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Winter riding
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Juani222



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:43 pm    Post subject: Winter riding Reply with quote

Hey guys!

What's the deal with winter riding on the Gorge? I see a lot of posts on Mexico but nothing on the nuke fest we're about to have at Rooster this week. Is anybody riding in the winter? I'd like to hook up with the winter riders mainly for safety. I'm not discouraged by the cold (or rain, snow, etc... I've broken through ice to get to the water more than once), but maybe I'm missing some local knowledge here...

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trudynlary



Joined: 29 Sep 2014
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are a few fools, myself, Larry, Tom and Rich, that sail Rooster all winter long. Tomorrow might be too cold, and Wednesday definitely looks too cold. Larry might be out in his dry suit. Will load gear in case it gets above 45 degrees. Looks like it will blow all day and into the night.

We usually sail when it gets 50 degrees or above, sometimes we have to wear gloves. I usually only last 1 hour in the cold weather (under 45 degrees). Watch the Rooster Cam for us. There are bathrooms to change into your wetsuit.

http://pdxgreen.com/Roostercam.aspx

Trudy Lary
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Juani222



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great to hear that there are others who like winter riding. This week I will miss it (Friday is my only day off), but I'll post during the winter before going, as I said, mostly for safety...

Hope so se you there!

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trudynlary



Joined: 29 Sep 2014
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Email me at trudynlary@gmail.com and I will connect you with Larry, we mainly use email to connect up during the winter.
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trudynlary



Joined: 29 Sep 2014
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I actually got hot sailing today, water was warm for Rooster Rock, over powered on my 2.7. Here is Larry Johnson on this 2.8. I did need gloves


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biffmalibu



Joined: 30 May 2008
Posts: 556

PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it FUN? Smile
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

biffmalibu wrote:
Is it FUN? Smile

Well, it sure is macho ... as in Spanish for "stupid". I've done it several times (so call me stupid), and know two people who still do it (the third one died trying). I ask them if they're aware that there are other winter water sports with much higher safety ratings and benefit ratios, readily available on many mountains.

Juani222 wrote:
mostly for safety...

A couple of other "Riders" ... sailors ... will have little if any effect on your safety in extreme winds and temperatures. We've had guys get in very serious trouble -- literally almost die -- with hypothermia and/or fatigue even in crowds, near-summer temps, and ordinary winds, simply because rescues often require others recognizing the problem, finding help if necessary, getting the right people and equipment on-scene, actually performing the rescue, and in some cases getting an ambulance on site in time. None of those is likely in blizzard conditions. I always consider and prepare* myself to be on my own when windsurfing, because I probably will be and often am.

*Insulation, fuel, hydration, preflight gear check, launching from an onshore wind venue, self-rescue contingency plan including swimming a mile and landfall on some hostile shoreline if -- no, WHEN -- my gear, body, or the wind break. Each and every one of those has paid off for me, especially countless long swims. Add ice water, icy gale force winds, and non-existent crowds to the equation and the threat is multiplied by at least ten and the odds of rescue may be reduced by ten. Some of the best sailors I regularly sail with have had to rescue themselves from life-threatening scenarios; I was lucky to destroy my knee in July, not November, 'cause even in Fourth of July crowds I was on my own a kilometer offshore and somewhat downwind. Had that been winter I wouldn't be here.

Think Snow.
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beaglebuddy



Joined: 10 Feb 2012
Posts: 1120

PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike, are you saying you would have died when you hurt your knee if it had been in the winter?
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I injured the leg near the Arlington silos, so had to drag my butt a kilometer back across the river then drag my leg maybe 1/3 of mile back upwind to Roosevelt; there's no way I could have climbed out of the river at the Arlington launch. That probably took me an hour. Had the water and air temps been in the 30s, as they so often are in the winter, I'd have been at real risk of not making it. My hands would have quickly become useless, I get severe vertigo when my neck or head get chilled, and I've seen folks disabled by hypothermia in water tens of degrees warmer. WSers have died in much more benign conditions than even moderate Gorge winter conditions. I'm reasonably comfortable sailing with no booties, gloves, or hood in air/water temps of 50/46, but since cold water sucks our heat away 25 times faster than does cold air, safety prevails.
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westender



Joined: 02 Aug 2007
Posts: 1288
Location: Portland / Gorge

PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Winter riding Reply with quote

The deal is, it can be uncomfortable now and possibly life threatening in the winter when the water is cold and the wind's more than you can handle. Don't plan on a rescue by other sailors.

Juani222 wrote:
Hey guys!

What's the deal with winter riding on the Gorge? I'm not discouraged by the cold (or rain, snow, etc... I've broken through ice to get to the water more than once), but maybe I'm missing some local knowledge here...
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