The Gorge is my Gym

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by Gath Helmets. Wearing a helmet is really cool. Seriously. Check out pro bike racers, pro skiers, pro kayakers and pro snowboarders. They’re all really cool (except for the doping bike racers), and they all wear helmets. Be like them. Wear a helmet. Check out some of the cool styles from Gath here. Gath helmets are thin, light and close-fitting, and they last forever. You’ll barely notice they’re on, until you smack your head (or someone runs into your head) and you realize you’re still alive. Get a Gath. One of the email subscribers is going to win a free Gath helmet this week. That’s like getting an extra life. (and if you’re not on the list, subscribe by clicking the donate button below for a suggested $10 donation.)

It’s going to be really hot and not windy at all today, so if you’re not in an air-conditioned office, grab your kayak, your standup paddle board, your air mattress, your inflatable alligator or your ski boat, and head to the closest water for some relief from the 100 degree heat.

Tomorrow’s going to be really hot and too, but if we get really lucky, we’ll see some relief – and some wind – in the afternoon as marine air starts to push inland. The timing of this marine push is tough to call, so I’ll just say there’s a 10% chance of 15-18 at Stevenson by 4pm and in Hood River by 6:30pm. Like I said, we’re going to need some luck to get enough west wind tomorrow to get on the river.

If the wind doesn’t come back Tuesday, it’s going to return with a vengeance on Wednesday as a low pressure trough sets up along the coast, sending a solid marine push into Portland. Models are underpredicting the wind on this one, I think. We can expect mid-twenties on Wednesday morning as cloudy Portland teams up with the blazing hot desert for a good west wind day.

Coming up this evening, there’s free Tai Chi, Bikram-style, at Wilson Park in Hood River at 6pm. Also tonight is the Alternative ride, a casual cruise from Hood River to Msoier and back, leaving Mountain View cycles at 6:30pm. If you brave the heat and come on that bike ride, you’re in the running for some sort of cool raffle prize from the shop.

Boaters, the White Salmon’s just under 2 feet and the Klickitat’s at 850cfs. If you’re not a boater yet, today’s a great day to take some lessons and beat the heat!

Have a great 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 button at the bottom of the page. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til May 2011, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by Gath Helmets. Preventable deaths suck, so wear a helmet and spare your friends a lot of misery. Don’t tell me you hit your head more when you’re wearing a helmet, because that’s the dumbest statement I’ve ever heard. Don’t tell me helmets look dorky. Check out some of the cool styles from Gath here. Gath helmets are thin, light and close-fitting. You’ll barely notice they’re on, until you smack your head (or someone runs into your head) and you realize you’re still alive. Get a Gath. I’d be dead a couple of times over without mine. One of the email subscribers is going to win a free Gath helmet this week. That’s like getting an extra life. (and if you’re not on the list, subscribe by clicking the donate button below for a suggested $10 donation.)

Now, for the forecast. First off, congratulations to Lars Berstrom, who dominated the King of the Hook Contest Yesterday, winning three categories. Congratulations also to Macrae and Fiona Wylde for taking the tandem class and Jacquie Barone for winning the women’s event! I’m starting to think that’s going to be my next step in windsurfing… back to the 1980’s and beyond. Longboard freestyle is cool!

It’s looking like a very hot and not very windy day today, as high pressure across the Cascades has knocked gradients down quite a bit this morning. We might see east winds in the 10-15 range near Stevenson this morning, but even that breeze will back off this afternoon as temperatures climb near 100 in Portland, Hood River, and The Dalles.

Tomorrow looks like today, with light wind and highs near 100. It looks like the west winds will return late on Tuesday or Wednesday morning. The strength of those winds is in question, as the marine push will come from an upper level low off the coast, and that can minimize gradient strength. So, we’re going to have to wait and see. Surprises are fun, right?

If you’re looking for ways to cool off today, think about hiking to a waterfall, doing some standup paddling, going whitewater rafting (with Wet Planet, because they run the Class IV section above BZ, and nobody else does) or heading to one of the great swimming holes in the Gorge (Punchbowl, Mosier, Dog Creek, Tucker Bridge…)

If you’re around Hood River this afternoon with a dirty car, head on down to the British Pub from 1pm to 5pm. Clair #2 from 2nd Wind is putting on a bikini car wash from 1 to 5 pm to raise money to pay for her 5 meter gray Slingshot Fuel that was stolen. If you have the kite, you can drop it at the car wash or 2nd Wind, no questions asked. Otherwise, just come down and get your car washed!

Boaters, the White Salmon’s just under 2 feet and the Klickitat’s at 850cfs.

Have a great 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 button at the bottom of the page. For a suggested donation of $10, I’ll add you to the email version of this list ‘til May 2011, putting you in the running for cool prizes donated by the weekly sponsors.