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LAME DUCK
LITE
Story and photos by Jay Call
The annual Lame Duck Kite Flying and Sandy Shoe Extravaganza
was held, as usual, on January 46th, 2004 (February 15th) - a
beautiful, sunshiny TC-type day - on the sandy shores just north
of Santa Monica pier. Sponsored once again (after how many years?)
by Bob and Charlotte Wilmer, this year's kite fly featured lite
winds and lite attendance.
Those who were there had a great time, however. Attending were
Bob and Charlotte (of course), incoming president Gene Olson
in his BRG, grey-scuttled, shockless, '47 TC; Jon and Betsy Lutz
in their cream and red '49 TC; Joe Douglass in his (sort-of)
Clipper Blue '49 TC; Paul and Kathy Gulsrud in their maroon and
biscuit, ex-Beardson '49 TC; and the temporarily TC-less Jay
Call, and Bob and Annabel Goldstein.
After a short practice session, the kite flying contest got underway, hampered this year by unusually light winds (as in barely blowing at all). For awhile, it looked like Jon and Betsy, with their "Snoopy Special" kite were going to be the sure winners, but then the Gulsruds arrived, and flying a standard "sled," managed to take top honors and the Lame Duck. The Creativity Award went to Gene Olson, for his pure gold Sacred Octagon kite - it might not have been a high-flyer, but it was a winner, anyway. Meanwhile, far off on the lonely sands of desperation, Jay Call was trying to unfoul a failed harness - got to learn to check that equipment! The Sandy Shoe part of the day, however, went just fine.
The weary contestants retired to the Kings Head restaurant, a
short walk away from the beach, for a traditional English repast
and Lame Duck award ceremony. Black and Tans were there, were
good, and those that couldn't make it (humm, could the long weekend
have had something to do with it?) missed a fine day, a fun time,
and a great get-together.
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The MG Mother ship watches over the little TCs.
Actually it is just Gene's beautiful kite. Our new president
is full of surprises.
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