The Gorge is my Gym

First off, if you’re a windsurfer or a kiter, you should be at the Hatchery this morning to help CGWA with their annual hatch work party. Da Kine has kicked down a bunch of swag, so you’ve got double the reason to help out.

Second, on behalf of everyone in HR without 4WD, I’d thank you to everyone who took the time to vote yes on the gas tax. It passed yesterday by the slim margin of three votes. Yes, your vote did make a difference, and yes, there will be snowplows and streetsweepers in Hood River this winter!

Plus, it’s going to be windy at the Hatchery. The early gradient was at .14, and the North Pacific High is rocking the coast. This is an ideal setup, so we’ll see 26-30 today (with a slight chance of 30-33), pretty much all day long. Best wind will be in the Corridor, but Stevenson, Rowena and Mosier should be just fine later today.

If you’d prefer east winds (and don’t we all), you’ll get your chance tomorrow. High pressure slips eastward, and east winds blow all day Sunday. At this point, 26-30 seems like a safe call for tomorrow’s east winds.

Winds switch direction yet again on Monday, with another round of westerlies.

Now, if you really want something fun to do today, head to the coast, anywhere on the coast, for 25-plus knots with a 6 foot NW swell. 6 feet doesn’t sound like much, but this is 6 feet at 16 seconds. It’s going to be amazing.

For you mountain bikers, today is the Dirty Fingers campout at Lewis River. Come out for the party tonight, and ride the Boundary Trail tomorrow. It’s an epic 20 mile ride, and well worth the trip.

Today at the Hood River Armory is Fight Gone Bad, a Crossfit charity workout. It’s worth stopping by just to spectate.

It’s worth mentioning that NOAA is predicting snow down to pass levels by the middle of next week, so shake the summer cobwebs out of your head and start thinking powder!

Whatever you do today, have an awesome day!

You’ll have another chance to hit the water later today. High pressure off the coast combines with a bit of a thermal gradient this afternoon to swing another round of west winds through the Gorge. I’m not saying it’s going to be super strong, but I think we’ll see 17-20 for much of the day today.

The wind picks up a notch on Saturday, as high pressure off the coast combines with a wea k system passing to the North. Dawn patrol looks like a distinct possibility on Saturday in the Corridor. As the desert warms up towards midday, winds warm up too. Watch for 27-30 for much of the day Saturday.

At this point, it’s looking like Sunday will be a east wind day, but hey, east winds are better than no wind at all.

Before you hit the water Saturday, give Da Kine and CGWA a hand at the Hatchery with the yearly Hatch work party. There’s free Da Kine swag for you if you come help out… Actually, I’d just like to take a moment here to thank Da Kine. They always kick down goodies for work parties and charity events. Da Kine is the best – they support you, so you should support them by buying their awesome gear!

Finally, don’t forget that this weekend is your chance to join Dirty Fingers bike repair for the annual campout at Lewis River. Eat, drink, and ride the boundary trail… what more could you want!?