THE TRUTH ABOUT LYLE

hoarhey · Since 20 Jul 2008 63 Posts the corridor

Thanks for setting the record straight.

Here are some more facts about Lyle. FYI - I'm a Lyle resident and have been using Lyle for the past 5 years, so take this as an informed grain of salt (to think about, or to pour in the wound).

1) The CGKA is virtually powerless to do anything in Lyle and has done little to nothing to create a crossing and guarantee access in Lyle. This is just my opinion, but everytime I get on the CGKA website and enter "lyle" into the search engine I get "Sorry, that doesn't exist here." If I'm wrong, someone from the CGKE please get on this forum and explain what the heck you are doing. Until that happens, I'm keeping my membership fee in my wallet where it's doing something good for me.

2) The Lyle spit is Forest Service (federal land), not a state park like Dougs. The forest service (Sue Baker) explained to me that the Forest Service is not interested in developing Lyle as a recreation site. It is lamprey (WTF that is) habitat. My opinion is that they aren't willing to develp this site because of the BNSF RR cutting the property in two. The FS is the landowner of this land, not the taxpaying public.

3) The parking lot on the north side of 14 is an illegal parking lot. Have you ever noticed that the two exits/entrances are dangerously close to the turnoff to OldHighway 8. There were two accidents there last week. Don't be surprised if the Forest Service, the landowner, blocks this off if the future. This is why locals like myself and others park on the south side of 14, or at least we did. If that parking lot is illegal, where will all the kiters park when the lot is finally blocked off? Think about it.

4) The local community in Lyle doesn't have the kiter community's back at all. How many times have you gone into the Taproom for a pitcher after a good sesh? Bob, the barowner, reports that only the residents of lyle who kite spend money locally. So don't be surprised if the community of Lyle doesn't care if Lyle gets shut down. All of you out-of-towners who kite at Lyle haven't been supporting the community. The main group that hates us: The BIRDERS! They hate us. Evidently we are disturbing some great bird picture taking habitat. This is the most vocal group for getting denying access to Lyle. I don't see what the problem is. I drive by Lyle all the time when nobody is kiting and that are no birs to be disturbed while at the same time, when I'm out kiting there are tons of birds around. I also don't see many bald eagles just hanging out on the sandbar in the spring, but It is also seasonal habitat for them. On this same note. All those kooks crashing kites near the kidsd playing on the spit, can't you kook out away from the general public in Lyle. The kids and families playing on the spit have the same right to access it as we do (just as long as they don't cross the tracks) and we need to respect their rights to recreate as well.

5) BNSF owns not only the ground below the RR but the air above it as well. The RR's are the most powerful institutions in the US. I'm sure that they could even ticket the boats using the Klickitat river unless the river itself is designated as a "crossing" (I'm exaggerating a little on this point folks). BNSF has so much money that they can afford to pay 2 cops to sit in Lyle every day to ticket crossers, and would rather do that than build a crossing. I wish that wasn't the truth or they would have built a crossing 30 years ago when the windsurfers were having the same access issues in Lyle.

I want the same thing you all want, a guaranteed access to kite in Lyle, but as you can see above, there are more issues about surrounding the creation of a legal crossing in Lyle than just cement and a sign. All of the above need to be addressed, and I'm sure there are some others that I don't know about.

Lylestyle!
The one who stands up gets shot.

groundclown · Since 12 May 2007 135 Posts Hood River Stoked

Lamprey I believe are a parasite, flat and simillar to an eel. Some fishermen illegally use them as bait for nw pike minnow.

SalmonSlayer · Since 27 Nov 2005 648 Posts Addicted **CGKA Member**

groundclown · Since 12 May 2007 135 Posts Hood River Stoked

seen them myself, but the ones here are flat. same knarly mouth. If I remember correctly, it is the lagoon on the Klickitat that is the lamprey habitat. If you want to see lamprey for yourself, paddle up and drag a fishnet through the silt. you'll catch a few I'm sure. I seen some natives doing this while I was building Lyle-Balfour park. Birds on the other hand, all I see are domestic geese, and seagulls at the spit. the others hang out at the lagoon. I've taken many good photos of duels between different raptors there.

Pepi · Tue Aug 18, 09 11:25 am

forrest · Tue Aug 18, 09 12:33 pm

Hoarhey,

Gaining access to the Lyle sandbar is a long term project and is going to take a few years. My apologies that the website isn't a blog that gets updated with all the inner workings of the CGKA. You've been in this area for 5 years and have never attended a CGKA meeting? I can definitely understand your opinion in this case. You sound like just the right type of person to be involved in the CGKA working on the Lyle access issue. It's unfortunate that you haven't explored the association further.

Its unfortunate that the city of Lyle is located east of the kite launch and no one spends their money there. The businesses in Lyle could potentially benefit from improved access. That's no promise or prediction, but is just something I imagine. I'd certainly imagine the value of real estate would rise. The problems of the city of Lyle and Klickitat county are beyond the scope of the problem of access to the Klickitat Sandspit.

What makes the area on the south side of highway 14 legal and the north side illegal? I'm calling B.S. on this attempt at a justification as it has a greater affect of raising the visibility.

I am suspicious of the people who continued to park on the south side of the highway. My suspicion is that these people are doing this with the idea that the closure will serve to ensure their private access. I'm not accusing anyone, just a suspicion.

If you focus on the negative, you'll never achieve positive results.

chanson · Since 31 Jan 2006 1873 Posts WISCONSIN Chimey

FYI...

