Freedom: Sailing across the dirt

The 2014 Landsailing World Championship will be in the US this summer for the first time since 2002. To be held at Smith Creek Dry Lake near Austin, Nevada on July 12-19, the event has grabbed the attention of CNN International, which will be gathering footage for their monthly sailing show Mainsail hosted by Olympic sailing champion Shirley Robertson.

Tara Prokop, who lives a few hours away in Reno, Nevada, regularly makes the trip to Smith Creek Dry Lake to camp and landsail. Here she shares what landsailing means to her…

Six inches from the earth in full mad max style I sit. The ground is flat and shiny as if polished. Cracked yet whole. No roads lead or bind my progress.

The horizon is infinite, and yet, the distant mountains seem to surround and hold. They grasp like starlight; embracing my dreams, encouraging, and believing in my absolute ability to be my best self.

My fists hold tight to the line I grip. Three wheels, a vibrant multi colored sail, and with my two feet poised, I aim for the setting sun. The brilliant blue Nevada sky has a wispy cloud cover which when back-lit by the sun seems to rain amber light, welcoming like embers from a campfire.

The amber glow, which showers down to the playa, speaks to all my loss, all my hope, and all I ever want to be. My eyes tear from the wind in my face. They tear for the independence and strength I feel. When I tack just right my ears equally hear the waterfall rush of wind passing through my tripoded world.

Sailing across the dirt harnessed to this land by my own might….my two hands….my two feet… my desire….. I know the word Freedom; I feel its true name and its power sink into the place where muscles hold memory.

I am 38 years old and a first generation American. My Father was born in Czechoslovakia. He came to the United States as a child with his parents through Ellis Island in the wake of World War II. They had 56 dollars, no family.

He knows what the word Freedom means. He has lived it. Coming from loss and devastation he made his way. Married his love, became the engineer every piece of him was born to be, had three daughters who adore his every fiber. It won’t surprise you that my father taught me to landsail.

I believe in great expectations, I believe in my best self, I believe in carrying your own gear and finding the golden path. The wind will teach you Freedom. The mountains will hold your dreams. Your hands and feet will get you through.

I jibe and let the wind take me back. Back to all I love. To my son, my daughter, my parents, my sisters, my nieces and nephews, my friends. All of whom are camped at the edge of this desert wonder.

Back to a cold beer, and something to eat; to friendly banter and stories of dust and love. When I put my head on my pillow this night I know I will hear my son say “goodnight mommy—I love you like dirt and worms”.

Freedom.

Source: Dirtboating Magazine