Saturday

[BSMITH]

Possible big day on the big lake!

[Pete]

If it's a go I'm in!

[Geo]

And SUNNY?! TROPICAL 60º I am so there...

Friday Night: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming NE 10 to 15 kt in the evening. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Waves 1 to 2 ft.

Saturday: NE wind 16 to 23 kt, with gusts as high as 30 kt. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Waves 3 ft building to 6 ft.

Saturday Night: ENE wind 17 to 22 kt decreasing to 11 to 16 kt after midnight. Showers and thunderstorms likely. Waves 6 ft subsiding to 3 ft.

[Randy]

Yahoo!! Thanks Brian. Are we going to see you up there this time?

[Tighe]

I say YES!!!

[BSMITH]

I am working on it. My parents have agreed to watch Ian. Now I just have to weasle out of an RSVP!!!!!!

What is HWY 35 like?

[Geo]

Now I just have to weasle out of an RSVP!!!!!!

Blame it on The Mother. You don't have to say it's "your" mother! Maybe something like "Mother is gonna be SICK! - I gotta be there with her."

[Jason_L]

It looks like it's going to be coming straight from the East. Where is good with that wind direction? Mille Lacs? Father Hennepin?

[slopecat]

What is HWY 35 like?

I thought it was a very nice smooth drive from Forest Lake to Hinckley yesterday. All lanes open. From Hinckley to exit 195 (to Mille Lacs) the road was kind of rough. I didn't see any work in progress but there were some cones on the shoulder around here. Further North, I don't know.

[Randy]

I don't think there's any big event going on this weekend, so the one lane I-35 shouldn't be too bad. Looks like it'll be blowing early, so Brian, if you work out the RSVP I'd suggest an early start to the day. Not to ever predict what Mother will put up, the forecasts just seem to get better and better. Sure hoping it holds a bit of North in the wind direction. This year's had a real strong East to it.
Jane and I are heading up today for some flat water SUPing, and looking forward to a big posse tomorrow if conditions follow the forecasts.

[Kevinousdigian]

Does anyone know what wetsuit gear is needed now? I'm sure the water was warming up but then I'm guessing that strong west wind took the warm top water away.

How early will someone be out there? I'm up in Shell lake WI and could get up there real early and hit the water at like 8 if someone could launch me but I need to be off by 10:30 to get back here and then get home to coach an all star little league game.
My body is still nicely sore after a super 4 hour session on Wednesday but a couple ibuprofen would get it ready for tomorrow. I hope you all enjoy the day up there!
Kevin Ousdigian
cell 763.218.8154

[Barry P]

61 degree surface temps at Park Point right now. I imagine Saturday winds will mix it with the cool deeper water, so I expect temps to be in the 50s.

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/superior/s1.html

[Reds]

There is a one lane from Moose Lake to about Cloquet. Have an alternate route ready in case.

[BSMITH]

O.K. I'm in.
Thanks for the info guys.

[jeffengel]

If ur worried about traffic on I35, just bail at Banning Jct and take 23 all the way up to Duluth. Nice drive and never anyone on it. Wish I could get out

[Randy]

Well, there should be some interesting posts tonight. After swimming in shorts in flat conditions yesterday, today was back to a wetsuit. It was beautiful sunrise on Mother, and I got the 7:30-8:30 session before weather set in. It went from 25-30mph 100 degrees to side off in a matter of minutes before the rain came. Awesome to see the offshore wind blowing the tops of the waves off. Just when I was coming in, Jonathan T. was ready to go out. We waited and it finally came on again, but not before my wife pulled the plug. Left Jonathan and Pete at Tot Lot, suspecting they both may be feeling like they were in a football game given the heavy East component to the wind. My hat off to any windsurfer who can make it out in 110 degree direction wind.
While my session was only an hour, it was heaven as my focus on the sun rising turned to a massive wall of cloud coming over the Duluth hills. Just a note of info....I sailed from Tot Lot well past 22nd St. before finding an opening to break out in (I think about two miles). The downside is that if you don't break out you've got a tight pinch on the way back or worse, a long walk. The positive is that you've got both port and starboard ramps when the wind is so on shore.

Saw Duluth Brian there bright and early, ran into Randy L., Tighe, and about five other kiters at Amazing Grace just as the system was moving east. Glad you were rewarded with clearing conditions and strong wind. Oh...Amazing Grace...how sweet the sound...

Note of info: We camped at Indian Point Campground overlooking the St. Louis River....really nice, just across from the zoo, and only about ten minutes from Canal Park.

It was interesting to experience the water temp go from 64 to 54 in a matter of minutes, pushing the air temp down 10 degrees as well.

[Pete]

Mommy spanked me...

[Tighe]

wow. It's the morning after and my body feels like it has been shaken out like dirty rug. No major aches just an awareness of every joint and muscle in my body. Still also a bit of that adrenaline tingle.
There is something about going a bit farther, putting yourself in new situations, pushing your comfort zone. Yesterday was that for me. I've kited in a lot of conditions over the last 10 years, but yesterday was up a notch from any of them. As the day progressed the waves got bigger and bigger and the wind just kept on blowing. There is an intensity when riding in these new conditions, the ride for the most part, for me was in my head. Processing the conditions looking for the next monster that might eat me, or scanning for the hole to punch over that massive cresting wave.
Then, before you opens up a long glassy smooth trough, slowly lifting to one side, you jump in, flip to toeside, and the only thing in your head is some tune, some tune that magically perfectly fits the groove. Diving the kite propels you onto the wave, now you're engaged in a dance together. The wave face is now pushing you, pushing you like a train pushing a bike, steady and powerful. Your path is the only thing that keeps you from being flung toward shore and luffing your kite. It's all about feel, feeling that power and finding a harmony between the power of the wave, your path and keeping just a slight tension in the lines. Up and down the face, big heelside turn brings you back in the other direction, as you tension your lines for a powered toeside turn down at the bottom as you are flung back up onto the face. I am recreating this in my mind but it is so much not in the mind as you do it...just that tune continues. The rest of you is lost in the moment. There is something about it that is so magical, loosing yourself in a moment that is surrounded by such energy.
Like a surfer I spent most sessions working myself out to where the monsters began their roar, only to take the long ride downwind toward shore...repeat.

The conditions were so strong it overshadowed the stoke in the water. Rarely was there more than the recognition of each other, before returning to the focus of riding. I hope my paths downwind never caused concern for other riders. The more lost in those moments I get the less aware I am of other riders.

There was a calm stoke off the water. Like the stoke I would imagine that climbers have when they reach a summit. The experience is humbling and empowering.

What a day. We missed you out there Randy. Would have loved to share a wave with you.

My eyes today are caked from what I assume was constant tearing all last night. My seaspecs were fogging up so I stopped using them. More than once I took a face flush and filled my eye sockets with lake Superior. My eyes were trashed. I'm not sure what the solution is there, it was being able to clearly see everything, but I can imagine that does a number on your eyes. Maybe bringing artificial tears to replenish your eyes between sessions.

It was great to share the day with so many great smiles. Locals Stroh and Brian, looked so dialed, obviously this is old hat to them. What a wonderful playground to have so close.

I feel grateful to have been reminded of how alive I am. I feel present in the moments that flow through today. Thank you...

[Tighe]

a few shots from the day. the camera for some reason shrinks the waves...

http://www.lakawa.com/phpBB/lakawaphoto/?show=354

[dave12341234]

Great explanation Tighe! Wish I coulda been there.