Kite Addiction or just another addiction

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 9:29 am

I'm complusive and obsessive.. been that way all my life.
My first drug of choice was sugar I've tryed plunty of others and each one ran its course.
My question is this: Do you think your addicted to kiting and if so are you a real adrilanen junky?
The list of things I've been into in my life always had a few things in common, one they were physical games (generally single player) and they almost always involve some form of danger. I've never really gotten into games like golf...
I've done mellower stuff like bikes etc.. and the endorfin rush from the physical is nice but unless it was challanging I quikly became bored. I'm not a stop and smell the roses person, many of you already know that becouse I'm such a blabber mouth.
So how about you?? Has kiting been a natural extention of other sports you've PERSONALLY been into or is this just something you wanted to try and found fun.
Many people seem depressed when the fan turns off, could it be that kiting is all you do to get your FIX, like ME!, or do you moutain bike etc.. tell ski season and keep your endorfins flowing almost daily?
Just wondering,
Greg

narly1 · Post by **narly1** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:01 am

me, iam a hard core adrilanen junky.
if not with that kite then on my bike
with my skates,
or climb n somthing
i like to go to the edge and take a good look over it,
the come back home to talk about it .

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:05 am

I remember when I was a kid, my brother and I skiied like maniacs, did crazy stuff all summer like jumping off bridges and BMX biking at a secret track we built with our friends.

Everyone at school thought we were uncoordinated retards, because we weren't any good at team sports like baseball, football, etc.

Now he surfs in the summer (Socal) and snowboards in winter, I kite and ski.

I'm glad that kids like us now get props for doing unconventional sports.

For me, fall and spring are my busiest times of year for work, so I'm almost glad that they are the between seasons for my chosen addictions. I try to add some cardio like cycling this time of year, because skiing for me is much more of a workout that way than kiting, and I need to get in shape.

moblvet · Post by **moblvet** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:23 am

You got me to thinking of the sports I started with as a kid to today, guess my adrenaline fix has been a continuum:
hop scotch,marbles, checkers,chess,cards,ping pong, biking,pool,squash, roller skating, soccer, handball, badmitton, footballvolleyball,boomeranging,bowling,racquetball,basketball,lacrosse,baseball,soft ball,bacci ball,tennis, running, golf,off road motorcycling,boxing,snowboarding,skiing,ice skating,roller blading,ballroom dancing,horseback riding,parachute jumping,swimming, diving,scuba diving,free diving,hunting,fishing, bow and arrow,international smallbore rifle shooting, nat'l skeet shooting,intnat'l large bore shooting,slingshot,knife and tomahawk throwing,spear diving, snorkeling,surfing,rock climbing, mt climbing, canoeing, rowing, kayaking-touring and whitewater, whitewater rafting,sailing,power boating,windsurfing,land sailing and kiteboarding.
Helped both my parents were phys ed teachers, I guess and started me that way.
When it does blow this winter practice my directional jibes.
Am thinking next, paddle boarding for this winter.
Another toy to order!

Don Bogardus · Post by **Don Bogardus** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:51 pm

Kitesurfing just seems so much more of a free feeling, all the other
sports just fill in the time till you catch some really lit, or outstanding
conditions to kite.
Scares me to think what a yawn life would be without it!.
No doubt its an addiction to myself, and others.
Good reason to stay healthy, fit, (and uninjured). Perhaps a better
term would be to say that it is a vehicle to experience more life with!

Tribaled · Post by **Tribaled** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:59 pm

For me kiting is definitely an extension of my adrenaline seeking ways.
I've surfed since I was 11,been riding motorcycles since i was twelve and now that I'm 42 finally started racing supermoto.
I need to be in the water and so as the kite season starts winding down , I still get to surf. The fall being my favorite time.
What's interesting to me is that more and more I find myself getting seriously depressed as the wind fades,it's getting bad. I find myself dreaming about future get aways to warm tropical windy conditions,endless down-winders all day , all year, all the time.................
Bottom line -I'M STOKED ON THIS SPORT!
Cheers,
Bruce

OliverG · Post by **OliverG** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 4:01 pm

Off season gives me a chance to catch up and try to focus on work and enjoy a more balanced life doing other things without always thinking about kiting and if it's windy or not, although if it was windy I'd be all over it...

bobbyboom · Post by **bobbyboom** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 6:11 pm

This is my first season and I'm so totally addicted. It's kinda silly as I have two trips coming up planned exclusively around kiting. :P hee hee. For me I'm more of an obsessive compulsive. When I get into something I REALLY get into it.

I've always been into single person sports; e.g. Biking, Skateboarding, Snowboarding VS. team sports like basketball and what not. Kiteboarding is so much fun and actually goes against a lot of things I usually like. Kiting is sometimes scary as hell and I'm not particularly used to that. It can get tricky at times which can jack you up pretty bad, but the feeling of landing a new trick or riding a new spot is golden.

So for me, I'm not particulary adreneline driven, but I'm finding that I'm actually really liking it in small doses. :shock:

-Bobby

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:46 pm

I hate to disagree here, but I don't get that much of an adrenaline rush from kiting (Ocean Beach is the one exception so far). Compared to sking, for example, all the tricks I've tried kiting have been amazingly easy. There's always fear before trying it, but it's just not as punishing when you screw up. Is anyone still scared when they boost big after doing it 50 times? When I drop a cliff band skiing, it's just as scary every single time I do it.

How many of you have caught an edge on skis or snowboard when sending a 360? The same trick on a kite has way less downside risk. You can break a rib or blow out your knee, but it seems much less likely.

For me, kiting is actually like meditation. The movement of board over water, the flying through the air, even the spinning -- it's all so mellow and graceful if you have the right size kite. Then, when you're done, the endorphin high is so great and the exhaustion is so soft. That's what I miss -- that feeling of perfection, bliss.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 9:05 pm

What got me going on this was a visit from an old friend. We got on the subject of depression after I told him about my son dieing. He told me he been a stay at home dad four days a week for the last several years and didnt get any exercize... He said watching his son grow up is great but it totally consumes each day, finally he said that he had to tell his wife that for the sake of the family he had to get back to riding his bike. Now get this, Keven was 7th in the nation in Cycle-Cross last time I'd seen him, His final race he won the nationals - got bummed, then just put away his bike.. It had been 7 years!
Man went COLD TURKEY!
And that Mo-Fo was one bad-ass biker, I couldnt keep up with him on his off-training days. But I sure did learn some sick single track lines from Kev... we had fun

L.M.G.

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