Riding in Northern Iraq?

Any ideas how or what I can get a tow with in Northern Iraq? I am leaving Friday for 18months I'm going to miss my boat and this forum.
I guess in a pinch we could hook up a rope and handel to a Hummer or maybe a camel. What is the top speed of a camel? Can they reach 25mph?
I am packing my board and will post some pics if
we find some water and get a tow.

TK

Todd,

The timing couldn't be better! Check out the discussion thread on "The Winch" that was unveiled at Surf Expo. No, seriously man that's definitely a bummer that you gotta go. Good luck finding some water and return safely.

KS.

Kaiser,

do u mean water to ride on or water to drink... LOL

good luck Todd and come home safe.

Water to ride, I hear the Tigres and Uphraties rivers are both full of pollution.

Todd, do you get Wakeboard Magazine? I was the Marine that tried to ride the Saddam Canal. If you have not read the article in the July issue here are a couple of pointers:

Bring a dry suit. The water is polluted with a parasite called a schistosome - it will give you all kinds of problems to include ERECTION PROBLEMS!!!! Thats what stopped me from getting in. All that is required is mere contact with the water - you dont have to get it in your eyes or swallow it. IF you wear the dry suit and put trash bags over your feet you might be ok as long as you do a dock start (or should I say sand start). If I had a dry suit there I would have done it but since I didnt, I thought about my marraige instead haha. Good luck and make sure you send some pics to Wakeboard Magazine and back to us.

When I was there we set up a 7-ton truck to pull me along the edge of the canal - not really all that exciting but it is wakeboarding nonetheless.
I originally had a boat locked on but they had to move to Baghdad to help build a bridge for Divisions movement into the city. You will find that it is hard to find a spot long enough for a HMMWV to pull you so that will take some time.

Sorry you have to go there - it sucks. If you are going to be there for some time, remember your cold weather gear. I was there from Januaury (in Kuwait) to July. In January it rained a lot and was hitting highs of 40 degrees. Cold weather boots should be on your packing list as well as a lot of books.

If you want an electronic copy of the article or any other recommendations for survival there I can send them to you.

Good Luck

You're f@#&% crazy. Man, and I thought the Delta was polluted! That makes the Delta sound like mountain spring water.

Also, if you want to see a picture of the Saddam Canal - my profile pic was taken there.

Dude, think about your personal life. You gotta think if you're gonna ride behind a military behemoth and you need to go through all that (dry suit and trash bags) just so you can maintain a stiffy when you get home, it ain't worth it. I HATE to say it but you might wanna just stick to playboys and poker. Good luck man.

Kaiser has a point - it killed me to say no considering what it took to get the board and everything else there - but it is probably not worth it.

I just realized you said you were going for 18 months - who did you piss off? haha

What are you going to be doing there?

Todd,

Good luck man! The parasites are bad enough. Our problems were the damn sea snakes in the river by Vung Tau and Da Nang in Vietnam! We called them 1 or 3 cigarrete snakes - that's about how much time you had to smoke one before you left the planet! It made diving & watersking interesting!

Take care.

Chris

Jim,
Thanks for the heads-up. Nice board set-up, Yikes!! No parasites for me!! I'm still bringing my board, I am in the 30th Heavy Sep. Brigade (OLD HICKORY)Engineers. WE have lots of earth moving equipment and plastic, so a MacGivered Canal project just may have to be put on our list of jobs. Maybe I can get some UN backing to bring wakeboarding to the populous of Iraq.
Glad to see you made it home safe!! Yes, can you email me the Wakeboarding Mag article. Afriend was telling me about it. That's what made me want to bring along my board.
Thanks again
TK

Jim,
Thanks for the heads-up. Nice board set-up, Yikes!! No parasites for me!! I'm still bringing my board, I am in the 30th Heavy Sep. Brigade (OLD HICKORY)Engineers. WE have lots of earth moving equipment and plastic, so a MacGivered Canal project just may have to be put on our list of jobs. Maybe I can get some UN backing to bring wakeboarding to the populous of Iraq.
Glad to see you made it home safe!! Yes, can you email me the Wakeboarding Mag article. A friend was telling me about it. That's what made me want to bring along my board.
Thanks again
TK

It wont fit here so I will send it to your email. Its on the way.

BTW, if you need somebody to take care of your boat for you while you are gone..... haha.

Dont forget plenty of cold weather gear!

Be careful over there...If I was you I would leave the wakeboard and get a mountain board...no wake to jump but hey sand dunes are cool right? And if I remember correctly there were a few of those there last time.

Or you can build some, your an engineer!

Be safe

Mark ,
Thanks, I have an old Rossi Imperial that I can sacrifice to the sand gods. Got watch our for those land mines (and I don't mean the ones left after my labrador does his busness out side)

Northern Iraq may mean good Snow this winter. I hope!!


I Wonder if Iraq is included in the Farmers Almanac for snow predictions?

Did you get the article todd?

Northern Iraq has a lot of mountainous terrain to include pine trees and snow. No lifts though - not yet anyway.

BTW - camels can get up and MOVE so dont write off that option haha.

Aim high camels are taller than they appear.

Jim,
Yes, I was able to read the article. Thank you for sending it. I know now not to fall into any
canals. May put the wakeboarding on hold for the next 18 months. Just winterized my boat and I'm really Jones'n about not riding anymore this year.
Here in NC we ride almost all year, at least up until Nov. and start in late march early June. There is a great lake here called Bellews Creek, that has a power plant on it and if you stay around the steam discharge outlet the water
is always pretty warm.

thanks agian,
Smooth waters!!!
Tk