By Lee Toy
Vol. 5 No.5 – Sep. – Oct. 1982

This newsletter is being brought to you live from the 5th floor of the warehouse that Ken Conrad and Suzanne „Sadow of ‘Great Winds Kites’ call home. As I sit here typing I can see beyond the Alaskan Way Viaduct over to West Seattle to the Olympic National Park’s snow capped mountains beyond. Although Seattle is a busy city it is surrounded by natural beauty, bridges link various areas over lakes and sound that are busy with sailing and ferry boats. The houses are surrounded by a sea of trees and the city seems to melt into the forests that once covered much of Pacific Northwest.

I was told by the locals to tell everyone how rainy and lousy the weather is but in the three weeks that I’ve been running around it’s only rained on the day I arrived and sprinkled one even-ing ,I don’t know what they’re talking about.

In regards to my “clock-wise” journey AKA Pres-Jack Van Gilder says that my clock ran down when I arrived in Seattle, I think he’s right.
At the rate I am going, I’ll be lucky to make it to Detroit by October 1984.

THANKS GEORGE_____________________

I have to thank George Ham for the 21 cork salute send off at the
Marina Green back on the 11 of July. Over 30 kitefliers and friends were on hand to make sure I tot out of town by sunset. Carol even offered to take care of ‘Kite Flyer’ if I would leave the petty cash. (I had fallen for it before, no reason it wouldn’t work a second time!)

We feasted on a huge pot of Italian spaghetti,garlic bread, fresh vege¬tables and fruit. Nobody went away hungry and George made sure no one’s glass was ever less than full.

The only mishap of the day was when a J-11.5 of Tom Henry’s was lost at sea. My brother, Phil was prepared to windsurf after the drowning kite but put his wetsuit on inside out,and by the time he got it straightened out the kite was too far away.


Raymond Lee flew one of his centipede kites with the message “Bon Voyage Lee” hanging from the flying line. John Pecora and Mix McGraw were out doing some dueling Rainbows. Even the Walkers came up to air out some of their kites.

Thanks to everyone involved in running me out of town I enjoyed every minute of it. Next time hold the tar and feathers.

LETTERS
Dear Kite Flyer,
At this time I wish to express my thanks as a contestant in the recent October 1981 and June 1982 kite-flying events at Marina Green,S.F. to the various sponsors and officials who donated their time and funds for these operations. They involved much work that was well-done and should be appreciated by the participants and the spectators.

In addition, I would like to make a suggestion and/or request: Would it be possible to include in subsequent contests,e.g. Oct. ’82, an event for flying the most unusual or unique home¬made (or any made) kite? I ave made two kites which I believe are worthy of presentation in such an event but have held back their public introduction until some such appropiate time. Con¬test events of the suggested type can be an incentive to much really creative work, and spectators are always inte¬rested in seeing new or different or surprising types of kites.

Thanks again for providing the excellent Marina Green kite contests.
Sincerely, Tom Caldwcll

ed. Thanks Tom for the nice letter. You are one of the few participants or spectators that has sent in a letter of any type. I have sent a copy to the sponsors of the June kite-fly, Greenpeace and Kitemakers, of Pier 39. Without their efforts we would not have had an event at all.

I think your suggestion for the “most unusual or unique” kite is a good one but what we lack is a useful definition of UNUSUAL or UNIQUE. I would like you to try and write a comprehensive set of rules for someone entering such a contest and also a JUDGES handbook on how he might judge such a contest.

Carl Brewer who was also present at the June kite-fly thought it was pretty well run but hRs given a lot of thought to the problems of JUDGING a contest. He is working up a judge’s school in the area of esthetics. Typically the Washington locals have considered a kite in three areas of comprhensive judging-1) Craftsmanship 2)Perfor-mance and 3)Beauty. The first two categories are relatively easy to consider, either it’s a neat job of construction or it isn’t, the kite will fly at a high angle or it won’t, these areas are measurable in some way.

The third category:Beauty,is something of subjective nature. How can it be judged fairly? You can have some art “expert” come in, but he/she may be of the Beaux-arts school or perhaps the New Wave, which is not entirely based on the same set of rules. If we can “educate” judges as to basic design criteria,perhaps we can produce some thoroughbred critics, but may pigeon-hole ourselves into their way of thinking. On the other hand universally accepted ideas on design
terminology such as: balance, symmetry, order, dominance, contrast.

It would  be helpful if judges could become if judges could become    aware of these ideas and perhaps be able to judge a kite’s ‘beauty’ on some definite “IDEAS” rather than casual beliefs.

This doesn’t necessarily apply to your contest of “most unusual or unique” but we will get into the same quandary in respect to how is this kite unique in relation to all the kites I have seen. If I’ve seen a whole bunch of 100 disk centipede kites one that has only 50 disks will not be unique. But to someone who has never seen one that same kite will be an unusual kite.

