Buggy, buggy, buggy...

Peter Lynn buggy with wide axle
My Peter Lynn buggy with wide axle, and wide tyres. Even with the wide axle I've managed to roll it once so far. The wide tyres give me the option to go on sand should the opportunity arise. I also have the Sky Bums peg holder, splash guard and back rest - built for comfort.

Viper 5.0 and buggy in setting sun
My Flexifoil Viper 5.0m2 traction kite and buggy in the setting sun. Shortly after this I got the kite in the air and was pulling hard when the wind failed so suddenly I fell flat on my back. It didn't come back for the rest of the evening.

Buggy Log (Diary of a novice)

Date Venue Kite Distance Comments
10-Aug-2002 Middle Wallop Firebee 2.0m2 1 mile (est) First go at kite buggy. Pootle about gently. Wow - radical, real wind power.
11-Aug-2002 Middle Wallop Firebee 2.0m2 8.6 miles First real go with Firebee, reach a scary 15mph. Out for hours and got sunburn despite cloud. Saw one guy with 9.0m2 Blade II turn the kite around, get lifted up buggy and all, turn a 180o in the air and hit the ground running in the opposite direction. Cool.
20-Aug-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 0.5mi First try with Viper - not too successful. Need to learn how to handle the kite and where to put it in the sky - I think a generally forward direction would probably be a good idea. Discover I can suddenly go backwards very fast.
25-Aug-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 5.5mi North wind, very variable, first buggy accident, got collapsed kite in wrong part of power window when it reinflated; pulled out and slammed into grass on left elbow. Ouch. Managed a trouser filling velocity during one gust, then as crisis (fence) loomed raised kite to top of window to prevent further acceleration towards fence when back end broke loose. Steered into the skid and stopped smartly before hitting iron railings, other kite flyers and fence. Yey! Dark look from nearest kite flyer, shoot off back again to get out of the heat - I'm a pro. Nearly.
26-Aug-2002 am Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 3.6mi North wind, variable, kite on power behind buggy, backward antics, pulled out for second slam on left elbow, OUCH.
26-Aug-2002 pm Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 2.3mi Try tacking upwind with some success but then get a turn wrong and achieved full power from the kite at 90 degrees. Hauled out of the buggy onto left elbow for third time. DOUBLE OUCH. Buggy rolled at the same time. Must get some protection.
03-Sep-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 0.4mi Knee and elbow pads arrive and get a full face helmet. Wind failed in the evening - all dressed up and nowhere to go.
05-Sep-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 1.4mi Managed to get a bit of buggying in the lee side of the hedge, but wind dropped most of the time. Couldn't go away from hedge because of football practice on field. Managed a bit of kite jumping - well hops really but definitely way to go.
06-Sep-2002 Sports Field Firebee 2.0m2 10.9mi Whoa - windy. Measured average 17mph gusting 24mph. Wind strong sometimes and hardly anything others but went back and forth across the field for hours and got all my turns right. 10.9 miles! Kite managed to drop the other side of the cricket screen once and spent ages getting the lines off (why have they got nails in the top of it?). Now I can go onto the next thing that I must practice - stopping. Hope it's windy again tomorrow.
07-Sep-2002 Sports Field Firebee 2.0m2
and Viper 5.0m2		 1.4mi Wind very variable. Started with Firebee and the wind dropped, changed to Viper and the wind picked up. At one point stood with arms pulled up by Viper nearly getting lifted off the ground. Got pulled into one jump of about 10-15ft and saw stars when I landed. Couldn't bring it down the wind window until the wind speed eased. Not a successful buggying expedition.
13-Sep-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 7.5mi Viper/Buggy 7.5 miles, Slams nil; Yey! Almost ideal conditions with ~10mph wind, got over 20mph more than once - weeeee! Getting the hang of the Viper, the trick is to keep a bit of brake on so it doesn't get ahead of itself and collapse, and work it up and down the wind window to control the power. Did misjudge the distance once and wrapped it around the rugby posts - tres uncool.
14-Sep-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 7.6mi Wind mostly good but gusted strongly a few times. Nearly got pulled vertically out of the buggy on one occasion but kept everything under control. Chap on a mountain board switched from 4.9m2 to 3.0m2 and still got pulled over.
15-Sep-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 4.5mi Wind much better again, managed 23mph - new record. Buggied late afternoon and had the whole field to myself most of the time. Really must do some stopping practice.
27-Sep-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 1.5mi Wind too light, spent a lot of time keeping the kite in the air. One and a half miles in one and a half hours. Hopeless.
05-Oct-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 11.2mi First time out in a couple of weeks and what a day. Wind pretty much ideal at 10 ave gusting 13/14 and not turbulent. School rugby tournament one end of the field and 5 kite flyers at the other, but plenty of space in between. Arms ached, back ached - better work out than at the gym.
06-Oct-2002 Sports Field Viper 5.0m2 2.9mi Good wind again but had to give up because of football matches starting up all over. Skidded a few times as the wind lifted my weight and pulled back end round, turned into skids no problem. Think I'm really beginning to get the hang of the Viper and buggy. Really, really, really must try stopping by forcing sideways skids 'cos one day I'm going to need it. Spent the rest of the time grass skudding. Got some decent distance pulls and heated up the seat of my trousers a few times when I slipped into sitting position.
Date Venue Kite Distance Comments

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