SOOOOO many threads/gathering

[BizzMarkie]

Hey all

I have since passed my sickness on to Sarah so i get to go play tomorrow!

There has been quite a few places thrown out as options and it is starting to almost become confusing.

It would be nice if a few people could make the call which would be the best spot and then take it from there.

I clearly have no idea where i am going most of the time and would like to ride with a group tomorrow.
As it sounds like most others would like the same as well.

Pray for snow
Mark

[Tighe]

Not sure if I'm going to be able to make it tomorrow. Have to convince my daughter to give it a go again.

If I was to choose the spot based on the best conditions, I'd go back to Rush Lake. They had 8-10 today and they're gonna get a big dumping again tonight. Weird how the storm looks just like the last one, long and thin and passing right over Rush.

Sounds like a crew is heading up to Mille Lacs tomorrow. Father Hennepin is a state park on the SE corner. The wind looks light up there to me, but Denis said he saw a good forecast.

Not sure if we'll get enough down here, maybe. If so, Mahtomedi would be the call.

[Lee_Uptown]

Markie! Why don't you tag along with me... I may be heading to mille lacs, i need to hear from a couple of guys first... will call you or send out an e mail.

[JRN]

I AM TORN BETWEEN CHECKING OUT WBL, OR GOING TO MILLY & POSSIBLY TRYING OUT RUSH LAKE. NEED MORE COFFEE! :roll:p.s: Just googled Rush LK. Is it the one in Ottertail Cnty? Oops, I guess not...

[MAXIMILIANO]

Jim,
Saul and I are going to check Rush Lake in Rush City.....8.30am ETA

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... =graphical

[scottman]

Are you guys talking about Rush City just north of Forest Lake off of 35W?

[JRN]

Yes, Scott. Where is the launch access point ? Back to the Maps.

[Gust User]

Soooooooo whats the call? I'm coming up from Lake City so I reeeeeaaaallllly dont want to go all the way to milly only to get skunked......Rush????

[Tighe]

yes that's the Rush lake we went to yesterday.

Not sure of the access on the East side We just parked on the road and followed a snowmobile trail down onto the ice. There is an access on the North side though i don't think there will be much of a fetch upwind from that spot. The lake is long SE-NW

enjoy.

[Michelle]

I'm going to head out to Rush, see you guys out there!

[krazykatie]

I'm heading back to rush as well; conditions were nice yesterday. Its a beautiful day; can't pass it up! See you kidz up there!
feel free to call - 6512531907

[Mike B]

On my way to Milly. Just passing Rush City now - one more hour drive is worth it for better snow and wind.

[johnz]

Jeffey and I are heading up to check out Rush lake. Eta is about 11:30

[JRN]

MANAGED TO FIND THE ELUSIVE RUSH LAKE. Max, Saul & others were already out. I was trying to find a self launch technique for my PL, when John Z. & Jeff G. showed. JZ promptly walked over & broke through the ice, but wriggled back out & went in to dry. I tried to tether my kite while I put on my boots & it looped over & wrapped the lines around Jeff's gear. Off to a good start! Then an Ozone attempted to mate with my kite, and narrowly avoided a fatal line tangle, followed by a ground thump & broken strut. I spliced the strut with a windsurf batten, finally launched & skied away. What looked like a smooth snow field concealed frozen ruts under the surface. After losing a ski in a slush hole
& tangling my lines around an ice shard, I decided to bag it while I was ahead. I would like to re-emphasize the importance of spreading out when launching & landing. I thought I had staked out an area with an adequate buffer zone only to have new arrivals set up too closely to my right, left & straight down wind from me. You are putting yourself and others in harms way by continuing this practice. Please excercize caution & good judgement in the future! Thanks.

[krazykatie]

Sounds like quite the ordeal Jim! Sorry i didnt make it out. Tighe and I had just began our journey north and recieved a few calls about the wind. We decided to check out mahtomedi instead; its good out there!

[Mike]

JRN, I'm the orange Ozone that crashed into your lines. Sorry about that... I did not expect your kite to launch with no one at the helm, thought I could sneak through. It was my first time out around other kites, learned a lesson on how much real estate these kites need.

[seamonkey]

Did'nt see you, Jim, but got to the elusive, Rush, myself, just as Max was leaving. My Frenzy 12 is neutered so no problems there, but I did discover some strange water/slush under my harness just after my first launch attempt. My boots and harness froze rather quickly. (no fun) Caught the late-day session with about 5-total foil freaks. Tried to jump the plowed ice road and almost made it! Would have been epic for me, but the wind was'nt quite there. I was considering getting a bigger foil for heavy Minnesota snow like today, but I'm thinking of a 15 meter Rev instead.

[JRN]

MIKE, that's okay. Peter Lynn kites (closed cell foils) like to stay up at the zenith & not on the ground. After Jeff untangled me, it took off right as you passed. I bet it gave you a big surprize.
I should have looked before tossing it up.
No harm no foul. The wind was so swirly by shore it was dancing all over the sky. Sorry I gave you a jolt! I'm re-working
my bar so I can park it like "normal" foils. Glad you were okay, stayed alert & didn't panic. WHEW!!

[johnz]

Sorry, Jim, I was probably one of the guys who set up too close to you.

I was 'fanning out' initially to provide that buffer zone, but after discovering the thin spot caused by the underground well, ummm the hard way , I decided to move back into the pack.

To anyone else going out to Rush Lake - that thin spot was about 50 yards out and to the left of the launch in the NorthEast Corner of East Rush Lake. There were snowmobile tracks, footprints, and everything right where I went through.

I had just (re)watched that video about what to do if you fall through and it really helped.

As people say, there is no such thing as safe ice!

- z

[krazykatie]

John, i'm curious as to what exactly happened and what you did. Can you elaborate more? Thanks!
I was very nervous out on that ice saturday with all the water on the surface.