The custom of flying a piece of cloth high in the sky began more than 2,000 years ago in China. Since then, kites have been served in many fields, like doing scientific experiments, powering boats, taking pictures from the air and much more. In fact, kite-flying is a great way to clear the mind.
When Americans Kay and Larry Day found a store selling kites nearly 20 years ago, they decided to buy a few kites for their family. For fun, Larry bought one for himself. "He went out and flew it and decided he needed to go back and get a better one," Kay remembered. Since then, she and her husband have loved kite-flying. They own many kites and plan trips around flying them. They also organize a kite-flying event each winter in their hometown in Iowa. "I'm at peace when I'm flying a kite," said Larry.
Nic O'Neill, president of the American Kite-fliers Association said that kite-flying can be done alone or with friends and family. Kites appeal (有吸引力) to people who like to create works of art or to those who like to combine kite-flying with music. O'Neill said, "Part of the reason I love flying kites is that I have to risk trying and not succeeding. The best way to learn is to go out, undo the string (细绳) and let your kite fly. The perfect condition includes a nice steady wind and a place away from trees and buildings."
Grant Lovett began flying simple kites as a child, but moved on to costlier and more complex kites as an adult. Today, Lovett likes making his own kites. He builds them from strong, lightweight materials and products designed for sailboats. Lovett attends kite-making classes and looks for new models on the Internet. He makes kites of different shapes and sizes because flying conditions can be greatly different. He also notes that experience makes a difference, and so does the weather and he likes the happy feelings that he experiences when his kite moves through the sky. "It is really calming," he said.
