tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67475648200214160782009-11-13T17:29:17.990-06:00Learn How To Windsurf. Maybe Surfing Too.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-87915540175017116372009-09-14T23:50:00.000-05:002009-09-14T23:52:00.457-05:00

FridayAashish, Gordon, and Pern took their beginner Worldwinds windsurfing class Friday morning. By the time Jennie and I arrived, the wind was gusty, but strong enough that I could plane 80% of the time on the one sail I own: a blue 6.5 Meter.The Three Amigos got a solid three hours of surfing in their first day, maybe more. All three of the newbies successfully fought the wind to stay upwind

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-75051614655887695642009-08-16T18:34:00.000-05:002009-08-16T18:36:52.845-05:00

FridayFreddy and Pamela were just coming off the water as Jennie, the dogs, and I arrived at Bird Island Basin. We had just driven through an ominous rain storm on the mainland, but the island was dry and slightly breezy.Since the wind wasn't enthusiastic, Jennie spend her afternoon working with Basil and Mouse in the water. I assembled my windsurfing rig and had fun with light-wind jibes and

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-66799197574940089412009-08-05T17:56:00.003-05:002009-08-05T18:18:40.175-05:00

Last windsurfing trip, Jennie, Freddy, Pamela, and I discovered Ichiban Japanese Seafood. Ichiban should probably change the name to "Giant Buffet That Had Sushi Until Very Recently When I Filled My Plate". Or maybe in Freddy's case "I Just Ate Ten Pounds Of Crab Legs. You Didn't Want Any Did You?"OK, we didn't really eat all their crab or sushi, but we were quite satisfied. Some might say

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-12772746709136650162009-07-22T08:20:00.004-05:002009-07-22T08:29:46.470-05:00

Wind Addicts, you know the drill. Our fourth expedition to Corpus Christi starts Friday 7 August, and ends Sunday 9 August.We'll be surfing near Worldwinds at the Padre Island National Seashore. If you need lessons or rental gear, they'll take care of you. Beginners should sign up for intro class on the first day, and everyone should reserve a rig for the days they want to sail (see the 5 simple

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-32929076863306624172009-05-27T23:01:00.000-05:002009-05-27T23:09:36.375-05:00

Jason and I rode down to Corpus Christi in the Orange Toaster, my tangerine-colored Honda Element. For the first time, we stacked boards two high on the roof rack.On the bottom, we strapped Jason's 160 liter board directly to the rack. On top of that, we used another set of nylon straps to secure my 145 Liter board to the car. Between them we stuffed Jason's rack pads and then cranked down on

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-14975083050859699372009-05-08T17:50:00.000-05:002009-05-08T17:52:56.727-05:00

Jennie and I spent Friday morning stuffing an unbelievable quantity of dog and windsurfing equipment into my bright orange Element. This feat was followed by actually stuffing two dogs and two humans into the same tiny vehicle, and then driving for three and one half hours down to Corpus Christi.We arrived at the beach a few minutes late for Jennie's beginner class appointment, but luckily 30

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-9951919746836738742009-05-05T11:55:00.003-05:002009-05-05T12:04:10.374-05:00

Wind Addicts, the third excursion to Corpus Christi starts Saturday 23 May, and ends Monday 25 May. You can see photos from previous windsurfing trips here.We'll be surfing near Worldwinds at the Padre Island National Seashore. We love those guys (and gal). If you need lessons or to rent gear, they'll take care of you. Beginners should sign up for intro class on the first day, everyone should

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-90714772929494427282009-04-17T09:27:00.005-05:002009-04-17T14:24:57.918-05:00

Wind Addicts, the second excursion to Corpus Christi starts Friday 1 May, and ends Sunday 3 May. You can see photos from previous windsurfing trips here.We'll be surfing near Worldwinds at the Padre Island National Seashore. If you need lessons or to rent gear, they'll take care of you. Beginners should sign up for the class.As usual, we're staying in hotels located in downtown Corpus. This

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-10921210714712996912009-04-07T09:32:00.002-05:002009-04-07T09:44:27.758-05:00

Who wants to join me for a trip to Corpus Christi in Late April or in May?Let me know which weekends you're available for trips in the comments below. If you can't take a Friday off, let me know that too. Thanks!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-21583630560724837932009-03-12T11:33:00.004-05:002009-03-12T11:39:01.653-05:00

Wind Addicts, the first windsurfing trip of the year starts Friday 27 March, and ends Sunday 29 March. We'll be visiting Corpus Christi, as usual. You can see photos from previous windsurfing trips here.We'll be surfing near Worldwinds at the Padre Island National Seashore. If you need lessons or to rent gear, they'll take care of you. Beginners should sign up for the class.As usual, we're

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-23883998818802532422008-10-02T21:42:00.006-05:002008-10-03T11:46:27.123-05:00

Wind Addicts, lets have a windsurfing adventure in Corpus Christi starting Friday 24 September October, and ending Sunday 26 September October. You can see photos from previous windsurfing trips here.We'll be surfing near Worldwinds. If you need lessons or to rent gear, they'll take care of you. Beginners will glide around the Laguna Madre within an hour.As usual, we're staying in hotels located

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-13898506005497869282008-09-23T15:53:00.002-05:002008-09-23T15:58:39.924-05:00

Lets take a three-day weekend to visit Corpus Christi and windsurf in October.Let me know your preferred weekend in the comments below. If you can't take Friday off, let me know that too.I'll try to pick a date and send out invites this weekend.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-24103187399640031582008-09-19T09:36:00.003-05:002008-09-19T09:46:28.752-05:00

