Zephyr Gets LOST

After some amazing reaches in really light wind. I was so amped for someone else to try the light wind abilities of the new Zephyr. So our good friend Eli had to try to show me up. Even thought he weighs about 80 pounds more he still had to go out and give a go at the light wind.

Even with as light as the wind was, a guy that weighs 240 pounds and riding a 132cm long and kind of a wide board. Eli managed to get up and plane across the little bay we were in. With the winds being as light as they were. As Eli sailed to the other side. The wind luffed and Eli dropped the kite! Oh Eli! So he decided to try to walk up wind in the shallow water, even though the water was about chest deep! Up wind of him was a nice little island to regroup and relaunch the kite in the none existing wind.

As Eli was half swimming and half walking in the deep water. He was wearing a new Mystic harness that he got at the AWSI. What is the most important thing that hangs from your harness? A LEASH!!! So since Eli got a new harness he didn't have a leash. As he strolled and swam in the water he took the leash attachment point and larks headed it around his spreader bar. Well all is good until the leash line slips off the bar and the only Zephyr in the US, floats away into the Delta of the Colombia River. BALLS!!

As we stood on the beach we watch the only kite, we all want to ride in the light wind float away slowly. Mean time Eli is swimming like a Olympic swimmer to get back to shore. He yells at us, "Go get a boat," to get the kite. So we start scrambling to find a fisherman to bring us out to the kite.

In the mean time the beach goers were worried that Eli is drowning and they call 911. Poor Eli, loses a kite, has to swim back to shore, and the cops get called. Everybody shows up to the beach to meet and greet Eli. Ambulance, cops, fire trucks everyone waiting for a disaster. When they got there the personal was bummed to see that there victim was a walking, talking and not drowning!! So Eli managed to sort out the confusion. Sign some papers and got them to leave.

We managed to flag down a boat, that went to go check out the kite. The Zephyr managed to float down wind into the delta of the Colombia. But luckily the lines got wrapped around a lobster buoy and the kite didn't go as far as we would have imagined. The nice people from Washington on vacation with there boat came to our rescue to help us save the Zephyr. Amazingly absolutely nothing happened to the kite and the folks were just glad to help.

So what is the lesson learned from the story?

Always wear a leash! Even if you get a new harness because you are a bad ass rider!


Peace

Patrick Nedele

AWSI Hood River

After Rooster Rock, The nudist adventure. We headed back to tha HOOD. Found this sweet camp spot on Post Canyon Rd. Slept there for the night. Really nice and quite, no trains hauling coal freight at 3am.

Anyway after a good evening of drinking and talking kite stories. We all headed down to town to get coffee. Who is the first people we run into at the coffee shop? KITERS, Sheldon and Renee from Decosse customs talking with Julian and Slezak about the winter snowboard line up for LF. I am Stoked to see there are more brands that are going to be serious about the snow for 2010!

Also stoked to see Decosse because, they are making me skis this year for the 2010 race season(Thank you for the new Ride!). I want to win this years US Snowkite Nationals again for 2010. Mark your calenders and come race, February 25-28. Most of the event will be held on the weekend. www.snowkitemasters.com but for those of you that are hard core snow kiters come earlyer and kite!

Anyway AWSI was cool. Got to meet and greet with alot of friends, riders and manufactures. Was stoked that there were that many brands there. Ozone got to show off the new 2010 C4 and demo out the Zephyr. Lots of talk on the C4, new generation of the C kite is going to be the ticket. C shape, C power, C friendly and Usable!!

Not only did I get to try the new C4. But I also got to rock out on the new Underground surf boards! They ride really smooth in the chop and carve turns like no other board. The board has flex and it makes the turns more progressive.

I also have to thank Bill Morrissey of Dakine. To stop and take the time to talk to me about snowkiting and the Snow Kite Masters. Thank you once again of the continued support of snowkiting, and also for the new harness.


Check out the next blog for the Zephyr!! The ultimate in light wind fun and Performance.

Peace

Patrick

Three Mile fun! + Rooster Rockin

So our first camp spot was a total surprise. As Brian and I drove all the way from Mt. Pleasant, Utah, about 12 hours. We showed up to Three Mile Canyon to camp. To our surprise we got down to the water and there was about 50 cops! For me I don't trust the police, so it was a awkward situation. It must of looked funny when we drove down to the waters edge in the Ozone van. Then we turned right around and high tailed it out of there.

Weird vibe from Cops, so we went to the next exit down the road to camp. After a good night sleep listening to the train that rambles down the canyon. We headed out in the morning to Hood River. We met up with our Friends Tony and Noah of Montana Kite Sports. Then decided where the wind is going to be in the Gorge. The sand bar wasn't looking great, light wind and hot. So we decided to rock down river to Rooster Rock.

What a sweet spot! It is a state park with a great beach and sand to launch kites and hang out on. But even better it is a clothing optional beach!! I got to kite and look at naked woman in the river!!! How much fun is that! Kites and BOOBS yahooooo! Only down fall is the Viet Shlong!! And the old naked dudes, but there is a good share of strippers from Portland.

The wind was cranking at Rooster that day. We were riding 9m Edge's. Also got to test out the new C4 kite by Ozone. It was sweet! I got to test a 11m C4. All I can say is SUPER! The kite is a total hoot. It is a user friendly C kite that totally depowers and still has the punch and bang of a C kite. I was amazed at its gust munching abilities. There will be alot of stoked people to try this ride. It is a totally different feel and jumping with it is like going to the moon. I need to ride the C4 for a afternoon just so I could get use to the boost and glide. Also the speed it moves, what a riot!

From local Gorge riders to visiting retailers everyone that got there hands on the c4. Was stoked on the new generation of Ozones. And loved the fact that they are trying new designs that work!

COMING SOON
Zephyr pics and write up!



Peace

Patrick Nedele