Date:	Mon, 21 Aug 1995 07:04:57 -1000
From:	mr.nasty@ix.netcom.com (Frank Kenisky )
Message-Id: <41aebp$nfn@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>
Organization: Netcom
Subject: A visit with Bob Ingraham

While on vacation in the mountains of New Mexico, I had the chance to
visit with Bob and Hazel Ingraham. Bob is in good sprits. He reads his
mail daily and is thankful for all the letters which were generated
>From Corey Jensen's rec.kites posting.

Bob and I sat and talked for about an hour. We talked about everything
>From Kites to Music. Hazel collects Teddy Bears. She had a whole stack
of them in the front room and even gave one to my little girl,
(Courtney). Bob said that the Kite event has been taken over by two new
individuals who are doing a great job.

Rick Miller, who has been posting on rec.kites for sometime now lives
right down the street from Bob and Hazel and is one of the main
individuals who is working on this year's event. Silver City, NM is a
beautiful town which has been preserved in time. It's rustic old houses
and tiny back roads surrounded by the magistic Gila Mountains.

The kite event is usually held on a mountain top about 500ft above the
city. It's a bit of a challenge to fly but is a site to behold.

Bob also mentioned that Rick was also working with the city to set up a
Musuem exibit in honor of Bob Ingraham.

It was a nice visit. For those of you who would like to know more about
Bob, Tal Streeter, who visited with Bob back in January, is in the
process of writing a book which features kiters like Dom Jalbert and
Bob Ingraham as well as a few other kiters which have changed kiting as
we know it today. Bob started his interest in kiting much the same way
most of us do. He became facinated with the ability to launch a kite
and watch it as it flew away from him, pulling on the line he held in
his hands. Single line kites were all there was, (with the exception of
Dr.Paul Garber's controllable kite). Bob said he started the AKA
because he thought that kiting was a good activity for older folks to
enjoy the outdoors without so much strenous activity.

He never thought it was last as long as it has. He's not disappointed.
He mentioned that there are many kiters out there today who are not
aware of who he is. That doesn't bother him, it's when he has gone to
other kite events and been snubbed by other kiters, who stupidly
realize that he is who he is and then trip over themselves to show a
kinder side. He experssed concern that if this had been someone else.

I guess he's right. We can get a bit caught up in our own fame.

Bob to me is a great man. I fell in love with kiting about six or seven
years ago when I convinced my wife to let me buy a cheap plactic $1.25
kite from the local grocery store for my 3 year old boy. I told her it
was for him, but it was me who felt the tug from the line. For over a
year I began to amass a great many kites, all flown in my front yard.
When I first heard of the AKA I joined.

I didn't want to be alone enjoying kites.

I began to get the kite bug and traveled to as many kite events as I
could. Then I heard about the kite event in Silver City, NM home of Bob
Ingraham. I thought, what a great way to meet Bob. Briefly, at one end
of the field I saw Bob struggling with a Dom Jalbert parafoil. He would
tug the the kite would tug. He would pull and the kite would pull. I
was flying kites on the same field as Bob! That was great.

At the convention in Lubbock, I was standing in the lobby of the hotel
surrounded by two dozen wanna-be's. You know who we are. Telling
stories like, "yea, Ron Reich showed me that move but I perfected it"
or "that was really my idea to put those graphics on that kite". It was
a round robin of who could tell the biggest story. (Maybe it's because
it was in Texas.)

Then from the regristration desk, I heard a familar voice. It was
Hazel. She had spotted me in the crowd and of all the people there she
was calling me. Her and Bob came up abruptly and interrupted probably
the biggest of all stories. No one there knew who this elderly couple
was. I could tell from the looks from the wanna-be's that they just
wanted me to move out from the crowd so they could finish their
stories.

I gave Hazel a big hug and shuck hands with Bob. I turned to the group,
with their eyes rolled back, and introduced them. I was so tickled. The
sound of hearing jaws drop to the floor can make you feel giddy. I
certainly was.

There are a few things happening which are to benefit Bob and Hazel.
Troy Gunn is hosting a Club Challenge to all Region 8. The proceeds of
the event will go to help a Region 8 club greeting at the AKA
Conventon. Any proceeds left will go to benefit Bob Ingraham. At the
AKA Convention Richard Dermer, AKA Region 8 Director is accepting any
and all contributions (kite stuff) to raffle off which will (according
to Richard, is okay with Pete Dolphin) go directly to Bob.
-- 
*************>>>>>>>>>>>>>MR.NASTY<<<<<<<<<<<<<**************
Fiesta Kite Ideas	  http://www.tmn.com/kiteweb/home.htm
8302 Tiguex		  Mr.Nasty@ix.netcom.com
Universal City, TX 78148  (210) 659-1803 or (512) 326-6221
*************************************************************


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Date:	Fri, 25 Aug 1995 16:02:39 -1000
From:	Robyne Gardner <76460.2121@CompuServe.COM>
Message-Id: <41lvbv$486$1@mhafn.production.compuserve.com>
Organization: AKA
Subject: Re: A visit with Bob Ingraham

Hey, Frank - you're in danger of ruining your reputation... This 
was much too nice an article to come from the infamous "Mr. 
Nasty"!  [nice job]

Just tryin' to KEEP UP,
Robyne Gardner


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