I would like to know what you think on how kite contests in general should be judged, knowing your past experience I believe that your response would be of great value to the kite community as well as good food for thought.

OFF LIKE A BOLT OF MOLASSES_________

After the Bon Voyage party ended I really had to think about getting going. I had mentioned in the last KITE FLYER that I would be off in the first week of July or there abouts. If I was really going to be gone for a whole year I thought that I had better prepare myself for the duration.
By the time I had packed repair tools, cooking equipment, clothing, tent and sleeping bag, camera equipment, sketch books and foul weather gear, I then tossed in a small duffel bag of kites and a six-pac of rainbows to balance the load, I looked like a two wheeled Winnabago. I thought it would be best if I took a shake down cruise just to see if I could actually carry as much as I had packed, so I took off for Yosemite Valley and Lake Tahoe.

It didn’t take me long to realize the extremes of weather conditions I gould be running into. It was over 110 F as I drove thru the Modesto valley, and by the time I reached the camp site near Glacier Point, the nite temperatures were down in the low 40’s.

I had gone from riding in hiking shorts to donning on my ‘Thinsulated’ ski-over ails. At least it wasn’t raining yet.
I returned to the Bay area a week later and reconsidered the sleeping bag I had
brought and went to work on constructing a “bivi” sack for sleeping in. It would have a gortex top and waterproof bottom and a mosquito net opening plus a rainl fly. This item is still in its design’ phase’and has had several additions and alterations since it has been put to use. It still doesn’t work 100% but I am working on it.

With the Winnabago in order I could concentrate on my Logistical Command Center. Stan Seifried and his faith¬ful four legged companion Sam,volun¬teered for an indeterminate tour of duty. I communicate on a regular basis with the LCC to pay off my plastic money and check to see if
any of you are up to date with your subscription dues.

By the time I had tied up these loose ends, friends had begun to wonder if were actually going to leave, so on July 29)1 aimed the two wheeled Winnabago North and headed on my way.

It took me two days to reach Portland, Oregon and I stayed with Allen Williams for a night and took in the sights of Portland. They have just completed a new city hall building designed by architect Michael Graves. It’s a cross between New Wave Deco and Egyptian revival, I enjoyed it. You’ll see more of this in your local papers, I guarantee it.

The local kite store is owned and operated by Grant Raddon who calls his shop WINDPLAY. It can be found by looking for the colorful windsocks at 232 SW Ankeny or call (503)223-1760. Grant is currently working on a mailorder catalog which is ‘at the printers’. Unfortunately I didn’t spent too much time at the shop but I could tell that Grant is into running a relaxed business and has a nice variety of kites to offer.

In talking with Allen, ,I learned that the Portland kitefliers are lacking a convenient flight pad. Attempts to get a ‘club’ going have been difficult but there is some ground work being set. Portlanders should contact Dale Gunter at 6305 SW Cherryhill Dr., Beaverton, OR 97005 or call (503)641-4352 if interested in getting involved.

Although it was some what overcast and sprinkling, I headed West to the Oregon Coast where Allen said most people go to to fly kites. As soon as I got away from Portland the sky cleared and I was traveling down Hwy. 26 thru some of the most beautiful countryside I had ever seen. Lots
of wheat fields and open expanses with rolling hills, huge billowing clouds and blue sky. I went up over the Coast Range mountains and into dense forest, passing old logging areas before dropping on to the rugged Pacific Coast Highway 101.

I arrived at sunset under a heavy overcast sky, that by evening turned into an expected shower. My gortex enclosure worked, kind of.

The weather remained overcast but dry and I spent a day in Cannon Beach checking out the kite shop ONCE UPON A BREEZE run by D.K.Smith a kindly gentelman with a green thumb and a warm smile. His shop is tucked away from the main street but any of the local merchants know where it is if you can’t find it. I was also fortunate to contact John (I believe his name is) who had the double sled kite at the 1980 AKA Convention in Seattle.

This is a 12 foot tall double sled that was painted with a Japanese Sun and Wave motif. I asked if we could take it out and get some pictures of it and John was more than happy to oblige. We tethered the kite off with about 100 feet of line and then walked


By gently letting the leading edge catch the wind and walking the keels towards the bridle pointithe kite took to the air and sat there steady as a rock.

That evening I headed down to Lincoln City to visit Steve Lamb’s kite shop called CATCH THE WIND. Although I arrived after the shop was closed I did contact Allen (from Portland) who had driven out with his wife Myrtle and daughter Marcia for a few days of vacation on the coast.
The following morning was sunny and beautiful and from my understanding somewhat unusual for the Oregon Coast, windless. It was a great day for the beach but not for flying much of anything but fighters or light wind deltas. Allen and I ran off to the kite shop to talk to Steve and tour the shop which looks like it is probably one the the largest and best stocked places in West if not the entire USA.

