The Gorge is my Gym

Good morning!

This week’s report is brought to you by Mosier’s gems: the Thirsty Woman, Good River restaurant and Vine 69 wine bar. The food is awesome at Good River, but tonight is the best night of the week to head to the Thirsty Woman. Why? Because it’s Booze Cruise (I call it the Nacho Ride) out of Mt. View. Join a bunch of people for a ride to the TW for nachos and beer. Afterwards, take a deep breath and get reading for a heart-pounding, death-defying ride back through the Twin Tunnels after dark (bring lights, please). One of you will win $25 at each of the three restaurants this week, so head to Mosier and support our sponsor!

The week is starting off with another round of west winds in the Gorge. A weak system moved through overnight, burying the western Gorge in marine clouds and giving a .13 gradient to start. The cloud line is west of Hood River, so strongest, steadiest wind this morning will be at the Hatchery, Sandbar and Mosier in the 24-27 range, filling in at Doug’s and Maryhill this afternoon, with a possibility of mid-twenties at Roosevelt late in the day It was blowing 26 (thanks, iWindsurf) at the Hatchery at Dawn, so stronger wind is possible for a short period or time this morning. A weak weather disturbance will sideswipe the Gorge today. When that happens, the wind will get gusty, so get it early if you can.

An upper level low drops into eastern Washington tomorrow, setting up another windy day. Timing is going to be everything with this system. If it doesn’t make it to the east side of the Cascades early enough, we’ll see westerlies in the 10-15 range. If it moves east earlier, winds will pick up into the low twenties.

At this point, Wednesday is starting to look light a light wind day, possibly light enough to break the long-lived windy streak. If that happens, it’s time to break out your road bike for a rare light-wind, cool weather ride!

If you’re coming out after work tonight, there’s free Tai Chi at Wilson Park in Hood River at 6pm, and at 6:30, it’s the alternative ride (aka the “Booze Cruise”) out of Mountain View cycles. Please bring along lights for this ride, as we’re not coming back until after sunset. And… as added incentive, Mountain View is giving away a free bike tuneup to one lucky rider this week!

Coming up this week, in the wee hours of the 12th and 13th, it’s the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, where you’ll see up to 100 meteors per hour, along with lots of fireballs, blazing across the northern sky. It’s the best meteor shower of the year, so make plans to be up late!

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 Mosier’s gems: the Thirsty Woman, Good River restaurant and Vine 69 wine bar. While you wait for the wind to pick up this morning, ride your bike to Good River along the Twin Tunnels trail. It’s 7 miles each way, with a total of 1000 feet of climbing, and that earns you the right to eat delicious brunch at Good River, guilt free. You get one chance a week to eat the delicious brunch there, and that chance is today. One of you will win $25 at each of the three restaurants this week, so head to Mosier and support our sponsor!

Today’s going to be another windy day. A passing cold front last night left us with a 5am gradient of .07 in the west and .03 out east and clouds piled up past Hood River. With the clouds this far east, strongest, steadiest wind will be at Mosier this morning, in the 18-22 range, with 13-15 under the clouds from Stevenson to Hood River. With thermal help, winds pick up this afternoon, for 23-26 from Mosier to Maryhill and 14-17 under the chilly, Auguscember marine clouds.

Tomorrow looks windy too as a static setup of the North Pacific High combines with a low pressure trough along the coast for onshore flow and lots of clouds over Portland. Morning wind in the 17-21 range builds to the 23-26 range from the Hatchery to Mosier by afternoon.

It’s starting to look like the wind will back off quite a bit on Tuesday as an upper level low sets up off the Oregon coast, killing the pressure gradient across the Cascades.

For something fun to do off the water today, check out the Trout Lake fair, and while you’re up there, watch some of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Championships, taking place in… Trout Lake, Washington.

Coming up tomorrow, there are the after work specials of free tai chi at Wilson Park in Hood River, along with the Alternative Ride out of Mt. View Cycles, complete with a raffle prize.

Boaters, the White Salmon’s just above 2 feet and the Klickitat’s at 900 cfs.
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 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.