Gear quiver used today...

Make your choice....RRD, Fanatic, JP....

FGCP-Great beach and launch here.

Took a chance (and it paid off!) on the weather and made the drive up to Pt. Huron for a try at the newly opened Ft. Gratiot County Park. Winds were right on the edge blowing 14-17G20 North but apparent winds were more NE and stronger way on the outside. Thanks to Craig, the Silver Fox, who picked up the winds northerly flow early at 11am when gusts were hitting 20K++ all along the southern St. Clair County coastline. Got about 3 hours in with some decent waves and the sun in 70 degree temps. Thanks to Brent loaning me the RRD 101 FSW which worked paired on a 6.1 NP expression with the new Powerex Wave 60 mast and the new HPL one-piece wave booms. Man, this place would rock on a 5M day even with NW in it. After 3 weeks of no wind here this was a worthwhile drive to get some.

Tunes: Mae - Singularity

June 21, Potowatomi Hail and Rain Ride

No wind for the last week or so and its time to ride again. Johnny B and I did 21.16 miles in 2:35 at Poto this Saturday. It started all sun and 80 degrees but by 15 miles in it downpoured in buckets and the temps dropped 20+ degrees with small hail. Total washout on the trails and mud city in a matter of minutes. One long unforgettable ride.

Jnue 14, Muddy and Rutty Pontiac

Time to ride after 2 weeks off - after the big storms and rain, Pontiac Lake was mostly dry but had even more rocks and mud holes on trials exposed. Did 10.60 miles in 1:10. Good times as the Enduro SL soaked up everything the place had.

Tunes: Our Hearts Hero

Sunday, June 8 Metro Hot winds in front of big Stroms

JB jamming on the 4.6M

Whitecaps all day long...

Jet skis and kiters all fighting for the same space...

Metro on a 90+ degree Sunday - crazy winds 20+ WSW that came out of nowhere and pretty much lasted all day. Good group about 20-30 sailors out for an early start and winds that were holey and gusty (like Friday at M-ville). Day started bad with my first run on the 5.7 Expression and snapping a NP 430 X7 Wave mast 5 minutes into the session on the outside point. Thanks to Tom who stopped and dragged me into the beach for 30+ minutes - much appreciated! After the 1/4 mile walk back to the launch the other 430 worked well with the 5M search. Most everyone all off the water by 4 pm - storms were on the horizon and we were beat...

There: Everyone - even the boys from returning DR for a final sailing day of their trip.

Winds: 10-35mph WSW, SW etc.

Gear: 85 JP FSW, 4.5 Search, 5M search, 5.7 Expression

Demo'd: 101 RRD FSW = Thanks Brent

Ordering: new NP Combat RDM

Friday June 6, Gorge of the Great Lakes

Keith in the groove...

Beach day....

The Silver Fox ducking it...

Solid south 180° winds

Brent making it look easy

A good looking chart...

Wow, Marysville delivered this Friday with south winds ranging from nuking near gales to 7M wind holes a mere 10 feet away. We were sailing from 2-8pm and it was sunny hot (88°), humid and infested with millions of fishflys. Crazy that in 40+ winds these little pests were in the middle of the river as you ripped on the water they hit and would sting your face? The wind and the made it a wave riding day more than jumps since there was nothing to hit without going upwind. All in all though a very memorable day and alot of Aleve on Saturday morning. Very Gorge-like sailing here in Michigan, could of fooled me.

Gear: 85 JP FSW, 5M NP Search, then 105 XCite last hour

There: Millard, Brent, Keith, Craig...

Tunes: Article One

Saturday at Metro, May 31...Suprise 4.5!

Spectator viewing was excellent...

Better than Red Bull Air Races....

Sun and upper 70's....

Good unplanned day...

Time to move up a sail and board size

LSCM4 says be here at 2pm...

Out of nowhere and without warning a strong West wind 20+ gusting to 30's with alot patches came through to make a nice Saturday afternoon sail. Got to sail my 4.5M Search and the FSW for about an hour then moved up to the 5M Search and the 105 XCite for the rest of the evening sail until 7:30pm.

There: Millard, Brent, Craig, Jeff...

Tunes: John Foreman - Fall and Winter

Tuesday, Lexington- Sun, Cold and NORTH WIND

The boys getting to business...

Sun helped with 50 degree temps

Just past the breakwall the fun begins

Powered up inside

Don't forget your Drysuit...

Good Lex Day!

Big Day at Lexington yesterday - awesome North steady 20-25K all day 4.5M to 5M solid with nice waves and sun during a very cold session on the water. Keith started the day up and sailing by noon and the session lasted until late with Brent, Craig and Millard. I caught the mid-day for a few hours and was pretty overpowered by the likes of my now thrubbing forearms from a 5M. Waves on the inside of the breakwall were great fun (riding and jumping) and the outside was scattered and messy but still a couple of clean 8+ footers in the near gale gusts. Classic day worthy of a the 150 mile $40+ roundtrip. Best day of 2008 some far by my count. Lets hope for more!

Gear: 85 JP FSW and 5M Search

Winds: N-NNE-NE 20-25K Steady from 5AM - 7PM on S. Lake Huron

Mem Weekend 2008 - Chasing Puffs

Not really worth the RAM to take any digital pix this weekend. On Saturday 5/24 morning JB and I caught an hour or two up at Lexington in 5.5-5.7M conditions, solid 18+ with caps - but in the 50's for temps. Was looking really good until about 1:30 when the wind dropped and more people showed up.

On Monday 5/26 the waiting game was the story at Metro - got barely an hour of chasing fingers of wind in the gusts...sunny and 80+...alot of people got tricked in to the whole day there but it was really a bust. 6.1M Expression and 105 XCite were the choices for gear but alot larger stuff would have worked for WSW 10-20.

Tunes: The Glorious Unseen - Tonight The Stars Speak, MAE - Sigularity, Our Hearts Hero

Wednesday, May 21, Cold day at Tree Farm

Stunts near ride end...

Not alot to say about upper 50's, cloudy and not enough wind to sail....again. So lets ride: good temps to stay cool for a ride at Lakeshore Park getting in 14.86 miles in 1:25. Fast and dry and some new log pile fun with more trees down throughout trail.

Listening to: Anberlin - Lost Songs, This Beautiful Republic - Even A Hero Needs A Parachute, Fall Out Boy - From Under The Cork Tree.

Saturday, May 17, Metro Crazy SW-NW Winds

Started all sunny and 5.5 early on....

By the afternoon...

Well, no forecast out there agreed beforehand and for good reason, Metro started good out of the west 15-20+ then was all over the place with 10-20 SW and NW and N and plenty of holes. I got a half hour in at 10AM on the 85ltr. and the 5.7 Expression but then have to move up to the 105 XCite. The rains came through at 2pm and the winds cranked 30+ for awhile from the North so Brent could get some rides and come in - not that great Saturday we wanted.

There: Brent, Craig, Larry, Jeff, Millard, Keith...

Ear candy being enjoyed: The Classic Crime - the Seattle Sessions, The Almost - Southern Weather