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Event Site Cleanliness and Respect

 
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elliotts_travels

Since 20 Aug 2016
14 Posts

 



PostMon Apr 19, 21 8:28 am    Event Site Cleanliness and Respect Reply with quote

Heyyo Gorge wind sporters,

What an epic weekend we had, Sunday truly felt like the first day of summer and I haven't seen the Event Site that packed in April in well... maybe my 20 some years of living in HR. It is awesome to see the town bustling again and people enjoying themselves and wanting to get in the water but I did notice a couple unfortunate things.

1) Nobody wanting to catch peoples kites landing on the grass. What is this all about? Not to bring out the whole "locals thing" but I saw a bunch of faces that where not familiar on Sunday watching kiters come in and just stand around setting up their own gear and not help land kites. I saw one 14 year old boy screaming for help to land his kite as it almost hit the rocks and a family hanging out because the wind is so fluky and nobody would help him. For one it's super dangerous to not lend a hand and two, come on its just common courtesy.

2) Trash. Did you guys see the trash can by the bathrooms? This was empty on Saturday morning and by Sunday it was overflowing and trash was blowing around the parking lot. I saw a couple groups of beach goers walk by, notice it was overflowing and still try to add their empty beer cans to the top just to watch them blow off and walk away. If the trash is full, can you just pack it out with you instead of liter?

The event site is a happy place for a lot of us, locals and tourists alike. I love to see new people come and check out our little slice of paradise and experience the Hood River lifestyle but please please please be respectful to one another and take your garbage home with you if the can is full! lets start this season strong with love and compassion for one another and our environment!

Rant over! See you all next windy day.

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wannabekiter

Since 14 May 2015
269 Posts
Hood river
Obsessed



PostMon Apr 19, 21 8:32 am     Reply with quote

Face facts people suck

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knotwindy

Since 25 Sep 2011
598 Posts

Addicted



PostMon Apr 19, 21 8:38 am     Reply with quote

Elliott’s: appreciate the sentiment and effort but you realize the people that need to get this message will never see it here. The folks here mostly already know and care enough to be respectful. How do you get the message to the ‘visitors’ that need to hear it is the question. Signs kind of work but lots of people simply ignore them, so open for suggestions.
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elliotts_travels

Since 20 Aug 2016
14 Posts

 



PostMon Apr 19, 21 8:50 am     Reply with quote

Knotwindy: I know you are right but I felt it was better than nothing. As far as getting the message across that is a tough one as we learned last year with the covid signs. I feel like the only way we can try and make a difference is with our behavior and showing the 'visitors' what appropriate behavior is. I am also down to get a beach clean going. I know Reedin would be down to sponsor a beach clean, break out the bbq and some beer and make it fun!

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leithaus

Since 20 Aug 2020
19 Posts
PDX
 



PostMon Apr 19, 21 10:53 am     Reply with quote

I'm a newbie, hopefully a respectful one, wasn't at the event site yesterday to witness the trash and poor etiquette.

Elliots - thanks for posting. We should always be open to improving the community atmosphere and the only way to do it is to call it out when we see it, but also to plainly tell the new faces - "hey, this is what we do" or "hey, help each other out with launching and landing." As a new face myself, I would welcome feedback if I'm doing something or not doing something totally wrong or rude - sometimes we just don't know.

It's in the General Safety and Courtesy guidelines for the event site, so people need to be aware.

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Singlemalt

Since 21 Jun 2015
460 Posts
White Salmon
Obsessed



PostMon Apr 19, 21 3:07 pm     Reply with quote

If I want a catch, I make it known. Don't be shy, yell at 'em! Be nice, but be loud.

I used to get irritated, but I've been focused on my own rigging process and missed plenty of kiters landing silently. People get tunnel vision. I'm happy to drop what I'm doing and grab a kite, but my telepathy is weak. (low wattage, old operating system). Just yell at me.

I think the warm weather crowd caught the Port by surprise. They'll need to up the frequency for trash pickup and either open the bathrooms or get more shitters and/or more frequent service.

That shitter looked like something from a dead show.

That said, it's on us not to hurt any of the clueless tourists or be assholes when they wander into harm's way. They don't have any idea. Somebody gets hurt and we're all hiking out to the sandbar. or worse.

Season passes on sale now at a discount.

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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

Addicted



PostMon Apr 19, 21 8:39 pm     Reply with quote

I probably shouldn't be posting on this thread...

I don't consider myself a hood river local and rarely land at the Event Site.

That being said...

In the past when I have ridden at HR and have had the opportunity to land in the grass (vs the walk of sand) I have experienced a high frequency of lack of interest in landing my kite. I don't consider this a personal attack, rather just a recognition that self landing on the grass is extremely simple.

The wind shadow makes for a perfect self land spot. Your kite pretty much just sits there on the side hill like it had built in magnets. I can't think of a better landing site for self landing.

I mention this not to promote self landing. Rather, to reflect that I think some kiters may not feel the immediacy felt by other kiters to automatically land their kite. Many kiters feel comfortable simply self landing. Other sites where the landing is more challenging, I feel these same kiters feel the need to land kites.

That being said. I always look to land others whether I am at HR or any other launch site.

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wylieflyote

Since 30 Jun 2006
1634 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster



PostTue Apr 20, 21 4:38 am     Reply with quote

Singlemalt wrote:
If I want a catch, I make it known. Don't be shy, yell at 'em! Be nice, but be loud.


Hood River is the only place in all my world travels where I've experience eye contact, please land me?....... and the guy walks away. Douche bag.

Stevenson is the only place in all my world travels where a launcher says "Wait a minute!!! Your kite needs a hole patched" Kite fixed while I'm hooked in Smile (dangler)

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Kip Wylie

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Wind Slither

Since 04 Mar 2005
2570 Posts
The 503
METAL



PostTue Apr 20, 21 8:15 am     Reply with quote

Ah Transplant Gorgeitude, gotta love it.

I go to the Event site maybe once a year, but that garbage is always overflowing. Not saying the general public doesn't suck but for all the money the port takes in you think they could maybe empty it a little more often?
lol

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostWed Apr 21, 21 12:49 pm     Reply with quote

Wind Slither wrote:
Ah Transplant Gorgeitude, gotta love it.


Actually don't care for it much at all. There are some real characters out there for sure.

With respect to the overflowing trash cans at the ES. I suspect that with all the RV's, Sprinter Vans etc etc camping and living on the road, there is a lot of excess dumping of one's trash in any available garbage can in and around the Event Site. . .gas stations, Walmart, Marina.

A perplexing problem to solve for the port. I suspect the more cans they provide, the more trash they'll get and have to dispose of.

Last edited by Sasquatch on Wed Apr 21, 21 3:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

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knotwindy

Since 25 Sep 2011
598 Posts

Addicted



PostWed Apr 21, 21 1:19 pm     Reply with quote

And the more it will cost to dispose of and the more your season pass price will go up and the more folks will complain about that! Shocked
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