On a sad note of my puppys departure via a hwy 42 smashed trailer, smoke and ashes, I left for Maui with my kite gear strapped and an old friend and guide, Rachel house sitting with her boyfriend Jesse, a local cook at the Bayside Tavern.  Rachel, curently works at the Bead Bucket in Ephraim and Greens and Grains in Egg Harbor, she is the creative type with her ideas often elegant, simple from unique pieces of jewelry to magical inventiveness somethings. She has a etsy site where she sells her creative jewelry. Hopefully it helps to have her around for the winter, because my new house could use a womans touch.  Jesse, is the quiet hard working type that is dreaming for more than dipping cheese curds in hot fryer oil. I kinda wish I could stick around to create with them. Hopefully I will get a chance in December.

Maui

Maui welcomed me with a 4-5 foot wave day and strong winds.  I have been staying at the Northshore Hostel in Wailuku.  It is a good spot to start from, but I doubt I will stay here long, too many travelers.  I would like to end up hanging out and doing some yoga with some locals, or old friends, like my Evergreen State College soccer buddy Vanessa Charles, looks like she is hosting a big island yoga detox retreat in Feb.  Doubt I will be here then, but wish I could join that, I could clean out some of the wisconsin cheese curd cholesterol sitting in my arteries with some fresh maui juices.

I have a some great friends in Oahu I would love to visit as well, Matt Joswick, who is my search engine optimization specialist for my outdoor adventure zip line, kayaking and kitesurfing, stand up paddle boarding websites.   He also does some work for a local company in Kailua and Oahu, HI called Wind Ward Watersports that specializes in Kayak Rentals, Kiteboarding Lessons, SUP Rentals, and Surfing.  So I hope to get some more time on the water touring the island in a few different vehicles and maybe hang out with a professional kiteboarder, Jeff Tobias.

Colorado

Looking ahead towards the fluffy white, picking up some backcountry gear for some sidecountry riding in east vail.

Oregon

Explore some Zip Line potential in the Alsea Mountains in Oregon at the ThymeGarden.com.  They are secluded, majestic and the local area could use an eco-activity like zip lining.

All in all, it should be a beautiful winter with wind, sun, waves and snow, I just wish more of my friends could join me on the adventures ahead.

Summertime in Door County may be idyllic, but fall is when our county really shows her stuff. Brilliant yellows and vibrant reds are already beginning to dapple the trees, and orchards are getting ready for what looks to be a massive apple harvest. Anyone who wasn’t able to get away for the summer can still get deals on biking, kayaking, zip lining, sailing, sightseeing, scenic boat cruises and airplane rides – all without the heavy crowds. Pumpkin Patch Festival comes to Egg Harbor October 10 and 11 this year, a fun family weekend that draws people from all over the country. The village comes alive with colorful displays, zesty hot ciders, parades, retail specials, cultural events and more. Local farms put out their best at all of the roadside stands and markets throughout Door County, selling the freshest produce and delicious seasonal treats. You can experience great cuisine with the Kingdom So Delicious festival, one of the tastiest September fall festivals in Door County, or enjoy the magic of Fall Fest in October – whatever you do here this autumn, you’re going to have a ball.

Gravity Trails in northern Door offers you the chance to get up close and personal with Door County fall colors. Our Fall Colors tours take you straight up into the trees for breathtaking views. Bike the scenic trail back to our zip course and fly through the trees. Make it a true fall experience with a kayak tour on the pristine Mink River, where you’ll travel through Wisconsin’s only officially designated wilderness state park, Newport State Park in Ellison Bay. It doesn’t get any more refreshing than having fun with friends and family in the crisp fall air.

Get a shot in the arm this fall with these great Fall Color Activities and more. Give GT a call to make your reservations today – remember, weekends fill up fast!

With the goal of offering a adventure camping trip in Baja, we took off across country. We soon found out we had too many goals cluttering our minds, it looks as if the baja trip will be purely adventure and researching.  We scrapped bringing the E350 for the Mercedes. and only took one kayak, which we hope to leave in baja.

