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August
Newsletter
August 28, 2002
Hello Windsurfers,
I am happy to announce that our free "Learn to
Windsurf" program has been going extremely well.
We have surpassed our goal of introducing 100 people to
our sport. As of August 28th, at least 157 people
have used our beginner boards for a total of 412 hours.
This program has far exceeded my expectations. Because
of this, we have extended it until September 15th !
We have three complete learning boards available rigged
up at the water's edge (RRD Easy Rider 210 liters,
39" wide, and an Ezzy Eagle rig). This new
equipment makes it a whole lot easier to learn to
windsurf. Best of all, it is free for anyone to
use. Just call or stop by Windance to reserve your
time slot. You can use the gear to teach your
friends, or just give them a few pointers and send them
on their way.
By the way, to take a lesson from one of the fine
windsurfing schools in the Gorge, check out this link: http://www.windance.com/windstore/rentals/rental_resources.htm
One more thing: As is usual this time of year, we are
discounting a whole slew of items. To check out
these discounts, go to this link: http://www.windance.com/windstore/sale.htm
. Also, starting today, and going through Labor
Day (Sept. 2nd), everything in the store will be
discounted an additional 10% (yes, even sale items,
consignment, boards, sails, ..everything in the store).
To receive these discounts on-line, be sure to tag your
on-line order with a note asking for the 10% Labor day
discount.
See you in the Gorge,
Brian
July
Newsletter
July 12,2002
Hello Windsurfers,
The Ford Gorge Games starts tomorrow: Saturday, July 13.
The "Blow-out" is on-call for Saturday, July
13th or Sunday, July 14th. This race starts in
Stevenson, Wa, and ends at the Hood River Event Site.
A word of warning for sailors between those points
(Swell City, Home Valley, Hatchery, Viento..), look out
for participants in this race. They may be bearing
down on you carrying sails way too big to control
effectively, so please give them some room (and some
encouragement).
------------------------------------------
Freestyle
On-call Monday, July 15th - Sunday, July 21st
9:00am - 2:00pm
The Columbia River Gorge is the premiere location for
windsurfers to showcase their skills in the world
renowned Blowout and Freestyle competitions.
For more info on the Gorge Games, check out their
website at www.gorgegames.com
Spectator Tips: Parking at the Hatchery is limited so
car pool if you can. Bring a seating pad because the
seating is au natural (boulders). Don't forget sunscreen
and a hat.
Call the Gorge Games Wind Hotline for up-to-date
on-call event information: 541-308-1067
Also, check out the Gorge Games tent city down at the
Hood River Marina Greens. Lots of booths and
activities all week.
Take Care, Brian
June
Newsletter
June19, 2002
Hello Windsurfers,
Naively, I didn't think this would happen. I guess
they really meant it this time. The Washington
State Parks and Recreation Commission says that due to
budget cuts, they have decided to adopt fees at many of
their parks, including their windsurfing sites along the
Columbia River.
The letter below, from the Washington State Parks Public
Affairs Office, explains some details about the new park
fees and closures. Although the decision has been
made, you can get more information on this issue at http://www.parks.wa.gov/
or send an email to Budget.Cuts@PARKS.WA.GOV
.
So, starting on Monday, June 24th, a $5.00 day use fee
(or a $40 yearly pass) will be charged at Doug's, the
Hatchery, and Maryhill. More details, I am sure,
will be forthcoming.
Take Care, Brian
"The Washington State Parks and Recreation
Commission recognizes that all of
the parks are important, and that people have
connections with these
beautiful places around the state. However, the reality
of the budget
crisis is that reductions must be made in the State
Parks budget.
We heard from the public, including windsurfers, that
they would rather pay
a fee than see the parks closed, which was the other
alternative. At its
regular meeting last week, the Washington State Parks
and Recreation
Commission adopted a $5 daily vehicle parking permit and
a $40 annual
vehicle parking permit at Potholes, Maryhill, Spring
Creek Hatchery, Beacon
Rock, Horsethief Lake and Doug's Beach state parks
beginning June 24. The
fees will pay to keep Potholes (on leased land belonging
to the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation) and Maryhill and Spring Creek Hatchery
(on U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers land) open to the public and could, if
revenues are
sufficient, provide for some future improvements at the
parks.
However, no viable alternatives are available to State
Parks to continue
operating Central Ferry, Crow Butte, Lyons Ferry and
Chief Timothy state
parks. State Parks will continue lease cancellations at
these parks, which
will result in shutting down operations as early as Oct.
