Rochester man windsurfs Lake Pepin in November chill

• Widsurfing Lake Pepin

@ct:Pete Gisvold says late fall, when the boats clear off the lake and the wind picks up, is a prime time for windsurfing. Photo by Eric Ludy.

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LAKE PEPIN--When the wind blows cold, Pete Gisvold heads out to the lake.

The Rochester, Minn., resident braves frigid temperatures to catch the blustery winds on his windsurf board blowing over Lake Pepin each November.

"You just gotta have the suit for it, you know?" he said, packing up after an afternoon of windsurfing amid temperatures in the mid-40s.

Gisvold, 46, says he picked up the hobby in his 30s and has been hooked ever since. On days off--he works nights at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester--he packs a board on his Subaru and finds a suitably windy spot.

With Lake Pepin and Lake Byllesby nearby, and more distant spots like Lake Superior, he said there is no shortage of places to go.

"It's the land of 10,000 lakes, man," he said.

November, when boat traffic clears and the wind starts to pick up, is an ideal time for windsurfing, Gisvold said. He was out with his friend and fellow St. Mary’s employee Eric Fairbanks.

By 5:30 p.m., he was ready to pack up, exhausted and thoroughly chilled after a full day on the lake.

"At my age, I guess 40 (degrees) is about my limit," he said.

Tags: lifestyle