Tracy Press

 
A sport kite show team from San Francisco represented some of the kites at today's Mountain House Kite Festival at Questa Park.

A 100-foot-long gecko takes to the air with other kites as the second Mountain House Kite Festival got underway today. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

Jim Strealy (left) and Brian Champie wrestle a 100-foot-long gecko kite as they work to untangle the lines today. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

“The kites we fly are meant for higher winds than what we have right at this moment,” said Barry Nash of Bay Area Sundowners sport kite show team. “But hopefully the wind will pick up as the day goes on.”

The team out of San Francisco, represented by four of its six members at the festival, managed to get all four train hyper kites up and flying, but low winds downed two at one point during the morning. Some of the larger kites flying directly to the south of the aerobatic kite flying team went down for some time also.

Bill Tatham (front) gets ready to his daughter Leeloo’s kite skyward as son Scout and wife Kyoung fly during the Mountain House Kite Festival. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

“Wind is the best-known amenity to Mountain House,” said Jerry Torres, Mountain House Community Services District neighborhood administrator. “We wanted to create something unique to this area and make it our signature event.”

More than 700 people turned out for last year’s event, and at least that many were expected for today’s festival, said Gladys Cornell, a community services district spokeswoman.

“This is a family-oriented event that kids of all ages can enjoy, and every year we’re trying to make it better,” Cornell said.

Bill Vierra looks for the breeze as he tries to get a kite airborne in the light winds this morning. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

“You can’t get this thrill anywhere else,” 19-year team member Ken Osterland said. “When you’ve got a kite in the air with a team, you have to have full focus on what you’re doing.”

All kinds of shapes and sizes including these two Star Wars fighter kites were on hand at the kite festival. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

Probably less than a handful of people at the festival knew that they were in the presence one of the world’s leading kite designers. Randy Tom of San Diego, another member of the Sundowners, has designed and built kites for 30 years and loves flying kites and going to festivals.

“It’s relaxing and challenging at the same time,” he said. “This is my hobby that turned into a business. You give me enough wind and enough tail, and I can make it fly.” 

Bay Area Sundowners' aerobatic kite team member Barry Nash readies one of the stunt kites for a show at the second Mountain House Kite Festival. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

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written by LAM , August 24, 2008

I fly kites often! I have a bee, butterfly, pirate ship, two planes (which are very hard to keep up), a dragonfly, a seahorse and I think that is it? I think it is great physical therapy and exercise.

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written by Observer , August 24, 2008

Lori, did you make all those kites????? Love seahorses! Send me the pattern if you made them!!!

Where did they get all those fabulous kites in Tracy?

-amy

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written by LAM , August 24, 2008

No Way! I did not make the kites, but I want to teach myself how to make them. This morning, I flew my dragonfly kite. It is definitely therapy, since I quickly walk (I do not run well) on a disked field to get the kite in the air. It is therapy because you have to keep your balance and it is very difficult on rough ground when walking fast. I got one kite in Monterey, seahorse was from Costco, and the others were at Wal Mart. I think they do not sell kites anywhere. You have to look in spring. E-Bay sells kites and one was from there too.