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rich
Since 30 Nov 2005
306 Posts
portland
Obsessed
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 Thu May 14, 09 7:53 am |
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i like floras for newb's. fewer things to worry about with the waist deep water and no current. Will and crew are really good, really cool. Everyone i know that have taken lessons in the gorge have had good experiences also, just more things to contend with. If you are going to ride up here you will have to contend with them at some point, but getting yourself literate, comfortable, and safe are going to be easier down there. Also, you can put off the sandbar and hit SI and Jones for a while after your lessons until you've got it dialed. If you commit to it and get out often you will pick it up quickly.
My bud Thom took his lessons at Floras last year. He was up and riding the second day. We stayed for 2 more, he had it down reasonably well and was able to relaunch and mostly stay up wind by the time we bailed.
Quick advice on the cost of lessons and your initial gear. Just do it and get it over with, you won't regret the investment, you'll just be bummed you waited so long. |
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Scribble
Since 18 Nov 2005
636 Posts
NoPo
Addicted
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| Thu May 14, 09 8:20 am |
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oops double post
Last edited by Scribble on Thu May 14, 09 8:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Scribble
Since 18 Nov 2005
636 Posts
NoPo
Addicted
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| Thu May 14, 09 8:27 am |
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| Tommy wrote: |
Thanks for the advice, everybody! In the meantime, I'll keep rockin' the B3 with the naked Germans and aging hippies at SI... |
I don't know where you are located but I practiced the trainer when I was learning at PDX airport. It's like a 5-10 min drive from North Portland and a great place to fly a trainer kite.
I took lessons from Will at Floras Lake. I don't know if he still does this, but he cut me a deal on the lessons because I had already bought my gear. One disadvantage of that is that I was trashing my own gear, but it was nice to learn on the kites I was going to be using. I'm sure if you showed up with your Wikipa he'd cut you a deal  But, seriously Floras is a pretty magical place and I was up and riding by the second day of lessons. Will and clan are good people and really fun to be around.
Andy |
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Tommy
Since 12 Apr 2009
225 Posts
Gorbachev sings tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!
Stoked
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| Thu May 14, 09 10:53 am |
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| rich wrote: | | i like floras for newb's... |
Yeah, it looks like a great place to learn, for sure, just a hella long drive! If I were going to try and pack several lessons into one or two days, or do a camp or something of that nature, it might be worth the haul, but I'll more likely split them up over several weekends, so the Gorge it is, I think. I know of at least one guy who teaches at Lyle, which ought to work out a little better than the sandbar.
| Scribble wrote: | | ...I practiced the trainer when I was learning at PDX airport... |
Def agreed, Broughton is a great place. That's actually where I'm spending the majority of my time w/ the B3, but the naked people at SI make for better copy...  And I hadn't thought of using the Wipi to play the sympathy angle... Genius!
_________________
"Resist much, obey little."
-Walt Whitman |
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$ociopath
Since 28 Nov 2007
523 Posts
Twilight Zone
Addicted
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| Thu May 14, 09 9:10 pm Lyle |
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| there are a lot of bonuses in the water at lyle; hidden logs low spots and people trying to get off the beach/launch. you gotta learn one way or another this is just a heads up. SI might almost be better. lyle is also sketch because if you f up you hit land vs water.with the way lyle is now "keepin it on the downlow" im not even sure any lessons should go on there.or at least ski only lessons; that way beginners could use the east side of the bar. anyway like i said just a heads up! |
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$ociopath
Since 28 Nov 2007
523 Posts
Twilight Zone
Addicted
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| Thu May 14, 09 9:22 pm Re: skate board |
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| kitezilla wrote: | | perryj wrote: | if your gonna have to throw down money on a skate 130$ new for a good one. throw down the extra and get a mountain board. you can then take it to long beach WA and do a down winder on the beach. there is plenty of traffic to get a ride back as it is legal to drive on the beach there. thats what worked for me anyhow. and its a lot less painful hitting sand than concrete. bring a kite thats durable because if you start to roll faster than the wind your lines will slack and your kite will crash  P.S W.T.F. is that avatar all about  |
Is it legal to use wind driven recreational devices on the beach at Long Beach?
Years ago I took my Norbland Speed Sailer there, and was told that, it was illegal to use it there. The rationale was that, since the beach is essentially a highway, that it was illegal to use toys in a road, in traffic. Kind of made sense, to me, from a safety point of view.
Have things changed there? |
i didnt stop to read there sign but if they would have told me that i would have told them to eat a bag of d*%&$ that is absolutely the most contradictory bunch of B.S. i have ever heard i will ride there regardless give me a ticket ill waste the taxpayers money on that one  not to mention the snowkite issue I demand a jury i once spent a week in jail 4 unpaid skate boarding tickets. sometimes you just have to follow your heart  |
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Tommy
Since 12 Apr 2009
225 Posts
Gorbachev sings tractors: Turnip! Buttocks!
Stoked
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| Thu May 14, 09 9:34 pm |
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Good stuff. Thanks, Perry.
_________________
"Resist much, obey little."
-Walt Whitman |
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