Gorge Stories

[Tighe]

Baskin T wrote the following in another post. How bout we hear some Gorge Stories here? Someone tell the story of Dean's escapades at Mary Hill. Or your first time you stop at any site in the corridor when it's nukin'. All I remember is thinking "I'm not worthy". It is the windsurfing holy land.

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"I felt quite lucky to meet Scott Freeman yesteday. Got ample download of Gorge Information in about half hour. Oh, I let the word out on the shore, and somewhat hinted here too, but here it is one more. This trip is somewhat contingent upon me being employed with my current employer. The place I work at announced major restructuring in the last month. I am okay now, but things happen fast.

I am Gorge bound this summer. Travel dates are between July 20th and Aug5th. I am planning a road trip with my dog, and we will be camping. Reserved a tent-site at Marry Hill State Park on the WA side, but I will be checking out other campsites as well. Just to get started. Don't know too many people there, so I really welcomed the opportunity to meet Scott and hear his stories.

Wanted to thank Jerry Farr for pointing him to me because I had no idea what was going on. For all I know, I could be de-rigging my sail and work on another bottle of beer.

But hey, I think everyone deserved a cold one yesterday. Great conditions. After blown away with 6.7 at the gusts, the 5.9 NP Excess felt great. In those gusts could use maybe a 100 liter board, but the 115 liter Syncro worked out fine.

In case anyone have an interesting Gorge story and tips, please advise. You can write to me at baskint@hotmail.com (or cell # 651.307.8957). Unfortunately the little Ford Escape will be all packed with windsurf gear, doggy stuff, camp, and a mtn bike so I am afraid I cannot offer anyone a ride. But would love to meet you out there. I heard Scott will be there, but I don't think he would want to be seen a rookie like me. I plan to hang low, stay healthy and try to advance with windsurfing. Learning to kite board is enticing, but I am not sure my budget will allow me this year. Looking forward to it.

Thanks in advance.

Baskin
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The best thing about a man is his dog"

[BSMITH]

"Someone tell the story of Dean's escapades at Mary Hill"
You would have to edit it Tighe! I just saw Dean yesterday @ Calhoun!

BT You are never going to want to come back to MN. There will be a few of the "Minnesota Moffia" there in July. We are usually at the Hatchery or Doug's.


Brian

[baskinT]

Thanks, Brian. I would look for the MN Moffia out there. Are you folks driving or flying out there? Hatchery, Doug's, the Wall,... I cannot wait.

I am not sure how I survive, but I have been working out four to five times a week and try to be in a better shape by the time to travel. Injuries are what I am afraid of. I do have a PFD and a helmet, and I am a decent swimmer. I will try to relax and take it in as it comes, but the Gorge ain't no White Bear!

What is the story of Dean's escapades at Marry Hill? I remember Doug (I re-met during the Swap) told me Marry Hill is somewhat narrow and swells are bigger there. Wind conditions could be opposite of the Hood River too. Oh, I heard about a pager being given away at the local windsurf shops, but Scott Freeman mentioned a service as text messages coming into your cell phone. Guess I will find out.

Thanks Tighe for starting this thread. I will be checking it regularly to hear others' stories. I feel very lucky to be part of this community. It is a lot of fun, and you guys are great! Thanks again for the stories and support.

As far as not coming back to MN, I don't know. But I have got that "itchy" thought of sailing every freakin' day Honestly, it is a scary. Now back to database programming...

Baskin

[Tighe]

I headed to the Gorge for the first time I think in 1992. I drove out there with my boss at the time Gene Reshanov. I remember the first sights of the river way out East, looked pretty straight forward, just a long body of water. Then as we got closer in, we pulled out our trusty Gorge Guide and found one of the first sites we wanted to check out. We were amazed as we approached it, there was a sign with a windsurfer on it, directing us to the site. It was a fairly wooded park so we couldn't really see the water till we were at water's edge. We both stood there, in amazement, as dozens of boardheads were gliding effortlessly over massive swells on tiny sails and tiny mainly glass surfboards. "we're not worthy". This was a whole new ball game than the riding we had been doing on Calhoun and Waconia. We were just starting to jibe and I think I had the smaller board...a Screamer, which was massive compared to all the other boards out on that day. We were very intimidated.

