Valentines Day 2006 - Too Windy to Kiteboard...

My wind alert went OFF at 1PM - a good sign in a month where there is typicaly no wind. The wind hit 20 Mph average with 25 Mph gusts at 1PM. If not for a previously planned Valentine's Dinner I might have given it a shot.

Good thing I didn't...

By 5PM the winds were 42 Mph average, gusting to 50 Mph.

I have a permanant reminder of the last time I went kiting in conditions like this - labor day weekend 2003 off the north shore of Maui. The wind gusts were so strong that my gear started coming apart -- my leash mount tore off the board, slingshotting into my head. Amazingly there was an ER doc hanging around the beach to save my ___.

In addition to acquiring a nice 3 inch long 7 stitch scar on my left temple, I now also have a really cool helmet I picked up at Aquan Sports in San Carlos- www.aquansports.com - and some "wisdom". :)