The countdown begins....

[phenom_1819]

...32 days until launch.

[festivus]

32 days?....Lucky.
Here in the often frozen high plains I figure I have about 95 days...till the ice melts, then it's go if you dare.  And I do.
Think about the lesser fortunate of us when you turn the key for the first time.  That is what it is all about, hearing those 8 friendly mechanical fiends purr lightly.  Maybe I'll run down to the barn and fire her up just to hear that sweet sound.

[Lakeside]

32 days is sweet!

We'll have to see what that oversized rat Puxatawny Phil has to say about it, tomorrow.  Six(teen) more weeks of winter is a no-brainer, here.  We've gotten over a foot of fresh snow in the past week or so.

[highflyn]

Cal;
Will you be riding in LW??? Im planning on picking up a drysuit this month so I can get out in march. I few friends have shown intrest about doing the same, but i'll belive it when I see them on the dock with a Latt'e. Maybe we could boat pool during the week? What's you schedule like? I usally launch in Kirkland for the morning sessions and Kenmoore in the evening.

[phenom_1819]

Hey Highflyin,

We should definitely hook up.  No weekday riding for me as I work and live in Yakima now (moved over here 5 months ago), but I'm going to launch for the season in the beginning of March.  I keep the boat on a boat lift in Meydenbauer Bay (my parents' house).

Last year I launched the second weekend of February, but the water last year was 45 degrees.  By early/mid-March, the water warms up to 50.  The five degrees makes a world of difference.  50 is where I'm drawing the line this year, 45 is just too cold on the feet.  I have a couple of drysuits, and would highly recommend the Bare hybrid suit with the tight bottom, baggy top.

But back to wakeboarding on LW, at least until May, I'm going to leave the boat in Seattle and just go on weekends.  If you're going to be out there on a weekend, shoot me an email...I'll do the same.  We pretty much always hang out in the same spots -- Meydenbauer when wind is from the north, along Stan Sayres park in Seattle when it's from the south.

Or...just hanging out in the corner of Meydenbauer, waiting for the water to calm, pivoting around an anchor, with a cooler full of brew.

[cyclone]

My season starts soon too. A full length wetsuit will be necessary for a couple of weeks, but Mar is the start of the season for me!

[highflyn]

Cal
Thanks for the tip  on the dry suit. I imagine I will be out there when ever I can, Weekends included. Once summer hits though it's almost all weekdays (maybe a morning session on sunday to pay my respects to the boarding gods).

You say you board in Maydenbaur? I thought that was a slow zone? Water looks good in there though. Isn't it shallow?

Pay roll is being a bit nicer to me this year and I will be purchasing/installing Perfect Pass in march. I may not launch until after that. If this is the case I would love to hook up with you for a couple pulls. I'll bring the hot chocolate.

[phenom_1819]

It's a deal (but I need the hard stuff, bring caffeine!!!)  

The bottom of Meydenbauer is a slow zone, but the rest of the bay is not.  The slow zone begins at the marina, but the bay is much bigger than that.

We usually run from Groat Point towards Clyde Beach, from Clyde to the Meydenbauer Beach (where slow zone begins), in the shape of an L.  We reach the slow zone, throw a double up, and head back the way we just came. Reach Groat point, throw another double-up and head back.  

The problem with Meydenbauer is more the traffic in there.  We do a lot more sitting than wakeboarding, especially on the weekends.  With the introduction of ballast boats several years back, they bay now can only handle two boats running at a time.  The shores have bulkheads that send the wake right back into the path of travel, and it gets so choppy and unpredictable that it's dangerous.  So we end up drinking more than we should, and wakeboarding less than we'd like.  But that's how it goes!!  Too long of a run to head all the way to Kenmore, which is the only other good north wind spot on the lake.

I know everybody in Meydenbauer though, which definitely makes it my favorite spot.  On the busy days, we just take turns...and whoever isn't wakeboarding yells at the tubers to mess up the water in the middle of the lake.


 

[cyclone]

THere's tons of great places to go five minutes from my house, I can't wait until I can get a house right on the lake, hopefully soon.
For now, it's uncrowded ramps even in the summer and lots of secluded spots. Clean water, beautiful mountain scenery, etc.

[Lakeside]

At last, I'm happy to say....
32 days until launch!

[Bitzco]

Launch tomorrow with my sweet table boat. Actually, the Yota has come out of the garage and we're headed for a couple days at Lake Mead this weekend. We'll also hit a lake or two in St. George, UT early next week. Its finallly warming up and will be 90ish at Mead. Long live the desert.

[blindside]

Man I feel sorry for you northern guys.  There are only 2-3 unridable weeks here in Dallas and I am moving even further south to San Antonio as soon as our house sells here.  Because of injury I haven't got much riding in but I have been out at least 12 times since my last surgery in January.

[festivus]

blindside...you're killing me man.  Our boat is stored sometime mid-late October.  I find myself in January peeling the cover back just to sit in it and fantasize about the upcoming season.  We are hoping to get out early next month.  Sort of makes for a short water-season, bu the winters are ok here as well.  Snowboarding sort of compliments wakeboarding, so at least we have something to fuel the fire.  I really feel sorry for folks in North Dakota or Minnesota.  No mountains, gonad-retracting cold, dang!  Why do people live up there again?  Oh yeah, the northern girls and the way they kisssss..............................

[Bitzco]

M is for marvelous memories made at Mead. Spent the weekend on a lake the size of Rhode Island with about 20 other boats total. Seriously, we spent about 10 hours on the lake and saw one other boat the whole time. 90 degree air, 67 degree water, no wind -- Boarder heaven. I abandoned the Gilligan hat in favor of this gnarly amish boarder style. I was going to speedo it too, but the water was a bit nippy for that. I'll do it later and grace you with the pics. Note how the amish outfit looks sweet while you are plowin your fat butt out of the water. You watch, the amish hat, speedo boarder wearing gardening gloves will be all the rage by the end of the year. Shaun Murray will be making a new detention video in garb inspired by me and field tested at Lake Mead. Eat your heart out once again Festivus.

[festivus]

no offense Bitzy, but....I am sure I speak for the entire forum when I request more pictures of your sweet ride and less of your shaggy butt.
At least put your wife on there or something.
Yes, I am envious, jealous, and discouraged that it wasn't me.