To the sea ...

Long time no riding. Feels that way anyway. Forecast looked like it might be worth a trip to the seaside in Mie, over the hills and not-so-faraway.

Wife wanted to come so naturally, we ended up leaving late - I'd planned on leaving at 12-ish but we didn't get out of the driveway until 1. So I took the highway and hauled ass!

Got to the carpark just after 2 - not a bad effort. Wind was picking up slowly. I hummed and harred about what kite to use - the beach looked not as trashed as usual but was tight, with people in tents (?!?) and kids making spiked death traps out of sticks. So I went for the Cab 16 instead of the Speed3 ...

Started out riding crosswind only on the Flyradical so I came back in for the Flydoor. Better, going upwind easily. As the wind picked up gradually, things got more fun then I switched back to the Flyradical. Sometime in between all that, I had to replace the straps on the 'door cos now the right hand one is slipping - new design is easy to adjust but totally can't handle the strain!

Had a pretty good day; nothing fabulous but it beat the ass off of not riding. Some jumps were ok but nothing that'd make me go Whee! Mwa-hahaha! Ahoy! etc. I did some really nice downloop transitions, either 'carving' or jumping. So tired now I can't remember exactly what I did but one of them made me cackle with glee ...

Wind died right off and I gave up. Must have been just after 4:30 so I got off the water ... and discovered that I hadn't attached my leash when I relaunched the kite :o
Shook my head, then packed up and headed home.

Noticed as I was rolling up the kite that my right knee hurt when I kneeled on it - wonder if that time I dropped the board off one foot twisted that knee ... seems ok now though. Oh and I sliced up the bottom of my left foot on shells.

Not a bad effort for someone suffering from the flu.

Mood of the Session was satisfied happy tired.

Moment of the Day was getting the timing and kite control just right so I could land jumps on the faces of waves and surf away! Nailed everyone I attempted - sweet feeling!

Weather was reported as 8 knots at 2pm, climbing to 16 at 4 then falling off again; gusts to 20 at 3pm ... at around 23°C 62%, more or less.
Wind felt like I should have been more powered. Even when I WAS powered, I didn't go upwind much ... tide was coming in, I think ...

What I learned today ...
• The mong on the Waroo and directional is a dangerous, erratic little man. By way of confirmation, he parked his kite in the trees at the end of the day.
• Check your leash is attached :o
• Probably should have tried out the Mako instead of the 'radical ...
• The 'door has a bit of a hard time in the big choppy sloppy conditions ... bounced and slapped around a bit.
• I love my lake!
• I love my Sharks too ;)