MikeyZ will not forget RochWindSports!

[David]

Mike, We are older than you and we have been playing the April fools game for quite awhile so nice try. However when you do eventually try kiting those will be the words we all hear... ;D

[mikeyz]

David, yea I know you guys have heard it all before : ) And yes, I still plan on holding true to my promise that one day I will try kiting ... and yes I probably will have a blast doing it. However, as you have said, there is room for both sports and out here in SF there is more than enough wind for both sports so I doubt I'll ever give up windsurfing. I've got monday off so that means there will be three days to play. Pray for me guys. We're on the edge of the season. Pray for me.

[mikeyz]

Full length windsurfing movie here:
www.sofa-movielab.com/index.php/films.html

I just got skunked at Crissy Field, but I didn't care too much cause that place is beautiful. Tomorrow we're gonna get some storm wind! yaaaay!

P.S. Air temp today was 58 degrees. I heard Rochester was 83!!!!!! Crazy.

[Joes Wife]

Z-
Wanted to let you know that Joe, Ted & Mark are starting to lay the groundwork for July in the Gorge. I know all of them, but especially Joe, would love to have you come up. Currently sounds as if from the 17th to 29th is when it will be Joe & Mark in the house, versus earlier in the month Joe, Ted, Chuck Lane from Boston and perhaps one of his friends.
Wanted to put a bug in your ear now so that you have plenty of time to figure out if it might work out for you.
Eileen

[mikeyz]

Thanks Eileen, right now 4th of July weekend is screaming "Gorge Gorge Gorge". If they don't have beds I'll camp in the yard. A few things need to smooth out work wise before I commit to anything this summer.

I was just checking out www.beachtelegraph.com/ and noticed that there was a link to some video of my friend Sofy doing vulcans. This was filmed a couple of days ago. Sofy's wife is Asma the woman that was just in Windsport Mag.

videojibe.com/videos/the-grind/
www.beachtelegraph.com/

I'm praying for wind this weekend!
- Z

[mikeyz]

You guys may have seen this on the blogs. This is a real downer. I didn't know her but everyone that I sail with did. humancatapult.blogspot.com/2010/05/jacqui-kuni-will-forever-live-in-our.html

[mikeyz]

Dougie did you see this? Isn't this up in your neck of the woods?



Here's a little Z update. I sailed a place called The Access up near Rio Vista after work on Friday. 103L and 5.0. I got about 90minutes before the wind shut off and the sun went down.

Saturday I sailed a place called Point Isabel. I was on 86L and 5.0, but I should have rigged my 4.4. Sailed way up wind looking for my friend who sailed even further up wind. A break down wouldn't of been fun.

Sunday the wind never set its self up to be consistent, which is really rare around here. All of the spoiled people out here were upset.

I want to loop really bad and vulcan really bad. For the loop recognise that there will never be a perfect moment and that I just need to go for it. Ideally I would have a session where I'm sailing with one of my looping friends (they push me) with the swell lining up perfectly and my sail not feeling over powered. I'm hoping to get one session where I attempt it this season.

With the vulcan. I'm really trying to learn to pop my board. Neither of my boards will pop well but I'm told it can be done, so I'm doing it. A friend just gave me a 15cm freestyle fin that might make it easier. I feel almost ready.

I still can't heli tack.

My girl friend's mom used to sow sails for simmer (aliteration) back in the 80s on Maui.

I see Andy Brandt around town on a weekly basis. I haven't introduced myself. I would benefit from taking some lessons.

I still miss Hamburg(ers).

- ZMAN!!!

[Windydoug]

Right you are Z man...that video is from my neck of da woods.
On a good day we can see Christian Island about 10 miles out from a friends cottage. Looking at the map in the video, the next island east is Beckwith Island, then Giants Tomb (not pictured) with great sand beaches, and then 6 miles or so of open water a couple small islands then my place. How did you find this?
Loved it.
Do us proud with all your attempts at magazine cover moves....these days I'l be happy just to get near the water.
WD

[mikeyz]

Hey Doug, I saw it on beachtelegraph.blogspot.com. I bet it is amazing up there. And especially this summer with all the warm weather you east coasters are getting. I don't think it has been above 70 in the past two weeks in berkeley.

Hey get out when you can man. I know some wind addicts out here that spend fortunes on baby sitters. Hope all is well!

-Z

[mikeyz]

Woah has it been over a year since I have written to you guys?

Things are good out here in SF. I got about 50 sessions last year of 5.0ish conditions. Gotta get more this year.

I keep crashing a lot. I ride with a breed of windsurfers that do a lot of wiping out. I've actually taken some tihs for not wiping out enough before. Got to keep eating it every sesh.

This past month has been a little slow (especially the last two weeks). But it is looking like we will have wind for the next 4 months starting tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it.

Shouts out to Kenny. Make sure he sails a lot guys. Gary, Dougie, Joe, BillyBoy, WaterAuthority, Art, and Ken, miss you dudes.

Still haven't slid backwards yet. GRRRRR. Or gone over the handle bars. GEERRRRR again.

For the record I still haven't gotten anything as good as Hamburg on a 5.0 day.

- West Coast Wind Brother (Z)

p.s. Here is a video some friends made from a PCS trip.
vimeo.com/23776581

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.

[windkid]

M-Z,
You ARE the man on the West Coast with a Great Lakes Heart. So good to hear from you, awesome pic and the video was a gas.
Glad to see that you are keeping in touch, and remember we'll be in the Gorge in July....rent a camper and go wild.

WK

[Windydoug]

Wow Z, that is an awesome picture who is it?

Oh....it's you!!!

Not much has changed out here....not windy enough, plenty of ball busting. I can't get out as much, and we all keep getting older. When are you moving back again?

