2025 Spring Gorge Trip

The last Breakfast. Clockwise, Ted, Big Air Jim, Travis, Harold, John, Big Jim, Blaine, Brad, Kent, Cynthia and Cam Wow!  Does time fly!  To celebrate our last breakfast, we all went down to Bette's for a traditional Gorge breakfast.  Too much food, but very good. The forecast was for wind everywhere, so we agreed that we would go to the Event Site so we could all sail together.  We all took our time.  I went to Sailworks to day goodbye to Bruce and Dale! I got to the sailing site, and then realized I had forgotten my wetsuit at Ross's Townhouse.  I was reaching for my phone to call Kent to ask him if he could bring it, when my phone rang.  It was Kent asking if I wanted my wetsuit!  Lucky!   He and Harold had been shopping for a new wetsuit for Harold.  Harold's old one was falling apart and was almost as wrinkly as Harold!  I wasn't there to witness it, but I guess the moth's flew out of Harold's wallet when he pulled it out....

Cam's rig Tucked out of the wind waiting for the second session.. The forecast was for another windy day but the clouds were really close to the event site so there was a lot of thinking going on and the forecast in the corridor depended on what the clouds did throughout the day. For a change, Kent was up early, but Brad and Blaine went downtown for coffee and breakfast as usual! Harold is long overdue for a new wetsuit so Kent took him to a couple of stores, but the shopping did not work out. There was the usual humming and hawing about where to sail with the cloud bank being so close.  The final decision was split. Kent, Harold, Blaine, Brad, Big Jim and John went to the event site, while Ross, Cam, Cynthia, Big Air Jim, Travis and I went to Moiser. I can only speak for Moiser - it was great.  I was on a 3.5 wing and sailed for a couple of hours before coming in for lunch!  It was one of the best sessions of the trip for me.  The wind was strong but steady and I ha...

The forecast was for more wind today...   so ... Blaine, Brad, Big Jim and Big Air Jim booked a 10:00am tee time. When we got up, Robert was gone!  Last night, he found that he couldn't move his big toe.  Cynthia had a look and shouted for Cam.  Cam had a look and advised that Robert go straight to the hospital.  When he had cut his foot it had severed a tendon and the medical people had missed it.  The sooner he gets it looked at the better. Robert had left a coat hangar that I had lent him on my van windshield, and there was a sail sitting on the front of Big Jim's truck.  Robert had decided to leave early, and head back to Canada to have his foot looked at.  We were sorry to see him go, he was a lot of fun!  We wish him the best of luck.   As usual, it took a while for people to get going.  I decided to go down to Dopio's with Blaine, Brad and Big Air Jim for a change.  Dopio's was excellent as usual, but they didn...

Cynthia smiling after a great session! The forecast for today was for more wind, but gusty.  It looked like it would be a bit steadier out at Moiser. We had the usual morning routine with Kent sleeping in, and a lot of the gang going downtown for coffee and breakfast. It was 11:30 is by the time everyone got mobilized.   The call was split.  Big Jim, John and Robert went to the Event Site, while the rest of the gang went to Moiser. I was first out - and took my 4.5m wing.  It wasn't enough, so I came back in to rig my 5.  As I was getting back out on the water, Blaine, Brad, Cynthia and Kent were coming in.  They said it had picked up, so they were rigging down. Travis I decided to give the 5m wing a go anyway as I was already in the water.  I had a pretty good session, although very over powered most of the time.  I wanted to do at least 10km before I went back in for lunch. Cam and Travis, who had worked their way upwind, stayed out until I...

Rob and Big Jim It was a very slow morning - again.  Blaine said he wanted to get out early, but by the time we all got organized, it was almost noon before we managed to get going. The call was for the Event Site.  The forecast was for lighter wind than we have had, but when we got to the site, Dale Cook was there and told us that the wind was great.  He had just come off the water with his 3.5m Wing, and he was waiting for his daughter who is also now a winger! By all accounts everyone had a good day.... well maybe not Cam.  He rigged a small board, small foil and small wing and worked his way up to the Hatchery, and then up to swell where he ran out of wind.  He said he spent a lot of time bobbing in the water and slogging trying to get back.  A learning experience...  Then for his second session, he took Travis's bigger board, foil and wing and went out leaving Travis with all the small stuff.  Travis did not have a great second session! Cam w...

 2025-06-14 Event Site Sailing This is Bella.  She came over while I was eating my lunch and sat pretty until I was almost finished.  I had to break down and give her a bit of the beef from my sandwich. Today was another windy day.  There was another Sailworks run, but I wasn't a part of it.  I did note that there was a new board in Jimmy's trailer and it really showed in his sailing.   Upwind performance and jibes were a total step up.   Kent and Harold went to Windance and Big Winds and came away with a new helmet and fleece. I left early (10:30ish) and went to Moiser for an early session.   I needed to finish up early so I could pick up Ross at the Airport at 3:30. I had my best session of the trip.  I was on my 4.5 wing and I sailed 31km.  The wind was a bit lighter than the last few days and was pretty steady, and the waves were organized, not a mess like yesterday. At one point, I thought I was doing really well and ...

2025-06-13  Friday the 13th - Great Day Sitting back and watching the action! Harold, Blaine, Kent, John, Brad, Big Jim, Big Air Jim, Cam, Travis, Robert Once again we had a windy forecast - pretty much the same - 26mph to 29mph all down the river.   Once again, Kent slept in, and Brad, Blaine went to Dopio's for coffee and breakfast. Once again, we gathered at Sailworks.  Big Air Jim and Cam both had store credits, so..... Bruce gave Kent a free "Next Generation F4" tee shirt.  Kent told Lorna about the shirt saying it was a little expensive but came with some great foils so was well worth it! Once again, it took forever to decide where we were sailing.  Finally Blaine made the call - the event site. Once again, we all arrived at the event site, looked at the water, and then hummed and hawed about whether it was good enough.   Maybe we should go to Luhr Jenson - no Blaine doesn't like the launch.  Maybe we should go to the Event Site - no Big Jim...

2025-06-12 Go Oilers! Brad - Stressful Times! Our day started slowly.  Brad and Blaine went to Dog River and then Bette's.  They said Bette's hasn't changed at all, other than the prices may be a bit higher.  Cherrie came over to say hi. Kent slept in as usual, and Big Jim and John were organizing their gear and setting up their foils. Eventually we all made our say to Sailworks where the usual purchasing frenzied began.  I don't think of us really needed anything.....  But .....  It was great to see Dale and Bruce!  Bruce told us that Sailworks may not be in existence in the fall when we get back.  He has the warehouse up for sale, and is hoping to retire!  Everything is on Sale.  Soooo.... Kent was going to buy nothing but had an instore credit he had forgotten about so picked up a new 400 mast to replace his old flex top no limitz.  Blaine also had a credit so picked up a 370 mast.  John is "considering" a Roberts Board....