Tuesday dawn patrol at Rooster

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

nuked! pkh was over powered on a 5! but genek seemed to be holding down the 6m fine. I took pics, i'll post a few in a second.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3754 Posts PDX-LA Videographer

You guys are back already? Surprised

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

I work close, and was first to go... I couldn't even get out, my 7m was too big...so i launched/landed/photographed. Pkh came in just before I left, and Gene stayed out, but I think I saw him coming in as I was leaving.

here's a few pics - sorry about the quality, all i had was my cell phone

kss · Since 24 Apr 2006 614 Posts pdx Addicted

now that is some adventure kiting!!! thanks for the pics guys. helps to know what i'm missing. Shocked

colby · Since 23 Apr 2005 613 Posts Celebrity Photographer

way to go after it this morning! Thumb's Up

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Was absolutely too much more me on the waroo 5m (07), I was unable to even body drag after my board. Gene was doing great on his new the Havoc 6m though, he had a lot of control and was sending it like a mad man.

Wind wasn't super punchy just damn strong.

If I had all day to play I'd probably go to Stevenson, likely a lot more mellow. Or maybe hit Rooster again in the early afternoon, I'd bet it will be lighter. Though getting a dawn patrol sesh in was a great way to start the day. Very Happy

(p.s. big thanks to Brett for being such a big help on the beach, next time you are the wind guinea pig dude. Very Happy

)

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Awesome pics - love the sand storm - looks like the grass is cruising around 40 mph - way to charge

chanson · Since 31 Jan 2006 1874 Posts WISCONSIN Chimey

nice work guys Twisted Evil

Nak · Tue Oct 09, 07 10:12 am

Where did you guys go at Rooster? Volleyball courts?

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

YEEEEHAW!!! Thanks for the pics Brett! Damn, what a fast turn around. Your claims of me packing it in as you were leaving are false though, I was just telling the slightly worried Phil that I'd be fine out there alone with winds gusting who knows how far into the 40s. Thanks for offering to land the kite before bouncing Phil, and Brett for launching it. Great to know that people have each other's backs out there.

So I just rolled in to my office less than an hour ago and my boss is none the wiser Very Happy

. That's a good way to start the day Laughing

Had a pretty awesome session from just before 8 to 9:30am. The wind got progressively stronger, especially towards 9am so those pics show the conditions before it really ramped up. If you check out the graph you'll see the gusts jumped about 8mph around 8:40.

I gotta say I'm super impressed with the '08 Havoc 6m. After throwing by far my biggest and most powered kiteloops (laid out about 20ft up maybe?) at Lyle a couple weeks ago (Chris and some other people will attest to this) I was curious to test the high end on this kite. I don't think I've ever been out in that much wind before at RR, Rufus or any other nuking place, and surprisingly I felt pretty comfortable out there. I had the kite depowered a bit, but not much and was using the large throw on the bar during gusts. The kite felt really stable and controllable even during the gusts. Boosting was super fun especially once I got the timing down for the nuking winds. Going upwind was really easy and I could throw one big jump every tac or two and get back upwind (nuking wind plus less current always helps). The jumps got even bigger once the wind picked up, but it also got gustier. Closer to 9:30 some of the gusts felt like someone would punch my kite really hard. Some of the punches were hard enough to almost cause me to fall forward and face plant. I'd periodically look up at my kite to make sure it hadn't ripped Laughing

. At this point it was so windy that my body would get turned around (over 90 degrees sometimes) while boosting airs because my 130cm twin tip board would catch too much wind and act as a sail. The spray from the swell wasn't just flying off the water but continuing to fly downwind without seeming to land anywhere. That's about the time I decided to come in and go to work.

I'm really happy to say that self-landing the Havocs is a breeze (no pun intended) since I did it without problems in about as much wind as I ever plan on riding in. I simply brought the kite near the ground on the right side (since the oh-shit ring is on the right front line), clipped my leash to the oh-shit ring and let go of the bar. The kite then gently turns so the tips face up and drifts back into the window (no twists or tangles) and just sits there without any pull since the bar slides up the front line. For extra safety (since it was gusting into the 40s) I clipped my leash to a big log first and then all I had to do was go and grab my kite. Normally (when I'm less sketched out by the wind) I can just follow the line with my hands all the way to the kite without having to clip the leash to anything and can even just hold the oh-shit handle with my hand while dropping the bar. I thought some of you might want to know about this self-landing technique in case you don't already. Obviously use it at your own risk.

Anyway, that's the report. More people should come out next time. The sunrise was beautiful in the clouds this morning on the drive out there. I'll try post some pics of it later. The air and water temps were suprisingly mellow. I was in my standard kiting full body wetsuit and felt alright both in and out of the water. Anyone who can should definitely get out there and get some while we still have wind and the water/air aren't freezing. Be sure to bring your 5m kite to Rooster if you go or wait for it to come down. If you can make it I bet Stevenson is even better. Now stop staring at your computer and have some fun! Very Happy

PS Beware of cops on highway 26 if you're heading that way. I saw a huge sting there on the way back. Five cop cars (each pulled its own car over) while going West past the Canyon road exit. Then I saw another cop car driving on the highway with me and a seventh one was staking out the spot by Murray Blvd exit. Crazy!

chefjaredagcc · Since 12 Jul 2007 106 Posts Seaside Stoked

nice pics, either it was really windy or those kites were underinflated

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

i think that foil in your pic is underinflated...

Mark · Tue Oct 09, 07 3:19 pm

Way to strike first before the viet schlong could establish a daytime base! Thumb's Up

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Yeah, that was pretty lucky for you Phil. Otherwise you might've been unable to kite by the time we showed up. Strangely enough I don't think we saw a single VS out there today. The beach is safe for today...

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3754 Posts PDX-LA Videographer

Tucker and I got a powered 7m session in from ~2:30 to 5:00. Wind was still a little up and down, but then it completely shut off. Someone was floating down river... Got some pics too, so I'll probably put a couple up later.