Slightly Less Aquatic Travels - Hood River Oregon kiteboarding & Full Sail brewery

  We made a little visit to our kiteboarding, beer-making neighbors to the South  in Hood River, Oregon. They advertise the 'best wind in the world'. Well, it was windy, I'm not so sure about best (because it is a lot and is blowing all of the time?), but they do make some good beer.

   Full Sail brewery is located in the small adventure town, almost right on the mighty Columbia. They have free daily brewery tours and a great little restaurant/pub. It's not exactly on the water but it's easy to hop in the car and drive on down to the beach where the kiteboarders are going at it. I wouldn't take a picnic and blanket because it's windy...like, really windy (unless you like watching the kiteboarders like me).
   The brewmaster told us that the beer-making staff works four ten hour shifts and then plays every three-day weekend in the beautiful outdoors that surround the city. Some kiteboard, some hike, in the winter they ski and/or snowboard, snowmobile, snowshoe, etc. Sounds nice. It's basically what we try to do here at ETC...but with more beer...and wind...OK, not just more wind...the best wind in the world!
   Paul, Micah, Joe, Matt   ETC

The 47 refers to the 47 chaps who started this amazing beer operation.