Flying a Dirtsurfer

On a recent windy day on the Eastern Shore, Adam Elchin helped Matthew Graham get started with the extreme-sport combo of riding a Dirtsurfer while being propelled by a Kitewing. (By Karen Carra For The Washington Post)

What's better than one new extreme sport? Two of them, combined into one -- a maniacal merger that leads you to surf turf with a giant sail.

The first piece of this puzzle is a Dirtsurfer, a hybrid of a skateboard and a bike that's often used to speed down paved roads and mountain trails. The second is a Kitewing, a wing-shaped kite that allows you to catch the wind to propel yourself -- even along level ground.

Let's start with the Dirtsurfer, an odd-looking machine that has two 20-inch tires at either end of its skateboard-like deck. You hang on courtesy of foot straps, which also keep the board in place when you (eventually) take jumps. To stop, push one leg against a fender that's next to the back wheel.

With only two wheels (instead of the four found on skateboards and mountain boards) a Dirtsurfer can carve a turn on land as easily as a surfboard does on water. Lean on a Dirtsurfer, and it moves gracefully and naturally with you as you cut perfect arcs. The large wheels help create stability -- much like the wheels of a bicycle do -- and the faster you go, the more steady you'll feel. In fact, the hardest part is starting when you push off with one foot. A Dirtsurfer is great fun on mountain bike trails.

Then there's the Kitewing. It looks and feels very much like a windsurfing sail, but a Kitewing is symmetrical and doesn't attach to anything. On a skateboard, mountain board, in-line skates or anything else that rolls, you simply hold on to the Kitewing's frame, catch some wind and start sailing along the ground. (In the winter, try it with skis, a snowboard or even ice skates on a frozen lake.) With enough speed, it's easy to jump into the sky and fly short distances. Unlike a hang glider, which has a comfy harness clipped to the glider, the only thing keeping you from falling out of the sky on a Kitewing is your grip.

When you pair a Dirtsurfer with a Kitewing, the adventure really begins. My introduction to combining the two began at Highland Aerosports in Ridgely, Md., the only place around selling both Dirtsurfers and Kitewings. (And they aren't cheap -- Dirtsurfers start at $499, Kitewings at $850.)

You'll first learn how to handle the Kitewing -- sheeting, tacking, jibing, plus some emergency procedures. Previous sailing or windsurfing experience is helpful, but not necessary: Highland's Adam Elchin will show you what to do. Then you get to try the wing with another piece of equipment you're already familiar with, such as in-line skates or a skateboard. (For people with little experience skateboarding, surfing or snowboarding, Elchin pulls them along the ground by a rope attached to a mountain board, teaching them balancing skills.)

Then it's time for the Dirtsurfer. It generally takes several attempts to coordinate sheeting in the Kitewing, pushing off the Dirtsurfer and placing your free foot into one of the foot straps . . . all at the same time! (People who have trouble walking and chewing gum shouldn't even consider this sport.) Yet once underway, it's almost instinctive to continue going, control your speed and make shallow turns. Tighter turns, quick stops and faster speeds, however, may require falling. Fortunately lessons are taught on a soft grassy field.

Give yourself some time to catch on -- you will. And soon you'll be speeding along close to the ground at breakneck speeds and flying through the sky hanging on for dear life.

Matthew Graham

Where to Get Started

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Highland Aerosports. Free demos are available by appointment if there's enough wind, and a lesson is included with purchase. 24038 Race Track Rd., Ridgely, Md., 410-634-2700, http://www.aerosports.net/ .

Dirtsurfer.com. Details boards, accessories and more, plus offers user reviews of equipment and downloadable videos.

Kitewing.com. Offers specs on gear, video instruction, Web forums and more.