There has always been something magical about paddling my SUP on a glassy lake or river. But ever since I got my Freewing AIR V2 I have been obsessed with my Windy App. If wind is promised in the afternoon I add my paddle to the gear and plan on spending the pre-wind hours having a nice paddle. All the while I’m waiting for those ripples on the water. In Central Oregon the prime time seems to be right about 3 PM. The good news is that even when we are still having 35-45 degree nights, by then the temp has popped up to a balmy 55-70 degrees (at least for next week). Out here it could turn back to winter and even snow through June.

My friend, Dennis, has been sharing some insights on where the local “wingers” go and I have heard they are a friendly bunch. Before arriving in their midst my plan is to get some skills under my belt. So last week when Ed and I headed out to Haystack Reservoir I was determined to get my first water time in spite of the VERY light breeze predicted. And man, was it ever light – and fluky.

The good news – My Starboard 4 in 1 wingboard is perfect for me and I had savored a few amazing moments of feeling the “soar” of the wing. And of course. After about an hour on the water we packed up to head home. The moment we turned on the car – the wind freshened! LOL next time we will wait for it.

There was still plenty for me to learn even off the water. Last week our springtime transitioned into what we call “third winter.” It didn’t snow in late May but it was COLD!!! Fortunately, Starboard has produced a wonderful series of instructional videos with more than enough content to prepare me for my next adventure on the water.

Of course my favorite series is “Zero to Hero” with Starboard Dream Team rider, Zane Schweitzer, aka Zaniac. He has a great way of breaking things down. In fact, he has me convinced that one day this “Elder Wingboarder” could even foil!

Zero to Hero (1-10)