The Joy of Kites
One year my dad took me, my sister and some of the grouphome kids he worked with down to the dry lake beds in the MojaveDesert to see the SpaceShuttle land. That was exciting enough for a space fixated pre-teen ... but while we were driving there I saw people sailing land boats with huge sails across the barren lake beds at amazing speads. Years later while reading ArthurRansome's "Winter Holiday" I learned about IceBoats and that people do similar things on frozen lakes. I was possesed with the desire to do this until age provided a sufficent a distance from childhood that those dreams were exchanged for grown up dreams of girls, fame and fortune.
Recently I've rediscovered the joy of FlyingKites, modern kites really are quite amazing, they certainly aren't the tame kites of yesteryear that I remember from childhood. In fact kites are so much fun that they make the Oregon coast worthwhile ... suddenly the long, windy streches of beach serve a purpose other then reminding me of absent sun.
Now I just need to get a bigger kite and a mountainboard, or a buggy, or hell, I'll just start kite jumping. I will reclaim my childhood!
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