Author Topic: Nuking in the gorge  (Read 36146 times)

PonoBill

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Nuking in the gorge
« on: July 03, 2017, 09:55:28 AM »
Really smoking this morning, got to be at least 35mph already. Good day for a double. I'm on the 11:00 with that in mind.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Zooport

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2017, 03:45:11 PM »
Sounds like a great time.  Let us know how it went.
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PonoBill

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2017, 05:18:15 PM »
I did a double. More later.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

PonoBill

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2017, 07:27:34 PM »
First run was out of control. I took my V1 but wished I'd brought something smaller--maybe a surfboard. Very crossed up, high wind, gusty. The gusts were deep into the forties. I kept punching the nose in. Spent the run watching the nose instead of reading the water. I think I fell about six times, maybe more, but it was a reasonably fast run, about 1:30.

I really didn't want to do a second run, but the shuttle was there, and they had a cancellation. I was cold and tired, out of breath, but they had a spot. Can't turn that down, so I went, even though I was thinking I should have traded my board out I still took the V1. The wind had backed off considerably, no gusts, just steady and right down the middle. the start was sticky and hard to get bumps but then it picked up and stayed clean. After the split rock it was very fast, I smoked past Wells, and then it died. Came into the event center on little residual bumps but did a pretty good time. One fall. 1:26.

Starving, beat. ate some chicken and veggies at the Sand Bar that tasted so good I alsmot cried. Got home, steam shower, Diane was taking her Dad to dinner, so I went along and had some awesome salmon, veggies, and gnocchi at the Best Best Western. Nutty town--I've never lived anywhere where the Best Western is both a darn good hotel and a great restaurant. Tried not to fall asleep in the food.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Luc Benac

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2017, 07:30:15 PM »
That's a week-end :-)
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PonoBill

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2017, 07:51:05 PM »
That's a Monday.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Luc Benac

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2017, 07:55:10 PM »
That's a Monday.

Right, today was a statutory here but yours is only tomorrow. Then happy Tuesday to come....
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Blue crab

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2017, 10:21:47 PM »
We finish a week in HR tomorrow.  Some ups and downs.  I had 2 fantastic runs on 7/2 and got some of the longest extended glides I can remember.  On 7/3, the conditions were even better as Bill mentioned with gusts exceeding 40. My son and I had a really fun run at 1045 AM or so and the footage is outstanding: hopefully, a video to come in the next 6 months or so when I have time to edit.

After that run, I felt strangely cold and found myself needing a flannel shirt despite 85 degree weather. By dinner I felt like I had been hit by a truck.  Typically in our brief visits here, I can do 6-7 runs in a 3 day period and I am in reasonably better shape than last year... so I was a bit confused.  Long story short... strep throat.  I spent the next ~48 hours semi-asleep, somewhat confused, febrile and truly miserable. The thought of doing anything near that river gave me chills.  Today was the first day that I felt ok to venture out and we goofed off a bit in Nichols Basin. 

Hoping for one more run tomorrow before heading home to end on a good note. 

PonoBill

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2017, 06:00:57 AM »
That sucks. That river cold really creeps into your body. I thought you were talking about that. Sometimes it takes me a day to get warm. Sorry to hear you got sick. This morning should be OK. I'm going to go for the 11:00. I promised to take some folks out playing around in the afternoon. I have a sore throat that came on suddenly after a very long kitesurfing lesson yesterday. I hope it's just a summer cold.

OC6 this morning, then Viento, then playing at Nichols. I'll sleep well tonight.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

yugi

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2017, 07:03:59 AM »
Dr,

So is it true or not that a virus is a virus and has nothing to do with us getting cold?


Cool your son is doing downwinders. Can you keep up?

PonoBill

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2017, 04:19:31 PM »
Today rocked, I hope you got some of it. I was on the 11:00 shuttle, expecting 29-32 and it was much more than that. For most of the run the spindrift off the wavetops was hitting my legs like a garden hose. I spotted Nels Bergstrom on his prone board around the spit rock, and he got blown off the thing. I went by to check on him, while he was laying prone it looked like he was drowning--water blowing over the top of him.

The Wells Express was insane. I paddled hard at first, but finally just stood on the tail and dragged my blade to steer. Checked my speed about two minutes into not paddling and I was doing 9.7 mph. Finished the run with a 1:20 despite 200K flow. The only place I felt current was at Mitchell, and I went through so fast it was just a twitch on the rudder. I would have had a little better time, but I feel four times and stopped to check on Lars. I could tell it was a prone board once I got close, but at first, I thought it might have been a SUP rider who lost a paddle. Lars was grinning ear-to-ear.

All these HR guys are getting way too fast. That was a pretty good time and I got solidly beaten by two guys on 14's--an Allstar and the inevitable black and white Bullet 14. Those things are like belly buttons here. There were four of them on the 11 and I saw five on the 1:00 that I couldn't take--grandkid duty, and it was packed full anyway with a full trailer and two boards on the roof. Summer.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2017, 04:22:38 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Zooport

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2017, 04:48:08 PM »
PB, how does the HR shuttle work?  Is it someone's business where you pay for a shuttle, or is it a volunteer thing organized among friends?   
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p06781

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2017, 08:39:58 PM »
You drop your car and board in Hood River , They drive you (and board)  upwind to viento state park and have fun .  I think there are  8 spots per van and trailer .

https://www.bigwinds.com/downwind-shuttle
« Last Edit: July 07, 2017, 08:42:13 PM by p06781 »

PonoBill

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #13 on: July 07, 2017, 08:48:47 PM »
PB, how does the HR shuttle work?  Is it someone's business where you pay for a shuttle, or is it a volunteer thing organized among friends?

Both systems work, but the 11 and 1:00 shuttle (and later in the year 3:00) shuttles are Big Winds, and it's 12 bucks.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Zooport

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Re: Nuking in the gorge
« Reply #14 on: July 07, 2017, 09:01:15 PM »
Bucket list.
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

 


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