1, 2002. The Army
Corps of Engineers owns these four parks and will need
to determine whether
they would continue to be available to the public. For
more details about
the parking fee proposal, visit http://www.parks.wa.gov/
and click on the
agenda item at the top right corner of the home page.
Overall, nine of 13
parks considered for lease cancellations will remain
open for now.
The final budget passed by the Legislature includes a
budget reduction of
$2.9 million for State Parks, for the second year of the
current biennium.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
feels it can make this
level of reduction by canceling the leases, making
program and staffing
reductions at headquarters and regional levels and by
returning some
maintenance money the Legislature had earlier
appropriated. In addition,
the commission raised camping and trailer dump fees by
$2 and raised watercraft
launch fees to $5, to help offset budget reductions.
Unfortunately, the
state revenue forecasts for 2003-05 are not optimistic,
and State Parks
could face further park closures again in the
future."
June
Newsletter--Gorge Schedule
June 17, 2002
Hello Windsurfers,
Summer begins June 21st, but the summer Gorge winds are
already here. This last weekend left a lot of
people with sore muscles and smiling faces. The
David Ezzy clinic went well with lots of food, drink,
questions, and answers.
Below is a partial calendar of upcoming
windsurfing-related events (in the Gorge)for the rest of
June. Also, please check out http://www.windance.com/info_source/news/events.htm
for links to regional and national events around the
country.
Take Care, Brian
FRI-SUN, June 28-30....AWIA GORGE WINDFEST 2002
FRI, June 28th...Windfest Friday Night.
Location: HiFly NA, 1016 Industrial Way, Hood
River. Live music, beer garden, food.
Sponsored by: HiFly, Hood River Apparel, Hood
River Outfitters, New York City Sub and Sailworks.
Opening of Windfest & fund raiser for CGWA.
SAT & SUN, June 29 & 30...Windfest Daily
Activities at Event Site. Watersports equipment
demos & clinics.
SAT, June 29, 7pm-midnight...CGWA's Pray for Wind Party
sponsored by WindSurfing Magazine. Hood River
Expo. Live music, beer garden, & food; Silent
Auction, Not-So-Silent Auction, Raffle - terrific
bargains on vacation stays, sports equipment,
plane/train/boat/horseback rides, rounds of golf,
dinners, art objects. CGWA's main fund raiser for
the year.
SUN, June 30, 8am-1pm...CGWA Recreation Gear Swap Meet.
Vacant lot across street from Hood River Event Site.
Buyers free, sellers $10.
May
Newsletter
May 31, 2002
Hello Windsurfers,
For about the last year and a half, I have been involved
in the "SR-35 Columbia River Crossing Feasibility
Study". I am the sole windsurfer on the
"Local Advisory Committee". This
glacially slow study has been looking at possible ideas
for replacing the existing bridge that crosses the
Columbia at Hood River. As it has progressed,
there were many options looked at, including crossings
to the East and to the West of the existing bridge.
One of the options that kept appearing at the top of the
list, was the "City Center Corridor".
This option would have wiped out the Event Site as a
windsurfing site. Fortunately, partially because
of your letters, this option has been removed from the
list of alternatives! The study sites:
"Adverse impacts associated with water-based
recreation" for one of the reasons for eliminating
this alternative. At the meeting it was noted that
they received a large number of emails which influenced
their decision. Way to go to all those who wrote
letters!
Now, the only corridor advancing in the study is the
"Existing Corridor" (near where the bridge is
now). Reasons listed for advancing this option
are: lowest impact to transportation, lowest impact to
environmental resources, lowest impact to recreation,
and lowest cost. The two East corridors, the West
corridor, and the City Center corridors have now been
eliminated from further study. Within the
"Existing Corridor" are three alternatives.
There is also a "do nothing" option, which is
required to stay in the study. All three other
options have roughly the same connection point on the
Oregon side. EC-1 (Existing Corridor #1) lands
near Dock Grade (the steep road down from White Salmon)
on the Washington side, EC-2 lands just to the West of
existing bridge, EC-3 lands just to the East of existing
bridge. All connect roughly perpendicularly to Hwy
14 at these points.
The study is now at the end of "Tier II",
which means that it won't proceed any further until they
get further funding. At that time, they will try
to narrow down the options further. I will try to
keep you informed.
Take Care, Brian
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