Kite Practice at Larry Moore Park at Dusk

A Parafoil Kite?

I never know quite what I will see when I walk around my neighborhood. It's been almost too hot to walk these past few weeks, with temperatures ranging from high eighties to triple digits, and it's still hot as the sun is going down. Last night, though, it was a bit cooler and I finally walked past Larry Moore Park at dusk. I sure didn't expect to see a man learning to fly a parafoil kite.

Man Flying Parafoil Kite

Frankly, I'm no expert on kites. I wasn't sure what I was seeing. I stood and watched for several minutes as this young man made several attempts to get his kite into the air as you see above -- and below in the video.

Flying the Kite

Understanding What I Was Seeing

I'm no expert on kites. I wasn't sure if this was a stunt kite or a surfing kite or what made it special. I did figure out that it was a multi string kite, but I couldn't see in the dim light from a distance how many controls it had. I thought maybe this man was planning to go windsurfing, but my quick research shows he could have wanted to have the kite drag him along the ground or beach sand. It did appear to me that he was learning to fly the kite or practicing with it.

Kite Flying Has Come a Long Way Since I Was a Child

The Chinese invented kites a few centuries before the birth of Christ. They were used mostly by the military at first, to measure distances. Most of them were shaped like birds. Marco Polo saw manned kites in the city of Weifang  in 1282. When he returned to Italy, he brought along a kite, thus introducing kites to Europe. Now the Weifang International Kite Festival is held in that city in April of each year. People come from all over the world to watch or participate in the kite competitions at the festival. Chinese kites today may be in the shapes of animals or Zodiac figures. Some, like this flying saucer kite below,  may even have LED lights for night flying.


When I was young about sixty years ago, the only kites I knew about were simple ones with only one string. I saw someone flying that kind not long ago in City Park in downtown Paso Robles. That's the kind I and my friends attempted to get off the ground and into the air. My friends were more successful than I was.

I didn't know about stunt kites until I saw a family flying them at Moonstone Beach in Cambria. I was fascinated as I saw my first kites with more than one string, chasing each other in the air. And yesterday I saw my first parafoil kite up close. One just never knows what one will find in the park.

What's Your Experience with Kites?

Have you flown a stunt or dual string kite? Have you any experience with parafoil kites? Have you ever been kitesurfing? I'd love to hear about your experience with kites of any kind. Feel free to share in the comments. Please pin this post so others can learn something new about kites.

It's International Kite Day

Will You Fly a Kite Today?

Maybe where you are the sky is blue and the weather is just right for International Kite Day. Where I am it's raining.  It seems this day should fall on a sunny weekend. Then I could go to Moonstone Beach and try flying a stunt kite as this family did. This photo shows one of the kites they were flying.

Stunt Kite, © B. Radisavljevic

Frustrating Kite Flying Experiences

The kites I remember from my childhood were nothing like these dual string stunt kites. My own kites and kite-flying experiences were more like the ones that Charlie Brown had. I think I may have met his kite-eating tree. When I was a child, we didn't have anywhere nearby to escape trees and wires in our neighborhood.

All Ages Can Enjoy Flying Kites -- Even Together

The family we met flying stunt kites at Moonstone Beach were having a family reunion of sorts and flying the kites was an activity everyone from the kids and the grandparents could enjoy together. This man is flying a dual string stunt kite, and his kite is flying so high I can't fit it into the photo below. All you can see are his hands manipulating the strings.

Man Flying Dual String Stunt Kite, © B. Radisavljevic

To see the full intergenerational experience kite-flying experience, watch the video the family gave me permission to make of them enjoying this outdoor recreation. It was my first time to see a dual string kite in action, and I was mesmerized. Enjoy. If you'd like to try flying a stunt kite yourself, Amazon has a great collection of stunt kites to choose from. 

Zazzle Products with Stunt Kites

I made these Zazzle products from a photo of one of the most impressive kites they were flying that day. There are many more products to choose from with this design, and you can customize the text to convey your own message.

 Decal Stunt Kite in the sky, Soar! Wall Stickers Stunt Kite Flying in the Sky Square Pendant Necklace I'd Rather Be Flying a Kite Sleeve For MacBook Air I'd Rather Be Flying a Kite Classic White Coffee Mug

M is for Moonstone Beach

Although Moonstone Beach is in Cambria, not Paso Robles, it is the closest beach to Paso Robles and  my favorite place in the North County to view our coast. I like to walk on the boardwalk,  or on the beach as this man is doing. If you can't see him, you can click to enlarge this or any photo here.

One thing I enjoy about Moonstone Beach is watching what people build. There is always driftwood in interesting shapes, and people make huts or other structures to demonstrate their creativity. Another favorite occupation is looking for interesting stones or rocks. I have often found jade there.

Moonstone Beach has many interesting trees. One of them hides this secluded bench that I call the "lovers' bench." I very often come across couples sitting there where not many people are looking as they walk along the boardwalk  above. It's a great place to view the ocean.

It seems I most often visit Moonstone Beach in autumn or winter when there aren't  as many people. This photo was taken in January and picks up some of the color from the flora. You can see the most common of the fauna below.

One of our most interesting Moonstone Beach experiences was observing a family celebration where three generations were flying stunt kites together. They graciously allowed me to capture them flying the kites on video. I had never seen stunt kites before. It was really fun to watch two in the air at once. You might enjoy watching the video that shows not only what it's like to play at Moonstone Beach, but also how much fun these kites can be as a family activity.

Some of my other Moonstone Beach photos are in my Zazzle Barb's California Card and Gift Gallery Store. Here's a sneak preview.

 Moonstone Beach Surfer Postcard Build Your Dreams Decal Moonstone Beach Jigsaw Puzzle