July 17-24 The Gorge 3.7-5.0

[rob smith]

Another great week in HR.
3.7 Rowena, Upper Dougs
4.2 Three Mile Canyon. I have never sailed that far east and the rollers were long and very little chop. Nice place, just way out east.
4.7 Rowena
3.7 Rufus. Lots of current got a little too far down river or upwind and had to avoid the fish net and the channel that tends to suck you down. Hadn't had to deal with that in the past.
5.0 Event site with lots of Kiters. Easy and no problem, just lots of both crowds. The spit is up and now a good launch for kites.

Tommy took out his 5.5 kite from the event and had good wind and also great flat water at Three Mile Canyon.
Saw lots of Utahns. Jason and Billy were at the event site. Marty was kind enough to bring up a 7.5 kite for us. Thanks, very generous.

Biked Post Canyon and its always fun as most of it is in the shade and windy on the top.

We stayed with our longtime and accomodating friends the Kerrs in HR.

One of our HR friends was involved in a very unusual event. She had shortness of breath and coughing up blood as she struggled to get off the water and was brought to HR ER and treated for flash pulomonary edema. She was just gettting back on the water during our visit and building back her confidence. Pretty scary scenario. She is going back to Duke as they have some pulmonary studies trying to study this type of edema. One factor that was brought up was a tight fitting wet suit and maybe cold water. Either way she is doing better and hopes to find some further answers.

Oh and check recent news bulletins. My dad just received the John Weley Powell research award for his work in Yellowstone and the caldera. "Utah professor honored for work on tracing causes of earthquakes" from the Dept of the Interior and USGS".

SALT LAKE CITY — A University of Utah researcher has been honored with a national award for his work in tracing the cause and effects of earthquakes in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.

Robert B. Smith, an emeritus professor and research professor of geophysics, was notified this week that he would receive the 2011 John Wesley Powell Award from the U.S. Geological Survey. Smith is also a coordinating scientist at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, run jointly by the USGS, University of Utah and National Park Service.