After collecting and filtering enough vegetable oil from Sonny’s and Digger’s Restaurants to get to Nebraska.  We found ourselves with a plugged fuel filter after 1000 miles, it was night, we couldn’t find the headlamp, so Abbie used the ipod to illuminate the greasy fuel filter replacement during a cold october night.

Our first destination was the flatirons in Boulder, CO.  We had friends with climbing gear, a determination to get outside and  explore the beauty of the flatirons.

We had a great time goofing off in the flatirons, our rock climbing friend Justin Budd, set ropes, and we scaled up some beautiful pitches.  After a hard day of climbing.  We decided to do some free style walking, which turned into free style running down the mountain path.  Jumping from boulder to boulder and defying what we would even think of doing if we had looked before we leaped.  Justin, Abbie an I all agreed it was some of the most fun we had had running ever.  I usually tell myself that I don’t run except for a few exceptions; the cops and soccer.  Well now there is a new exception to the rule, freestyle trail running.  Its always an adventure to play with Justin Budd.  Here are some pictures of freestyle running.  As I write this, I am in catch up phase, so we have not busted, we are in baja, in fact, I only have 10 days left before I have to leave for colorado.

   Today is the first day of Fyr Bal in Ephraim!!  Fyr Bal pays homage to early Norwegians celebrating Midsummer’s Eve. Tomorrow we’re going to have our annual Fyr Bal tour, where we will paddle Eagle Harbor and get an amazing view of the flaming fires that welcome in the Summer Solstice. Aside from an awesome opportunity to paddle with us, Ephraim will have tons of fabulous fantastic activities such as: artists, musical entertainment, shopping, trolley rides, family activities and of course, a classic Door County fish boil on the shoreline. We are going to paddle at dusk, where we will be able to enjoy the sunset, then watch the 9 or so bonfires blaze then fireworks to end a great night. I’ll be wearing my Fyr Bal hat and Norwegian earrings all day long! A warm Scandinavian welcome awaits you in Ephraim anytime of the year but especially so during Fyr Bal!

 For the complete schedule visit- http://www.ephraim-doorcounty.com/fyr_bal.html

As the hardest of the snow follows exodus into the ground water and beyond,

joining the river in its triumphant run,

spring finds the aspiring rocky faces nearby

suddenly populated.

>>

In short, I joined some other students on a where the St. Croix River separates Wisconsin from Minnesota

and spent the day climbing some of the adjacent cliffs. Excellent photo op.

This was the first day above 10 degrees in a while.

Single pitch, about 5.9.

Two old-fashioned river boats, that would no doubt be full of tourists in the summer, sat dormant at the landing.

-Get outside.

This past Wednesday David, my friend Jack, and I went for a paddle down Mud Lake at the Ridges Sanctuary.

The weather was gorgeous, but the water temperature was a tad chilly at 40 degrees F.

During the trip we saw a variety of birds, frogs and fish. The Ridges Sanctuary is known for a large variety of flora and fauna in the wetlands area and boreal forest. We heard the potent call of the small spring peepers. Although we didn’t see any, they were very audiable. Frogs are indicator species, which means they are the first to be affected by pollution and changing habitat conditions. With this said, it was quite a joy to hear such an ample amount of these frogs. Besides the Spring Peeper, we heard the Western Chorus Frog, and possible echoes of the faint but resonant call of the American Toad. Also, I have included some short audio clips of the frog calls. They’re pretty easy to hear once you know what they sound like.

Spring Peeper

03-spring-peeper.m4a

Western Chorus Frog

-western-chorus-frog.m4a

American Toad

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In the Aves department, we had a few sightings. Although none of us are experienced birdwatchers, we managed to decipher a few species. Some of the most exciting sightings were:

Peregrine Falcon Cardinal Sucker Fish

We also thought we saw spawning salmon, only to realize that they were in fact, “large lipped” sucker fish.

