Couldn't wait any longer

And so the season started. Yes there was ice on the beach, yes is may have been snowing, but I couldn't take it any longer. The rest of the crew is in Corpus Christi, I'll post pictures...
See you out there!

Will it happen?

For the past 3 years, the season in Chicago has started in mid March. By then usually the ice is gone on Lake Michigan, and the smaller inland lakes are ready as well. This year, I'm not so sure. Some desperate souls have decided to migrate to Texas in search of steady winds and warm weather. I'll post pictures of that trip soon.

2013 is here!

It's been a such a long time! 2012 is gone, and hopefully I'll get to ride more this year, so be prepared for some sesh reports, business as usual. The 2013 season is around the corner, and to begin ramping up the stoke, here's a picture that Mike sent me today. Apparently windsurfing has not been cancelled on Lake Michigan. 

Riding high

There is a high pressure system parked above the Midwest, which gave us 20 mph from the North yesterday. We rode at Montrose until past sunset (I got out of the water by 8:30), and then went for Mexican food. Windsurfing at its finest, on a sunny afternoon, with a bunch of beach bums.

Montrose notes: When the crib reads 20 mph average, Montrose gets good 6.5 wind. This works for anything from N to NE. When there is West the beach does not get as strong wind.

Happy faces... Left to right: Steve, Andrew, Matt and Brian. I am in the back.

Back at Wolf

Crazy as it sounds it's been so busy last week that I did not have time to post about one of the most amazing sessions we had a Waukegan. People were pushing it so hard that my buddy Brian snapped his mast a mile from shore. He is some prudent dude and was prepared with life vest, whistle, etc, etc, and Andrew was with him, so both made it to shore... But that's another story.
Today I was back at Wolf, man it's been a while and I almost had forgotten how it feels to rig way big for the conditions and just go out there and blast back and forth. Everybody was there, the freestylers, the speedsters, and us, good times.
I have amazing memories of Wolf. The pond has been generous to me, but riding the big lake is like nothing else. Keep the good days coming!

Andrew and I blasting on 6.5s... The dude is fast!!

6.5 for the first time in 2012

Yes, that's how good Spring was in the Midwest. I've been on my 5.2 since February, incredible. Yesterday we had North in the high teens to the 20s. The sky was cloudy in the morning but cleared by 10 or so, and we had the whole beach for ourselves.
By the way Wavehog released Windsurfing Movie 5, Road Trip... Check it out!

Unpredictable

The forecast data was conflicting, once again, which fueled up all sorts of speculations among the Midwest wind chimps. Some said it was going to be on, some said don't bother. I thought we had 50/50 chance, so by 1 PM I packed my stuff and headed to the beach. We ended up with a whole afternoon of 5.2 and 5 footers rolling in at Montrose. 

Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, but you always come back. 

Yes, the landing was less than optimal