Yes,
Friday morning, I am at Akron Canton Airport waiting for the United Airlines to find a plane in Chicago and send it to Ohio so we can go to Chicago. Seems the storms last night snarled air travel in the mid west and they are all out of airplanes. Oh well, I headed to the business lounge and logged into work via VPN. No way to call the travel agent to rebook as this is now an unplugged (as possible) month. There are still at work, many items to take care of as I depart for 3 + weeks of International travel, including some PO's, hotel reservations etc.
Got to Chicago 5 hours late due to the lack of airplane, so instead of 10 AM, we arrived 3 PM into the busy time of O'Hare. What a maze O'Hare is, I hate going thru there. Hertz was totally screwed up. They are mid construction in their offices, just off site and have 6 agents for a snaking line some 140 strong. Patience prevails, though most are disturbed at the lack of service. Finally get on the road just in time to hit Milwaukee at rush hour. It just cascades out of control.
Stop and go traffic while I watch a gale wind blow, knowing I should be windsurfing right now is tough to take.
I hope this bad "karma" fades soon, it would stink to deal with this for almost 4 weeks overseas. I don't believe in Karma (yet).
Karma is a word I usually frown at using because it reflects a 60's hippy twist, but there must be some word for when things go wrong in torrid's.
Traffic soon fades into the rolling pastures of rural Wisconsin in full early spring green. The Hertz GPS takes me along, turn by turn with a pleasant voice, and guides me to Fond Du Lac. Fond Du Lac is a shallow lake some 40 miles long that s formed by a ledge of rock that extends to Niagara Falls, and I think may run thru Cleveland. Don't know. Anyway, I arrive in Fond Du Lac and run right into a detour and bridge closure. More bad Karma?
After several improvised turns, I follow a tennis Mom through the High School parking lot because she looks like she knows where she is going.
I finally spot a Mistral flag and some sails, I have found Wind Power and Kevin Grattons place. Kevin and I have exchanged emails, and like Arden and the Magnesons, they said just get here, we'll take care of you. This is a cool tribe of wind junkies to finally visit on their home turf. I have raced against this element for 20+ years, and I know there is a secret to why they are so darn good, I just haven't got a clue what it is. The wind mill farm just outsideo f town might offer a clue. Those things don't get put up where it does not blow.
I find Kevin by the lake, having just finished a session windsurfing, then went out kitting. He is wearing a full dry suit and neoprene head gear. (He told me a short wet suit would be just fine?) Traveling for 3+ weeks forced me to make some tough garment decisions to make room for a windsurf harness and wet suit.
The wind machine has just shut off, There will be no more sailing fun today. Any gear was totally not going to happen, Oh well, I'll hopeful sail something tomorrow.
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