Postby NeWORBiT » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:48 am
Ya man. A couple of factors conspired to block our wind at Taylor Park, check the NWS Grand Junktion Forecast Discussion and find some large scale topo maps. Warm air advection, (bubbly lifty local airmass) created a convective wind blocking bubble, plus slightly unfavorable WNW, flow due to topography , (WSW or SW is ideal for Taylor Park) puts it on the lee side of a large ridgy mountain (Macthless Mountain). I reckon the jet stream flow was lifted at the west side of the West Elk Mtns and (almost contiguous) Ruby Range / Sawatch Mtns and came back down in the upper Arkansas Valley. I bet it was warm in Salida (due to the chinook <air expanding> effect). Blue Mesa Reservoir, located in a long east to west running valley between the huge San Juan Mountain range and all the rest of Colorados' mountains is a natural wind (funnel) tunnel. So, it is often windier, less gusty, and more westerly at this lower elevation spot.
Regardless, I learned a hell of a lot refining my light wind technique today. Kite circling for example, on port tack (wind coming from my left side), circle the kite clockwise, so at zenith (high up and lower power) the kite is traveling opposite my direction of motion. And, when it has circled down and across into the max power zone (near the ground) the kite and I are going the same direction, prolong this motion and sheet in (bottom of the triangle). Maximize the kites speed (due to circling and NOT changing <sine waving> direction) and maximize apparent wind (your momentum or ski / board speed). Yank that friggin' bar hard to make the kite turn sharply, phuk that "park and ride" or sine waving in light wind. My epiphany today - shape this in the form of a triangle to prolong the kites location / speed in the power zone and sheet in in the max power zone. Sheet in on the downstroke, let out on the upstroke (or even pull the frontlines <depowerline> if the kite is near stall). Most of u flockers already know this, thanks for not telling us, secret's out, ha!
TODAYS SAFETY TIP: Did a few zillion kite circles (loops?, I am a beginnernewbkook , dunno terminology) today. Tried to do equal number in both directions. But, fifth (5th) line twists around depower (front Y line) so many times the 5th line safety would NOT have worked if needed.
Oh yeah, answers for Chris.
Old Stevens is the 2nd left after the Hwy 149 turnoff north side of the lake, stay on Hwy 50. If you get to the Elk Creek Marina exit, turn around, go back 2 miles.
Last year was epic for low elevation snow in the Gunnison area , bummer I was just learning this snowkiting and couldn't maximize the seasons potential. You may have been kiting on private property in the Waunita area. Google Gunnison County Parcel Maps to find land owners / public land boundaries.
LET'S RIDE! Tony