Bamboo Board

   In the name of green building and not adding to the land fill space I have had the intention of making a strapless kiteboard out of  an old sailboard I had in the garage. Since the lakes have all been closed off  due to heavy rains it gave me plenty of free time to finally do something about it.
   It is an old clarkfoam blank but I decided to put a layer of bamboo over it for durability. It is not the lightest configuration but a vacuum bagged deck and bottom with wet layup of epoxy and glass seems to have created a solid board. I used Futures fin boxes for strength so hopefully all those groundings will not do too much damage.
  One quick, light wind session gives me enough confidence in it that I can say it rides quite well, now to get some stronger winds and see how well it takes landings.
  Kino is pretty impressed that his profile gets to go kiteboarding too.

A Little Tired

   July for most people is the real start to summer but in Texas summer seems to start in May and be the time it gets to July survival seems to be the main goal. The heat and humidity starts beating you down and everything starts to look a little wilted. I found a perfect example in the yard this morning with a Black wing Swallowtail butterfly missing his tails, landing on an echinacea bloom that has some frazzled edges and a bit faded color. We are all a little haggard after a few hot summer days.

A tired Black wing Swallowtail lands on a faded Echinacea bloom.

Celebrating World Surfing Day

Since I live in a land locked area of Texas, I usually celebrate World Surfing Day by going online and looking at all the great surf people get to enjoy around the world. Every now and then the wind will coincide and at least I can go windsurfing or kiteboarding and get my surf that way. This year with all the rain from Tropical Storm Bill the Trinity River has come up again and I got to enjoy the day, standing on a board, surfing a wave, that I actually paddled onto. It may be in a river and the water may not be salty but it was real surfing and I had a blast.

Surfing!

From above!

On a River!

Endless Waves

   Amazingly, the water is still running high on the Trinity River after a week and the daily surf sessions continue. I had company today with Tom Pennington and a few other kiteboarding friends making an appearance for a great morning of endless waves.

Surfing Again

  And on the second day the sun came out, but the river went up so I went back for some more riversurfing. The wave is easier to catch but smooths out and you can not turn as far out on it. Still loads of fun.

A ride on the Trinity River on a sunny day.

The sun sets over a puddle.

Surfing on a River

Catching a ride on a wave on the West Fork of the Trinity River.

   The month of May in Texas has been a sequence of deluge storms raising lake levels and filling streams far over their banks. With that much water flowing down stream, some of the low water damns in the area start to form perfect standing waves. On the West Fork of the Trinity River just down stream of the spillway at Lake Worth there is one of these waves with an eddy that is strong enough to pull flotsam right up to the wave. Watching for a minute, it becomes obvious that on a surfboard with a quick paddle it would put a rider right into the wave and for some great rides. This morning, that is exactly what I did. To the sheer amusement of a couple of folks passing by, I rode an endless wave for hours till the water level started to go back down. Getting kicked out just meant a quick tumble in the wash cycle created by the waves and a quick escalator ride right back to the start. Perfect example of the old saying,"If you get lemons, make lemonade."

Red Flame in the Bush

Vibrant colors and contrasts.

   For most of the spring Patty and I have been seeing the bright red splash of color of a male Cardinal flitting around the kitchen window. Every now and then the less flamboyant female C

That is one pissed off Cardinal.

ardinal would make an appearance at the bird feeder by the kitchen window as well. We see the species every year, but this pair seemed to stay really close by. Mowing the lawn I found out why as the male raised a ruckus and kept throwing up his crown as I moved around. It turns out they built a nest along the north side of the house.
  I took a few pictures of him as he threw his tantrum but did not want to disturb the home. As I look at the images, I am just blown away by the vibrance of the color and beauty of such a simple species. No wonder our heart races whenever we see a flash of red shoot among the branches in the woods.

Old World History

  The world over you see children playing with futbols, known in the United States as soccer. In the Dominican Republic this afternoon, I was getting a little lesson in History at the oldest convent in the New World, Convent de las Domnicanas in the old town section of Santo Domingo. In the space between the chapel and the rectory is a beautifully tiled courtyard which created a perfect playing field for a group of local youths. Old school abounds everywhere and it lends itself to new school games.

Church and futbol go hand to foot in the D.R.

Storms in Spring

Sunset after a spring storm.

   Spring time in Texas brings rather turbulent atmospheric conditions with it. Thunderstorms that can escalate to rather severe storms including some really violent tornados. Luckily this sky resulted from only a passing shower and the Ft. worth Middle School City Track meet was able to run the full course after just a slight delay. In the meantime, the skies created a wonderful sunset for event winners to enjoy.

Christian Fell tries to touch the sky.

Sprinting for the finish of the 4x100 relay.

Another Johnson Win

  Spent another night at Texas Motor Speedway, this time for the Duck Commander 500 Nascar Sprint Cup race. An evening sitting on the roof of a big building getting the view that most people get of a NASCAR race on TV. Kind of cool to see the whole race from above, and I get to turn the camera where I want and not wait for the replay to swing that way. Had a bunch of friends to hang with since the lights are so bright every bug within a days flight seems to be swirling around them. They were trying to get their own view of Jimmie Johnson winning his 5th race at the Texas venue. Not a bad evening at all on a comfortable spring evening, but all the action really made me long for a cold beer.

