Kiters are the Greatest!!!

[zenlikeme]

How’s it going everyone? I haven’t posted on here much at all but, I just wanted everyone to know how amazed I’ve been by the stellar character of all the kiteboarders I’ve met. Every single person I’ve met through kiting has just been the best people. So willing to go out of their way to help. So supportive. And just so damn friendly. Not like the surf culture I grew up with. And unlike most other extreme sports cultures. Kiting is so wonderful all to itself, but the people involved just make it that much more spectacular.


I lost my board a couple of months ago and posted it here on the forum. Steve Sadler wrote me and offered to loan me a board the next day so that I could ride. He said he had a couple I could buy cheap or if I didn’t want to buy one he would lend me one until I replaced mine. At this point Steve was a complete stranger to me and I was to him. I consider this an unusually generous and awesome offer. Thanks Steve!

I’d also like to thank, more recently, Josh Taylor and his brother. They found and returned my board that I lost yet again this past weekend. You guys rule! How many people would do this? Perhaps, it seems, this happens more often in the kiting community. It truly is a blessing.

To tell the truth, I could get by on the stoke of kitesurfing alone. But the fact that other kitesurfers are so great, simply make it that much more fulfilling. Thanks to all of you and keep up the amazing reputation!!

Kevin

[Steve-O]

True that brother. I too grew up surfing and disgusted with the attitude in the water. Some of the worst attitude I have encountered surfing has been right here in the Gulf. I guess with so few waves, when the come, tempers flare. There is plenty of wind to go around. We have a few droughts, but for the most part, we are blessed with plenty of opportunity to ride.

Kiteboarding is no dought a special sport and has changed my life for the better as well as many others around me. The business side is a bit negative, but I try to stay focused on the riding and keep it positive.

My experience has been the same...although i havent really met that many of you in person..
Someone lifted my brand new harness from eb a few months ago, i posted on here that same day...and although it was never returned steve(kite4life) gave me a spreader bar and plenty of others offered to lend me a harness without even knowing who i was... I never got that kind of treatment even after 20 years of s'fla surfing...!
Their is some super cool peeps in the tampa/st pete area for sure....

[Sean B]

Same here. I can't tell you how many times I've borrowed gear from the kiters here when mine were busted...especially Steve-O ..... or gotten a boat lift back from caladesi when the wind died down. Most the kiters around here are great people. Hell, I stayed on Lake Mille Lacs for a week and brought my kite gear (no board), went on a MN kite forum and some stranger let me borrow his slingshot board for my entire stay. That kind of stuff just doesn't happen elsewhere. I lost my bronson the other day, which I always right my name and number on, and by the time I came off the water at the end of the day I had a missed phone call from the guy who found it. He wouldn't even accept money from me as a reward....or BEER either! Now the surf culture...I can do without.

[Todd RT]

Originally Posted by Steve-O

Kiteboarding is no dought a special sport and has changed my life for the better as well as many others around me.

Changed my life too bro! You couldn't have said it better!

[Chad085]

sounds like weve all been brought together while looking for a watersport without attitude. I started surfing here when i was 10 years old, and was glad to see another surfer out in case i got into trouble!! at that time the attitude was much better, however it is now so aggro that inches of dust have gathered on my surfboards. I can't believe those guys will get upset because that 2 foot mushpile was "theirs" are you kidding me? Kiting is so much different, probly because of the commitment. you cant buy one for 200 bucks and go give it a whirl. But whatever it is, props to our kiteboard community i think we may be the tightest knit group of any sport out there.