Luckily our first few days of riding were on east winds down in Stevenson, and the conditions were not unlike our lake sailing. We hooked up with Larry and Jim Arnold, and hit Swell our third day in....whoa! Intimidation washes over us again. Swell City is right in the corridor where the current runs fast and the cliffs rise close to the water, so clean, school bus size rollers are common. Here I am on my Screamer getting worked. One time I was heading back to shore and noticed that almost everyone had gone in for some reason, thought it odd but didn't give it a second thought. I jibed, or probably fell in the water, flipped the sail and waterstarted the other way, and as I started to get onto a plane, the nose of a barge passed in front of my mast not more than 100 feet in front of me. These are not little boats. They rise 30-50 feet in the air and are hundreds of feet long.....EEEEKS! I quickly did my perfect freestyle move (half jibe followed by a full water start) and headed in. So, as much as you'll find yourself easily lost in all the glory that is the Gorge, keep an eye open for those barges. They won't see you if you are in front of them, cause their deck is in the rear and their view is blocked for thousands of feet in front of them.

[thewavebb]

My first and only gorge trip was back in 1999 when I was in 11th grade. I had picked up windsurfing the summer prior to that and learned how to sail in my harness and straps on a mistral explosion on a hatteras trip the previous fall. My parents surprised me with the trip to the gorge and to say the least I was way intimidated. The first day there I went over to Big winds and got some primo rental gear. Stuff smaller and way nicer then I had ever touched before. I went over the event site and it was nuking. I rigged up a 4.0 and went out on a f2 air and style. To this day, that was the biggest rush I have ever experienced. There were soooo many windsurfers around and I was just getting stoked up to out there with them. I had done some really small chop hops back home in waconia, but the swell once I got out into the main channel was massive for me. So I hit a nice roller and just went flying. I remember having time to look down and thinking....WOW. I repeated this process over and over for the next 5 days. I came home and I was so dialed in. Looking back I was probably better conditioned and had better skills after that summer then I do now. I need to make a trip out there again soon.

[Tighe]

Hanging out in downtown Hood River, strolling through the shops, every other car with boards stacked on top. It feels like home

[thewavebb]

now you have me pricing out a trip for the end of the summer. There goes my work day.

[Paul F]

Baskin,
The Gorge is 150 miles long and the wind does not blow everywhere at the same time. Unfortunately, the hatchery, one of the most reliable sites does not alow dogs. I'm not sure why, but I am guessing dog doo does not mix well with hatching fish. The rangers are very strict.

The rule of thumb is to go as far east as possible. On really good days you will be right in the middle of the eastern sites at Maryhill.

My first memories of the Gorge are when I was out of work and I camped out here for 7 weeks one summer. I camped mainly at Peach Beach, which adjoins Maryhill State Park. It took me a while to figure out that if it is not blowing at Maryhill, you can sometimes find good wind at the hatchery in the morning and doug's beach in the afternoon.

Have fun and watch out for barges.

[Woody]

Speaking of the Gorge and MN Mafia, where the hell is Eric Spotke? He was/is a regular Gorge summer sailor.

Eric are you still with us?

[littlejohn]

The dean story I heard had humble beginnings. It started out in a trailer park with a plus sized trailer park girl.

Never met him but the story is a legend.

I should be out there after the 4th if all goes as planned.

[baskinT]

Just a quick note for the "MN-Mafia" who will be at the Gorge at the end of July. We are expected to be at the MarryHill Campsite on late Saturday, or early Sunday morning for an estimated stay of 12 days...

After a day or two stay there, we will move closer to Hood River. Campsite this time looks like Tucker park, given that they have place. From previous discussions, I called them up and found out that it is first come, first server basis, so we will try to get our spot.

I am somewhat packed, but nervous that whether I could fit everything in the Ford-Escape. Girlfriend is going to fly out during second week, and we will be really loaded up then on the way back.

Doggy/Camping/Hiking, and of course, Windsurfing gear is taking up a decent amount of room. Baxter - the dog, is going to attend a pet camp at the Cascades. We filled out and sent his papers before hand. Looks like he is ready to go! I think he is going to enjoy it too.

Since this being my first time around there, I just wanted to give one last heads-up and see if I could connect with our locals over there. I know Scott will be staying at Roosevelt, and Pam is going to fly out there.

Is there anyone else I should look for?

Thanks, and looking forward to seeing our "locals" out there.

Baskin