Fri 8/15 UL Odyssey 6.7, Sumo 105, 32 cm

[DimitriMilovich]

When the winds aloft are all stacked from the north like they were today, boys and girls, UL turns on. And sometimes you actually rig everything right the first time and you're in the straps, the water is 80 degrees and the air is 85, no wetsuit required and you look across the lake knowing it's going to blow for hours and you just get to point it and go. That was today.

12 reaches and almost 2 hours later and I made it up to the old Saratoga Harbor. 6 of the reaches were lake crossers. And for Carl's benefit, it was deader on the east side, similar to previous crossings. When I tried to go near Geneva, I crossed some mystery line about a mile offshore where I outran the wind. Turned around, pumped two or three times and it was nonstop flying all the way back to the west shore. Figured Carl would say, "What about American Fork?". So I headed across again and sure enough, about 3/4 mile out, came off a plane, jibed and immediately got back on a ripping plane all the way back to the west shore again. Same thing third time over, but this time near Lehi I got within 200 yds before I had to go back through the looking glass to get onto a plane.

Saratoga has some of the most monstrous homes I've ever seen. What are those people thinking? But it was fun to go visit the old early day sailing site. Surprising how gusty/holey it was closer to the north shore. We used to sail there all the time, stoked beyond belief, and, as Brian Kelm (Klemdad) reminded me, there used to be hot springs you could go sit in right in the water. Funny how your impressions linger.

The wind in the middle was the strongest, with lots of 5.7 air as I got further North. Overall, I planed 99% of the time. Yep, really. That's UL on a day like today. Touched land (mud really) once in 2.5 hours of planing when I made a pit stop in the reeds near Saratoga. Wesertern grebe nearby, cute.

Best thing about going upwind is the downwinder which follows. 5 miles from Saratoga back to PP as the swallow flies. (European), but I made 8 or 10 reaches back to meet Klemdad and Manny on the beach at 5:30. Total mileage about 45, but it was easy 'cause the wind was sooo steady. With a ride up City Creek this AM that made a sweet two sport day.

Hope y'all at Provo Harbor got some too. Maybe we'll see some more, but lighter, tomorrow? Yahoo.

[Carl Christensen]

thanks D. just got back to town after dodging tropical systems in puerto rico and the dominican republic but wish i coulda been there to run those reaches with ya. were you on your own? musta been a blast.
your observations further substantiate the notions that the northeast corner just doesn't work, maybe some kind of eddy effect off the point of the mountain. too bad. guess the palette burning bunch can just have those east beaches for themselves.