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LVDWD
Since 04 May 2009
103 Posts
Stoked
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 Fri Jul 19, 13 5:22 pm WS Sandbar Parking Protocol |
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My understanding is this is the preferred way to park at the WS Sandbar:
1. Approach from the West (not the east)
2. Do not stop on the road but immediately back into an available spot assuming no traffic is behind you
3. If there is traffic behind you do a go around (i.e. drive east take a left on 141 turnaround and go west again, turn around on the Underwood road and try again).
Timing it right at the Underwood intersection would help facilitate the no traffic behind you requirement. So waiting at the intersection for a traffic free stretch would help (assuming again no traffic behind you)
Any suggestions welcome. Like everyone else I want to maintain our "right" to park there.
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
698 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Fri Jul 19, 13 6:30 pm Wunderbar parking |
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If traveling West I check out spaces and go past the Underwood turnoff and do a U-turn in the Rt. parking lot, then I wait for no traffic from either direction, pull onto 14 and BACK-IN to my spot. One kiter's vehicle has been hit by a semi and this week the State Patrol was there monitoring the situation. He said with all the issue lately we will lose this spot. We need to police this site and educate the non-locals. I have seen kiters stop on 14 jam up the traffic. If going east, once again check for spot openings and then go down to the Husum left turn and do a U turn and wait for traffic to clear. July and august are very busy on 14. Also if you diagonal park all the way down, we can fit double the cars in. Thank you for your support!
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moondog |
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LVDWD
Since 04 May 2009
103 Posts
Stoked
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| Fri Jul 19, 13 8:25 pm |
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| So what are the police going to do about it-anything?
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LVDWD
Since 04 May 2009
103 Posts
Stoked
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| Fri Jul 19, 13 8:26 pm |
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| I should have said how can we pre-empt the State Patrol from taking the spot away.
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
698 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Fri Jul 19, 13 8:46 pm |
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If you walk west of the parking area and the fence keeping people off the tracks, you will notice "No parking signs" with the arrow going both directions. They don't have those at our parking area, because it was a popular fishing site for 80 years. The difference is we have at least triple the cars parking there compared to the fishermen. My feeling is they will install the same signs and ticket us if we continue to have "hazard issues" at our site. The issues are:1) stopping traffic trying to pull in 2) boneheads crossing the RR tracks 3) front- in parking with no visibility pulling out. The key is educating newbies.
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moondog |
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snowmeltriver
Since 21 May 2006
102 Posts
Little Kentucky
Stoked
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| Mon Jul 22, 13 10:56 am |
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Actual parking should only be done when traveling eastbound on 14.
Turning around at either Cook-underwood road or Alt 141 is VERY important. As moondog states, this is a good chance to time it so no one is behind you when you back in. You must minimize your time maneuvering on Hwy 14. I witnessed two very close calls with kiters pulling out between Thursday and Saturday.
Also- DO NOT pull out of your correctly parked east facing spot and try to immediately do a U-turn to head back west. Pull on to 14 heading east and use alt 141 to turn around. This is a very sketchy spot. Please stay in HR if these basic rule are too much.
Thanks
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
698 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Mon Jul 22, 13 3:12 pm |
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I agree, the most preferred and safe method is traveling east, the turnout past underwood rd. makes this very easy to double back.
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moondog |
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Monica
Since 02 Aug 2006
20 Posts
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| Thu Jul 25, 13 8:10 am slippery sand |
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| Please be careful walking down the trail to the beach. Yesterday I saw someone take a nasty fall while walking on the rocky trail and slipped on sand that someone placed there. Sand is not good on that trail.
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
698 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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| Thu Jul 25, 13 9:41 am |
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Also there are lots of rattlesnakes, a cougar and a honey badger living under the bridge. It is a very dangerous place to access, I would recommend everyone to return to the event site if you value your life!
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moondog |
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Moto
Since 03 Sep 2006
2698 Posts
Still a gojo pimp!
Moto Mouth
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| Thu Jul 25, 13 10:11 am |
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| moondog wrote: | | Also there are lots of rattlesnakes, a cougar and a honey badger living under the bridge |
Wait a second. The are cougars there!!!  Count me in!
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Still rockin gojos, *ssless chaps, and ankle weights! |
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WINDUDE
Since 10 Jun 2010
558 Posts
GORGE!
Addicted
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| Thu Jul 25, 13 1:43 pm |
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everyone should probably just go kite at the event site, it is way better there for sure
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i like to kite the board |
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niknas
Since 18 Sep 2006
181 Posts
North of OR, South of WA
Stoked
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| Thu Jul 25, 13 3:20 pm |
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Stay off! Stay away! Stay alive! 
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| THEY ARE WATCHING |
RR.jpg |
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Current Underwood Cam |
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Jonpnw
Since 22 Jul 2010
1323 Posts
Pacific Northwest
XTreme Poster
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| Fri Jul 26, 13 7:19 am Tourists |
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It was non - kiting tourist on the tracks yesterday taking pictures of the mountain, ALL the while the police man was watching them.
