Yesterday, I got in to work early so that I could skip out early and go kiteboarding. The majority of the crew was headed to Secret Spot out near Sandusky. Ryan and I were stuck at work until 4:30 and 4:00 respectively, so we had to fend for ourselves. I met Ryan at Luna Pier at around 4:45 and we were rigged and on the water shortly after 5. The wind was out of the SSW and gusty near shore. Out deep, it was still SSW, but less gusty. There were definitely pockets of stronger winds and weaker winds, but they were more sustained than gusts.
I launched Ryan's kite and watched him make is way out into the open water. He looked good and powered up! Then, I self-launched my kite. Then, it crashed and I relaunched it. I made my way out about 100 yards away from the shore and crashed/relaunched my kite yet again. That was the last issue I had until the very end of the session.
It was a great session, too! I tried a new trick (new for me) called a Railey. Here's an example of what it looks like...
I nailed the first one I tried! Then... not so much after that. The second and third ones weren't so pretty. The fourth one I landed, again. I landed one other one and bailed on a few more. Unhooked tricks are a lot of fun, but my shoulders hurt today and my left hand is feeling quite arthritic.
Near the end of the session, I was having trouble making it back up-wind to the beach where we started. It wasn't because I couldn't get up-wind, really. It was because on my reaches away from shore, I kept finding these killer little waves to jump off of. Then, on the reaches back toward shore, I kep finding these killer waves to surf on, if you can call it surfing. In any case, each reach I gave up as much ground as I gained. Then, on my last attempt at a railey, I crashed the kite and my safety 5th line got wrapped around the bar and things were generally messy. I had to abandon my attempts to ride back to shore and I did a body drag back in. When I got back to a spot where I could touch the bottom, I landed the kite on its back and wrapped up my lines. Then, I got to walk back to the starting point on the roadside. I'm guessing it was 1/2 mile walk.
On the way back, residents who had been outside watching me commented on how fun it looks. None of them offered me a ride back to the beach, though. One guy asked if I saw the Bald Eagle out there. I hadn't seen him. Ryan did, though. He said the eagle was following his kite for a while and he looked up and thought, "What's that stupid seagull doing?" Then, he realized it was an eagle. He said it was kind of freaky but cool.
Two hours on the water after work plus a landed new trick and "One of the best jumps I've ever seen you throw." according to Ryan = Session Grade: A+
Sorry. No GPS tracks to post.
BizB Fri Apr 18 08:14:26 PM Made it to MD safely. Tal is fine after her surgery. They found some endometrosis and the cyst on her ovary that they originally went after. Reply
sopops Fri Apr 18 07:59:47 AM Even a guard cat can and should have a day off. Reply
coach td Thu Apr 17 10:29:42 PM The only program I was ever accepted to was the school of rock.
BizB Thu Apr 17 08:06:23 PM Today, I got a rejection letter from UT's graduate college. I had applied to the Master's of Computer Science program.
This letter was a complete shock. I was already accepted to UT's Law School. Just the other day, I got a letter form the Business College basically begging me to apply for their MBA program because of my "Outstanding Academic Achievement" in the past.
I've got to believe that the rejection is due to some prerequisite that I'm missing. I'm going to call tomorrow and ask, "WTF?" Reply
Betty Boop Thu Apr 17 12:15:18 PM So glad you got back to shore!! That is my only worry about you doing this but I know in my head that you would not do anything stupid. Glad you have fun!! Reply
BizB Fri Apr 18 08:14:26 PM 
sopops Fri Apr 18 07:59:47 AM 
coach td Thu Apr 17 10:29:42 PM 
Betty Boop Thu Apr 17 12:15:18 PM 