Fear to Fun - still get fear?

hiker1 · Since 01 Jul 2007 125 Posts Portland Stoked

Got a question for experienced riders.

Today in steady light winds I had my first real ride across the river from The Spit - ya remember your first great ride...leaned back in the harness, edging, and thinking how damn fun this is....when I happened to notice I was lit up on my 12M (that's beginner lit up). I kept diving the kite harder and harder - faster I went before I figured I better crash cause I was going too dang fast and my brain forgot how to stop.

I was having so much fun that I pushed it into the fear zone --- I forgot to raise the kite higher in the wind window, apply positive pressure to the bar (or let go), edge a little upwind, or drop my ass to slow down --- just flew over the board at mach speed and did a face plant --- the kite tommahawked. No damage to self or any other riders (nobody too near anyway), I relaunched easy but blew out lots of river sludge I chocked down.

Yep, wear a helmet and impact vest. Still, going fast I seemed to ignore my brain. In reality, it was nothing dramatic to see - yet to a beginner, weird how the fear factor f@cks with the brain once things start to speed up.

How about you experienced riders? Does the fear factor still cause ya to mess up? Still experience fear in kiting? Or do you manage it?

Thanks for your kite-zen wisdom Smile

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

I think the only thing that really scares most kiters now is practicing new tricks in high wind. For instance every time I "try" and pull a big kite loop my mind tells me that I shouldn't be pulling so hard on the kite. Of course this is the worst thing that can happen because then the kite loops slower, or stops altogether and you get yarded hard.

kyle.vh · Since 11 Jul 2007 713 Posts city of angels Addicted

when I was beginning, first few sessions, I used to get scared of high speeds. but a week or two later, and i just was over it. there are so many ways to slow down, and once you learn them its second nature.
now im only scared trying new tricks, as kodiak said, and especially kloops.

Sella · Mon Aug 11, 08 9:02 pm

Congrats on the river ride today Hiker1. How good was that feeling? Smile

For me the fear factor doesn't always go away and reading stories like Sherman Island make me cringe but also help when planning my session and eventual safety. If the wind picks up.....what will I do etc?

My fear factor is now less and I'm more confidant that I attribute to just spending more time on the water. You'll even get to the point you "read" the water and fellow kiters that will help you prep / plan for any condition tossed at you.

Eventually, fear will be replaced with respect and awareness of your surroundings and then you will want to jump and the shit starts all over again. Laughing

It's a balance.....enjoy the ride.

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

If you're not pushing yourself outside your comfort zone then you're not really progressing. As you get better that comfort zone increases pretty drastically, but there's always something new you can try that'll get the stoke and adrenaline going.

dangerD · Since 27 Jun 2005 223 Posts Bingen Heights Stoked

Have the confidence to know you CAN resist that power. Lean back. Feel the power surge through your veins. Lower your kite so you can really feel your heel edge. Stomp on it. Yes...
you're going upwind!

hiker1 · Since 01 Jul 2007 125 Posts Portland Stoked

How good was that feeling Sella?

Sooo good that here I am still reading kite stories, advice, tech prep while the USA athletes are winning gold in the Olympics - but I'm glued to the forum. Guess that means I'm hooked!

Glad to read from folks (like you) that the fear stuff does fade with more time on the water.

It is a balance, and in many ways offers cool analogies for life --- something about letting go and enjoying the ride.

Yep, damn good feeling alright! Cool

Diggy · Since 25 Nov 2006 342 Posts Gorge to Coast Obsessed

Welcome to the addiction Hiker1.

This is my second season. I still get the fear in me but it is certainly managable. Too much speed, getting rolled in a wave, long swims, kite lines, things I'm sure you have not even imagined yet if you are just getting your first rides. Confidence builds and the fear lessons with time and experience. I think one of the most important things is to keep your head and stay calm.

Anyway, fear is a good thing; let it teach you not stop you.

Should warn you about over confidence now when you can be reached. I've noticed the most accident seem to happen to the over confident intermediate or the newbs.

I certainly agree with the letting go and enjoying the ride analogy, not sure about the balance part though unless your talking about balancing your kite quiver with your board quiver.

See you on the Water and in the Air!

Sella · Mon Aug 11, 08 10:46 pm

hahahaha.....you're an official kite junkie! I burn HOURS reading all the nwkite info and learn a lot of good stuff....and a ton of funny BS.

PM me and let's go ride sometime. Tuesday wind forecast 5:00-8:00 pm is shaping up to be a good light wind play day in Hood. I'll be there.

h2olm · Since 07 Jun 2006 124 Posts Stoked

Welcome to the "Dark Side" Hiker1!!!! I say, if you're not confronting fear some times in your life, you must have a boring life. But you handled the fear, and you came out unscathed, got up and kept going. When I was learning, I had one of the scariest moments in my life. I had just bought a brand new 12m kite. Drove 2.5 hours to the beach to try it out. Thought I should just go out and body drag first since this would be the first time going out on my own. The wind is blowing 18-22, so the 12m is working just fine. I see a wind line coming across the water and I knew it was heading my way, so I think I should head in to land the kite. The guy on the beach landing my kite has his hands no more than a foot from my kite just about to grab it. THE WIND APPROACHES going from 20 to a whopping 30+ gust! I panic, pull the bar, kite goes straight up, I'm jank straight in to the clouds, sail across the beach, hang on for dear life, and SETTLE in the parking lot! My heart is racing now as I remember it. Two guys in the parking lot grab me, I tomohawk the kite into some cars. Thank God I'm ALIVE! Learned many lessons that day. When the winds settled back later that afternoon, I went back out to give it another try. I still get that feeling some times when I'm trying something new or trying different locations and conditions, but I still can not wait until the next moment that I'm walking down to the beach to pump up my kite!

Hope to see you out on the water soon!

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

The cool thing about this sport is the learning curve is just a long slow climb in many different directions.

You can go into the wake style, surfboard, and then there is the coast. You can also kite in the winter time.

Welcome to the club! Warn all of your relatives that when the wind blows you may be there in body but your asss is thinking about wind.

Very Happy

forrest · Tue Aug 12, 08 7:39 am

It fades with experience. Learning how to butt check, how to fall properly, and how to pick your conditions will help to manage your need to fear what you're about to do.

Try to imagine kiting when kites didn't have depower!

Mark · Tue Aug 12, 08 7:45 am

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

conditions.

I still get scared when I'm rigging my 7meter for a self launch at a spot.

***REspect the FEaR

****Fear equals pain waiting to happen!

Sid · Since 31 Mar 2008 83 Posts Right behind you.

I still have to tell myself not to freak out when I loose my board in the ocean and have body drag a long ways. I call it trolling for sharks. I get total tunnel vision on my board.

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Aug 12, 08 8:12 am

What you described initially was what kiteboarding was like for me every time for the first 4 weeks. I must have asked Emery ten times "how do you slow down" how do you slow down". Back then you had to turn towards the kite, then regain an edge to get the kite towards the edge of the window b/c the control bar didn't do much of anything besides turn the kite.

Fear is what keeps the sport fresh and exciting. Screaming along on a 7m, edging like a mad man, getting ready to send the kite, I still get a little goose bumps.

hiker1 · Since 01 Jul 2007 125 Posts Portland Stoked

H2olm wrote: