Mild winds get me back on track

Time to get back on track with the reports! After yesterday's time change it has been a bit tough to work my schedule out, but I think today's light forecast will get me where I need to be. Currently cloudy skies and cool temperatures in Belmont shore.  Wind is blowing 4 MPH offshore from the North/Northeast.  All forecasts are pointing to a rather dismal uneventful day on the beach.  With storms coming in over the week this looks like the lull before the higher winds kick in later on.  With current weather conditions I'm going to stick pretty close with today's forecast.  I don't think we will be seeing the trend of higher numbers than forecasted as we did most days last week.  Foilers may have a chance out there today, but it's going to be a cold cloudy day for them.  Twin tip people get your week started off right at work or school or errands without worrying about the wind!

Now that I have some time I can touch on the questions of the day! Patrick from two days ago brought up why he enjoys kiteboarding,  and gave a unique response.  Having that direct connection to the elements is something we don't think too much about, but is absolutely what makes this sport so unique and awesome.  Feeling that power of the wind through your bar, and the water flowing across the bottom of your board gets us in tune with the natural world. Harnessing these forces of nature is both empowering and humbling.  It allows us to do feats we'd never dream of making us feel super human, while also giving us perspective on how strong mother nature is. I think this is a big reason that get's us all coming back day after day!

One subject was mentioned in every comment....foiling.  Oh how foils have changed the game of kiteboarding in the past several years.  It's changed the way we ride, where we ride, how we perceive wind, and done away with seasonal kiting. Four years ago if you saw the forecast that I posted today you wouldn't see a soul out in Belmont. Now if there's even a fart on the beach a foiler is out trying to ride the breeze produced by it.  They're the light wind weapon of choice, and now everyone either has one or wants one.  It's also a way for experienced kiters to rejuvenate their love for kiteboarding.  Learning to ride a foil is quite a humbling experience even for some of the best riders out there.  The combination of foiling's light wind performance and feeling of relearning new aspects of kiting is what's pulled me in. It offers me a way to ride before lessons while also get the feeling of excitement from landing new tricks or turns in basically no wind. As much as I do encourage everyone to get into the foil side I will say don't forget about your twin tip or surfboard! My philosophy on kiteboarding is dabble in everything! Once you learn a new side of it don't put off the others entirely. Let foiling become a new branch on your kiteboarding tree, not just the trunk.  What I've found is by riding all different disciplines brings fresh new looks into one another.  If I go from my foil to my surfboard I find I have more control of my board in the waves.  If I go from my twin tip to my foil I find myself wanting to jump more, and try new types of rotations. Cross pollenate by doing it all!  You'll find it'll make you a better kiter, and keep you stoked on the sport forever!

Finally touching on new locations and where we ride. A theme across the answers to this question seems to be exploration.   Kiting basically encourages you to go out and find exotic destinations normal travelers don't seek.  Instead of us looking for tourist traps on our travels like Disneyland, Sandals resorts, or cruises we simply look for wind and water.  This can bring us to destinations across the globe that are more or less untouched by the tourist traps and the masses of other travelers. Nothing's better than getting to a kite destination to simply find good conditions and other kiters.  Every day of that trip is spent doing what we love with fellow enthusiasts from around the globe.  Our world becomes smaller when you travel and kite.  You meet people from all walks of life from all destinations.  You find new locations to ride when meeting new friends who tell you about their local spots.  You become part of this community of explorers who just want to share the stoke of kiting.  We all speak a universal language on the water sharing smiles and shakas as we pass one another.  I encourage all of you to use this universal language of kiteboarding to connect yourself to the world! 

Today's question of the day!

Who's your favorite pro kiteboarder and why?

​Stoked to see who you all choose! Happy kiting everyone!