buck & half a person. Instructors, guests and attendees all pay that same fee. We share what we learn and once in awhile something just blows us all away. We never know what it will be, until we get there. Folks don't drop out, they keep joining back-in with this group. Come, be one of us as well. Friday thru Monday, what a great deal.

My personal highlights from last year? #1. Watching Rich (Comras) negotiate with Elliot on materials and a construction schedule. All the while Dugard & myself are heckling that Eliot OWES us and poor pitiful Rich, despite his fat wallet will have to wait-in-line behind us for a change. It should have been a skit on Saturday Night Live! #2. Then there's my buddy Dennis (the Smith) He works outside in NJ, but failed to bring the appropriate clothing to NC "because he figured it would be nicer down south". Rained sideways that day, 42 degrees, 35 mph gusts, so he went indoors instead abandoning the hard-core faithful until another time.

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Rained sideways that day, 42 degrees, 35 mph gusts.

Hmm! You had my attention, right up to that point, and then I remembered, that this story began, back in February. That just doesn't sound like fun (IMHO)! Everything else does, but I'll have to continue my treks up to Corolla, during the warmer months, which "I HOPE", is going to be early next month......... ani_whistling.gif

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Cath & Eliot? Revs?, Corolla?

Hey, we do a clinic with the Shooks every year over President's Day Weekend (mid-Feb ~ Flying Smiles Kites).  You should certainly plan to join us!  

 

Hey Paul, did you guys do it this year? I never saw any mention of it.

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Hmm!  You had my attention, right up to that point, and then I remembered, that this story began, back in February.  That just doesn't sound like fun (IMHO)!  Everything else does, but I'll have to continue my treks up to Corolla, during the warmer months, which "I HOPE", is going to be early next month.........

Just in case you don't already know, the Rogallo Kite Festival will be held June 8-9 on Jockey's Ridge. Cath and/or Elliott are usually there. I'm hoping to make it again this year myself.

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Next time you are in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, try Patriot Park. A large open mowed field with plenty of room. Last night, just before twilight, I used all 100' of line on the Zero G. It's quite a sight when the ZG has some wind & will fly straight above you at height. Looks like there may be enough lighting to fly at night. Need to get a Zen soon as the winds were the typical inland light ones. Today I had enough wind to fly in a large mostly empty parking lot at one of the older outlet malls. But the asphalt is a bit hard on the kites. Stakes can be placed in the little islands of grass but I also learned that you could lean your kite against a curb to hold it in place until you got to the handles. Go ahead & do the walk, ground recovery on the asphalt eats away at the not so hardware.

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Hi Brian, YES, we did a little advertising on forums for the retreat, but mostly the past participants jump-on as soon as it's confirmed for next year. Chase Cath at the Shook Palace and reminder her you want in! February?, kite flying outside? Bring layers of clothing, there's no such thing as bad weather conditions, only a poorly equipped kite flyer. Bring deck or tennis court shoes so you can fly indoors if the outside is unacceptable.

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Another place to fly in East Tennessee is Cades Cove in the Great Smokies National Park. A bit over three miles in on the loop road there is a parking area on a hill with a spectacular view of the cove. Flew the SLE there today at the below coordinates. You can copy & paste these into Google maps to see the location.

35 36' 19.07" N 83 49' 55.60" W

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35 36' 19.07" N 83 49' 55.60" W

Very nice spot..........Google maps works really good, if you use the plain old "map" option, and then drag the "little man" down to street view. Takes you right out into the middle of the field..............or cove. ani_victory.gif

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