CATCH THE WIND is located on Highway 101 right in the middle of Lincoln City. You would have to be blind to miss it. Steve not only has huge carp flying in front of the shop but usu ally has several kites being flown carp flying in front of the shop but usually has several kites being flown
Coast is none other than Ted Norton and his kite eating dog Starsa.

Last we heard, Ted was traveling around in his van searching for Vic’s fighter kites. Ted seemed in good spirits but a bit under the weather, hope all is well by the time you read this.

The Oregon Coast’s beauty held me like a leaf in an eddy for several days before releasing me to continue my journey.

John was somewhat surprised to hear me say that I thought that he was the only person I know that was regularly flying 24 rainbows on a daily basis, at least during the ‘season’.

I had not heard of any similar displays given at the Bay area shops or the Southern California kite stores execept during a festival situation. Because of the daily use of the kites John has come up with some unique design changes that could be considered ingenious, which we’ll go into at a later time.

Chris is a 16 year old ‘thrill seeker’ of the Oregon Coast kitefliers. He has been seen going out in 30-40mph wind with a stack of 6 to 9 six foot Flexi-foils. He not only flys the kites in this weather but he JUMPS with them. They are set up on two 300# test nylon flying line with
600# test train lines set at 6′. Chris describes the technique of Flexi-jumping as being pulled up by giant rubber bands. First he gets the kites up and makes a wide swing off wind, then he makes a low hori-zontal pass until the kites are directly down wind from where he’s flying from and pulls the kites straight up. Somewhere between 20 and 30 degree the kites reach a maximum pull and Chris JUMPS, shot thru the air like a pellet in a slingshot, or pretty near. The kites once released of the line tension ,

Staying with the Greger’s was like being at home, a real bed and a full refrigerator. It doesn’t take a lot to make me happy.
The next day we ran over to Herminston to visit pebra Cooley, whose kites I had seen at Lincoln City.

Debra is a newcomer to kites but has produced some of the nicest kites to come on the market in some time. She contructs them with 1.23 oz spinnaker cloth and hardwood dowels. They are decorated with appliqué in bold patterns that have been well thought out and beautifully constructed. The backing fabric of the appliqué is carefully removed and the edges heat sealed to allow the full brilliance of the colors to shine thru. She is currently making deltas, sky-birds, boxed deltas and aerial star kites each of them a collectors item.

If you air you might contact her:
Factory, 125 W. Cherry, Hermiston,
OR 97838. Her kites range from about $30-50.

On our way home we visited the local junk shops on the way but found little to add to the collection.
garage sailor as well as a ‘Goodwill’ regular who throws nothing away.

Back at the ranch we had our traditional headway thru the low lying cloudsand lazy winding road over the sum-pizza and salad dinner that was inaugu- mit. I was looking like a rat when I stopped in North Bend to get something to eat and dry out.

If you have chewed your way this far congratulations, you and I deserve a break. This brings you up to date on flyers and the smallest one I saw and my progress in the JOURNEY thus far.

Not exactly a speed demon but I did  get out of California within July!

There was so much going on in Seattle,  I’ll try and present it in small doses in upcomming Kite Flyer’s and possibly  in AKA News if I get it down on paper the in time for thep to use.

OCTOBER KITE FESTIVAL7277
At the time that this issue of KF is being sent out I have not had any confirmation of a ‘sponsored’ event. I have arranged with Michael McFadden of KITEMAKER’S on Pier 39 to let subscribers know of any activity that he may know of.

Last year’s event was sponsored by KITEMAKERS and COME FLY A KITE. Since Dinesh has closed the doors of his kite shop, that leaves Michael a bit short of help. Perhaps some of our local folks can get together and help keep this FESTIVAL alive.

GONE WITH THE WIND
We’re sorry to say that the COME FLY A KITE shop that was in the basement of Ghiridelli Square is no longer in business. Dinesh Bahadur had started the shop some time in 1973 and was THE man responsible for getting the kite business off the ground in the West Coast.

SEPTEMBER 12 – I.A.K.U. Kite Day OCTOBER 3 – FAMILY DAY KITE FESTIVAL
(tentative sponsored event OCTOBER 31 – “HALLOWEEN” is a national
holiday in SF.

NOVEMBER 21 – “Mayor of the Green Day” DECEMBER 19 – “Christmas Kite Fly”
Kite Flyer’s light pad is located at the San Francisco Marina Green. We are usually gathered near the monument at the mid-length of the Green.
See George Ham for your I.A.K.U. card.

 

By way of standard reference–KITE FLYER NEWS is available six times a year (weather permitting) at the minimal cost of a trip to Doggie Diner–$5.00 a year. Send all money, trading stamps or gold bars to: 1883 Grand View Drive, Oakland, CA 94618.