Fishing on the Net
By Bonnie Nelson
It's National Kite Flying Month!
The exact date and origin of the kite is not known but it is believed that they were flown in China more than two thousand years ago. One legend suggests that when a Chinese farmer tied a string to his hat to keep it from blowing away in a strong wind, the first kite was born.
The earliest written account of kite flying was about 200 B.C. when the Chinese General Han Hsin of the Han Dynasty flew a kite over the walls of a city he was attacking to measure how far his army would have to tunnel to reach past the defenses. Knowing this distance his troops reached the inside of the city, surprised their enemy, and were victorious (http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/5-21-2004-54470.asp).
Today, kite are flown as a hobby by some people, but for some people the kite has helped in carrying out scientific experiments. Now a days kiting has also taken a face of a sport, many championships are held for kiting and the winner is rewarded with a good fortune too.
The first thing you need to do is pick a kite. Deltas, Diamonds and Dragon kites fly well in light to medium winds (approximately 6-15 mph) while Box Kites and stickless Parafoil kites fly better when the winds get a little stronger (approximately 8-25 mph). Because we don't control the wind, we learn to watch for the right kite flying conditions. Wind that is too strong or too light is difficult to fly in. About 5-25 mph is best for most kites (when leaves and bushes start to move, but before it really starts to blow). Flying is most fun when the wind is medium so you can do more than just hold on. You can make your kite dance across the sky by pulling in and letting out the line (http://www.gombergkites.com/ howgen.html). Here are a few more tips to flying a kite.
* Do not fly a kite near buildings or trees.
* Do not fly a kite near power lines.
* Do not fly a kite near a busy street. Kites and traffic don't mix. Remember, if your kite causes an accident, you pay.
* Do not fly a kite in rain or thunderstorms.
* Do not fly a kite within three (3) miles of an airport.
The American Kitefliers Association wants to have 600 kite events worldwide during National Kite Month (http://www. nationalkitemonth.org/). In our area you can celebrate kite flying on April 26th with the Fountain Creek Nature Center. There will be kite flying, kite making workshops, balloon animals, kids craft, kite exhibit, kite sales, and other activities throughout the day (cost $4/person).
Bonnie Nelson is a freelance writer living in Fountain, CO. If you have any comments or questions, email her at waltbon@comcast.net
CONTACT THE WRITER • WALTBON@COMCAST.nET
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