Utah Windriders Association

It is really sad what happened two years ago at Brewvies. We wind riders that kite are looking at losing launches. I wish the few that blew it for everyone would not have done that at Brewvies. Very sad night.

I have been a member since 1996 when I was a windsurfer. I still respect all riders.
Instead kiters go to Facebook and look to save launches as they are in trouble. I think there is no foresight in this. Organizations around the world protect their launches ever year by uniting and making solutions proactively. Look at CGWA, Australia, Florida, etc....
We had a good organization with the UWA to do this. Now we are in disarray.
Is there a way to make this work for everyone again? put away the bad feelings?

I completely agree with you Todd. I was relatively new to the Utah kiting scene when this happened. I don't try or want understand why there was a rift but we need organization and unity now more than ever. What can we do?

What happened 2 yrs ago?

lets just say a very few spoke for those they should have not spoke for. After that there was a fracture of this community. We use to big and tight.
I would say 99.5% of those riders at that time did not agree with what went down, but here we are today. A new day.
I don't know what the answer is, but at some point we are a community with a past. A good past. there are good people in this organization and it is a crying shame what happened.
sorry for riddles, but I don't want to rehash old stuff. Just hoping there is a way to get back together to save our launches. If someone else wants to explain "meltdown at brewvies" I am fine with that

So - can we keep getting together? If some folks have bruised feelings, they can boycott/stay home - but I think many kiters feel as welcome here as anywhere!

Brewvies in 2014 was awesome for me being brand new here. I mostly met windsurfers, and they were all wonderful to me. I happily paid dues, and will continue with UWA (realizing probably overdue there)

In terms of the FaceBook group - it is just a more convenient way to share onsite info - since I can set or un-set notifications easily, and the info seems to be there for kite launches. No disrespect for this site - Craig's wind report email gets opened as a priority every day!

Definitely kiters are coming together over access, and need a formal organization for that. The climbing community has always had "factions" that had near violent disagreements about style, ethics, approach (and temperament) - they still can organize together, and so should we all as windriders!

Looking forward to ANY type of gathering this year - is that on the agenda?

Hey Walt, it was good to meet you last year at the opening social also, and I'm glad you felt comfortable there.
Actually last years social was quite well attended, there were a lot of windsurfers, and a lot of the old guard
Kiters were there as well as some brand new transplants.

But..... this year I don't have any new video, and rehashing the old video, is pretty boring, especially if you're not in it. Plus those
who organized that (myself included) have been pretty busy this spring with other obligations. So a spring social is probably not
in the stars this year, but maybe next year if my work backs off a little, and I get some good vid this year in the Gorge.

You might want to contact Andrew directly through a PM here, if you have interest in working the Kite access related issues.
He appears to be the point man on the Lincoln beach negotiations.

-Craig

p.s. facebook is handy, and we've considered moving everything there, but it's not particularly friendly for the weather page and a few
other features, so for now, this format continues.

p.p.s The forecast continues to get a fair amount of use from Kiters and Windsurfers, whether admitted to or not ;*)

waltmed wrote:So - can we keep getting together? If some folks have bruised feelings, they can boycott/stay home - but I think many kiters feel as welcome here as anywhere!

Brewvies in 2014 was awesome for me being brand new here. I mostly met windsurfers, and they were all wonderful to me. I happily paid dues, and will continue with UWA (realizing probably overdue there)

In terms of the FaceBook group - it is just a more convenient way to share onsite info - since I can set or un-set notifications easily, and the info seems to be there for kite launches. No disrespect for this site - Craig's wind report email gets opened as a priority every day!

Definitely kiters are coming together over access, and need a formal organization for that. The climbing community has always had "factions" that had near violent disagreements about style, ethics, approach (and temperament) - they still can organize together, and so should we all as windriders!

Looking forward to ANY type of gathering this year - is that on the agenda?