Shoreline in Mountain View is the perfect kite flying spot, as it tends to get quite breezy and often cool in the afternoons, with the winds coming in over the baylands...not that great for golfing (golf course on the left, kite flying area on the right), as I have taken golf lessons there and the lessons are usually offered in the morning...I suspect the breeze has something to do with the timing of said lessons. After trying to practice my short game one cold and windy afternoon in the winter, I can attest to the "breezy" conditions).
John has three kites. Two are the one-string type, and one has two strings (I guess it's a "trick" kite. Tricky is more like it). Within minutes the guys were flying the "trick" kite like pros. Unfortunately, I decided to have a very quick beer and then fly the trick kite, and the results were not as spectacular as I had hoped for. Actually, I really sucked at it the first time. The second time we went, armed with a picnic dinner, and plenty of beer to go around, there was almost no wind, but I actually did a little better. Not nearly as proficient as John, Taylor, and Ryan, but at least I got the damn thing up in the air, even if you would miss it if you blinked.
Both kite flying evenings were pleasant, relaxed, and just plain fun. Not the heart-racing kind of fun...more like a laid-back, kite and people-watching kind of fun.
Stay tuned. Next week, little Johnny and I will be taking sailing lessons at the lake at Shoreline.
