Autumn winds

Thankfully the autumn winds have arrived in Chicago. Over the past two months I've had some epic sessions as well as some big disappointments. Typically there is very little wind during the summer months, so when it comes around you need to take advantage of it.

On one occasion we were on our way back from a weekend in Fish Creek. Winds were approximately 10knts gusting to 20. Needless to say the conditions were not ideal for launching off of a boat. This attempt to ride was a complete debacle. Thankfully I had my little brother there to help or it easily could have become a disaster....enough said.

I did have one other opportunity in August to ride out at Zion which went pretty well. However, I also got skunked a few times as well. The real fun came on our road trip out west.

Sara and I had an awesome two week vacation that took us out to Casper, Yellowstone, Portland, Hood River, the Willamette Valley, down the Oregon and California coasts, the Redwood National Forest, San Francisco, Napa Valley, and Yosemite. It was incredible!! Plus, while we were in Portland I picked up a new kite that would allow me to ride in the higher winds associated with the Gorge. I was able to get a good deal on a 2006 10m Slingshot Turbo Diesel, which is the perfect compliment to my 16m. My rideable windrange is now about 10-30knts.

With my new kite in tow I was able to get some pretty good riding in the one day we spent at legendary Hood River. When we first arrived at the Spit the wind was blowing about 15knts so I put up my 16m and had some good riding on the relatively flat waters of the Columbia River. Eventually though I did get pulled down wind and had to walk back to where I started. The walk back was a tough one as the wind had picked up to about 20knts and I was walking down the river barefoot across a lot of rocks which bruised my feet up quite a bit. After I got back on the Spit I rigged up my new kite and went back out for some more riding. The smaller kite flies much faster and is so much more responsive, I was having a blast!! I ended up downwind again, but thankfully this time I had put my booties on to spare my feet any additional punishment.

The smaller kite has already come in handy in the high winds that we've had back in Chicago the last couple of days. With winds out of the south of up to 30knts I went up to Waukegan to take advantage. I initially struggled riding due to the 4-6ft waves that were rolling in because I would hit the waves with too much speed and either fly off the wave like it was ramp and then wipeout or I'd catch the nose of board on the wave and faceplant. After struggling with getting past the breakers for a couple of hours I eventually got the hang of it and was able to get some good riding in. Tomorrow we're supposed to get a good breeze out of the west so hopefully Miller beach will be going off....