May 23 - Floras Lake

3523km

Langlois, OR, US - Floras Lake

Sailworks Retro 6.5, Goya Bolt 95, MFC KP-RC360  Wind: morning 20G25, afternoon 22G28

Decent late morning session. Picked up a cold overnight but no more muscle cramping. Happy with the Alpha, pretty sure it is a PB for the Bolt. Also, won't complain about a 5x10 PB and 5th fastest 2 sec.

Short afternoon session was a struggle as the wind did a step function uptick to just enough that the 6.5 felt overpowered most of the time. Getting better at controlling the Bolt in both overpowered and underpowered conditions. Another 10 years and maybe I'll have some of this nailed. Cut the session a little short so I would have a relaxed drive back to Corvallis during daylight hours.  I have decided that being at the Freshman team skill level is just fine.

May 21 - Floras Lake

3513km

Langlois, OR, US - Floras Lake

Sailworks Retro 6.5, Goya Bolt 95, MFC KP-RC360 Wind: 20G24 knots

Another short session because the wind backed off after lunch. Had a late morning session, stopped for lunch expecting the wind to continue/increase - it had its own plan. Muscles not complaining as much today, which was nice.  Might have been able to make a go of the 7.5/Magic Ride 104 but the MR doesn't seem to get on a plane any quicker than the Bolt 95 so spent some time rigging/tuning/marking the 7.5 per Roo.

The afternoon would have been a great time to try out my newly purchased board, except it is still at Big Winds in Hood River (a Goya Bolt 115). Conditions after lunch were very similar to what I had great fun sailing in Bonaire on the 7.8/iSonic 107. The Goya Bolt has similar specs to the 107 (although 10 cm longer and 1 cm wider). 

May 20 - Floras Lake

3508km

Langlois, OR, US  - Floras Lake

Sailworks Retro 6.5, Goya Bolt 95L, MFC KP-RC 360    Wind: 17 G 22 knots N

Very short session. Wind peaked for only about 1/2 hour but that was OK because my out of shape muscles were cramping for the majority of the session. Lesson painfully learned...  Wind was barely enough for the kit. Would slog half way across the lake before getting into the cleaner wind on the ocean side. Could usually get going in a gust on the return reach and sail at speed all the way back. By then, muscles were too cramped to attempt a jibe and another slog without stopping. Got a couple of Taty Stance runs, first time that I can recall hitting 26 knots on a beam reach, at least in this force of wind. Taty Stance is a fun stance to sail as I felt like I was partially flying and with the head being closer to the water the speed effect is amplified.

May 19 - Floras Lake

3503km 

Langlois, OR, US, Floras Lake
Sailworks Retro 7.5, Sailworks Retro 6.5, JP Magic Ride 104, Ride 36, Wind 15G22 knots N

While the numbers don't show it, I may be making progress.  The Magic Ride handles just enough differently from the iSonic and Bolt that even I can tell the difference, which is not in a positive direction. Maybe in better conditions I'll start to like it more.... Started with the 7.5 but just couldn't keep the fin engaged. Switched to the 6.5 but the gusts had backed off to about 17-18 which meant I slogged most of the way across before getting a short ride. All the slogging, of course, caused my still out of shape legs to cramp. I took a couple hour break and the wind gusts picked up to about 22 knots around 5:45. Went back out for a short session - the few additional knots in the gusts was enough for me to get a few good runs and got to experiment with the 'Taty Stance'. Was slightly faster on beam reach than my normal stance but definitely a more thrilling ride .

I sometimes wonder if I'll ever get off the Freshman squad and move up to JV level....

May 7 - Floras Lake

3490km

Langlois, OR, USA - Floras lake

Sailworks Retro 5.5, Goya Bolt 95L, MFC KP-RC360. Wind: 20 G 25 knots

Wind slightly lighter today at the beginning of the session which was OK as it gave me a chance to practice dealing with slogging conditions. I had gotten spoiled with the iSonic 107 where I could run all over the board with abandon, and it easily popped onto a plane. The Goya Bolt 95 is much twitchier, which is fine, once I get reacclimated. By the end of the session I was feeling more in control during slogging conditions. I could, of course, have rigged bigger but the forecast was for increasing winds as the afternoon progressed - there was a minimal increase which allowed me to have a couple of good runs. That said, I really wanted to get some practice in marginal conditions in order to feel more confident at the Gorge. The drysuit with a thermal layer worked great, hopefully the cold issue is solved. All in all a good day as I got reacquainted with this gear and I had only minor cramps which were 'knuckled out' . I convinced my exercise sergent that excercise on the water would be suffiient - dodged that exercise pain for one day .

Roo commented:

Little by little, bit by bit, the more you sail and soon you'll be fit! Now give me 50 chinups princess! Big improvement on yesterday.

I commented:

Thanks Roo . Fortunately, there are no chinup bars at this park :). However, I did catch some grief from the sergeant after the sailing session when exercise time magically appeared and I suggested I had already had a workout ... Apparently, in her past there was a distinction made between 'practice' and exercise sessions. Guess that is why she was a national champion and I wasn't .

May 6 - Floras Lake

Back on the water again!!
My eye tumor was diagnosed at OHSU Casey Eye Institute, after a biopsy and six weeks of testing, to be an atypical autoimmune inflammation :) . The present treatment is Prednisone which has dramatically reduced the swelling and eye protrusion (proptosis).

3475km
Langlois, OR, US - Floras Lake

Sailworks Retro 5.5, Goya Bolt 95, MFC KP-360. Wind: 22 G 30 knots

Perfect everything except an old man's body. Started with the Retro 6.5 and weed fin but was overpowered. Rigged down to the 5.5 and slalom 360, got a couple of good runs then both legs cramped to where I could hardly stand up or walk. I used the exercise bike but apparently not hard enough. I paid twice for not pushing harder on getting in shape. First was missing the rest of a perfect day. Secondly, my wife, who was a much better athlete than I when we were young has decided to become my exercise drill sergeant until I'm back in shape . We had our first session this afternoon - yikes!

Roo commented:

Good on yer wife, you need some motivation princess! Good speeds for your first day out, just need to bring up the match fitness.

I commented:

I thought I could slide through and get my fitness level back up by sailing - nope . We will see how tomorrow goes... I was told by my sergeant that next time I should just 'knuckle out the cramps' and keep going. This could be an interesting Summer with my fitness sergeant keeping track of me .

By the third run across I was starting to regain some sailing skills and could imagine some 30+ numbers in my future and then BAM...