I Curl my Toes

I grunt during times of extreme exertion. It's like a low growling noise deep in my throat. I usually don't even notice that I'm doing it because I'm pretty focused on living through whatever I'm doing, but later my throat feels sore, my voice is hoarse, and I know why. Sometimes on a big jump, which for me is anything over 12", I catch myself doing it. "Stop it", I yell at myself! It would be very embarrassing if anyone knew that I was doing it but luckily nobody notices. Unless I do it during sex. Or I have the poor judgement to write about it on a blog. There are worse things than grunting like a warthog when I'm having fun. Sometimes I curl my toes. I also grimace and fart. Brad at Corporation Lip Smackin' Good! I grunted and farted my way downwind from Mayflower to Corporation with 5 energetic kiters. Lotsa wind, lotsa waves, lotsa smiles! Downwinder, Mayflower to Corporation, W, 14-35, 6M RPM/Mako150, with Brad, Jean, KiterMike, Kristof, Chuckie.

Power of Suggestion

Sunrise I tell Brad that I'm planning on being at Chapin around 8:00 AM. He says he's going to be there around 6:00. What?! That's way too early for me. I want to get a good night sleep. The last thing I think of when I'm drifting off to sleep is how early I would have to get up if I wanted to get there at 6:00. But I don't want to get there at 6:00. I want a good night sleep. My internal alarm clock goes off at 4:00. I try to get back to sleep. I look at the clock. I tell myself sleep... sleep...  Thoughts of kiting start to creep in. Sleep... sleep... I finally give in to the inevitable, roll out of bed with a thud, crawl downstairs, get in the truck and drive to Chapin. I'm there at 6:00. The parking lot is empty. Brad stayed local. Good. I was worried it would be too crowded. I get a beautiful sunrise session in Chapin's kiddies pools on my kite, then a sunset session on my new inflatable stand-up-paddle board at Nantasket on the way home. These days are getting way too short. I'm glad I got up early! Many thanks to Brad. Sunset Nantasket, SUP'ed, 2' to 3' waves, Solo. Chapin, Kitesurfed, 12-25, NE, 14M Rally/ Flx138, with Frank, Andre, Colleen, Kristof, Chriz, Kitermike, Igor, Ivan, Alex, Others.  Chapin meter- seems to read low in NE by about 3 to 5 MPH.

Kiter's Hair

How does this happen to me?!  My hair is completely covered with a helmet and fleece hoodie, but when I get home after kiting my mane is standing straight up, massively windblown. Every time. It looks like I tried to use my hair as a kite. Neighborhood kids run away and hide. My wife admires my wall of hair and comments on it's impressive vertical drop. I look like a wild animal, from Mars. Is kiting worth this grotesque disfigurement? Should I give it up so I can once again look the part of a respectable husband, neighbor and citizen? I'll let you know when I decide. FE- was sweet today! I spent an hour or two carving out some private time in the Herring River slick. Had it all to myself. It was good even a few hours after high tide. Then I got social and kited with the crew in the tidal flats for the rest of the day. Tide Chart- IKitesurf tide chart for Chapin was closer than the FE tide chart. First Encounter, Kitesurfed, NW, 10-25, 14 M Rally/FLX 138, with Frank, Chriz, Andre, Colleen, Peter, Barry, Kate, Others.

Overstaying my Welcome

Well, we had fun for an hour or 2. Then the wind got crappy. I refused to accept reality, switching to a bigger board and still struggling to go upwind, happily waving goodbye to everyone else as they packed up and left. I stayed. I did pathetic downwinders into the marsh and walked it back out, flirting with an upwind and uptide swim if I couldn't kite out. I had to drop my kite in the marsh and struggle to relaunch it before I finally recognized my folly and called it quits. There's always one fool who doesn't know when the party's over. First Encounter, Kitesurfed, NW, 8-18, 14M Rally/ Flx138 & Mako King, with Frank, Jamie, 1 other.