Southern Florida Tour Stop #1: The RV in Islamorada

Posted Friday 12 October 2007

Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th October

MATURE & PROFESSIONAL RECAP BY BUS DRIVER SEAN LEE (who's Canadian, by the way, not Chinese):

This weekend, a number of us hopped on the RV and trucked on down to Islamorada for the weekend to put on a small demo throughout Saturday and Sunday. We left the Best Warehouse at 6:45am Saturday morning and we’re able to make it down to Anne’s beach in time to snake a perfect spot for the bus to park for the entire day. Steve and Andy drove along side and took some shots of the bus on the way down, and proceeded to get some good kiting action on film through the day. We had a number of people show up to check out the gear and to just do some kiting at the same spot as us. The bus could be a major reason of random folk pulling over to check out what was going on since the tiny beach was so close to the tiny road (US-1). Over the first day, it was all Best kites in the air with the exception of one Slingshot (that was hardly ever flying cause the thing couldn’t even hold air in the bladders). A good number of people had the chance to fly both the 08 Waroos and the 08 Nemi’s, and everyone was quite impressed. A successful day, noo doot aboot it (pick up the CDN slang there)!

We ended up staying at the KOA just 3 miles south of the beach for the night (6 of us in the RV, how comfy!), and woke up early enough to get back and snag our same spot (this time keeping the bus a little further from the water so we didn’t get tackled by the high tide). Sunday the wind lightened up a bit, but it was nothing to worry about. We were still flying everything from the 7m to the 13m. We had a few others show up to demo the gear and even had a professional photographer show up to take some shots of the good riders in action (obviously not me!). We arrived back at the warehouse at 10pm that night – all in all, an excellent trip, and I can’t wait to go back again!

ALTERNATIVE RECAP BY STACEY FONAS:

After a summer of no wind, the forecast looked pretty spectacular for the Keys over the weekend, so we all met at the office around 6:15 Saturday morning and were on the road, headed to Anne's Beach, by 6:45. And by "all," I do mean all: Sean (Sales, Bus Driving) and his girlfriend Britney, Josh (Shipping), Brandon (Customer Service Captain), Adam (Random Soccer Fan and Friend), and Joe Ruscito (whose stellar performance, Pollyanna outlook and participation over the weekend earned him a spot on the team). Anyway, it was way too many people for me to be dealing with that early in the morning, so I retired to the back bedroom, in peace.

Ten minutes later, I hear hooting and hollering from the front ... Andy Hurdman and Video Steve caught up to us on I-95 and were driving next to the RV, filming.

Brandon hanging out of the bus

It ended up taking us a very long time to get there due to wind drag created by the massive flag we attached to the top of the RV.

But when we finally got there, the wind was cranking, and I was litt on my very fast-looping 7m. Sean "Superleg" Reyngoudt showed up to kite with us, and so did Keri (Events Coordinator) and her friend Jessica (Best Girl at the Expo), adding some nice eye-candy for the guys.

Andy Hurdman, looking notoriously hot in his Stevie-Wonder Cataract-Patient Glasses ... "I'm going blind, I'm going blind ... I'm RIDING blind! FRONT roll! FRONT roll! FRONT rolll!"

Scuba Steve, Videographer du Jour ... Safety First!

Brandon teaching Jessica (hot girl) how to kite. You can't see it from here, but he's got a big smile on his face.

Andy powered on the red 7m Nem HP rides past Brandon and his "lesson."

We rode all day ... I didn't really get any pictures of the demo since I was so busy "demo'ing" myself, but you can check out the action in the video South Florida Bus Tour.

After riding, we parked ourselves at the campground and proceeded onto a quiet, orderly dinner at Lorelei ...

Right to Left, clockwise: Brandon, Sean, Me, Britney, Chase, Joe aka Pollyanna, Alan, Stefan, Leif, Graham

But after a couple of tequila shots, it was time to move on to a proper drinking location. (Brandon, Adam, Joe, Britney)

We tried to get into Hog Heaven en masse ...

But unfortunately ... access was denied to the junior member of our party ...

Sorry, Chase, you little Imp ... we barely believe you're 14, let alone 21!

Sean, Britney and I went into the bar and had a proper drink, while everyone else hung outside with the Youth. (Stefan, Graham, the Youth, and Brandon)

Meanwhile, inside, "Posing with Random Figurines" sounded like a really great photo opportunity. "Don't worry," said Sean to the local redneck bar patrons. "We're locals."

We felt bad being the only ones in the "Inner Circle" with delightful tropical drinks while everyone else languished in the parking with warm beer, so we pounded our delightfully tropical drinks, and moved on.

Not sure exactly where we ended up, but it was on the water somewhere, and it was windy. Brandon, filled with Liquid Bravado, suddenly decided that going kiting, in the dark, at a sketchy unfamiliar launch, alone, was a fabulous idea. "Will sschome-one launsch my kiiiiiiite?" he slurred.

Brandon, suddenly and momentarily sober, preparing for his Date with Death.

Fortunately, Captain Action the Security Guard showed up, threatening police intervention, and perhaps a room in the local jail (which I thought would have been a nice gesture on Brandon's part, to free up some of the RV sleeping space.)

Adam tried to charm the Security Guy by speaking in a fake Soccer-British accent, but the Security Guard wasn't a fan of the English. "I'm sorry," said the Security Guard. "The situation is non-negotiable."

Brandon, recalcitrant and angry, trudges away in defeat.

Brandon thinking about "how great it would have been ..."

As we waited for that last little thundercloud of a moment to pass and for Brandon to pack up all his gear, Sean sat under the sign, waiting for me to notice him posing like a melancholy poet.

But the night was still young, and there was still a whole bottle of wine to be drunk ...

... so we moved onto another bar, where I thought "Sitting on Top of a Giant Drink" would make a wonderful photo opportunity. Despite an SPF factor of 120 (60+45+15, right?), we all got pretty burned up today. I match the drink.

Then we had a headstand contest. Remarkably, our drinks stayed in our cups.

Joe, hot young ripper and new team rider (who kind of looks like a Blond Ross from Friends in this picture) trying to get Britney drunk

Three stooges ... Lief, Joe, Chase ... up to no obvious good.

Mrs. and Mr. Bus Driver: Britney and Sean. (Side note: at every event we go to, Sean wins the "Most Burnt Award." This weekend was no exception.)

To show you what I mean, here is a picture of Sean "Rudolph" Lee, from the Velocity Games, with Keri. I needed a picture of Keri anyway for this piece, so recycling Sean's "Red Nose" picture worked out well for me. (Sean got similarly burned at the recent Tampa demo, but unfortunately, I don't have that picture.)

Anyway, Adam ... who has no interest in kiting ... schooling Joe on the finer points of the great game of soccer. Joe, trying to look like he cares about being schooled on anything other than double handlepasses and switch mobes.

In every cheesy bar, there is eventually a lady who comes around with a basket of roses and stuffed animals. Usually, the guys I'm with say, "No thanks, she's not worth it," but there was some strange planet alignment that night, and one of the guys in the bar had the incorrect idea that I was a nice person, and decided to buy me a flower.

I immediately told Brandon "Air Freshener" Briggs to tell the poor guy the truth about me so that he wouldn't waste any more time, thinking that SURELY Brandon would jump at the chance to trash me, but no. Brandon decided to talk me up like there was no tomorrow.

Here he is, all proud of his accomplishment. Thanks, Brandon. There's a New Car Scent Air Freshener coming your way soon.

Or better yet, here's a girlfriend for YOU. We gave her your number. Expect a call.

I know, I know, I'm going to hell. Whatever.