The Grinch that Stole Alameda

[lmontejo]

EveryWho down in AlamedaVille liked Kitesurfing a lot, but the Grinch who lived just North of Crown Beach, certainly did not!

The Grinch hated Kitesurfers who did not buy from IT. But don't ask me why - no one quite knows or understands its wit. It could be ITS head is not screwed on right. It could be perhaps that ITS board's straps are simply too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all, is simply that its heart is two sizes too small.

And whatever the reason, be it tight straps or small heart, IT stood there at Crown, hating North Kites. Staring down from its shack and with a big sour, it stared at the kiters at three o'clock hour. "They're pumping those Norths," it said with a sneer. "It's a demo, not to be held here!" Then it growled with its fingers nervously drumming. "I must find a way to stop more North kiters from COMING!"

Many WhoKiters came to see the Rhino 08. The North Team arrived, and nobody was late! The WhoKiters young and old were trying to kitesurf and FEAST, but this the Grinch couldn't stand the least.

And the more they pumped, the more the Grinch thought, I must make sure that their sponsors are caught!

But how?

Then it got an idea, an awful idea. THE GRINCH GOT A WONDERFUL AWFUL IDEA. "I know just what to do." The Grinch laughed in its throat. And it made a quick call to the men in blue coats. And it chuckled and clucked. "What a great Grinchy trick." With the cops at the beach, they'll be gone in a nick! These are not F1's, these are not Naish, and these North Kiters will be gone in a flash!

The Grinch slithered and slunk with a smile most unpleasant... And WhoKiters were harassed by police omnipresent. Rhinos, and Rebels, even Vegas where there, but the Grinch said "this is nonsense, they've no right to my lair."

The WhoKiters left and the demo was stopped. There was no doubt, that the demo had flopped. The Grinch returned home with its heart made of stone, happy to know that few Norths had been flown.

A few days later, the WhoKiters moved to Sherman. There was wind, and a BBQ, and no Grinch to be squirmin'! IT HADN'T STOPPED KITING. North's, Cabrinha's Naish's and F1's were THERE TOO! And the Grinch with its cold feet and cold heart was, puzzling and puzzling. "How could it be so, how could this be TRUE!"

Kitesurfing IT learned, does not come from a store. Maybe kiting, means just a little bit more!

Epilog:

At this time we're still waiting, for the Grinch's heart to grow. We all wish for IT to have a heart that will glow. And when it does, the minute that it does, it will not feel so tight, it will rush to the beach with a brand new North kite.

And IT ITSELF, will pump up this kite, in memory of Don, (who loved Rhinos and Vegas), but has now moved on.

In "Miracle in 34th Street", they realized it too. Sending business to your competition is better than writs of prohibition... And all this makes for bigger hearts, in this community of Who.

[kitecrazy]

Well written. It makes me appriciate not being there to witness the blunder. You do realize this is just beating a dead horse (no disrespect to Eight Belles). There'll always be someone who gets rubbed the wrong way. Perhaps next time some lotion might make the rubbing more tollerable. It'll definatley make the phone more difficult to hold onto.

[Greg]

Well Done!!

I think the story is extremely powerful in it's message- PURE DISGUST!!

It really SUCKS we have this WEIRD SITUATION going on! The girls (and Jeff) have been my friends for years now- and I still don't understand the deal.. What the beef is?? Who KNOWS!! All I can say is: SCREW THAT! If it happens again, I'm going to boycott "The Shack".
Period,
G.[font=Arial] [/font] [glow=red][/glow][glow=red][/glow]

[windhorny]

Leo, you are a genius.

not to change subject but along the lines of alameda craziness...Anyone else find it funny that a Monkey kite got stuck in the tree today at Alameda?

:)

[KirkTalon]

Hate to be a Jerk, but the truth is that the only Un-Aloha vibe and unfriendly lecture I have ever gotten at Alameda came straight from the girls at the Shack.

Been a devout Best guy, that didn't stop me from trying other kites, am now in the process of switching gear to Ocean Rodeo, don't mean I will badmouth, block or veto people who don't ride what I ride.

Part of my decision to go to OR came from their good attitude and vibe. You can delay people from trying stuff for awhile, but eventually they will find what fits them ,and you remain the Grinch who tried to block the sun with a colander .

As a public safety officer I can guarantee you that we have better things to do than to police childish little skirmishes. Hope no one's car was being broken into while the police had to deal with "their playing in my sand box" idiocies...

[Greg]

Unfortunitly I believe it goes a little deeper then a childish tamtrum. The parks have there issues and concerns Both businesses have concerns and past resentments. The Shack personal believe they have to "protect the beach" and I believe were told to call about "Outside Business Actvities" by Anne Rockwell, She told me personally that she told the girls to call f they have trouble...
Bottom line: I'm SICK OF IT. Glade I'm NOT being part of "that" bull-sh*% anymore, Besides- Policing the beach is great way to be UNHAPPY...
Anne's moved on I'm told... The girls have been given lots of grief and hopefully understand the differance between What's Right and whats WRONG... (Hate to say it but I'm convinced we will always have trouble on some level at Alameda)
Greg (out)

[Loscocco]

Anyone else find it funny that a Monkey kite got stuck in the tree today at Alameda?

ROTFLMAO!!!!! Did you get it down with a banana?

[OliverG]

Trang Tran in Mui Ne, Vietnam spoke of competition and resentment from other outfits on the beach. He said it wisely, "Why fight among ourselves? If we do, we create division, and by doing so stand to send kiters on vacation a couple hours north to the other spot. Let's just focus on bringing people to Mui Ne. If we do that, we all gain."

The situation may be slightly different, but the message is the same. It is the same message and principles that this site was founded on. To promote safety, awareness, share information and the stoke, but above all, to build community. To divide it is simply bad for the sport. That is, if you are actually a kiter. I guess some people who want the support (and money) of the kiting community do not actually kite themselves, which may change things.

Cheers from Belgium, en route to Holland,
Ollie

[windhorny]

We may not have a local restaurant or bar that neccesarily benefits from tourism at Crown beach but I would say it is not that different at all from what you just said. Diversion is the last thing this sport needs. If anything we need to colaborate with windsurfers,beach-goers, and all manufacturers to keep the sport alive. As LMG pointed out, Anne moved on who was very supportive of the sport. Who knows what the new super intendant is like. She/He may just hear that that there is too much risk and resources going to that area and cut it completely. And this is why i always push for NOT asking permission from the city for anything small because i beleive we raise red flags for ourselves way too often. Perhaps this is why Sherman has fewer politics than most spots as it is a baron land and we all become our own police.

[CdoG]

WHAT good dose this do...?

lmontejo wesnt even there at the demo...

we all rode at the demo....
no one went to jail this time...
jeff has had the cops called at him in the delta...
ollie hasent promoted safety, in 3 years.....


so can we just STFU..
and move on...?