Nuking conditions on medicine

[fabrino]

Hi all
Sunday Nov.3, big southeast so I go @ Clifton French (possibly last liquid session here in MN)
lake is lit..

medicine_nov13.jpg (764.95 KiB) Viewed 3737 times

..unfortunately none on site.. pump my 7.. put on two wetsuits, go out for drift launch..
but as I am out in the water 50 yards or so with kite in my hands and lines unfolded I started to question whether this is a good idea ..
every once in a while mega gusts hit (I'd say around 40knots), directly on shore.. if something goes wrong with the drift (which happens often)
and one this mega gust hits could get ugly as there is not a lot of space between me and the shore.. think some more.. couple of more gusts... forget it... back to shore..

there the wind had scattered all the stuff I left on the beach.. including my brand new HH blue jacket, which I did not recover..
not sure if it flew away or if someone got it..
anyway feel a bit bad about the missed opportunity, but somehow did not feel safe enough

was anybody out kiting in the TC?

hope those of you in SPI are having fun!

ciao
f.

[Cory M]

I know some got out on Waconia and Pepin; hope they chime in on the conditions. Sounded pretty huge.

I think you made a great decision to avoid the drift launch.

I saw the forecast and saw potential for a little lighter wind up north so I made the trek to Reddy for one last water session. Plus I had a new-to-me Mako King board from Scotty I had to try in the waves. Put it out there on Facebook but seemed like most were in SPI or wanted to stay local. Was glad to find Craig from Cleveland up at Reddy when I arrived. He had a nice tethered launch set up with a corkscrew anchor which proved solid and much safer than drift launching in my opinion. Good for side-on from the SE anyway with no pedestrians downwind.

Started out on the 10m at around 11:30 and was slightly underpowered but able to stay upwind. Seemed to pick up over the course of the day and was full on at maybe 2:30. Craig had a 7m that I was glad to try at that point. Never flown that small of a kite but felt comfortable and was amazed at the huge wind window! Thanks Craig!

I'd guess the wind ranged from 20-35 mph over the course of the day up there. I have a wind meter like yours but only used it once and it read 22 mph during one of the lulls. You know it's a big day when the sand lifts off!

Snowkite!!!!

[efjanssen]

Too much of a good thing:

Steve, Mike and I met at Miltona around noonish. We figured we would let it warm up a little before we hit the water. The SE wind was setting up perfect for that lake. I got out my meter and it registered consistent winds in the mid-thirties with sustained gust of 42-45 mph. When we registered a maximum gust of 50.9 we decided to get in Steve's truck and talk it over. As we sat there, the wind literally rocked the truck. I made the comment that it certainly would be a day we could tell our grand kids about. Steve said that he would be happy to tell my grand kids for me as I would be dead.

We all got in out respective vehicles and drove on home.

[peterrib]

Rode Ripley in the later afternoon. Checked the wind around 12:00, 27-35 & had grandkid duties so I decided
to wait 'til later. Got in a great 12m session from 4 'til dark. 20+ but still gusty. Should be more to come. Victor said
he was blown off Washington late AM.

[Tighe]

I hit up Ramsey on White Bear. I only had an hour or two, so rigged my 10m (started out around 11:15.) After rigging and putting on my suite I realized that I forgot my harness....frigggin riggin.... Then realized I had a climbing harness in the truck. There were quite a few offers for harnesses, but thought I'd try the climbing harness. Worked fine, surprisingly. I rode till around 1 and it was sweet. Sunny and reasonably warm...what a great surprise. I had packed away the gear for the season. There was quite a crew showing up when I left. What a wonderful gift.