2025 Fall Gorge Trip

Ross, Kim, Kent, Blaine, Brad and Ted Finishing the day at pHriem's Today started like most of our days with Blaine and Brad going down to Dopio's, and Kent, Ted and Ross having breakfast at the Townhouse.  The wind was already sailable, but no one seemed to be in a hurry.  Jim Mudry called, he was having a morning session at the Hatchery, but agreed to meet us at Moiser in the afternoon. I stopped at Sailworks and borrowed some Contact Cement to re-glue a rubber piece that was coming off the front handle of my 5.5.  Kent was there as well, and we had a great chat with Dale, Dave and Bruce as usual. Kent, Blaine and Brad arrived at Moiser around 11:00ish and rigged their 3.9's and headed out.  I arrived just as they were heading out.  I rigged my 4.5m Wing and brought it down to the beach, but it appeared the wind had lightened up even though the guys still seemed to be doing fine upwind. Jim Mudry arrived and looked at the water and thought he would rig a 4.5 -...

Relaxing at Ferment Brewing after a great session. Kim, Ted, Brad, Blaine and Ross.  Thanks Kent for the photo! The morning started like all our other mornings.  Brad and Blaine went down to Dopio's for breakfast and coffee as usual.  Kent, Ross and I made our own breakfasts at the townhouse.  Blaine had some paperwork to take care of so said he would be late getting out. Kent and I went to the Hatchery at 11:00.  Jim Mudry was just getting off the water and said he had a great session.  Kent rigged a 4.2 and I rigged my 5.5 Wing with 909 Foil.  We went out and had a great session.  After about an hour, we met Ross, Brad, and Blaine who had sailed up from the event site.  We had a lot of fun sailing around each other at the Red Buoy.   It was the 5 Albertans and Greg G at the Red buoy for about 30 minutes and no one else.  Greg was doing 360's around the buoy while we raced back and forth. Kent and I came in for lunch at about ...

Kent, Brad, Blaine and Ted at Bett's for breakfast! When we got up, it was already blowing at Viento, but the forecast was for the wind to shift East to the Corridor and Moiser later in the day. Brad, Blaine, Kent and I went to Bett's for breakfast.  Blaine figured we had to do that at least once during the trip.  My Tea was $3.95US - Wow.. We hummed and hawed about where to sail.  Do we go to Viento where we know it is blowing, although it may shut down soon, or do we wait for the wind to pick up further east? In the end we decided to wait - probably the wrong choice. Blaine and Brad - relaxing and waiting for wind! Around 11:00 we headed to Moiser.  Jim Mudry joined us shortly after we got there.  We sat around and talked, waiting for the wind. (another mistake as it was already sailable).  I flew my quad copter practicing going around the parking lot and around and through gaps in the trees. Finally Kent rigged his 6m sail and went out.  He got foil...

Blaine - a few weeds around the shore! Kent got a message from Jim Mudry early.  The call was for Rufus.  Jim was heading there with his wife, leaving at 10:00.  Brad and Blaine went for coffee and bagels as usual, but moved their van so Kent could get out if he needed to leave early. We all arrived at Rufus around 11:00.  There were people out and it looked windy, but not crazy. Kent, Brad and Blaine all rigged 4.5m Sails.  Jim and Heidi arrived just as they were heading out.  Jim rigged a 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5. for the two of them.  Heidi said that way they are all ready to go no matter what happens. Ross sailed his 4.m Kite, and I rigged my 5.5 wing.   It was hands down the best session of the trip.  There were nice, rideable swells, although not huge, and the wind was a bit up and down, but we were all foiling most of the time, and a bit overpowered some of the time. We did most of our sailing either upwind or downwind, as it was very cro...

Watching the mayhem on the beach and on the water! You think you are getting to be a pretty good sailor/kiter/winger - then the river steps in to teach you a lesson. Today was a windy and gusty day.  We got to the event site just as Dale finished his session.   He said it was windy but good if you could get up to Swell City.  I was first out - 4.5m Wing, but I knew right away I was over powered.  It was also the first time I had used that wing and my harness line was too short, so my arms were wearing out fast.  I did about 2km and then headed back to the beach. Kent went out on his 3.2, headed upwind, and was gone for the day.  He said it was his best day this trip.  Great swell, but the 3.2 was all that he could handle! Ross went out on his 3m Kite and also headed upwind!  He complained a lot about how gusty it was and how awful it was, yet he had to admit he had a pretty good session, especially when he got up to the Hatchery. Brad and Bla...

Viento - the wind dropped a bit so we all came to the beach! When we got up it was raining!  The forecast was for Light and Variable in the afternoon.  Damn. Kent, Brad and I rode our bikes down to the waterfront around noon to check out the Windsurf Tradeshow and the action on the water.  Of course we weren't allowed in the show, but I did run into Tyson Poor who I know from Pro-Windsurf.  He is doing well and REALLY enjoying being a father! I checked the Slingshot booth to see if Bobby was there, but they said he must be in the office today.  Missed him. We checked out the action on the water.  A big wakesurf boat was driving past with four or five wingers and pump foilers following and surfing in both the first and second wake.  Cool.  Also - it was windy enough that people were foiling!  WHAT!  There wasn't supposed to be any wind today! We raced back to the townhouse, but then had to decide where to go...  Moiser?  Hatcher...