The Gorge is my Gym

Due to a scheduled outage with our internet provider this morning, I had to make a best guess forecast for the radio last night. That can get really embarrassing, but I think it worked out okay today. It’s a tricky forecast today, with southerly flow, a chance of rain, and possible thunderstorms. There’s already one strong storm cell just north of Roosevelt. It looks like we’ll see 17-20 through the whole Gorge this morning, picking up to 23-26 in the eastern Gorge this afternoon. However, if the thunderstorms really kick in out east, the wind will be a lot lighter than the models suggest.

The Clymb: free membership.
Access to super cheap gear including Trew, Zeal, Sierra Designs, and many more.

The wind forecast tomorrow is a bit easier as that coastal low pressure system will be out of the picture. Westerlies blow in the 17-20 range from Stevenson all the way out to Arlington in the morning, As a system crosses the Cascades midday, the wind will get gusty everywhere but Arlington, where the wind will blow 25-27 tomorrow afternoon.

A weaker weather system moves through on Thursday, for westerlies in the 16-19 range in the western Gorge and 24-26 in the eastern Gorge.

We have the usual free group sports going on this week. Tonight is the free ladies standup paddle night at the Event Site. Check Big Winds’ website bigwinds.com to make sure it’s happening. Also tonight is the Tuesday night Tri practice, happening no matter what the weather does.

Tomorrow night is the Post and Pinot ride. All gals, no matter your pace, are welcome to join this mountain bike ride leaving Dirty Fingers Bike Repair at 5:30. Stick around after the ride for prize drawings and wine tasting! Tomorrow is also the Kayak Shed’s shop paddle, with one group running the class II+ lower White Salmon and one group running the class III middle White Salmon.

Have an awesome day today!

Temira

p.s. If you find this report useful, entertaining, or just want to recognize all the hard work that goes into it, please take the time to make a donation by clicking on the sad-looking link below. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til June 2012, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.

Windsurfers, remember that the Big Winds Big Loop contest is on through Wednesday. Get a video of yourself throwing a forward or back loop and post it to Big Winds Facebook Page and you could win some great prizes. For the rest of you, check out the Big Winds facebook page for those videos.

Today’s not going to be the day to make videos, as we’ll have light wind all day today with a chance of west 5-10 late this afternoon. It looks like we’ll get some rain late in the day today, hopefully enough to refresh the mountain bike trails. They’re getting pretty dusty. If we don’t get enough rain for the Post refresh, we should get enough on the 44 trails, as they’re higher up.

The Clymb: free membership.
Access to super cheap gear including Trew, Zeal, Sierra Designs, and many more.

Tomorrow looks a little better wind-wise, even though it’s not a classic Gorge setup. There’ll be low pressure off the coast and low pressure in the desert, so we’ll see clouds and rain, but we’ll see west wind too. We should have a quick build to 17-20, building to 22-25 tomorrow afternoon with the strongest wind between Mosier and Maryhill.

On Wednesday, the wind will be a bit stronger as the low pressure moves away from the coast, leaving us with a system parked in the desert.. We’ll see 20-23 in the morning from Hood River eastward, picking up tot 24-27 from Rowena eastward in the afternoon.

On Tuesday night, if the weather permits, you can head to the Event Site in Hood River for the free Big Winds Ladies’ standup paddle night. That starts at 5:30. Also on Tuesday is the free Hood River Triathlon night at 6pm at the east end of the event site. Wednesday brings both the Kayak Shed’s shop paddle and the Dirty Fingers Bike Repair Post and Pinot ride. I’m finding Wednesday to be pretty tough, because I want to paddle and I want to go on the shop ride. I wish there were two of me. But then again, one Temira is probably plenty.

Have an awesome day today!

Temira

p.s. If you find this report useful, entertaining, or just want to recognize all the hard work that goes into it, please take the time to make a donation by clicking on the sad-looking link below. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til June 2012, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.