Dougie

[mikeyz]

Hey Bill, I'm definitely keeping the gorge in mind. I'll bring my tent if I come. Work right now is really crazy for me. So it will be a last minute decision to head up there if I do.

Dougie I'll move back when I get my wind fix.

Glad you guys liked the video. Candlestick is already blowing 23 at 9am. I have to do work for a few hours before I go though. Barf.

- Z

[mikeyz]

Hey Bro-Socks,

I've somehow been managing to sail quite a bit over the past 2.5 weeks despite my busy work schedule. I've been working hard on a move called a "vulcan". See video below.



It is the first move most people learn when getting into modern freestyle. I started trying them very cautiously last October. Now that I've got over a little fear I'm just flat out going for it, trying them on every reach. On saturday I was working on this move behind an island called "Brook's Island". The chop was at the perfect angle and just the right size to help me with popping the board. Finally after over one hundred (if not two hundred) attempts landed clean 180 degrees in the other direction. Yay! Then the mast hit me in the back of the head. Doh!!! But I was still really pleased with myself.

This is when the story gets good. This guy who's sail and board I did not recognize had been sailing behind me the entire time. After I fell he sailed straight at me. I was trying to recognize his face, but I couldn't put a name with it. Then as he got closer I saw the grin, the boss mustache, and I noticed the Paul Bunyan like figure. And then the guy said "Yeaahhhh!!!!", congratulating me. But this was no guy, I recognized that voice! It was H20Authority himself!, Rick!, except he has a bandana and thin pony tail that I noticed as he sailed away. It was a serious WTF moment for myself as you could imagine. What was Rick Griffin (or his long lost twin brother) doing in an unusual corner of the bay congratulating me on my best attempt ever of this silly move?

I've been going over it, trying to determine how such an occurrence was possible. Ultimately, I took it as a sign from the windsurfing gods that there was some sort of cosmic link of stoke between me and my east coast wind brothers.

Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I just hit myself in the back of the head and I see a west coast version of Rick instead of stars. I really think it happened. Has anyone seen Rick recently?

- Z MAN!!!!

[waterauthorityrick]

H20 Rick in the Bay area? No not a chance. It only gos to show you "there are ugly guys all over the USA"

I made it out today at Rider1200 secret spot. I thought the wind was good enough but found I was the only water enthusiasts out there no kites no other windsurfers. I sailed up to Durand and found the beach to be empty I was out after five perhaps everyone else was done for the day.

H20 (no Bay area) Rick

[mikeyz]

Guys it is so great to see you are having such a wonderful summer both in Rochester and at The Gorge. July has been busy for me and I've only gotten out thrice. Yes thrice. But I'm making it count and following one of the golden rules you guys taught me - to work with what you have.

Last saturday I launched at a place call Point Isabell. None of my buddies showed up so I pulled a H20 Authority and decided to go out searching for them. I sailed couple of miles upwind to this freestyle spot behind Brooks Island. I couldn't find them. So then I made a few long reaches beating my way up wind. Once I made it far enough up wind I "shot the gap" at the Berkeley pier. I was over 4 miles from home and sailed to Emeryville. The entire time I was powered on 5.0 and 103L. Still wasn't as nice and swelly as Durand. But it was pretty sweet none the less.

Sunday I was up at Rio Vista - this sweet spot north east of the bay out in the boonies. The wind enthusiasts were in abundance. I had another encounter with H20s Authorities long lost brother!!!! Crazy! And just like last time I only saw him once and he vanished. Here are some pics of vulcan attempts.

[gwind]

The move is cool! The persistence is cooler!! And that sail looks sweet!!!
Thanks for remembering your roots and keeping us in the loop of your adventures.
See you on the water.

[Windydoug]

So.....when Mike said here are some shots of Vulcan attempts, did he mean to imply they were of him attempting Vulcans?
I don't want to be a hater, but I'm not buying it.


Reasons it's not Mikey:
1. You can't see his face in any of the shots.
2. He's wearing a helmet, but he's supposed to be young and invincible.
3. He sounds like he really knows what he's talking about.
4. Is Mike really that good a windsurfer?
5. He used the word "thrice" in his post. Has to be a Z impostor, only Windkid uses such language

I'm sobbing now....it is Mikey Z.....look how skinny the guy is.....(sob..sob)...he's now a better
windsurfer that I am....I can't take it.....I need to go throw myself around my sail without regard for my safety (intentionally)
just to keep up with that skinny little wind nerd.
My windsurfing life is now a boat adrift, the order in it has been unsettled.
Mikey boy, when will you return to western NY to have your growth stunted by inconsistent and infrequent wind?
Please come home..............


Seriously Z, how awesome to have your attempt captured on cam! I'm sure success is coming soon.
Thanks for checking in and keeping us up to date on your adventures.

Rochesterwindsports will not forget Mikey Z.

BTW d**n you for making us all have to scroll sideways to read these posts because of your vulcan photo's.

Wd

[mikeyz]

Hey guys, I'll be in Rochester tomorrow (Thursday) on my way from Syracuse to Buffalo. I will have just gotten off a redeye flight from the bay so I'll be pretty tired. I'm anticipating a nap at Durand during the afternoon. If you need something to do you are welcome to come and wake me up. tlf 315-244-8373.

Man too bad I missed all the good action with Irene.

I finally sailed Crissy Field. That has to be the freakiest place I've ever sailed. There are SO many boats on a sunday afternoon and they are all seeming on auto pilot.

Also, I finally got a proper fog session at Treasure Island. There were moments were I couldn't see the island at all and maybe just two or three fellow sailors.

[Shortboard Joes Wife]

Sorry Z, Joe was busy entertaining 7 year old grandson Thurs & Friday.