2003 Trip Reports - El Mirage Windsailing Trip
El Mirage Land Sailing
April 5 and 6, 2003
Led and reported by Bob Martin
There had been rain and the El Mirage BLM hot line recorder had failed, so on Wednesday Marilyn and I drove down to the lake to see if it was open or closed. There was a little water where the road entered the lake, and all the signs proclaimed the lake closed. It looked dry enough to us. So on Thursday I called the Barstow office to find out. The Field Office Manager, Tim Read, told me he thought it was open but would find out and call me back. He did and said it was open and the signs were being changed. So I e-mailed those who had said they wanted to come to say the trip was on.
It had turned cold, and the wind was up when I went down Friday afternoon.
Saturday about 9:15 a.m. Craig Baker arrived. We assembled a double sailer, and I showed Craig how to sail. Betty Wallin and Don Sweinhart rolled up in Don’s motorhome about 9:30 a.m.. We quickly assembled another double sailer, and I showed Don the “ropes”. He soon had Betty ensconced, and they were off in the wind (which was blowing 18 to 20 mph with gusts to 35). It wasn’t long before Craig graduated to the single seat Chubasco sailer. Didn’t see him again till lunch.
The cold wind and sailing continued all day.
About 3:30 p.m. Chuck and Jeanice Kalbach arrived. They had planned to come down Friday, but their motorhome had other ideas. Neal and Marian Johns rolled up about 4 p.m. Craig, Don and Betty and the rest crowded into our motorhome and drinks and hors d’ouvres, along with good conversation, ensued.
All had brought food for the pot luck, and when we began to lay it out you could hear groans about being too full of hors d’ouvres. It must have been in jest as the plates I saw were overflowing. By 8:30 p.m. everyone was ready to call it a day, and all but Don and Betty headed home.
Sunday it was still windy, blew all night. Don had some things he needed to do so we packed up the sailers and were off the lake by 9:30 a.m..