Kites fill sky at Airport Days

By P.J. GLISSON

news@yourdailyglobe.com

LAND O'LAKES, Wis. - Kites were flying high on Saturday as members of the Wisconsin Kiters Club provided demonstrations and workshops in conjunction with the past weekend's Airport Days at King's Land O'Lakes Airport in Wisconsin.

"I love this kite," said Catherine Piotrowski of Milwaukee as she prepared to launch her device that was designed to look like a gigantic Chinese fan.

In fact, Piotrowski said she bought the kite from a man who was in the midst of flying it in China.

The Chinese man did not know English, and Piotrowski did not know Chinese, but she said, "Money talks."

As she explained, "I went right up to the source. I pulled out 100 yuan."

When the man saw the Chinese currency and understood what Piotrowski wanted, he readily agreed to the deal.

Piotrowski, who was with her husband, David, said most of the kites used by the club are made of ripstop nylon, which - true to its name - is reinforced in such a way that is resistant to ripping.

"Sometimes they're made out of silk or parachute cloth, sometimes paper," said Piotrowski, who added that even the house-wrapping material called Tyvek can be used to make a kite.

"You can make them out of plastic garbage bags," she said, but added, laughing, "When you see garbage bags flying, there's enough wind to fly about anything."

The wind was low enough on Saturday to stop kiting activity briefly.

Dennis Lauer of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, guessed that the wind was only about three miles per hour at one point.

Lauer, who was teaching Anna Parner, 6, of Texas, how to fly a kite, added that 15 miles per hour is ideal for the activity.

However, Piotrowski - whose shirt carried the message "Shift Matters" - noted that even a shift in wind direction can make a difference.

Piotrowski said that having a partner also can provide an advantage, particularly with larger kites. "To get it up in the air, we do what's called a long-line launch," she said, which allows one person to stand with the kite downwind while his or her partner holds the line and signals when to release the kite.

Patrick Hynes of Western Springs, Illinois, also was present Saturday with his daughter, Bridget, 11, who was running hard with a small kite at a low height.

Hynes, who just bought a vacation home in the region, said his family really enjoys the outdoors up north. "It's beautiful up here," he said.

Airport Days took place on Friday and Saturday at the airport and included tours of the Placid Lassie, a World War II-era plane. Airport tours also were offered, along with a free pancake breakfast on Saturday.

In addition, the Land O'Lakes Historical Society's Northern Waters Museum offered a King's Gateway Exhibit, which included a look at the airport's history.