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Slingshot | Ride Engine |Try before you buy | PM me
Join the Columbia Gorge Water Sports Association. http://gorgewindsurfing.org/ |
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niknas
Since 18 Sep 2006
181 Posts
North of OR, South of WA
Stoked
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| Fri Jul 26, 13 7:28 am Local Underwood Newsletter |
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| Quote: | Speaking of the intersection of Cook-Underwood and SR 14…
I have become convinced that something needs to be done with the extremely dangerous situation that has developed since the removal of Condit.
The sailors that are parking along the BN tracks are in need of some sort of organization.
I have had:
1. A sailor slam on her brakes in front of me to pull a u turn to grab a choice space.
2. A load of sailors in a vehicle covered in sponsor decals slow down to view the scene in front of me
while a semi bore down from behind, forcing a rather quick stop by an irate trucker.
3. A lady on foot back out from a blind spot behind a vehicle into the road. She was bent over while
attaching a leash to her dogs collar (at least she was doing right by her dog) causing me to
swerve into the westbound lane. Luckily there was no traffic.
Additionally the person that cuts my hair was returning home with her husband and newborn when a laden gorge mobile with restricted visibility pulled out in front of them without seeing them.
They had to leave some rubber on the road and swerve into the oncoming lane to avoid a collision.
Again, luckily there was no oncoming traffic.
What, if anything, does this group think we need to do?
I would really not wait for something awful to happen before something is done.
Paul
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Current Underwood Cam |
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h2olm
Since 07 Jun 2006
124 Posts
Stoked
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| Fri Jul 26, 13 8:35 am WORRIED ABOUT MY HOME! |
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Good Morning Nik,
This is your neighbor here! Thank you for posting that letter, but it really has me very worried about our home launch! I do agree with the person who wrote the letter. Something does need to be done, but I do hope that we can convince the local people, the police, and the railroad that this is NOT kiters causing the problem. I have seen some really stupid actions down there. I was not even kiting the other day. I was coming back from the Hatchery and turning on to Underwood road. I see a giant RV backing out on to Highway 14 and literally stopping traffic in both directions. Thank goodness there were no 18-wheelers going 50mph then! I also watched a couple who were obviously not kiters heading west and then all of a sudden pull in to an open space head first and crossing the highway to get in. They got out, stayed and watched and took some photos for a total of 5 minutes, then back out on to Highway 14 and was on their way. If something were to happen then, would kiters (or sailors) be to blame?
Can Washington DOT not slow down traffic on Highway 14 in the stretch approaching Underwood Road and Highway 141? I've seen near misses from people heading east and turning on to Highway 141, and that is in the off season with no kiters out.
Is there any way to convince to local residents of Underwood to realize that this problem is not being caused by kiters and sailors alone. Yes, it is becoming a problem, but can we work to solve the problem and NOT just close off one of the most beautiful launches on the planet?!???! People stop there anyway just to take pictures of The Gorge, Mount Hood, and all of the activities going on in the River.
If you kite there, please help protect my home launch and be aware that you are parking along a very busy highway.
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niknas
Since 18 Sep 2006
181 Posts
North of OR, South of WA
Stoked
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| Fri Jul 26, 13 8:41 am |
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I did reply to the Underwood Newsletter with this response:
| Quote: | This is not a new problem. Before the removal of the Condit Dam this spot was a extremely popular fishing spot. Parking on both sides of 14 and along Cook-Underwood road with camping along 141. Fishing was done off off the Highway 14 bridge. I am sure we remember when this congestion with fishermen casting lines off the bridge, running access the highway from one side to the other. Just like the fishing season the wind season is short and soon everything will return to normal.
This is a dangerous spot when people throw common sense to the wind (no pun intended). The first item to be attended to is a reduced speed limit. The state has posted signage at other high use recreational road warning drivers to slow down. (i.e. Swell to the Hatchery, Dougs Beach). This would not only help the water parking access but it might help cut down on the accidents at the intersection of 141 and 14 (two this year alone). Sadly there have been several fatalities on the RR tracks over past years. Of those none were water users. Grandmother and grand child walking down the tracks, photographers standing on the tracks to get that perfect shot of Mt Hood. Signage helps but beyond building a 8 foot fence all of the way to the Spring Hatchery there is not much we can do about human behavior.
The worst thing we could do is shut this area down. Not only would you create a lot of unhappy tourist you would also take away a very popular spot for those of us who live here.
The Kiteboarding community is very aware of the problem here and they are trying to educate the new users to be careful and respectful of the highway parking and staying off the RR tracks. http://www.nwkite.com/forums/post-182801.html#182801
Please be patient with the users of this spot and encourage the State to reduce the speed limit before there is a serious accident.
Thank for reading this,
Nick |
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Current Underwood Cam |
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Jonpnw
Since 22 Jul 2010
1323 Posts
Pacific Northwest
XTreme Poster
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| Fri Jul 26, 13 8:45 am CGKA ? |
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Is this where the CGKA gets involved? Save this launch
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Slingshot | Ride Engine |Try before you buy | PM me
Join the Columbia Gorge Water Sports Association. http://gorgewindsurfing.org/ |
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