Tuesday and Tripper

Ventura Kiteboarding.com
Tuesday: Clear, crisp and brisk blue skies on tap for the day. Check the radar and satellite imagery not a cloud in the region. Air temp. maybe low 50 water temp. a bit more. 4-3mil. wettie, booties and a hood are in order.

The trees are bouncing a little and good surface texture on the water with a cap here and there. Wind sensor is reading 14 avg. Knowing the sensor is in a "dirty" placement, (wind shadow) I am encouraged to suit up. I wear layers, adding a ski jacket and snow beanie.

I rig a large PL V. kite with directional strapped fish for the bumpy and flat conditions. Young Gun Thomas, shows up and rigs a 9M Lou W. for his 150Lbs. and strapless surfboard. We both self-launch and realize it is windier than it looks. The wind is stronger above the surface of the water.

We ride alone at the "old spot" for about 40 minutes, then the switch flipped on. I found myself over-powered, pondering to switch out to a smaller kite or "ride it out". Knowing myself and the crispy cool conditions-I wanted no excuses- to stop. Changing out to a smaller kite, might be that non-opportunity.

Ventura Kiteboarding tip:  Ride like it is not going to blow tomorrow.

I decide to work on small hops, various grabs and ride small surf.  The kite almost parked forward and slightly higher than usual allows me to tame some of the "high horsepower" being dealt. I zip back up-wind past the turrets  to "Hobo Junction", repeat back down to the "old spot".

Young Gun is in the cove, I race down on a seemingly long series of waves to get a change of pace and scenery. I notice the Ventura Kiteboarding core and semi-core crew starting to show up. 5 or 6 others
decide to ride in the not so tropical conditions. A half dozen others are content to pocketize their hands and
put the winter coats on.
Ventura Kiteboarding.com Tip: Do not let the posers, that turn to pouters, talk you out of a session.

The cove doesn't offer up anything special, so a few horizon tacks back to Hobos' where I see Tripper who rode down from the North. We wave and I decide he must be as cold I am. We take "triangle" turns at riding the small and fun waves at the Turrets. The wind seems to get stronger, I'm over-powered and come in. Thinking about self-landing and calling it a day. Tripper dumps his kite in the sand and lays face down, I am lit up and cannot physically walk up-wind to find out WTF the situation is. I yell, distance of easy 50 yards into the wind, and  Trippers' helmet is on. No contact. I am about ready to dump my kite, when he gets on his knees and crawls eventually standing up. I am waving and yelling-does he not see me?  He re-launches his kite, without  acknowledgement to my concern for his well being. He may be unaware, I think Tripper is Tripping while he Tripped. The Trauma and Drama sisters may have made an appearance. Who knows?

I remember why I gave him, the name Tripper. He introduced himself to me as "Joe" (not his real name)  the Ripper. True, "Joe" does rip. However his on the beach antics and car-lot politics/stories, along with adult beverages during kiting hours, I added a T to his name. Ripper. I called Tripper 2 nights ago to follow-up, as of this writing, have not heard back.

I continued to ride, the wind let up about a half hour to go 'till sunset. The show was top 5 of recent sunsets. I am now kicking myself for not using my new camera/phone to post the pic. here. I must've been "tripping".

Load up, heater on, tired, hungry, thirsty among other things- drive home and quietly thank God for all my good fortunes. Thinking of my wonderful/beautiful Catherine and Jared, the sunset, the session and just for a moment, I get a glimpse of "The Plan". Unfortunately it's a feeling and dream-like, arduous to process and make written word sense. Endorphin overload makes dismissal easier.................................

Loading up my SUP to go paddle, no wind in the forecast today. Ventura Kiteboarding and crew will
be at the point today SUPing. Ready to kite if she blows.

Warm winds,
                    Tom  Ventura Kiteboarding.com