events - The Gorge is my Gym

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We’d like to give a big welcome to everyone who’s in town this weekend helping raise money for the local charity Kiteboarding For Cancer. They’ll be down at the Event Site in Hood River today racing. Come down and check it out – there’s food, music, a beer garden and all sorts of fun stuff going on down there.

Speaking of KB4C, 2nd Wind is donating 10% of all today’s sales to KB4C, so get in there and do some shopping.

For you civilians, remember that the Event Site is closed for public launching and landing this weekend. As of yesterday, there was a bit of sandbar, so that should help. For you windsurfers, Luhr-Jensen/Northwave and the Waterfront Park are there for you. But… feel free to swing by KB4C and join the party!

If you’re wondering about the clouds this morning, that’s convective debris left over from a passing low pressure system. Puget Sound had some good thunderstorms last night, and now they’re out by Arlington. I bet the sky made for a pretty sunrise this morning… sadly, I slept in.

Anyway, the forecast: KB4C has good wind karma. The Gorge will get 15-18 from Stevenson to Mosier this morning, picking up to 17-21 late morning, and 21-24 in the afternoon and filling in past Biggs. The weather models are still convinced that tomorrow’s going to be one of the windiest days so far this summer. Assuming the low marine clouds stay west of Hood River in the morning, we’ll see 28-33 at dawn from Hood River to The Dalles, filling in all the way to Arlington in the afternoon.

On Monday, we’ll start off with light wind, picking up to 15-18 in the afternoon near Hood River. Tuesday looks like low to mid twenties.

Tonight at dusk, Movies in the Park kicks off at Jackson Park in Hood River with an outdoor showing of the animated classic Madagascar. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s family-friendly. The movie starts when the sun goes down. Tomorrow night, Molly Schwarz and Kristie Mitchell play all the old classics at Columbia Center for the Arts in the “I hate cancer” concert, benefiting the Bowman family and Athletes 4 Cancer. Please show up for this event, or just make a donation.

By the way, let me point out that we have to have fundraisers for people’s medical expenses because we do not have universal health care in this county. A certain segment of our population thinks it’s unfair to give health care to everyone. When you think that way, you sentence your neighbors (and maybe your friends) to a lifetime of debt and possibly death. Compassion should be the foundation of this society, not selfishness. (stepping off soapbox now)

Finally, the official word on the Seven Streams bike trail is that it will close on July 20th, and logging will begin on the 23rd. Mark your calendar and join the HRATS for a last ride next Thursday evening.

In old news, possible auroras tonight and Jeff Merkley in Hood River tomorrow.

Have an awesome day today!

Temira

Good morning,

Oh wow. I’m glad everyone loves Seven Streams so much. I’ve been bombarded with questions about the impending logging operation everywhere I go. Instead of answering them all individually, I put a post up at the HRATS website.

Next, an important announcement: your chance to be heard is Sunday. Jeff Merkley will be in Hood River (with his EV – thank god we have an EV charging station) on Sunday. 3-4pm, Hood River Middle School.

Third, there’s an aurora alert posted for tomorrow and Sunday nights. It is possible they’ll be visible even in California, so it’s worth turning your eyes to the northern sky the next two nights.

With all that out of the way, we move on to the forecast: It’s going to be another windy day in the Gorge. .15 gradient to start… that’s big! We’ll start with west wind at 17-20 near Hood River this morning, picking up to 24-28 mid-morning (with possible stronger periods) and filling in out to Doug’s and Rowena in the afternoon.

Tomorrow marks the start of Kiteboarding for Cancer at Hood River’s Event Site, and once again, the good deed karma is giving the organizers plenty of wind. They’ll have perfect kite wind tomorrow with westerlies at 15-18 early, picking up to 17-21, or maybe 21-24 The wind tomorrow will be focused from Stevenson to Hood River in the monring, and it will fill in out to The Dalles later.

On Sunday morning, very strong high pressure sets up off the coast and teams up with low pressure in Idaho for a really windy day. 30+ seems like a reasonable call for the dawn patrol, and 30-35 through the morning looks likely from Hood River to Arlington.

In events, this weekend is the Enduro Race in Post Canyon. If you’re up there, or in any other forest area, remember that you need a shovel and water in your car due to fire danger. Either that or a fire extinguisher.

Don’t forget: Kiteboarding for Cancer is all weekend long. It kicks off tonight with a party at the British Pub in Hood River at 8:30. Then tomorrow and Sunday, there’s kite racing, music, a beer garden, and food at the Event Site. And don’t forget to drop off cookies sometime before 11am.

Have an awesome day today!

Temira