Miketo Zook, Wenatchee, flies a stunt kite on the top of a knoll at Walla Walla Point Park Wednesday. Zook says he has flown the maneuverable kites since 2007. "It's an addiction," he says.
Sunshine catches Miketo Zook's sunglasses as he flies a stunt kite at Walla Walla Point Park Wednesday. By pulling the left and right strings attached to that side of the kite, he can move it either direction or have it flip around in loops.
Miketo Zook, Wenatchee, flies a stunt kite on the top of a knoll at Walla Walla Point Park Wednesday. Zook says he has flown the maneuverable kites since 2007. "It's an addiction," he says.
He picks up a few of the 15 kites he owns and heads for one of his favorite spots to get them in the air.
On Wednesday, that was a small knoll on the south end of Walla Walla Point Park. The wind hit the base of the hill and headed upward, creating perfect conditions to keep his kite aloft.
Sunshine catches Miketo Zook's sunglasses as he flies a stunt kite at Walla Walla Point Park Wednesday. By pulling the left and right strings attached to that side of the kite, he can move it either direction or have it flip around in loops.
In minutes he put a stunt kite together, set it on the grass and walked two strings about 50 feet away. He looked over to an American flag fluttering in the distance, then felt a strong breeze hit the back of his hat. With a quick pull on the strings, the triangular kite went straight up — and fast. With a pull on the left string, the kite swooped to the left, held on a little longer, flipped over and around in a loop.
After years of practice, Zook can create impressive moves, even stopping it on a dime and dropping it in a perfect position on the ground, ready to go up again.
Zook has flown the maneuverable kites since 2007. “It’s an addiction,” he said.
New trees planted in the park have become a little bit of a hindrance for him.
“I’ve gotten really good at avoiding them,” he said. “There is so much control with these kites.”
Even so, while Zook flew on Wednesday, his kite hit one of the trees to his side with a sudden wind shift. He was able to pull it free and send it back in the air, then immediately send it on a loop and a spin.
I was born in Wenatchee, went to Eastmont High School, graduated from the University of Washington with a communications degree in journalism. I have a wife and three children.
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