Bobby Muse Continues to Climb

My good friend Bobby Muse continues his quest to rise in the Elite Buggiers Rankings, he has just upped his PB to 65.60mph

Bobby Muse 65.60mph

Bobby Muse 65.60mph

Well, it’s been a fantastic April and May on Ivanpah.  I’ve had 4 sessions with multiple runs breaking 60 mph, but no PB for me till today.

Winds were forecast to be 23 gusting to 33 from the SW.  When I arrived, I measured 23 to 28 mph.  Steve Holeman, a local landsailer measured a gust of 44 mph but I don’t know how prevalent those were.

I was flying the HQ Ignition 5m LEI knowing I had not found its limits yet.  I had been 62 mph with it earlier in the week and was certain it had more speed to give.  My first run was just a test of the wind, kite and buggy and it was about 55 mph.  My next run I went further south on Ivanpah, downwind of the settlement pond and got just over 60 on my return downwind run.  My next run didn’t break 60 but it taught me I should let the kite run downwind more to allow it to pull me.  That next run got me to 62.  My next run with a little more downwind angle got me to 63.4 which was a new pb, but I didn’t want to settle for that.  I went to the NW corner of the settlement pond which was more upwind than any other run so far and after I crossed 50 mph heading back, I turned towards the shoreline, aiming for a point about a half mile NW of camp.  As I reached my point to back off, and start edging upwind, the kite started buckling at the top line attachment point.  The tube was folding over from the pressure of the wind, made worse by me letting the bar out reducing tension on the back lines.  I checked my gps and saw 65 something and decided to not tempt fate with my body or equipment further and headed back to camp and call it a day.

Thanks Pops,

Bob Muse

THE ELITE

 


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