Over the past 10 years or so, a new sport called Kite Surfing, or Kite Boarding has brought international attention to the kiting scene. I got caught up in it as well, becoming a certified Kite Board Instructor back in 2006, but I always loved kite buggying more!

In 1990 I opened a Kite shop in York Pa. Soon after, Kite buggying was born, delivered to us by the famous dude from New Zealand and my old friend, Peter Lynn.

I bought one of the first ones and after struggling a bit in south beach miami during a sport kite competieion, my buddy Dean and I met other friends in the Dry Lake Beds of Nevada and really learned, very quickly. For many years after, we made many trips to the the desert, both in California and Nevada, and to the beaches on the west and east cosst, often in Wildwood NJ. Treasure Island Florida, Jeckel Island Georgia, Outer Banks NC, oh, just so many places. I even Kite buggied in front of 200,000 spectators in Meddellin Columbia S.A. during a half time break during a national play off soccer game in the Meddellin Soccer Stadium, on the side of a mountain in Columbia, many times on the Beach's of Fano Denmark, In China, France, Italy, Germany, The Canary Islands, Aruba and Spain and probably some more places I cant remember right now, like Ireland, England and more! Those really were the days.

Around 2005 I was filming a Buggy video in Galveston Texas after conducting one of my Flight School Dual Line Classes and felt a pain in my lower back. I kept going, executing tricks like riding on two wheels, spins, power slides, 360's, 540''s and more. Well, I hurt my lower back and that was the last time I ever Kite Buggied.

Until a couple of months ago.

I was flying sport kites with my wife at the beach in Wildwood NJ, testing a competition prototype of the Crossfire. We were flying pairs, following each other around in the sky, having the best time, laughing, getting tangles and crashes, also some very good flying as well, when I saw and old friend I have not seen in 5 or 6 years, Kite buggying. After our greetings, I asked if I could try it. I had also ripped my Rotor Cuff just two years earlier so I was a little nervous.

So I took a short ride and it really was just like riding a bike. I immediately rode backwards, did a power slide and returned the buggy.

As soon as I got home, I dug out my 10 year old rusty buggy, got it fixed up, called Jim at Skydog and asked for a couple of SDT kites which he immediately sent.

Two weeks later I was back in Wildwood N.J. during the A.K.A. (American Kite Association) Convention, but I had no time for that, only buggying. I was surprised I was the only one on the beach Kite Buggying, but I did it for hours and hours and hours for two days logging over 10 hours in a two day period, no back pain, no shoulder pain, i was in heaven!

The two kites were the Sky Dog Traction 2.8 and 4.0. and they performed perfectly! Everyone asked "what was that white kite you were flying, it looked like it performed great!"

Two weeks after that, I returned to Wildwood N.J. for the annual WBB, Wildwood Buggy Blast. Traction kiters from all over the US and Canada showed up for this awesome event. Actually, it takes place twice a year. Fall and Spring. I logged in more time than anyone else with some of the fastest speeds, even compared to the new "depowered" Kites which are based on Kite surfing kites, using a bar controller which are normally much larger and way more expensive.

Great marketing by some companies have some buggiers convinced that they need to have these kites, but at $1000 and up, no thanks!

On a side note, you can get two sizes of Skydog Kites that will meet most wind needs, plus a buggy for that price.

We did have light winds one day, and my 4.0 was not enough, so I borrowed a SDT 5.5 from Dave who is a skydog endorsed kite buggier and that did the trick.

Upon returning home after 4 days of awesome buggying, I booked my ticket to the next event, and called Skydog and asked for a 5.5. which was sent out immediately. (THANKS JIM)

I packed my buggy, my new skydog kites and headed out for an event I have attended many years ago called the Dead Bird Buggy Blast which is a celebration of Thanksgiving on East Beach in Galveston Texas.

One of our close friends had recently passed away, while kite surfing, he was from Houston, and spent a lot of time on East Beach so this was also a memorial fly for Charles Jackson A.K.A. AJ (Action Jackson)

I stayed with my old friends in a house we called the "old school house" because all of us had been kite buggying since the beginning, including the inventor of our sport, Mr. Peter Lynn.

We had such a wonderful time, and I logged many hours every day kite buggying with my new SDT Kites. Every night was awesome with my old and new friends too!

I also spent time on other kites just to compare. I like them too but they were very different, reminded me of my kite surfing kites which I never really liked and although I was fast on them as well, i preferred my quad line foils.

Many kite buggiers asked me (again) "what is that white kite you are flying, it really performs and you are the fastest guy on the beach!" White Kite? Oh yeah, the back is white.....Any way many were impressed with the performance, I was doing a lot of spins with very fast speeds, often passing these kites that are 3 times larger and 3 times more expensive!

Two days I could not buggy because I took my friend to the airport and then it rained, the next day the winds were just too high, over 25mph with gusts to 35 and more...

Monday I was by myself, I had many hours to kill before my evening flight back to Baltimore...So I buggied and buggied until some of my new kite surfing/kite bugging friends showed up.

I am so happy to kite buggying again, and to have such an awesome and affordable quiver of Sky Dog Traction kites to fly. They really were IMO, the best performers on the beach!

I have proof, I have video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN-Xi2gk_hk

Sorry, cant seem to get this link, but copy and paste. You can also go to my personal Youtube page to see this video at www.facebook.com/doddtunes

I had an awesome time making this, and I sincerely hope you enjoy!

My next event is NABX in April 2012. North American Buggy Exhibition which takes place at State Line, NV, 40miles from Las Vegas on the dry lake bed Ivanpah which I have been too at least a dozen times in my life, I love that Place!

If you are interested in Kite Buggying, please contact me. I will be happy to help you. Please do not feel that you have to have one of the Depowered kites which cost $800 and up, even if you are a kite surfer. Speed records are set with foils, similar to the SDT, not Depowered kites. They are easy to learn and easy to use and when you are buggying in the park like I am with out a lot of room, much better to use, plus, you can buy all the traction kites you will ever need plus a buggy for the price of one Depowered kite....

Enjoy the video and best wishes and Happy New Year! See you at NABX!