Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.....we had wind
March 1, 2, 3 and 4, 2010
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.....we have had wind!!!
Monday was pretty good. Got out with Gabor.
On Tuesday....a little wind but not great. I had to go to a wedding anyway.
Wednesday was GREAT, but I was working in Hollywood.....and missed it.
Today it came up early and it was time to kick some butt.
I texted a few guys around noon that the wind was coming. At around one o'clock Ruth said "You better get out there before the wind dies." I said "Thanks honey" and I ran out the back door and drove down to the beach. My cart is still in winter mothballs.
When I got to the beach it was really picking up. It was a little after one and I saw Al Navas walking out towards the water with his kite. I also saw Mark Strauch who just returned from La Ventana. My Ellis board was still being repaired so I went out on Big Red.
You know the story about the dog owner that get a new dog to keep the older dog company. Well think of Gabor as that "younger" kiter that keeps the older one from getting too "Lazy."
Well maybe using dogs is the wrong analogy but when you have two competitive guys that like to go out and push and challenge one another it makes it a lot of fun. If you have the chance to play with Gabor take it. He is able to ride very fast, push his board up-to-the-wind great and he does tricks like crazy. You should see the people on boats grab their cameras and take shots of a kite boarder jumping higher than the boat that they are on. Their jaws drop.
When I got on the water I was playing around in the bay working on my jibs. Then Gabor came over from Seal. As soon as we got going in the same direction we headed straight to the back of the oil platform. The water was pretty choppy. Then back to Chaffee Island, jibed and headed back behind the platform again. After jibing again we did one of the longer reaches for me in a while, from the platform to beyond the pier. My body was starting to feel it. We jibed and went from the pier out past the end of the breakwater. This reach was fantastic. Fast and smoother. Jibed and headed back towards the back of Chaffee. That's when Gabor flipped around waved goodbye, said "Good job" and headed back to Seal.
When you follow Gabor this is what you see.....his back and him up in the air. He is really good.
I realized still had a little juice left so I went past Chaffee and headed for the leeward side (back) of White Island. As I passed the Island the wind was still pretty strong and there was only a little drop when I was in the shadow. I kept going almost to Cherry Avenue. I kept saying to myself "Usually there's no wind up here. If something happens it's going to be a long walk back." That's about the time I turned around and headed back to Belmont. That was a long reach too and my body is definitely going to feel it in the morning.
After I got back to Claremont and walked up the beach it was like old home week. These are who I remember seeing: Al, Klaus, Mark, Joy, Hank, Rijk, John Fitzgerald, Gary, Luca, Bongo, Dong, James, Chad, Rulley, and quite a few others. The picture above is Al Navas heading home after a great session.
As I was de-rigging I think I got a shot of Rijk's "loaner" kite. The other day he blew out the leading edge and needed to have it repaired. That's why Mr. Kite Fixer, John Fitzgerald came to Belmont to pick up Rijk's Wainman. Thanks to Hank Sanchez Rijk had a Naish to ride.
At the end of the day there were still some kiters out...including Rijk. I think everyone had a great time and can't wait for the warmer weather to come back to So.Cal.
Monday was pretty good. Got out with Gabor.
On Tuesday....a little wind but not great. I had to go to a wedding anyway.
Wednesday was GREAT, but I was working in Hollywood.....and missed it.
Today it came up early and it was time to kick some butt.
I texted a few guys around noon that the wind was coming. At around one o'clock Ruth said "You better get out there before the wind dies." I said "Thanks honey" and I ran out the back door and drove down to the beach. My cart is still in winter mothballs.
When I got to the beach it was really picking up. It was a little after one and I saw Al Navas walking out towards the water with his kite. I also saw Mark Strauch who just returned from La Ventana. My Ellis board was still being repaired so I went out on Big Red.
You know the story about the dog owner that get a new dog to keep the older dog company. Well think of Gabor as that "younger" kiter that keeps the older one from getting too "Lazy."
Well maybe using dogs is the wrong analogy but when you have two competitive guys that like to go out and push and challenge one another it makes it a lot of fun. If you have the chance to play with Gabor take it. He is able to ride very fast, push his board up-to-the-wind great and he does tricks like crazy. You should see the people on boats grab their cameras and take shots of a kite boarder jumping higher than the boat that they are on. Their jaws drop.
When I got on the water I was playing around in the bay working on my jibs. Then Gabor came over from Seal. As soon as we got going in the same direction we headed straight to the back of the oil platform. The water was pretty choppy. Then back to Chaffee Island, jibed and headed back behind the platform again. After jibing again we did one of the longer reaches for me in a while, from the platform to beyond the pier. My body was starting to feel it. We jibed and went from the pier out past the end of the breakwater. This reach was fantastic. Fast and smoother. Jibed and headed back towards the back of Chaffee. That's when Gabor flipped around waved goodbye, said "Good job" and headed back to Seal.
When you follow Gabor this is what you see.....his back and him up in the air. He is really good.
I realized still had a little juice left so I went past Chaffee and headed for the leeward side (back) of White Island. As I passed the Island the wind was still pretty strong and there was only a little drop when I was in the shadow. I kept going almost to Cherry Avenue. I kept saying to myself "Usually there's no wind up here. If something happens it's going to be a long walk back." That's about the time I turned around and headed back to Belmont. That was a long reach too and my body is definitely going to feel it in the morning.
After I got back to Claremont and walked up the beach it was like old home week. These are who I remember seeing: Al, Klaus, Mark, Joy, Hank, Rijk, John Fitzgerald, Gary, Luca, Bongo, Dong, James, Chad, Rulley, and quite a few others. The picture above is Al Navas heading home after a great session.
As I was de-rigging I think I got a shot of Rijk's "loaner" kite. The other day he blew out the leading edge and needed to have it repaired. That's why Mr. Kite Fixer, John Fitzgerald came to Belmont to pick up Rijk's Wainman. Thanks to Hank Sanchez Rijk had a Naish to ride.
At the end of the day there were still some kiters out...including Rijk. I think everyone had a great time and can't wait for the warmer weather to come back to So.Cal.
posted by Belmont Haps @ 7:44 PM
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