As we were returning from our paddle, Jack and I decided to take the “easy” exit, while Dave decided to brave the ominous tunnel rapids. We were mystified as he flew through the spider- infested tunnel towards Moonlight Bay.

Overall, we all had a marvelous time and learned a lot. I even got to drive the kayak bus for the first time. And let me tell ya, backing up is surely an art that takes a lot of practice!

We took a midnight paddle on his pond.

Then traveled on down the coast past some clear cuts, how they get away with cutting down all the trees is beyond my imagination. They also spray pesticides to kill off any leftover vegetation so that they can replant only what trees they want after they clear cut. The pesticides end up running into the rivers and contaminating the local salmon population.

The tree houses were funny as each one had its own character. It was exciting to walk around 50 feet off the ground from house to house.

The best activities other than the horse swings made from old tires were zip lines that ran from tree to ground and from tree to tree.

We were lucky to end our drive home with a few full rainbows.

Scooting back to our house, we did some quick research (northwest kite forum) and decided to head to hood river to scope the surrounding area, or more specifically, Mt. Dalles. It was a wild idea to think we would hit all of the variables but, as we left Portland on our second mission of the day, the sunlight appeared! That is a sign in Portland, where the sun barely shines in the winter.
Following the directions led us to a steep climb up a snowy back country gravel road. Luckily, the road was windswept enough to allow Randy’s vw to make it most of the way, with a little help from Katie and I pushing I areas. No car adventure is an adventure without some car difficulty:)

As we approached the summit, the wind had picked up to get me grinning from ear to ear. I hopped out and was running around setting up my kite, by the time I had it launched, the wind had picked up considerably. 20 minutes into my kiting, I with my helmet!!!was being dragged along the ground, dodging rocks reaching for my safety release! My kite had burst its leading edge(envisioning this is probably over the head of most readers) basically my kite broke and I had no way of controlling it other than pulling the safety release and pulling in the kite with one line.

This doesn’t happen often, but with the cold weather, the increase in wind speed, the exposed rocks(i must have hit one with the kite) and the fact that my kite is going on two years old have a lot to do with it breaking!

Luckily for me, Randy had a back up kite which was smaller, and more easily controllable in higher winds. Comparing snowkiting to kiteboarding on water, is apples and oranges. Pushing snow around is much more tiring on your legs, and so Randy and I took turns on his red 9meter Best Waroo. It took a few minutes to adjust to the speed of the kite and retime my jumps, but I eventually got it down and was boosting over the small creek.

I even got to throw in some grabs.

While Randy was riding I was able to give Katie some basic kite flying lessons on the 2meter trainer kite, she picked it up quickly and i hope to get her on a larger kite next time, although she is in Mexico now working with an organic farm.

I am getting my kite back from the repair facility in the next week. A trip to Idaho is in the planning stages. I can’t wait!

See you in the stratosphere!

David

As we worked around their organic farm, my uncle gave two large root balls of bamboo to a friend of his, which was a tractor process.  Did some gardening, planting potatoes, onions, chicken manure, turning soil, talking story.  Had a beautiful little soup lunch, made by my aunt pauline, she is such a unbelievable cook, and so humble, she reminds me of my grandmother, but, sorry grandma, a better cook.  ouch, sorry dad! of coarse grandmas lemon merigue and ritz cracker pie, um, um.  It is funny how holidays and food bring back fond memories. Taste and smell have that unmistakable power.

Lunch conversation was focused around my uncle’s 11 year business struggle of the invention of a new sawzall blades that has cutting teeth on every edge of the blade.  The large tool corpocracy has a strangle hold on American innovation and I wish it would be easier for him to succeed.  There is some hope with the European market, so I am teaching him about the power of the web and he will start an inventors blog tomorrow and start talking story about the ups and downs of from idea to market.

Obama was another topic, though my thoughts are that there is no significant difference between the republicans and democrats.  I see no true value in a political system which can be so easily owned by the almighty $.  But that is another post all together.  Should I even mention politics on my Kayak Tours website?  What do you think?