I think I've contacted all of the usual windsurfing crew, but just in case: we're windsurfing in Corpus Christi on Saturday 20 September - Sunday 21 September.As usual, we're staying in hotels located in downtown Corpus. If you'd like to come you can find a to-do list here:The five simple steps to Join in the fun.Everyone is welcome. Feel free to call or email if you have questions.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-52815888550843674212008-08-23T21:16:00.003-05:002008-08-23T21:24:41.959-05:00

Hey everyone, lets get a group together for a trip to Corpus Christi in September. If you don't know how to windsurf yet, now is a great time to learn.Let me know your preferred weekend in the comments below. If you can't take a Friday off, let me know that too.I hope to hear from you soon!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-87349542714984326412008-08-17T17:20:00.000-05:002008-08-17T17:21:50.066-05:00

The July trip to Corpus Christi gets filed under "success". Freddy, Gumbo, Jason, and Mo (the new recruit) joined me.Clowning Around With Wait StaffFriday Afternoon, Freddy and I stopped for lunch at Hooters on the way to the beach. Our table happened to have a tiny pile of lettuce. The waitress carefully swept it into her hand before tossing the greens on the floor."I saw that," I joked, "we're

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-76377538496502250372008-08-05T22:01:00.002-05:002008-08-05T22:16:29.450-05:00

I'd like to get a group together for another Corpus Christi Windsurfing trip in August.Let me know your preferred weekend in the comments below. If you can't take Friday off, let me know that too.Hopefully I'll set up a date and send out invites soon.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-91064021787020304862008-06-23T09:33:00.005-05:002008-06-23T09:42:29.252-05:00

Don't let Summer pass without a few lazy Windsurfing trips to the coast.If you're a new recruit, you can get a feel for the experience by reading the previous trip posts on the blog. You'll see a pattern: we carpool directly down to Worldwinds where we spend several hours windsurfing on warm Laguna Madre. The beginners will be cruising around on the water after an hour of instruction from the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-42074984153391825132008-06-23T09:28:00.001-05:002008-06-23T09:32:37.652-05:00

A passing stranger asked me what size sail I was rigging early Friday afternoon. He got a funny look on his face when I said 6.5 meter. I felt the same way. A bigger sail would have been nice for the light breeze. But I only own one sail. On windy days I sail a 6.5. On still days I sail a 6.5.Lucky for me, the wind didn't wait long to get serious. While the wind grew to fit my sail, the stranger

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-18965879750136515592008-06-01T09:46:00.003-05:002008-06-01T10:14:47.468-05:00

Since purchasing my own windsurfing equipment last year, the largest bane to my windsurfing existence has been my mast. The mast comes in two halves; the top of one half slides into the bottom of the other half to make a really long pole. After a few hours of compression in the sail, bouncing on waves, and cooking in the sun, the two halves cement together almost inseparably. This causes a giant

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-3217339456498796302008-05-25T12:16:00.005-05:002008-05-25T12:41:05.373-05:00

When the temperature gets into the 90's, nothing feels better than windsurfing on the coast. Since summer is here, I'm forced to conclude that nothing could feel better than joining us Wind Addicts in Corpus Christi.If you're a new recruit, you can get a feel for the experience by reading the previous trip posts on the blog. You'll see a pattern: we carpool directly down to Worldwinds where we

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-88667869359031642272008-05-23T23:02:00.004-05:002008-05-23T23:13:21.132-05:00

Unbelievable. I haven't even sent out invites for June and folks are already itching to plan a July trip to Corpus Christi.You can vote for your favorite July weekend by commenting on this post. Please also express your opinion on three-day vs. two-day trips. I personally prefer a three day trip so my vacation feels like more surfing and less driving.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-56236644286989773722008-05-20T22:05:00.000-05:002008-05-20T22:06:03.676-05:00

I was excited to pick up my board at Worldwinds Saturday. The repairs look nearly seamless, and the cost came in a bit below estimate.The wind on Bird Island blew around 8-10 MPH. Since wind was light, Angela kindly gave Jason and I a dry-land demonstration of backwinded sailing and how to perform a helitack to return to normal sailing. In English, backwinded sailing means standing behind the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-67813147668771109772008-05-07T22:53:00.005-05:002008-05-07T23:04:10.428-05:00

I just consulted my calendar and found that June comes after May. Oh no, the year is almost half over!If you'd like to come down to Corpus Christi for more windsurfing, let me know by commenting below. If you can't make it for a particular weekend, let me know by commenting below.Thanks guys. I hope to see you on the beach!

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-2538688098586191902008-04-26T20:55:00.005-05:002008-05-10T14:35:41.704-05:00

Another month means another trip to Corpus Christi. And that means more sun, more fun, and more surfing.If you're a new recruit, you can get a feel for the experience by reading the previous trip posts on the blog. You'll see a pattern: we carpool directly down to Worldwinds where we spend several hours windsurfing on warm Laguna Madre.After enjoying the beach, we drive to our hotels Downtown.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6747564820021416078.post-41202821297246095452008-04-26T15:14:00.000-05:002008-04-26T15:15:43.827-05:00

The first challenge of Saturday was securing my damaged board to the top of the car. As you know, my previous system -- a Yakima Strap Thang -- utterly failed at 70 MPH. Instead of hugging my precious board, it threw it to the asphalt of I-37.To replace the Strap Thang, I had purchased an assortment of inexpensive NRS 1" cam straps (as suggested by Cool Tools) to anchor the board to my roof rack.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09842543518651197297noreply@blogger.com0