She won't be happy...!

Looking good for an early start on Sunday...

I may try to get down to the lake between 6 and 6.30am, I told you my wife won't be happy!

The Ultimate Protection...

With the weather warming up here (its forecast for a very nice 33 centigrade today) one of the most important things I do is slather myself in sun-screen. There have been a few times I have come back burnt.

New pads...

I have ordered some new knee and shin pads after losing one of mine, gone for exactly the same as before from Chain Reaction Cycles. Just hope they get here in time for the weekend.

Fixed...

After the failure of my homemade GoPro kite line mount. I have now fixed it, I started by cleaning off all the old adhesive pads -

Then have re-glued the GoPro mount with epoxy adhesive, hopefully this will provide a stronger bond

Missing...

One shin/knee pad-

I left it down at the lake on Friday! Thankfully some friendly Blokarters have hung it up in the shipping container, i'm hoping it will still be there when i go down this arvo.

Failure...

Not much wind yesterday and was trying to fly the Ozone Manta 10m with my home made GoPro line mount when this happened...

Thankfully I had the safety lanyard attached - I will have to try some stronger adhesive.

Lake Walyungup Fly-by

With a little help from Google Earth...

flyby - Lake Walyungup from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

Friday...

Wind looks good...

and i'm trying to get the day off!

Video - PPTW, Mablethorpe

A nice video from Popeye the Welder...

Mablethorpe 18.10.2013 from popeyethewelder on Vimeo.

Ouch!

After my OBE, about a week and a half a go, the graze on my left arm has been healing nicely...

the original Injury!

There has been a lump that has been a bit irritating and I was feeling around it this morning in the car (not picking) when I pulled this out...

A little bit of Lake Walyungup!

Internet down...

No internet at work today! I hope it comes back on soon...

Posted from my iPhone!

Flysurfer Peak

The new single skin de-power kite from Flysurfer - the Peak

"Flysurfer have proven themselves once again to be pioneers in kite development. In the beginning of November 2013 the very first single skin kite with an effective working depower, will hit the market. The PEAK uses no bottom sail making it different to conventional ram air kites. The weight of the kite is reduced and the pack size is incredibly small. The power generated by the PEAK is considerably more than would be expected by a similar sized depower kite. There are no other kites that get going as early in light winds."

Flysurfer PEAK - Single skin depower concept - Lift your game! from FLYSURFER Kiteboarding on Vimeo.

"The PEAK will be delivered ready-to-fly with a super light bar. The frontline safety (FLS) makes the PEAK flag out with no pressure in the canopy, and together with the light version of the Infinity 2.0 quick release the PEAK delivers maximum safety. The PEAK is made for backcountry touring, freeride Snowkiting, landboarding, or buggying, as well as expeditions, schools and teaching. You can use the PEAK for urban street kiting or take it anywhere with you when you go on holiday. An innovative additional option available with the PEAK is a special kite bag which is a lightweight trekking backpack equipped with an integrated harness. So you can set up the PEAK anywhere you want within seconds and you are ready to go. Lift your game with the all new PEAK by Flysurfer."

Video - Flysurfer Kite Switch

Another cool video from n2g - some serious hangtime...

Published...

I have had an article published in the October issue of Go Camping magazine...

Not about kite buggying, unfortunately - but about Geocaching, the best thing is they have paid me!

New banner...

I have been playing around with some screen shots from my latest video, to create a new banner for the blog.

Created using Banner Fans.

And the original image...

What do you think?

My buggy...

It's not a high tech carbon race machine, but I'm really happy with it. New bearings and tyres, extended side frame, custom back-rest and wide axle...

New bearings...

On Sunday arvo I replaced my wheel bearings, as was advised I packed them with marine grade grease...

Old bearings - were grinding a bit and not running free.

New bearings ready for the grease...

Greased up and resealed...

Don't forget to put the spacer back in the hub before refitting the bearings...

Back in the hub ready to go back on the buggy...

Now the wheels are spinning freely and no more grinding.

In case of emergency...

PULL HERE!

I forgot while I was being dragged across Lake Walyungup by a very over-powered 10m Ozone Manta!

Yes I had an OBE! And after a few seconds I did remember to pull it and the kite floated gently to the ground nicely de-powered...

Despite wearing elbow pads I still got a couple of scrapes and grazes!

Then out came the 4m Method until the wind, once again, dropped a bit and I got the Manta out again...

And guess what?

I left the GoPro at home!

Anybody interested...?

I am thinking about selling my 10m Ozone Manta II so that I can fund a 12m Flysurfer Speed 3!

The Manta is a great kite and in excellent condition as I had it form new earlier this year. For a full run down and some more pictures please see my review.

I am after $700 plus postage.

They've arrived...

After a month, my new bearings have finally arrived from the uk...

I shouldn't really complain, they only cost $22 inc delivery!

Blokart Worlds 2014 @ Lake Walyungup...

Coming to Lake Walyungup January 2014 the...

2014 Blokart World Championships

"The Australian Blokart Association & Perth Blokart Club are proud hosts of the next edition of the Blokart World Championships

In January 2014, the next edition of the blokart World Championships will be held on the dry lake of Lake Walyungup, near Perth, Australia. The fourth championships will be the first held in Australia, a country that regularly has over 80 blokarts competing at its national championships. With over 150 competitors expected now is the time to join in and get racing."

From January 18th - 27th 2014

I will be driving from Melbourne to Adelaide then and hopefully dropping into the Extreme Kites Kingston meet!

http://blokartworlds.com/

Undecided...

It is looking hopeful that I am going to get a new kite! But I am struggling to know if I should stick with my first love and get an Ozone - I am thinking a 2013 8m Ozone Summit to sit below my 10m Manta...

But I am seriously considering a  12m Flysurfer Speed 3 and I think my wife would agree if I sold the Manta to help fund it...

The Speed 3 has a high aspect ratio (6) and also covers a huge wind range, 9-22 knots (16-40 kph) so would pretty much cover the wind range of owning a Manta, 7-15 knots (12 -28 kph) and a Summit, 12- 25 knots (22-46 kph). It would also mean I only need to carry one kite rather than two.

I know also Flysurfer have excellent build quality (on a par with Ozone), I guess at the end of the day it will come down to money and if I can get a good deal on a 12m Speed 3 especially with the upcoming release of the 12m Speed 4 soon...

Does this mean I will need to give away my Ozone t-shirt and remove my Ozone stickers form the car and my helmet?

Vimeo...

Updated for iOS7 and looks great on the iPad...

The best thing is you can have up-to your 10 most recent videos that can be watched off line...

https://vimeo.com/baldiviskitebuggy

Seasons best...

A great day in the buggy on Sunday, it was dry and I got a season best, I'm gradually working my way back to my PB...

route from garmin conect

Video - time shifts...

My latest video, from yesterdays session...

time shifts from Mark Crook on Vimeo.

Video - Leucate - mai 2013

This is what buggying should feel like...

Leucate - mai 2013 from Fabrice SEYVE on Vimeo.

Hopefully when this is posted I will be getting some action ;-)

Bearing up...

I'm still waiting for my new bearings to arrive from the UK...

will try contacting AusPost on Monday if they don't arrive - it wont be the first thing they have failed to deliver!

Westerlies...

We have some wind forecast for tomorrow (and isolated showers) should be good for buggy...

Video - TRACSAILS Colombia 2013

Kite sports Columbian style...

TRACSAILS Colombia 2013 from sebastian delgado on Vimeo.

Busy..!

Hopefully normal service will resume soon...

And at the moment the forecast is looking good for Sunday and I have started to put together some clips for a video.