SENSI-BILIA
“THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE ENGAGING WITH THE ELEMENTS IN A WAY THAT PUSHES YOU OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, TESTS YOUR SKILL SET AND GETS YOUR HEART RACING. KITEBOARDING WHEN POWERED-UP IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DOES JUST THAT.”
Have you ever been standing on the beach, evaluating the wind and feeling nervous about going out?
Two years before I moved to Hood River (one of the kiteboarding meccas in the US), I kited at the nearby spot of ‘Rufus’, an infamous location known for its high winds, craggy cliff backdrops and its rolling river swell. I was an intermediate kiteboarder at the time and not very experienced in extremely high-winds. Rufus was an iconic kiteboarding location though, and everyone on our trip was excited to go check it out.
I started getting butterflies in my belly as soon as we pulled into the parking lot. The wind was whipping and sheets of mist were careening across the water. The skies were cloudy, moody and the whole scene was ominous. Our crew of five rigged two kites on the beach and each of us prepared to take turns battling the winds. I launched with the help of Jason Slezak and Chris Stuckey, with one man holding the
