Thursday Alberta Foilers invade and take over Roosevelt State Park! AGAIN!

Louise sent me this photo of our front lawn this morning....
Wow - not an incentive to drive home!
Maybe she doesn't want me back...

While the folks at home are dealing with snow and freezing rain, we have been complaining because occasionally we have had to put on a sweater, or long pants.  I have worn long pants and shoes and socks once in the last week and a half...  I guess we shouldn't complain...

Our day today started out with another very iffy forecast.  There was lots of discussion over coffee (at Dog River), and then Breakfast (at Bette's), about where to go sailing.  It was a given that it wouldn't be great anywhere, but some sites looked better than ever.  Would we really drive 80 miles (130km) each way to Roosevelt for a very marginal sailing day?  It turns out, yes we would.

Mike was already there.  He had been camping in the parking lot at Roosevelt for the last few nights.  It saved him a lot of driving as today would be three times in a row that we had all been there at 260km each day.    After a lot of humming and hawing, and a meeting at the Event Site, it was decided that the group would stop at Mosier, and if it wasn't good, we would head to Roosevelt.

Mike - Set up on the only flat spot in the parking lot!

Big Jim decided that he had had enough driving, and so he stayed at the Event Site for the day.  He foiled when the wind was up, and sat in the sun when it wasn't.  He said it was a very good day!

The rest of us arrived at Roosevelt later than we usually would - between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon.  We were virtually the only ones there.  We met one other guy from BC who was trying to kite, but wasn't having a great day.

The Parking Lot at Roosevelt.
All of the vehicles are our except for the small car at the end of the line.

Speaking of Kiters, Ross went out on Eddy's 12m Kite and made it work, although he complained that he didn't have enough strength to power it up enough to do decent jumps.  Eddy went out, but didn't have enough wind and ended the day downwind.

Al and Harold went windsurfing.  Harold on his 6.1, and Al on his 6.5.  Both of them got planing, but also did a lot of slogging.  Still, any day you can get out on the water, is a good day!  Harold said he thought they planed about 25% of the time.

Harold heading out on his 6.1.  No whitecaps in site...

The rest of the gang went foiling.  Big Fin Jim was trying out his new board.  Cam, Kent, Blaine, Brad, Rene and I were also out there foiling back and forth.

Big Fin Jim after a day of Foiling

I had two sessions with a total of about 20km.  Not much compared to Kent with over 50km, but still a good sail.

We all seem to be progressing well with our foiling, with everyone able to foil most of the way across the river and standing up through our turns.  I suspect that the next step of foiling through our jibes will involve a lot of crashing!

We didn't get off the water until after 6:00pm, and the sun was starting to set as we pulled out of the parking lot, which was nice because it makes tough driving when it is right at the horizon in front of you as it had been the last couple of days.

Big Fin Jim - Re-Rigging to his 7.0

We got back to Hood River after 8:00, and quickly headed over to pFriem's Family Brewhouse for supper in order to get there before they closed.  (Last call is at 9:00).   For the first time, we had everyone together in one place for supper!  Well, almost.  Mike was still Roosevelt Camping, but he was replaced by another Mike.  Our friend Mike Pocock also joined us, which was a special treat!  Mike is a fellow Canadian, who we have known for years. 

Clockwise from 6:00:
A sliver of Al's face, Brad, Blaine, Rene, Ted, Big Fin Jim and Eddy
Mike Pocock at the head of the table.
Ross, Kent, Julie, Gerry, and Harold.
Big Jim was taking the picture (Thanks Jim),
and Cam was there, but just out of the frame.

Mike Pocock
Telling us about how they had to stick a big needle into his eye during the surgery
(and he was awake the whole time.....yikes!

He runs a specialty book publishing company, Books for You.  You submit your name and your wife or girlfriends name, and the books are all about you!  He seems to be doing well with it.  Check it out here.  He lives in Hood River during the summer and Belize during the winter.  Quite a life!  He had just had cataract surgery so was in recovery mode, but he said that one beer wouldn't hurt it.
It is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of our trip.  Al has to leave tomorrow, and a few others are thinking of leaving, depending on the wind.  I don't think we have ever had so much fun on the water during a trip with such little wind.  The foiling has really changed the dynamic of the trip!

Early to bed.  Looking forward to more sailing or foiling tomorrow!

Where would you like to be?  Here or at home in the snow?