Christmas 2011 Letter
May the Christmas
season fill your home with joy,
your heart with love
and your life with laughter
- especially laughter
when you see my pictures.
| Last of the warm winds; San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Oct. 2011; photo by Christian Canese, |
 |
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 2011!Website:
arizonaloukiteboarder.com
Dear All,
I hope you and yours are doing well. Another very busy and fun year for me. Most of the activity centers around trips.
Shortly after I sent my 2010 Christmas letter I flew to Hawaii as a guest of of Bobby and his wife, Maria, (kiteboarder I met on SPI [South Padre Island, TX]) who have a lovely place on Laie point on the North Shore of Maui. What waves! I declare it was probably the only two weeks in Hawaiian history without wind, so, instead of kiteboarding we got on one anothers' nerves, did some SUP (stand-up paddle boarding) in which I learned to crawl back onto the board after falling off a lot, especially in churning waves and took a surf lesson. I actually caught several waves, with the help of Chris, our instructor. It generally was a good trip and I learned a lot about people and getting along. I flew back on Christmas Day after two weeks.
Installing something new in my van was the biggest part of getting ready for my spring/summer trip. First of all I had to research and engineer the whole thing with the help of EAA (Phoenix Chapter of the Electric Automobile Association), build it and get some help installing it. I call it my Van Auxiliary Power Project, and it involves the latest LiFeMnPO (Lithium/Iron/Manganese/Phosphate/Oxygen) battery technology as the 60 Amp hour "house" battery to run my refrigerator, computer etc.
Heading out to SPI in late March started my biggest kiteboarding trip, or it was supposed to. More on that later. While there, I had a good time, saw old friends and bought a new 8 meter Best Nemesis kite after my old 8 meter Cabrinha started tearing all over due to the age of the fabric and some hard use.
My last scheduled day there, my last scheduled session and my last scheduled tack before returning to shore changed my plans quite drastically. Somehow my board came off my feet and hit me on edge in my right shin. That resulted in a trip to a Brownsville emergency room, eight sutures and returning to Phoenix rather than heading to OBX (Outer Banks, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina) as scheduled.
For the week in Phoenix I caught up with my mail, had the cells rebalanced on my LiFeMnPO battery, had my PCP (primary care physician, Dr Gergy Dwivedi) remove the sutures, then headed to OBX, stopping by Oneida KY on the way to visit Scott (my 35-year sone who coaches and teaches at Oneida Baptist Institute).
Scott and I had a good but short visit. We both enjoyed the company and hospitality of his neighbors (Mike and Cindy Waslewski and their children, Caleb, Miriam and Isaac). Then on to OBX.
| Getting a Little Jumpy on Catch 22 Beach; San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Oct. 2011; photo by Christian Canese |
 |
OBX had its usual superb kiteboarding conditions and old friends and new friends – mostly kiteboarders, of course. In late May the Kitty Hawk Kite Expo included good people and good times but not good winds. I did have my first experience riding with a foil (ram air) kite. SUP (Stand-Up Paddle boarding) races were held one windless afternoon. I figured with my vast SUP experience in Hawaii that I ought to give it a try. Out of a field of eight or 10, Nick crossed the finish line first and I was third but won the race. I was the only one who rounded the south buoy clockwise as per the instructions. Young, buff, Nick was first to reach the south buoy and went the wrong way. Everyone else followed him... except me.
Other highlights of OBX were appearing numerous times on Beach 104 Radio with Jody from their morning show, taking a lesson for jump jibes with kite loops and getting my PASA (Professional Air Sports Association) kiteboard instructor certification. Why? Because John (John Harris, owner of the Kitty Hawk Kites chain of stores) agreed to be my practice student. He surely had smooth kite control and did very well - and he's only in his mid sixties (my guess). Of course I do not have a lot of room to talk, being70.
I headed my van toward Phoenix the first part of August, stopping by Hutchinson, KS for a pleasant visit with Stan (brother 1.5 years my senior). Then I, once again, headed for Phoenix, stopping by Altus, OK to visit with Anne's (daughter and Robby and their two girls Katie and Brook). Brook had been a little late walking, but was running around all over the house... and talking up a storm in her version of Baby English.
I believe this is the first year that than I was never approached by a law officer for some reason or other. Maybe I made myself less conspicuous, was better behaved or just more lucky.
The second weekend in October Christian, Steve and I caravanned down to San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico for four days of good winds. I wore my Santa hat for the pictures in my Christmas card. We enjoyed the riding, the company and staying with Don Gray at Christian's house.
Here at home in Phoenix between the trips I stayed busy, moving my Vanguard Total World Stock Index from a mutual fund to an ETF (Exchange Traded Fund). The increased return due to lower expenses should be worth the trouble of having to manually make the investment each month.
The IRS is trying to penalize me for not correctly anticipating my tax liability for 2010. How could I have anticipated selling 10 of my Wittmann acres the last week of the year? I've got forms to fill out for that now (ugh!).
Also I orchestrated donations to pay for a needed envelope printing run for Duet (duetaz.org). That was cool, as I like to know what my donations are doing and that they are going to a good cause.
Socializing included occasional trips to Mesa to visit George (younger brother) and his family, Saturday night HamFeasts, Wednesday evenings at Gangplank, working out at six different gyms and several visits to the Rainbow Cactus Saloon. Did I say saloon? You see, one Sunday evening while attempting to use the Wi-Fi at a nearby McDonald’s I met the owner, Karen. She invited me to the saloon to use their Wi-Fi. I found the saloon to be smoke free and the group there to be friendly and fun. For entertainment, people dress up in costumes, then dance etc. while they lip-synced to popular music - all as a part of fund raising for a various causes. I even told some of my famous stories as part of the entertainment. Now, in a saloon on North Cave Creek Road in Phoenix is my first signed, fan-club photo, as per Karen's request!
My remaining baby tooth, a molar, was about to fall out, so I had it pulled, along with my misaligned eye tooth. Nest step for the baby tooth will be to have an implant installed. It should heal while I'm kiteboarding in the Philippines so I can have an artificial molar added before my spring/summer trip.
My annual physicals so far went without incident – except for my urologist. Protiatitis (infection) is a possibility or, unlikely, cancer for my condition. Our plan is to monitor the thing and, at least for now, put up with some of the inconvenient symptoms.
Did I mention the Philippines? I have airline tickets and reserved lodging on Boracay island from the latter part of January to the latter part of February, 2012. They say Boracay is one of the best kiteboarding spots in Southeast Asia. I'll let you know next year, or you can click the Blog button at the top of my website if you do not want to wait a year. While I'm there I'll spend a few days visiting my niece, Stacie who is in the Peace Corps in the Philippines.
Like I said, it was a very busy year. Have yourself a good one!
Best Wishes for Wind and Happiness,
Lou
Arizona Lou
