Cliffs Riffs - Stuph n Nonsense

Have you ever seen someone shooting over the surface of the water only to hit a wave and go 20 feet or more up into the air before landing again? Does the idea of participating in an exciting wind powered sport connect with your internal circuitry? If you have never experienced the sport of kite surfing in person, then you might want to wander out to the beach at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon for a closer look. Seeing kite surfing on television is great, but it is nothing compared to a live demonstration. We went out to the kite festival in Grand Haven last month and discovered that the winds were too powerful on the last day for the kites to fly. While the wind was too much for stunt kite teams, there was a group of wet suit clad people making the most of it over by the pier. Hudsonville resident Brad Knoth was putting on a show that day that left us slack jawed in amazement. He is known in kite boarding circles as “BK” or by the moniker “Big Air” and he was living up to the latter...

(You can listen to music by clicking here.) One of the best things about reporting on athletes like Rockford’s Pat Besta and Nicole Seif from Caledonia is the opportunity to learn. Pat and Nicole are both involved in wheelchair tennis and they practice on the courts at Calvin College’s Gainey Center every Monday evening from 6 to 8pm. Thirteen year old Nicole is involved in the juniors program and Pat plays in the adult league which is open to players over 18. We went out to the courts to learn more about wheelchair tennis and the people involved in the sport. Did you know that tennis players from all over the United States and from as far away as Canada, France, and Mongolia will be coming to play in a tournament in West Michigan July 18-20? It’s true; MVP in Rockford will be hosting the Midwest Indoor Championships and we learned that more than 70 wheelchair tennis players from all over the world will be competing in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) sanctioned event...

May 29, 2011 - This post has been up since June 2008. I am amazed at the number of people who read it. There are several hundred page views every month. Please take the time to read the various comments after my post. In addition to some success stories, I have been diligent to put up comments from people who don't agree with my thinking and/or experience on this matter. My purpose in writing this was NOT to try to convince others to do what I did, but rather to share my experience. Anyway - since doing this I have not had any further issues with gallstones or pain (knock on wood, toss salt over my shoulder, etc. etc.). I am not trying to replace a visit to the doctor, just sharing what I did and inviting others to share their experience - even when it does not line up with mine. January 8, 2012 - the comments and readers keep coming. I thought I should mention one more thing. If you take the time to read all the comments you will find some variations on the recipe I followed. I...

Okay. I just learned the definition of the word "vista". A fellow Rounder posted some fantastic pictures from a ride in the Rockie Mountains today and he used a wide angle camera. The first word that came to my mine was "vista" and I was going to post the definition of the word and tell him that his pictures defined the definition, becase I THOUGHT vista meant something like "wide open space or view". Nope, it is quite the opposite. vis·ta /ˈvɪstə/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [vis-tuh] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. a view or prospect, esp. one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage, as between rows of trees or houses. 2. such an avenue or passage, esp. when formally planned. 3. a far-reaching mental view: vistas of the future. Hmm, guess I will have to revise my use of the word "vista" in future. Which then makes me wonder how many other words I think I know and I don't? On the way to looking ...