That is the view, cars going round and round.

Rain held off but made for a really nice evening.

LAte race cautions bring frantic pitstops.

A late restart and Johnson is still leading.

A few of my friends on the roof.

Johnson sparks the fireworks.

The obligatory donuts.

Tiny BMW

     Here in the big state of Texas, everyone loves big luxury sedans. When you look on the streets in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, by the count BMW sedans are considered some of the best since there are so many around with the big 5 and 7 series out sizing even some of the traditional american luxury boats. Most of those owners don't know that the firm used to build one of the most unusual and tiniest of the subcompacts around. The Little Isetta 300 which was so small it only had one door and it opened forward.
   Dick Coup has restored one and gets a laugh wherever he goes with it. When he climbs out past the steering wheel it is completely understandable. It makes the ultimate clown car, but I doubt that you could fit more than the suggested number of occupants regardless how unusual their costumes are.

The 13 hp one cylinder BMW Isetta 300.

A turnkey to amuse kids, and a number 3 for the adult race fans. 

Dick Coup gets a chuckle from the unusual entry.

Kitesurf Video

  Spending time outside and burning a little energy is always a favorite pass time for me. Usually I am way too impatient to document any of it though, so there is not much in the way in proof of the foolish escapades I seem to get into. Last week, with the first really warm day of spring and just a light breeze on the lake I decided to try out a new extension grip I made for my gopro camera. It still needs a little work on the angels and I need a way to attach it to me while I am not shooting (one handed kite steering is a bit difficult) but overall it works pretty well and gives a neat angle of view. https://vimeo.com/124149000?utm_source=email&utm_medium=clip-transcode_complete-finished-20120100&utm_campaign=7701&email_id=Y2xpcF90cmFuc2NvZGVkfDRkMDE2ZDI5NjFiN2UxZjI2ZmNjNmI4MjVkZjA0YWU3NzAxfDIwNjg0NTl8MTQyODI0OTQ4M3w3NzAx

Fairy Meadows in Canada

 

Tom Lehnt dropping over a wind cornice.

The group hiking across Granite Glacier.

The Heli dropping off supplies.

Climbing past the "Claw".

The Fairy Meadows hut on a moonlit night.

After many years of adventuring into the mountains of the Western United States, I had the feeling I knew about the grandeur of the Rockies. I wanted to get a different perspective and thought that seeing them from a Canadian viewpoint might give me a new appreciation. Oh how wrong I could be. The Canadians see the mountains differently because they are. The mass and sheer size of them breaks horizon like rows of jagged teeth that overlap endlessly for as far as the eye can see. The snow comes in layers and quantities that cover any roughness with pillows that sprout like mushrooms in folds of white.
   After spending a week in a remote winter ski hut in the Selkirks of British Columbia called Fairy Meadows and climbing for every turn I was able to make, I have a completely new appreciation of mountains and what they can mean to the soul. How humans connect with their environment and it changes them. Oh how it changes them.

Return of Winter

Sunset mountain bike ride.

  After a full day of "suffering" thru Snowmage
don in Texas, it really makes me want to jump back a week to a nice evening mountain bike ride at Marion Sansom Park in Ft. Worth. Warm enough for shorts and a gorgeous sunset to boot. I really thought at the time that winter was over. A real surprise to see it come back with such a roar.

Ugg prints in the sleet.

The monkey grass is getting monkeyed with.

Mavs Roundball

It is all about the hair.

  With the football season over, the Dallas area is finally on to cheering for the round ball sports like basketball. The Dallas Mavericks are well into their season, just struggling with injuries as they played the Minnesota Timberwolves, defeating them 100 to 94. Lots of action and all the show that happens between with the Dallas Mavericks Dancers keeps all the fans entertained.

Mavericks Mascot Chance

The dancers start the show

Minnesota's Thaddeus Young fights with Dallas' Richard Jefferson

Dancing in the limelight

Dancing Loud

Dirk Nowitzki gets mugged.

Smiles and cheers

Mavericks Richard Jefferson defends against 'Wolves Andrew Wiggins

Rushing the court

Little Ski Gem

   Gems come in all sorts of colors and styles, even if you are not referring to stones. They can be harder to find but sometimes that is what makes them valuable. Finding the type of destination that fits the criteria, especially for an adventure holiday makes the feeling ever so much more special. Ski Cooper, a tiny ski area virtually on the back side of the mega resorts of Vail, Keystone and Breckenridge is the jewel on the crown of those in the know. A mix of terrain in the shadow of the Chicago Ridge and without a snow cannon in sight. It is located just down the road from Leadville, Colorado, the highest town in the United States. The wooden structures bring back an era of wooden chalets in the mountains without a mega-mansion or resort hotel in sight.  With the friendliest rental crews and lift operators that will carry on conversations with you over multiple laps, you feel like a local on the first visit. Catch it on a day of fresh snow and the grin on your face at the bottom Nightmare may never come off again. And isn't fun the name of the ski game anyway.

Looking for lines on your next lap.

The classic wooden lodge.

Ripping fresh lines under the 10th Mountain Chair.

Watching the hardy get ready for another assault.