Sunday, July 19, 2009

Red Wings Territory






So leaving upstate New York. We cruised down the shore line of Lake Erie on our way to Visit Red Belly Board Shop. As we cruised our normal speed in Clark around 55-60mph I passed a Nuclear power plant. Wow! Just the structure was massive. A huge round concrete cylinder with crazy amounts of steam coming out of it. I made Kara google right away how a nuclear power plants works, it has something to do with splitting of atoms and the heat it generates produces steam thus turning turbines producing power! It still impresses me, what the mind can dream up! I guess the U.S. hasn't built a new one since the 70's. Even though it is cleaner than coal power.

Anyway, we motored around two plants and we both don't have any glowing parts so it has to be safe, right?

So we made it safely to Anne Arbor to meet up with Alex from Red Belly Board shop. Which I must say is pretty bad ass inside. Lots of cool things to look at and lots of good product, including OZONE's. With Red Belly being more skate and Snow based, kiting just totally complements the whole shop. With red belly teaching kite lessons, it is a great place to buy gear and to learn to shred!

After touring the shop we headed out for Lake Sinclair. Only a short drive from the shop, to get in town kiting. With a good grassy area to set up your kite, and only knee to waist deep water with a sandy bottom it isn't a bad spot. It definitely is a more advance spot in my opinion but it works. It has to work because, it is the closest spot in town and lots of locals and college students go there. You have to either get a assisted launch or just go in the water and drift launch. But be careful of the trees, rock getty wall and boats!

Otherwise a sick spot to ride. When we arrived we immediately got into action and started to pump up kites for the lighter winds. And Alex pulled out his sick Custom Red Belly Board Shop kite that Ozone made for him. The craftsmanship was amazing. Ozone goes and builds the whole kite then cuts in a different color and sews in any logo you want, SICK!

This is the first kite I have seen in person, and I was impressed! The attention to detail and the quality the logos were sewn in was just cool to see. Then watching the kite fly was even cooler. What a good flying billboard. I think this is the best way to advertise a shop or a product. With people seeing such a beautiful sport as kite boarding and seeing a brilliant billboard that can be seen from both sides, cool.

Thanks to Alex for getting that custom rig. It not only makes Ozone look cooler, it helps promote his shop.

The demo went well with winds diminishings be the end of the day, Kara and I were ready to hit the town with Alex. He took us around a hip town just outside of Ann Arbor. Lots of college students and young ones parting it up on there parents dollar! We had great sushi and met a friend of Alex's that is a fire fighter in Detroit. He was telling us about a organization that he made because of all the abandoned buildings in Detroit. As a fire fighter he has to deal with arsonist that burn 2-5 buildings a night! He wants to get all the run down house and turn them into green projects. check it out Motorcityburning.com. Thanks for the cool tee shirt.

We later parked the rig behind Alex's apartment and went to sleep. Thank you very much Alex for the hospitality and the tour of the town. Maybe next time will do it on the snow!!

peace
Patrick and Kara

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