Everytime we(6-8 kiters) camp at Lyle (probably everyweekend in the summer) we support not only the campground host(local), but we buy our beer, food, etc. at the mini-mart. In the a.m. after a good hangover and if we are all out of greasy campfood, we go to the diner..

just saying...

plus, I don't think that's a make or break factor..

Cap · Since 12 Mar 2008 50 Posts Hood River

I received this from a windsurfing/fishing pal who hasn't read nwkite.

I walked down to Chamberlain Lake Sunday to look for carp. I used the trail that the kite boarders use to access the Lyle Spit. On my way back to the truck, I ran into two family groups with fishing poles heading down the tracks. One guy asked me if BN ever gives me trouble about walking the tracks. I told him no, but I have heard that some kite boarers got a ticket this year. He said there had been a BN cop parked across the road from where he parked, so he sat in his car until the BN cop got tired of waiting and drove on. When I got back to the truck, there was a white SUV parked across the road in the dirt lot that a lot of kiters use. It looked just like a state patrol SUV except a closer look revealed that it was a different emblem on the side. Then the BN cop got out, all dressed up in a dark blue uniform, and he crossed the road towards me. I thought I was fucked. I thought I was going to get the full ordeal like Goiney. He walked up and asked me how the fishing was to break the ice. Then he told me he was making contacts today to warn people of the dangers of walking the tracks. He said it makes him cringe to see kids and dos like in the two other parties walking the tracks when they have no idea how fast the trains can appear. He told me they had a fatality there last week. An elderly woman was walking with her daughter. They heard the train and stepped to the side, but the elderly woman didn't move far enough and was whacked by something on the train. He said there had been some close calls this summer with the kiters.

Then he asked for my ID. I thought I was seriously getting in trouble. He wrote down my name and drivers license number, handed my license back, thanked me, then asked me what I was fishing for. Then he went back to his car. No $1000 ticket, no arguments or handcuffs (this time).

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

I really have no idea what causes someone to say something negative about the CGKA.

ITS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS

If you want to help out, volunteer, add input, show up to a meeting.

Its easy to post, much harder to act.

Blue · Since 03 Jul 2007 469 Posts I used to be Obsessed

forrest · Tue Aug 18, 09 3:15 pm

Hardly a comparison between the CGKA and your government. I'm happy to make you a nice website and establish well documented lines of communication for 24% of your income.

It comes down to whether you care about the issues or not. If you do care and you're a member you can read the meeting minutes and know what's going on. If you don't care, then why are you even commenting?

A lot of effort is put into documenting our meetings for the members to read.

strapless101 · Since 17 Aug 2009 82 Posts gorge

"As for Lyle, access location is actually outside of the Lyle city and country limits, so the city of Lyle unfortunately has no input or influence on the situation. As you had mentioned, it is all RR, Forest Service and wildlife habitat jurisdiction. "

This is a rather short sighted view, as the lyle community could rally against the "outside special interests" in forest service hearings, railroad issues, and such. There is already a strong resentment throughout the gorge of "outsiders" telling the residents how things are done. Don't need to fuel this.

This issue is so much greater than the simple crossing of the tracks. Anyway, you all know that the weekends in the summer are high profile, so why are you going there anyway?

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

CGKA has a forum:

http://www.nwkite.com/forums/f-5.html

Yes you do need to be a member to participate, but that's only fair.

Also email: bod@cgka.net

Showing up to a meeting shows you really care though. Its not easy for anyone (sometimes it means driving in from PDX just to meet), but that's what separates those who are willing to put some time in from those who just wanna complain.

Also I think if you were willing to support the CGKA but can't show up to meetings, you could volunteer in other ways. Just ask on the forum. They can always use help!

melokitegirl · Since 28 Oct 2008 396 Posts Where the wind blows Obsessed

I'm just pleased that this discussion is so informative & educational.

M.

Blue · Since 03 Jul 2007 469 Posts I used to be Obsessed

hoarhey · Since 20 Jul 2008 63 Posts the corridor

Pepi and Forest, thanks for the informative update on the CGKA and Lyle.
Forest wanted some more details about the parking lot;

WDOT has declared this an illegal parking lot. It is on Forest Service land and as soon a serious accident occurs, don't be surprised if it gets sealed off. Have you noticed that both entrance/exits are dangerously close to OldHighway 8 and that there is no crosswalk? My wife has on 2 occasions almost his kiters crossing Highway 14. The last time, instead of getting a sheepish "I should have been looking where I was going" look she got an indignant "I'm a pedestrian dude" shrug. As soon as somebody becomes a grease spot because they were in too much of a hurry to get a sesh in to look both ways before they cross, there will be a lawsuit and either WDOT and/or the FS will seal that spot off.

The FS is supposed to create a legal parking lot on the other side of the Klickitat (north and east side) for access to the Klickitat trail.

This still further confounds the access issue at Lyle. Think about it. As soon as a legal crossing is granted (which I am in support of) There will be 100 vehicles parked in Lyle on Saturdays in August because they don't want to kite at the EventSite. Where will they all park?

Good luck to you all. CGKA, keep up the good effort. Consider posting the minutes to your meetings so that non-members can view them.

forrest · Wed Aug 19, 09 9:13 am

Yea, for sure. Parking will be an issue. It's going to be like Rowena is on busy days... First come, first serve.

If all else fails, there is always the option of pursuing a water approach by boat. The Jetty Island crew does it when they want to ride.