Spokane and Coeur d'Alene kiters, where are you???????

harriet · Since 10 Jun 2007 64 Posts

Going on my second year of kiting alone up here........I used to like the solitude but now it's just kinda wierd. Any local riders want to meet up sometime?
Scott

tonyb · Sun Jun 10, 07 8:15 am

Hi Scott,

we live in Stevenson but my parents are in Bayview so we may come up that way a couple of times this summer. Where do you kite at? The wind in Bayview is pretty flukey, not sure about farther up by Sandpoint. Is there wind on Lake Coeur d'Alene?

Do you know anything about kiting out at Moses Lake or around the Potholes area?

Tony

climberusa · Since 14 May 2007 47 Posts Spokane, WA

I'm only a phone call away. I think i gave you my number in a pm. Let me know when and where and I'll do my best to be there!

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

hey CDA, i'll be up there in a month or so ... hopefully my shoulder will be as ready as I am!

hobbsla · Since 28 Jan 2006 389 Posts Obsessed

What up Scott-

Where do you ride? Lake Cda? I met a guy at main beach last spring who was on an orange 7m yarga and wearing a drysuit. Was that you?

Jeremy

harriet · Since 10 Jun 2007 64 Posts

Yea, that was me, doin the self taught thing....Riding mostly Answers now.(sometimes foils) Today I was on Cd'A, but the winds were typical on off type day. When it's like that or I want a quick and easy session, I'll launch off the tip of Tubbs hill, and milk the downwinder to the main beach.Today I got some good jumping in,(basically all i do) but with the lulls as I mentioned it wasn't the most epic session.
Climberusa, I always feel hesitant roping someone into the drive over just to have the winds shut off like they can. But don't hesitate to give me a ring when you have the time to gamble the drive.
Keep an eye on Wunderground.com, scroll down and check the weather station for cougar gulch. It gives the most accurate reading of what may be happening at the lake.
Alot of lightwind riding, so not the most hardcore place, but it's minutes from home Very Happy

Head towards Arrow point and south, the winds can be sweeeet, launching on the other hand....hmmmm. All I can suggest is to practice your driftlaunches, and it's all good.
Scott

hobbsla · Since 28 Jan 2006 389 Posts Obsessed

Cool man..... I was wondering if you were still around. It's good to know someone is pioneering the waters around here.

How do you deal with the logistics of a trip to the point on tubbs? Do you pump up your kite before you hike out there or do you stash your pump? What about your feet? Booties?
I've felt that wind blowing straight at main beach from around tubbs hill a couple of times. What's a good wind direction reading on the cougar gulch station for doing that downwinder? Was that 7m you had good for the wind on cda? what size kites do you use most?

Hope you don't mind all the questions Smile

Later.

Jeremy

nesterg · Since 10 Sep 2006 23 Posts

Tonyb

You were asking about kiting at moses lake or potholes. I have a little experience with that. I am a pretty new kiter and I live in Wenatchee and am finding it hard to get any consistent time on the water as the wind is frontal and generally gusty.
Potholes is probably the steadiest (not gusty) wind around but is generally light like 12-16mph. Potholes works great with wind anywhere from south to west, which is the most common wind. The whole east shore line is pretty kite friendly with a mixture of smooth round rocks and sand.

Moses lake has a great sandy beach on the extreme south tip of the lake. Don't bother on the weekends as this is covered up with motorcycles and orv's. A southwest wind can kinda tumble over the sanddunes and make for turbulent air but for an experienced kiter it wouldn't be much of an issue. West works fine.
kinda like the original poster I was thinking it was cool that I have these places all to myself but am now thinking it would be great to see some other kiters out.

harriet · Since 10 Jun 2007 64 Posts

Don't mind the questiones at all, basically what I'm looking for. (i'm a lonely kiter! Crying or Very sad

) I'll try not to make this seem like a pm, so if any others are interested...hit it!
For the Tubbs launch, s-sw winds are best. That puts you with a side-off wind from the rocky point. Drift your kite out in the shadow, then step into the wind, spin your kite around and go. A little sketchy, but not too bad. There's an old ghetto pump stashed in the rocks if you want.
Sometimes I pre-rig, struts inflated and lines carefully attached, then walk out. Once I'm there, pump leading edge, drift the kite and I'm off quicker. Basically tubbs is like a boat launch with the benefits of the wind shadow, and the hassles of slippery rocks and a tree full of screeching osprey right there. I always kite with booties, mainly because of the potential sharp unseens coming in and going out.
The 7m was one of my "trainers". Rare for that kind of wind to happen with any steady nature.(i'm 185#) I've been out on my 7m flysurfer a couple times, but it's about the same as a 9m bow. Pretty grunty for a small kite. Mainly I ride a 16m, sometimes my 12 (yesterday) and rarely smaller. I usually use a larger board, even when on the 12, and tend to rig for the lulls. An Underground flx 152 for choppy days, plydoor for the light days. I have a couple of smaller boards, but losing gound at all somedays makes all the difference so they don't get much use.
hope this helps,
Scott

Donny Baker · Since 13 Jul 2006 80 Posts

Ive been in Hood river the last 4 weekends. Long drive but its usually windy. Probably logged about 33hrs of ridin' which would be a friggen miracle around here. Love to join ya, but that job thing keeps getting in the way most of the week. Might see you out at Farragut if I get the right afternoon off.

MF · Since 02 Jun 2006 69 Posts

I grew up in CDA and was just thinking of heading up there in a few weeks to see the family. Good to know there are some fellow kiters on the lake. Have you tried Sprague lake about 30 minutes west of Spokane right off of I-90? I have seen lot of pole-skippers playing on the water and the wind is much more consistent than CDA lake. I believe they rig on the north side of the lake by the campground.

jahmbi · Fri Jun 15, 07 10:17 am

LOOP · Since 08 Feb 2007 107 Posts Ore-Ida

Silver Valley, (kellogg/Wallace) here, late to the postings. Now the broken or stolen pump makes sense.