Green Jeep Cherokee

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

Hey, whoever owns a Green Jeep Cherokee & keeps parking on the South Side of the road and BLOCKING the service road of the place we don't talk about... park elsewhere please. It's like a neon sign to the authorities and they will shut it down. That goes for anyone else parking on the south side ... don't do it. Capiche?

Mad

wylieflyote · Sun Aug 04, 13 5:14 am

Was there a gun rack or fishing pole holders? Might be different violators.

jblum · Since 13 Jul 2008 306 Posts The Gorge Obsessed

There were a TON of people there this Friday, mostly out-of-towners. My g/f is learning and was doing the back and forth upwind of the sandbar, walking upwind, getting some of her first longer rides in each direction.

There were these 4 or 5 riders there who just didn't have a clue. They were doing F16s and other big powered tricks / kiteloops and landing in two feet of water just a few meters from where she was learning. It really put her off to the sport and made her very nervous about kiting there. There was another beginner there who was also being nearly landed on by these jerks. Maybe they're the green jeep people too!?

Hopefully they went back home and won't be seen again (until next August), but these skilled riders should take a clue when they see someone walking upwind and barely standing on a board. I'm sure they're "too good" to remember what its like learning, but its scary to have anyone within 100 feet of you when you can barely control your own kite. Please be kind and steer clear of beginners.

Bear · Since 16 Feb 2013 33 Posts Tacoma

Thanks for speaking up. I'm one of those intimidated beginners at the sandbar. I had a young woman continually yelling at me to get out of the way as I was keeping my kite at 12:00. I looked for her later to remind her that she was probably a beginner once. Don't be a dick.

jblum · Since 13 Jul 2008 306 Posts The Gorge Obsessed

Bear-

Not sure if you were on the 7m Yellow Rally on Friday or not, but those guys were way out of line jumping and looping around you guys. What they were doing was dangerous and stupid, both for themselves and others. This is the kind of stuff that will get that site closed down. One ambulance evac at the wrong time (coinciding with a train) and its all over.

Play it safe out there.

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

Thanks for responding to the post. I've been kiting there for many years. There is a "crew". We typically are not very welcoming to new people just because there are so many "rules" and it's a tricky place to kite & gets crowded quickly. I wish I could talk more about the place but we don't want to advertise or encourage new people. I know I sound like a total a-hole. Maybe I am. But for what its worth....

The deal about learning there...stay to the south side & short tack. It's a real pain in the ass to have to maneuver past the beginners because of the shallow nature & submerged logs. If the beginners would do this, then other more experienced folks can start on the north side and start tacking up wind more quickly...getting out of the way. The Hot dogging jerks are on every beach. Pisses me off too. I prefer to bump their kite with mine or tomahawk as close as I can without hurting anyone...clearly sends a message. Yup, I am an a-hole. If the water level is up & launching is from the bushes.... Be sure you have it together: Pump kite first. Lay lines out quickly & get out on the water. Pisses people off when you leave your lines out and then start pumping or are standing there and chatting away when other people are waiting for you. I have the launcher walk in the water and the pilot walks out there also.The kite being south, the pilot north. The only person I see launching in the opposite direction is Mike S. and he is King so he can do whatever the hell he wants. I mean that in the most respectful way.

It is illegal to cross the tracks. You can go over to the other side of the Klic and park there. Swim over. Not a big deal. Some people use a pool floaty for their gear. Just 2 days ago...the RR authorities chatted with an obvious group about to cross over from the North lot & stated that tickets will be issued. They are not pleased. No Bullshit. It happened. The other thing to consider is that sometimes a train will stop there and block the path for hours...no way back unless you crawl under the train with all your gear. Not a good idea. So parking on the east side of the Klic is a better bet.

Your girlfriend learning.... Dude. Just take her to Spi this fall. She will be so much happier.... The place we don't talk about is full of wind holes & hazards. Teaching your lover is insane unless you want her to be mad at you. Just saying from experience. I hope she doesn't give up. I always encourage other women to learn the sport.

Spi Instructors.... Bret Newcomb at Pro Kite & Jason Norwood at Spi Kiteboarding

Wylie... not sure about the gun rack or fishing pole thing. I try to talk to people about the parking in a really nice way. Most people don't know if they haven't kited there before. Education is the key.

Ohhh...and don't forget about the snakes. There was a big pappa rattler hanging out on the path last year & he blends in.....almost stepped on him. Yikes!

Alrighty...well no wind here in The Gorge. Time to go SUP. Hope you all have a fun Sunday..

Cheers! Smile

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

Bear...that was not me yelling at you. I'm on the injured list. But if you were taking up the whole beach from north to south and back again...well, yeah it's not very cool. The kite looping aholes around you need to have their lines cut. Just sayin....

