July 13, 2009 Breakfast in Westport June and July are what we call in GKPI, the "West Coast Months". We do five festivals in Washington, Oregon, and California. The events in Washington are great fun for a larger kite flier. You can bring your car right to the edge of the field, unpack, and fly right out of the trunk. Beaches are usually wide and winds smooth. And the folks you fly with there are among the best!

With plans to be in Brookings and Berkeley over the next two weeks, I decided to opt for a quick drive up to Westport. Leaving the house at 5 a.m., I could be there by 9:30, fly all day, stay for dinner, and still be back in my own bed by midnight. A day on the beach would let me air out a few new designs. The drive was uneventful but the skies not encouraging. It was drizzling along the Oregon Coast which improved to simply overcast in Washington. But the main problem as I approached the Grayland Beach Access was lack of wind.

GKPI is now licensed to make the full size Devil. This huge inflatable is 30 feet wide and 90 feet long. Available in your choice of colors for $3100.

Down at the end of the beach, Windrider Club members were gathering around a large gas-fired pot of boiling water. On the East Coast, you might have expected to see lobster. In the MidWest, coffee. But here on the Washington Beaches, there were making ... omelettes... Now maybe this is old news to some of you. But I'd never seen anything like it. Break eggs into a zip-lock bag. Add ingredients like vegetables or meats and cheese. Smoosh all the parts together. Squeeze out the air and drop it into boiling water for ten minutes. Empty onto a plate or tortilla shell, add salsa, more cheese, or sour cream, and enjoy! Using a good freezer-quality bag is important and it helps to write your name on the outside. If another name hasn't already been patented, I'm calling this beach feast a Westport Omelette"! Give it a try at your next festival!!

Properly fortified, we headed back to the kitebags. The day before, strong winds had scorched the flying zone. But now, we struggled to launch in three-to-nothing. Pilots lufted, banners hung limp, and larger kites lay flat on the ground. Special guests Cliff Quin and Scott Hammpton set up colorful ground displays. I brought out the new Berhand Dingwerth Frog. The Frog is a wonderful kite that filled easily and attracted plenty of attention. While it was being photographed under a large Pilot, I struggled to launch a new Devil further out on the field. After an hour of working just to keep a pilot in the air, I decided to give the kite a rest.

It is tempting to call Westport a wash-out. But despite less than ideal flying weather, people had fun. And hopefully the Sunday flying was better. I never found out because I woke at home late Sunday morning and spent the day on accumulated chores that would not be addressed in the coming weekends. See you next week in Southern Oregon!

Froggy: I fell for Bernhard's Frog the first time I saw him. A wonderful, whimsical, attention-getting inflatable that files well and packs up small. Berhard finally agreed to let us make them, and the result is a winner! Choose any color you like! Frogs run about 19 feet long and come with a drogue and stuff-sack for $450 each. Buy one in July and we'll give you a 20% introductory discount if you mention you saw it in the Update. Click here for another view. Here is a brief interview with Bernard. You can see the Frog Kites in the background. Sorry it was so windy!! Click here for information on how to place an order.

Back to the Update Index
Back to Gomberg Kite Productions International
Email: [email protected]
Place an Order.

Tell a friend about this page: