Click on any photo for enlarged view.

	Blue Skies & Palm Trees The beaches in Huntington where some of the nicest I've ever seen.  Really wide and very clean winds - a kite flier's paradise!  And yes, the skies were this clear every day.

	Linda's Ladybug AllStar It was really great to see this kite again and meet the owner.  Even better, Linda let me take it for a test flight - very cool to see the bug darting around the sky!

	Cleared for Takeoff Linda and Gary Haskell of BC, Canada ready to do some pairs flying.  There was a light breeze each morning which was great for the UL kites.

	Perfect Formation I think the Blue Angels flight team would be jealous! Well, maybe I should say the Snowbirds since they're from Canada.

	My Favorite Photo I love how their pair of lines cross and the kites are right in synch.  For all you snowed in people, that "glowing orb" in the lower left corner is called the sun.  I almost forgot myself! LOL

	Smooches and my Sweetie Here is Lisa next to one of Dan Whitney's huge inflatable SLKs.  I believe this kite is lovingly named "Smooches".

	Smooches is Happy... now that she has a full belly of sea breeze!  This very well may have been the most photographed kite.  Truly impressive to see in person!

	His Fun Meter is at 11 Everyone had fun at KP2.  But, I think John Gillespie had the most enjoyable time of anyone!  He was constantly smiling, pulling out different kites and handing out snacks.  John and I have the same flying style...it would be cool to fly pairs with him someday.

	Low and Slow  John Weldon is just an awesome person and flier.  For some reason, I thought a Hot Tricks winner would have an aggressive flying style.  Actually, John flies with finesse and is very smooth during combo tricks.  Ron G. and Mark R. are in the background.

	John Tests the Sano SS  John asked me what he should do for this photo.  I told him to hang a fade right above a palm tree on the horizon.  Seconds later, the kite was perfectly placed for this picture.  Damn, he's good!

	Emptying the Piggy Bank Demetri had the highest bid and won this Stryke fighter.  He could really fly it well too!  His understandably proud father, David, is behind him.

	Yet Another One Sorry, I know there have been a lot of these pictures displayed already, but here is mine.  It was very cool to meet all the other designers and builders.  I had the honor of standing between Mark Reed and Tim Benson - two of the biggest names in kiting!

	The #1 Beach Attraction Each day, there was always an abundance of spectators watching the kiters do their thing.  The local media extensively covered the event, which gave great exposure to the sport.

	Truly Inspiring Here is Shane Hill ready to start his Ballet demo.  He only has use of one arm and did a superb job.  Later, I asked him if he was nervous since hundreds of people were watching.  He just shrugged and said, "Nope".

	Shane Struts his Stuff Another photo of Shane taken near the end of his demo. He actually did a couple of axels.  If you have ever tried flying a dual-liner from a single handle, you know that ain't easy!

	The Beat Goes On Near the pier, local musicians (mainly bongo players) would gather and perform together.  After seeing the women in the red hat, I couldn't help but think of the Haight-Ashbury photos from the 1960's.

	She never flies a kite! Lisa hasn't flown a sportkite in a long time.  But, there is something about the beach and smooth winds that she couldn't resist.  Here, she gets ready to launch the Sano SS.  Shelly Hill is off to her left.

	Colorful Mural This beautifully painted wall welcomes you to the pier at Huntington Beach. It made for a cool background for this photo of Lisa and I.

	Dusk Approaches This was taken late on Saturday as the day was winding down.  I got lucky and managed to capture four kites in flight.  Catalina Island is off in the distance.

	Parting Shot The last picture.  This was shot from our car as we drove away from the beach for the last time.  We almost cried...back to 6 more weeks of Winter for us.  Dave Shenkman is a lucky guy!

Site optimized for Explorer 5.0 or higher at 1024 x 768 screen resolution.

All content Copyright © 2001/2004 by AeroStar Sportkites.  All rights reserved.