Is teaching at the Toll PLaza, Good or Bad...?

[Aloha]

I went to check the spot out after work today--it's true

Xanadu

[OliverG]

I'm sorry but you guys are jumping to conclusions with no facts.

...but since you don't know how he teaches or where he teaches for land (or water) based lessons you should not be making such large sweeping assumptions about his operations.

I guess it must have been somebody else, Saturday midday we saw about a half dozen cars including a big yellow one and 4-5 people on the beach and 3 in the water with a kite up.

[OliverG]

I have kited over to this beach,i don't think you can drive there anymore
since bridge construction or maybe longer,

Sure you can, you can drive there anytime, here's more info on the Port of Oakland beach:

http://www.waterfrontaction.org/map/park_rb.htm

And here's driving directions: http://www.waterfrontaction.org/learn/parks/rb.htm

Have at it, we'll see you all there...I think Live2Kite is going to park the bus here instead of Berkeley for the Bay Downwinder...

[buckidge]

Thought I'd chime in as I took a lessons with KGB.

Now I can't speak to if things have been done differently since my lesson or in some isolated case others had lessons from the location under discussion, but my lesson wasn't really close to that you're all talking about.

I made a lil' map to show where I was out with PWC support (we stayed in the blue box, or thereabouts): http://bit.ly/jDzeaE

As you can tell, not near the toll plaza or what was pointed out earlier.

As for safety of the lesson? I was fine out there with a high priority for safety, as all of you would expect...

There was one exception though... two experienced kiters out enjoying their day decided to put us all in danger by kiting by within about 50-100' of me as I was bobbing around in the water, kite flailing away. Open water all around me for as far as I could see and they decided to check out the newbie or something. Seemed ridiculous.

[kitenaked]

Thought I'd chime in as I took a lessons with KGB.

Now I can't speak to if things have been done differently since my lesson or in some isolated case others had lessons from the location under discussion, but my lesson wasn't really close to that you're all talking about.

I made a lil' map to show where I was out with PWC support (we stayed in the blue box, or thereabouts): http://bit.ly/jDzeaE

As you can tell, not near the toll plaza or what was pointed out earlier.

As for safety of the lesson? I was fine out there with a high priority for safety, as all of you would expect...

There was one exception though... two experienced kiters out enjoying their day decided to put us all in danger by kiting by within about 50-100' of me as I was bobbing around in the water, kite flailing away. Open water all around me for as far as I could see and they decided to check out the newbie or something. Seemed ridiculous.

Maybe they were checking to see if you guys were " ratards " .

[windhorny]

Yeah, seriously man, if I was bobbing in the middle of the bay I would damn happy if an experienced kiter came by to check if things were ok.

Come to think of it, that's how I met the owner of KGB. If it werent for the large white litewave door board sticking out of the water, I would have never seen him struggling to get back in to go help. But I guarantee you I didn't ride all the way to the end of Bayfarm just for a joyride.

I have never met a single kiter that wouldn't go out of their way for ANYONE in need. And it can often be hard to distinguish between a beginner learning and a beginner in trouble.

[kitenaked]

It is a well known fact that watching people learn to kite can be Extremely Entertaining

[kitenaked]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuqJy2rk ... ata_player

[buckidge]

Yeah, seriously man, if I was bobbing in the middle of the bay I would damn happy if an experienced kiter came by to check if things were ok.

Come to think of it, that's how I met the owner of KGB. If it werent for the large white litewave door board sticking out of the water, I would have never seen him struggling to get back in to go help. But I guarantee you I didn't ride all the way to the end of Bayfarm just for a joyride.

I have never met a single kiter that wouldn't go out of their way for ANYONE in need. And it can often be hard to distinguish between a beginner learning and a beginner in trouble.

Alright... gotcha. I guess I would have just figured that having the jetski out with me would have made it obvious that I was out on a lesson and in good hands. It hadn't really dawned on me that it could have been good natured as they were so close.

I can see that going by to check to see if I was alright could have seemed like a good idea.

I look forward to the day that I'm skilled enough to check on someone who may be in need. (hard to type that without sounding sarcastically snarky)

[Greg]

Thought I'd chime in as I took a lessons with KGB.

Now I can't speak to if things have been done differently since my lesson or in some isolated case others had lessons from the location under discussion, but my lesson wasn't really close to that you're all talking about.

I made a lil' map to show where I was out with PWC support (we stayed in the blue box, or thereabouts): http://bit.ly/jDzeaE

As you can tell, not near the toll plaza or what was pointed out earlier.

As for safety of the lesson? I was fine out there with a high priority for safety, as all of you would expect...

There was one exception though... two experienced kiters out enjoying their day decided to put us all in danger by kiting by within about 50-100' of me as I was bobbing around in the water, kite flailing away. Open water all around me for as far as I could see and they decided to check out the newbie or something. Seemed ridiculous.

Maybe they were checking to see if you guys were " ratards " .

Most likely a case of NEW PUPPY SYNDROME- At the DOG PARK, for example, the new dog is often RUSHED at the gate- Most just want to say HI, checking out the new dog, while one or two express dominance... They come in and GROWL to make sure the NEW DOG won't SHAKE UP the EXISTING PACK.

It's CALLED LIFE- We must all get used to it.

Back to the NOW- ANOTHER NEW "BIG-DOG" has arrived at the PARK. The PACK IS MOST EXCITED and some see another BIG FIGHT brewing..... They know the park isn't that big and when a fight starts in a small park it CAUSES QUIT A RUCKOUS. MANY DOG WILL GET SUDDENLY GET INVOLVED (like it or not). BLOOD WILL FLOW (again).... Most BACK AWAY hoping the BIG DOGS will just FIGHT AMONG THEMSELVES-
The OTHER DOG OWNERS WORRY "THEIR PARK" WILL BE CLOSED (because many others have when they got OUT OF CONTROL in the past). They fear, the IRRESPONSIBLE OWNER for DROPPING IN WITH A AGGRESSIVE DOG, they KNOW the NEW GUY can QUIKLY DISAPPEAR leaving them without a PLACE TO PLAY with their PUPPIES :(

Yes- Trouble is brewing, the city is watching and they don't want added liability-
Out of CONTROL DOG PARKS are SIMPLE to DEAL WITH from a cities perspective, just lock the door and throw away the key.
My fighting days are OVER- I may not be done kiting (YET), but I'm VERY CLOSE because I got better things to do with MY TIME then DEAL WITH ANOTHER NUCKLE HEAD DOG and it's STUPID OWNER-
L.M.G.