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Doin’ the Limbo

Dave’s Rare Bear shows how it’s supposed to happen.

Dave’s Rare Bear shows how it’s supposed to happen.

Bill Smith started this.

One day he showed up with some poles and a length of rope, the basis for a simple limbo setup.

We had a very good time displaying our poor depth perception and imprecise positioning skills — missing the poles entirely most of the time.

I consider Bill the leader of the Stryker Gang: a set of four cheerful co-workers who often show up in the late morning with battered Strykers. Sometimes they join our Wild Wing battles, flying fast through our furballs and occasionally whapping us with the force of cannonballs.

Bill brought his portable limbo setup often enough that I became addicted.

Bright Colors. So this past weekend I built my own, using half-inch PVC pipe for structure, cushioned with garishly-colored swimming pool noodles. It knocks down compactly for transport and pops together in about 30 seconds.

It’s about 5 feet high by 5 feet wide, which limits the size of limbo competitors.

Tuesday, Gary Morgan, Dave North and I romped through the Limbo Poles. Gary and I flew our cut-down Wild Wings. Dave flew a Hyperion Rare Bear and one of his Wild Wings.

Dave and Gary looked pretty good. I sucked.

Slow Learner. But I was a hapless flyer for lots of months, too. When it comes to activities requiring coordination and accurate spatial perception, I’m a slow study. However, determination trumps ability, I think.

So I’m hopeful that I’ll get better at this, with lots of practice.

Meanwhile, it’s lots of fun, even for those who suck.

Gary flies through the poles and flares up to gain altitude. Gary flies through the poles and flares up to gain altitude.
Gary makes it look easy. Gary makes it look easy.

Dave guns the throttle to flee the ground. Dave guns the throttle to flee the ground.
Gary’s Wild Wing hits the side of the Limbo Poles. Gary’s Wild Wing hits the side of the Limbo Poles.


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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 6:50 pm and is filed under Baylands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “Doin’ the Limbo”

  1. Gary says:
    October 9, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    So fun when there is goal involved – in this instance a double meaning…

    We need to organize a fun-fly with prizes around this.

    Thanks for the fun!

    Gary

  2. Dave says:
    October 17, 2008 at 7:12 pm

    Pete’s too kind. Not long after that thread-the-needle shot of the Bear doing its thing I took one too high and ripped the tail clean off. Fun though!

    Since then we’ve had several days of fooling with the “noodles” and it really is a ton-o-fun. Lots of folks have joined in. Pete really hit the spot making it out of flabby foam that shimmies when you stuff it. Also it’s light enough that one time I went nose-to-noodle near the top and literally sloooowly drove the poles off balance until the whole thing (and my plane) went to the ground.

    Thought I’d never stop laughing.