Date:	Fri, 1 Sep 1995 05:23:34 -1000
From:	cwb@absun21.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Clark Battle)
Message-Id: <DE8G3A.BGF@gateway.platinum.com>
Organization: Platinum technology inc.
Subject: a batty story

Last night as I came home from the grocery store I noticed that the wind was
blowing quite consistently at about 10-15mph across my favorite flying field.  
This was odd because it was 10pm and the air here is almost always dead at
night.  So I said "what the hell", parked my car, and got my kite which I
keep in the trunk for just such an occasion.  It was pretty dark.  The only 
lights on the field were a few distant street lights and the waning moon.  I
could not even see the kite (Aerie K2) until it flew above the tree line. 
Groundwork was definitely out because I couldnt see the kite without the dim
contrast of the kite against the night sky.  I flew for a little while before
I noticed that a small bat had found my lines in the air.  It was so dark I
could barely see the little bugger but he used his sonar to track the lines
smoothly and precicely.  The wind picked up so I could get a little speed going.
I tried some fast tight loops to see if the bat could keep up with the lines.
He didn,t seem to have any problem tracking them flawlessly and gracefully. After
about a minute he took off - more interested in hunting for bugs I suppose.  Ive
had dragonflies chase the lines while Im doing groundwork but the bat took the
cake for the most interesting kiting experience Ive had yet.


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