Saturday March 1st will be the first Barker's Best Snowkite Derby/Race at Gull Lake, a Glory Kiteboarding sponsored event.

Also possible Alberta Winter Kiteboarding Festival at Cooking Lake the following weekend.

Hope conditions are good for at least one of these. Anyone else thinking of going?

This has me noticing we haven't heard much from MacBoy lately ?

I hope these events get some interest. Alberta has a lot to offer snowkiting !

last night I realized there was mention from Mike, that he was thinking of a festival at cooking lake next weekend. I got an email pointing out that Barkers Best might me a go for then too. In honesty if cooking lake event happens, I would have to head there because it is closer, and my wife will want to visit friends in the city. But if cooking lake doesn't pan out I might try to make Barkers. Weather seems to be a final deciding factor though.

shaggs posted

Quote:

Weather seems to be a final deciding factor though.

So right, -43C windchill this weekend has me shutdown. I can't flex my ski boots enough to get them off my feet when it goes below -30C :duh: Whatever happened to mild, snowy March?

We should get all together at Cooking March 8th if there is wind and snow.

I just talked to the wife. Saturday Or Sunday I could make a presence. However, on Saturday I would have to be a late comer my kids have swimming lessons till noon, and with only one vehicle ATM I would have to wait till after that to head out. That would bring me out to the lake till almost 3 that just put Gull lake out of the question if it happens that day. Sunday will be a full open day, I could leave early in the morning, drop my wife off in the city, and head to the lake hopefully be there 10-11, and play all day.

I'm game for either btw.

The Windguru forecast looks good for next Sunday at Cooking and more wind at Gull. I'd be up for Cooking.

Any reports of what is the snowcover is like?

Hopefully Macboy can chime in with an answer. The boys over at kiteboardingcanada might be able to answer. Temps are looking great too.

Still looking good. I'll be at the Sailing Club by 11:15 or so on Sunday. If anyone else from Calgary wants a ride U2U me.

I think macboy is in, but kiteboyza will be in a far away hot spot :smug:

Sounds good to me. Talking to the wife and we will roll out of Lloyd at 6:30 so I can drop her off in St.Albert. Looks like I'll be good to kite till around 4ish and then I'll have to head back to St Albert for supper at 5. Google maps says it's about a 47minute trip so I'll give an hour to be safe.

Looks like the Pineapple Express is going too far north this weekend. Good wind from it, but is it really giving Edmonton freezing rain or rain? :puzzled:

Environment Canada:
Today, 8 March
Mainly cloudy. 40 percent chance of snow this morning then 40 percent chance of rain showers late this morning. Risk of freezing rain this morning. High 7.
Tonight, 8 March
Mainly cloudy. Low minus 2.
Sunday, 9 March
Cloudy. 30 percent chance of rain showers late in the morning and early afternoon. Clearing late in the evening. Risk of freezing rain in the morning. Wind becoming west 20 km/h gusting to 40 in the afternoon. High 8.

Oh man hopefully the rain stays away. Are you still wanting to go? The winds look up and the temps will be nice. Just hope that rain doesn't kill any snow left on the ice.

We are going to leave bright and early. If any plans change for anyone post it here and I'll check tonight before bed. If not I'll be seeing you tomorrow.

The forecast looks better now, still windy and warm but no mention the R word. I talked to macboy and he is going to give us a rain alert. I'll be at Cooking around 11-11:30

Tonight, 8 March
Mainly cloudy. Low minus 2.
Sunday, 9 March
Cloudy. Clearing in the afternoon. Wind becoming west 20 km/h near noon. High 8

can't wait.

Bill and I have arrived at cooking. Hope you can make it!

Getting together with you guys was well worth trip. Turned out to be a pretty decent day, lots of riding and soaked board pants and great company. Hopefully we can get together again sooner that the last time.

Glad you all got together.

Anybody take picture / video ?

I have a bit of gopro, but have yet to look at it.

It was great to get back out with you two. My legs did not work too well after the 3 hr drive home

EDIT: Here is some video snowkiting Cooking Lake March 9 2014 with macboy & shaggs2riches.

The surface was pretty good , no standing meltwater, a little slushy & slow in places.

I'm so glad I wasn't the only one.....I didn't sleep at all last night. I was so sore that everytime I had to toss or turn I woke myself up.

Thanks for getting me out of the house guys. I can't imagine had you not come to town for the intervention. I vow to pick up on the Christmas tradition next year - even if it's too flippin' cold, and even if it's just for coffee and chit chat. That was way too long without kite or kite brother for this guy.

.....perhaps tomorrow I'll be less sore......

That was clearer than my footage. I had my gopro on 1080, and forgot how shaky that mode is. My legs were so shaky trying to drive back to St. Albert. It was everything I had to go to work yesterday. Lol. I have about 1hr of straight kiting footage. My first sit down rest was almost 8minutes. At the end I was only riding 1:20 max. Lol

Another minute or so of video with shaggs first and macboy later Snowkiting Cooking Lake Mar 9-14 with shaggs2riches and macboy

Hope to get together this summer for some more fun together.

Love it! It looks worse than it really was to be honest but given yesterday and today's weather here and tomorrow's forecast....I think we nabbed the last day on Cooking Lake for the 13/14 season. Awesome to have spent it with you two.

Odds are pretty good I'll be going home to Calgary for Christmas this year. We'll have to try and revive the Christmas meet up. Like Mac' say's even if we just get together it will be fun !

Did anybody here from Deiter ?

The conditions were pretty fun. Even better playing in + temps. The best part was how easy it was to setup not trudging through snow, way less tiring. I never realized how much faster skis were, over snowboard. You guys were really able to clip along at a great pace, with me being such a slow poke. lol

I will definitely be down for trying a Christmas get together this year.

Poor, poor Deiter is trapped in Tahiti in a cabin on stilts over the Pacific waters. He was surely heart broken to not be able to come play with us.......

I'm with ya on the Christmas meet. That's at least two of us then ; )