The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
Before you read on, please remember that this report (wind, snow and events, year round, almost every day – WOW!) is brought to you free of charge. It’s my hobby, but it’s valuable to you, and I put it out here free so you can make the most of your free time. But there are five times as many people using the forecast for free as there are making donations. We all know windsurfers and kiters and skiers can make a small donation to keep a good thing going. So we’re trying something through Labor Day. You can get this forecast as an email for $12. That gets you in the running for a few prizes here and there, and from now on it’ll give you consistency (on the 98% of days I write a forecast. Admit it, that’s pretty amazing for one chick working by herself!). Here’s the scoop: If I get donations totaling $15 or more on a given day, I’ll post a forecast the next day. If not, only the people on the mailing list get the forecast. Thanks for understanding that I have to make a living, and thank you for your support!
Tomorrow’s forecast status: 
8:19am. Thank you for the donations!
Today’s sponsor: Celilo Inn, The Dalles. When you’re visiting The Gorge, you need a place to stay. Hood River’s a little short on hotel rooms and vacation rentals. So, try The Dalles, up-and-coming with yummy food and fun bars with a we-live-here-not-just-vacation-here vibe. Where do you stay? Celilo Inn on the east hill above town, with spectacular views of the river and the dam and locks. Suite rooms with views of the Columbia. Big pillow-top mattresses. A pool. A fire pit. A mini gym. Adventure packages with whitewater rafting and wine tours. And it’s not just for tourists: Celilo Inn can give you locals an escape from the crazy summer bustle of Hood River. .
There’s not going to be much wind this weekend, but at least there’s a lot going on to keep you entertained. The wind forecast includes light west wind this morning, switching to light east wind this afternoon. Tomorrow starts off with east wind at 15-18, swinging around to the west at 10-15 late in the afternoon. If you’re sticking around past the weekend, the west wind will be back for you in the low to mid twenties on Monday.
Since you’re not windsurfing or kiting, there’s plenty to do today and tomorrow. Of course, cycling is always great when there’s no wind, and so is standup paddling. But wait, there’s more: Today is the Double-Damned sailboat race from Stevenson to The Dalles… hopefully they get enough wind to pull it off, although I would be really surprised if they make it past Viento, let alone Hood River. Also today, there’s the Wild Woman offroad marathon and an ice-cream making party at the Parkdale library from noon to 2pm.
Coming up this evening, from 5-8, weather permitting, it’s the King of the Hook old-school, longboard freestyle contest at the Hook. Check CGWA’s website, gorgewindsurfing.org, around noon to see if the event is on or off. Wind or no wind, Toy Story 3 plays at Jackson Park in Hood River at dusk tonight.
Coming up tomorrow, Cascade Locks hosts the OBRA short-track bicycle racing event on the EasyCLIMB trail. This is a score for Cascade Locks, so let’s show the organizers that the Gorge is rad by having a lot of spectators. Come on down and cheer on the racers!
Finally, don’t forget that it is the Perseid Meteor Shower this weekend. Best viewing will be in the wee hours of Sunday morning and Monday morning, but you’ll still see plenty of shooting stars if you’re out after dark tonight.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