Never ever ever keep your kite at noon in the Gorge. Keep it at 11 or 1. You will get lifted and it could be ugly.

If you ever have questions or need help. My husband Joe kites there all the time. You can't miss him. 6.5 blonde Danish dude. Drives a white Toyota Tundra. I seriously don't think anyone would back talk him if he told them to knock off their bad behavior.... he is a good person to know and rescues a lot of folks. He is a certified instuctor as well. He doesn't put up with a lot of kite shananagans. Introduce yourself. He will give you advice if you ask for it.

MikeZ · Sun Aug 04, 13 1:26 pm

Wow - sounds like a lot of assholes at this spot. Never been there before, but now I'm thinking I should really go out and see what I can do to piss them off.

Other than the parking thing, that is. I don't want to jeopardize access - just piss off assholes...

Campbell · Since 07 Sep 2008 409 Posts Camas, WA Obsessed

"Quit trying to learn to kite until you can get down to SPI"?!? Hmmm, thanks for the advice moneybags! If i were your girlfriend and heard this haughty bullshit i would tell whoever told me this to stick it. this spot is a fantastic place to learn, dont let anybody tell you differently. Lots of people learn there (myself included 5 years ago) and the seasoned riders need to give the newbs a little space. You can't monopolize any area on the river,it's a public place.

Maybe if you took a few minutes and tried to be the least bit helpful instead of tomahawking your kite all over the beach and trying to keep a spot that's not the least bit secret, secret you'd have fewer issues there. I can tell you that these types of attitudes were rampant when i kited there and it sounds like the place hasn't changed a bit.

That said, if you are learning there I would recommend arriving early or beginning late. This gives you fewer kites to navigate and more room to maneuver. Also the wind will probably be a little more forgiving.

This is one of the unique spots in the gorge and needs to be respected both by the new and the experienced. Nowhere else do you get slicks, big swell and a huge sandbar all in one place. Work together people!!

hoarhey · Since 20 Jul 2008 63 Posts the corridor

Very astute comments regarding how advanced and newbies need to respect each others space. So noewbies, if you are keeping your kite at 12 o'clock you obviously weren't taught kite ettiquette. Get those things down to let the other riders (of all experience levels) get by you. There are a couple guys that give lessons there that don't teach that, so learn it and make sure your newbie friends follow it. And spending most of your time learning on the south side and you will stay out of peoples way (great advice).

And stop moving the cement block self launching/landing blocks. There are 2 of them for a reason. one for the bar when its exposed and one for the runway in high water. Stop moving them! It really pisses Mike and me off when we have to go searching for them.

WindSki · Since 14 Dec 2012 411 Posts Portland Obsessed

OK, so what location are we talking about? I can’t read for looking at this two times, I’m still lost as for the location. THERE are locations no beginner should be allowed! Also locations that people really need to, say walk under the RR tracks, don’t lay lines out for long and Never being a beginner to

Halfsharkalligatorhalfman · Since 17 Feb 2012 47 Posts

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N5p8IXzNdc

fisherman · Since 06 Aug 2007 113 Posts Stoked

Green Jeep Cherokee? That doesn't sound like one of those dumb Obama voters who have to be told everything since they can't figure it out on their own. Toyota Prius be more like that. Was there an Obama or Kerry Edwards sticker on the rear bumper of it?

shred_da_gorge · Mon Aug 05, 13 3:45 pm

Pepi · Mon Aug 05, 13 3:59 pm

To bring the topic of conversation back on track.

We have heard via some customers, who are Lyle regular/locals, that the railroad officials have actually spoken to both kiters and non kiters about the track crossing issue and apparently, especially the vehicles parked blocking the emergency access road.

The has happened in the past and it resulted in a few people actually getting $1500 trespass fines (which I think were negotiated down to $500) and the local authorities having legal discussions with CGKA representatives.

Upon the last meetings about this with the authorities, it was agreed that no compromise could be made to improve the access due to the railroads longterm intentions of expanding the railway systems in the next 50-100 yrs and that as long as they didn't see anyone crossing the tracks or parking in any illegal areas, they would basically look the other way.
Last comment - as this section of roadway is designated as a highway, it is actually very illegal to cross the road as a pedestrian, so WSDOT or the Highway Patrol are required to ticket/fine people caught crossing the road.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
It's as simple as that.

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

strapless101 · Since 17 Aug 2009 82 Posts gorge

Come on folks it ain't hard. Stay away from the tracks. This spot isn't a designated learning spot, so be prepared to learn with people throwing down and being A-holes right on top of you. They have just as much of a right to be there. I can ride with 20 of these A-holes and never have an issue, but two idiots with their kites parked overhead take up the entire place.
If you paid for a lesson and they take you here, you've been taken hard. Not one of the instructors who operate (illegally) from this spot is a solid kiter. The only reason they teach from here is because they can't get hired to teach legally.