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honda1
Since 11 Sep 2013
183 Posts
Stoked
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Tue May 16, 23 3:14 am DW shuttle |
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Does anyone know if there is a downwinder shuttle service in Hood River? I was hoping there might be one to Viento. |
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Sasquatch
Since 09 Mar 2005
2086 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot
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Tue May 16, 23 8:09 am your own bike, ebike, or motorcycle |
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So back in the day when I started kiting the coast (2005) there was this guy from somewhere in BC. He would rent a house in Manzo for like a month in July, have a truck and a covered trailer in which he stored his Harley.
Religiously he would be out on the beach around noon to survey the wind. Once he was comfortable with what he saw out on the water he would rig pump up his kite, attach the lines and then wind them up, place his surfboard onto of his kite and as well as a healthy amount of sand. Then he would go to his truck and change into his wetsuit. Finally, he would head down to the day-use park 2 miles downwind/the beach and park his trailer and truck. Then he would pull out his Harley and ride back to the launch area/his kite and wait for the right moment. Often times the wind was already blowing enough for his setup/sized kite.
Then he would kite for as long as he wanted to. Sometimes he would do multiple dw'ers, but he would often just stick around the launch area and kite a good break (within a 1/2 mile or so of his bike; the Billy Joel has of glass/ white house with the blue metal roof sand bar break) and come back in for a rest and retrieve water and food from his bike packs and chill/rest.
A different type of effort expended to attain the same goal (a downwind session).
This method rather than coordinating a Dw'er with other riders has its pro's and con's.
I have also seen riders use a much smaller motorbike (small dirt bike) where they rack the bike onto a rack on the back trailer hitch. Same with ebikes. . .
My preference is coordinating a dw'er with my usual pack of kiter friends. Gather at the takeout, discuss a plan and ascertain wind etc etc and a few what ifs, put on wetsuit and gear and suncreen, and take usually two kites up to the launch area. Make the call at the launch.
Leave cooler full of truck driver cold waters and beers, snacks at the takeout car/cars.
Rinse and repeat.
And yes, a dedicated driver and vehicle (someone's truck, van, or the Promotion Van) is awesome when they are doing laps like at the south jetty at the Columbia mouth down 3.5 miles to the shipwreck.
Cheers to a great season and countless dw'ers! |
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hilton
Since 15 Aug 2008
798 Posts
Opinionated
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ldhr
Since 21 Jul 2009
1487 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster
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Tue May 16, 23 3:01 pm |
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No shuttles this time of year.
The spring runoff causes the current to be too much and the spring winds are very fickle.
The Viento downwinder is typically done June-August.
Big Winds has run a shuttle the past few years.
Just know that 20% of Viento kite downwinders end in a dripping wetsuit hitching a ride on the highway. |
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bigjohn
Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts
Addicted
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Tue May 16, 23 9:08 pm |
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Somebody needs to invent a chairlift or a tow rope or something
On a more serious note, I was at rufus a few weeks ago and rode down to the grain silos. I enjoyed a session in the swell with a paddle foiler, just us two in the swell. It was pretty fun... I decided to ride up to the wall to see if the swell was any better up there. That same darned paddle foiler was already up there doing another down winder.
I had just worked my ass off riding up wind for a 1/2 hour while he sat in his comfy truck riding back up to the wall. He probably even had a couple of beers on the way.
Needless to say... I was a bit jealous! _________________ Kiting starts at 40MPH |
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mikeinhoodriver
Since 23 Apr 2009
424 Posts
down wind somewhere
Obsessed
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Wed May 17, 23 7:22 am |
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How might one be prepared for shuttling? I have a Tundra with a 6' bed/canopy with racks on top and an 8' utility trailer. I might consider helping out, but want to be adequately prepared as I dont do DW's. |
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Sasquatch
Since 09 Mar 2005
2086 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot
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Wed May 17, 23 9:34 am |
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mikeinhoodriver wrote: | How might one be prepared for shuttling? I have a Tundra with a 6' bed/canopy with racks on top and an 8' utility trailer. I might consider helping out, but want to be adequately prepared as I dont do DW's. |
We all have our default behaviors and idiosyncrasies. . . the challenge I have found shuttling with others you don't usually Dw'er with is getting on the same page. Kind of like jogging/running with someone who is either faster or slower, it takes more work.
My three cents is have all your ducks in a row. Suit up as fast as you can, try a pack lightly with only what you need. Bring community waters, beers, snacks.
Bring wash off water for sandy feet and boards, wetsuits (leave water, towel, shoes, change of clothes in the downwind car). A duffel bag and or big trash bag works wonders for sandy and wet wetsuits, harness, booties. I'm mainly referring to coastal downwinders and it tends to be way more sandy.
Doesn't hurt to write down or have phone #'s in your watch of on a waterproof piece of paper. It also doesn't hurt to stuff a $20 spot or $50 in your pocket in case you can't make it to the end of the downwinder. . .
Also, I have found it very helpful to carabiner a pair of Chaco's/Teva's onto the back of my harness when doing gorge downwinders just in case of a breakdown and you need to walk also the rocky shore. |
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Sella
Since 21 Apr 2007
1794 Posts
Doin' The Dalles
FLY'IN HIGH PIE GUY
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Wed May 17, 23 10:35 am |
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Sasquatch wrote: |
Doesn't hurt to write down or have phone #'s in your watch of on a waterproof piece of paper. It also doesn't hurt to stuff a $20 spot or $50 in your pocket in case you can't make it to the end of the downwinder. . .
Also, I have found it very helpful to carabiner a pair of Chaco's/Teva's onto the back of my harness when doing gorge downwinders just in case of a breakdown and you need to walk also the rocky shore. |
ldhr wrote: | No shuttles this time of year.
The spring runoff causes the current to be too much and the spring winds are very fickle.
The Viento downwinder is typically done June-August.
Big Winds has run a shuttle the past few years.
Just know that 20% of Viento kite downwinders end in a dripping wetsuit hitching a ride on the highway. |
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mikeinhoodriver
Since 23 Apr 2009
424 Posts
down wind somewhere
Obsessed
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Wed May 17, 23 1:00 pm |
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Sasquatch wrote: | mikeinhoodriver wrote: | How might one be prepared for shuttling? I have a Tundra with a 6' bed/canopy with racks on top and an 8' utility trailer. I might consider helping out, but want to be adequately prepared as I dont do DW's. |
We all have our default behaviors and idiosyncrasies. . . the challenge I have found shuttling with others you don't usually Dw'er with is getting on the same page. Kind of like jogging/running with someone who is either faster or slower, it takes more work.
My three cents is have all your ducks in a row. Suit up as fast as you can, try a pack lightly with only what you need. Bring community waters, beers, snacks.
Bring wash off water for sandy feet and boards, wetsuits (leave water, towel, shoes, change of clothes in the downwind car). A duffel bag and or big trash bag works wonders for sandy and wet wetsuits, harness, booties. I'm mainly referring to coastal downwinders and it tends to be way more sandy.
Doesn't hurt to write down or have phone #'s in your watch of on a waterproof piece of paper. It also doesn't hurt to stuff a $20 spot or $50 in your pocket in case you can't make it to the end of the downwinder. . .
Also, I have found it very helpful to carabiner a pair of Chaco's/Teva's onto the back of my harness when doing gorge downwinders just in case of a breakdown and you need to walk also the rocky shore. |
I'm not interested in doing a DW, just curious if I could help out those that are.. (to be more specific) |
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