The windows of the biggest shops hold a dazzling array of custom sailboards and colorful sails or exotic mountain bikes. Smaller stores offer the latest in surf wear, and a secondhand store carries everything from snowboards to tents. Even the pawnshop gets into the act—its window is filled with a state-of-the-art kiteboard setup for less than $1,000. All you need to get going is wind—one thing that Hood River has in abundance.

As a passionate sailboarder, I've driven the 60 miles from my Portland home to Hood River in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge countless times in the last three years. Recognized as the country's first National Scenic Area in 1986, the gorge provides a sea-level funnel through the Cascade Range that stretches from the Pacific to the eastern Oregon desert. From early spring through late fall, cool sea breezes are drawn inland by the rising heat of the interior, creating strong winds that blow directly against the Columbia's current.

Once considered a nuisance by the locals, the endless gusts provide a perfect playground for the thousands of windsurfers who flock here each summer.

But the sudden and unplanned influx of a large, fanatically sports-oriented element to a rural town has had an impact. Many locals didn't know what to make of the newcomers. Their relative youth, colorful clothes, and windblown hair set them apart, and their SUVs and vans, piled high with expensive toys, seemed to take up all of the parking downtown.

"I think it was a mixed bag at first, with people falling into one camp for the windsurfers and another against them," says Peggy Lalor, who came to town in 1983 and is now the director of the Gorge Games, a multisport festival that takes place in Hood River each summer. "But I think everyone agrees that the economy was suffering. The spotted owl controversy had cut into the timber business, Jantzen had closed down its swimsuit factory, the agriculture business is seasonal, and the population was being forced to move away to find jobs. Windsurfing has changed a lot of that."

Local leaders realized that the winds of change were indeed blowing. Hood River began creating riverside parks complete with grassy launches, bathrooms, ample parking, and even bleachers for spectators to watch the sailors.

Promoted around the world, the competition drew a host of international racers and journalists, helping to put both the sport and the town on the map. As crowds grew, a historic district was created to preserve the downtown area's charm. Sidewalks were widened and old style street lamps installed. Before long, the entire windsurf industry began migrating from California and Hawaii to Hood River. The economy was on the rebound.

Although the sport of windsurfing has shrunk since its heyday at the beginning of the '90s, you'd never know it from a visit to Hood River. I spent a day recently on the water at "The Hatch," formally known as the Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery, an experts-only spot on the Washington side of the Columbia directly across from Hood River.

Famous for the radical aerial maneuvers that take place just feet from the natural amphitheater of boulders lining the shore, it was so crowded with spectators that you would think it was the only place to sail on the river. But from the water I could easily see another hundred sailors who had launched from five nearby sites.

After my first two years sailing here, I knew of at least 35 more places to sail and I wasn't even clued in to all the "secret spots" where you could go out with just a handful of friends. That diversity is the key to the gorge's appeal as a windsurfing mecca. From the sandy beaches at Rooster Rock 30 miles west of town to the rugged launch at "The Wall" 50 miles to the east, the area offers everything from quiet, glassy coves that are perfect for beginners to raging 40-knot winds and the 15-foot-high swells that the pros use as ramps for mind-boggling jumps.

The variety of sailing opportunities is matched by the accommodations available throughout the gorge. Camping is abundant for those on a budget. B&Bs, many with hot tubs overlooking the gorge, are plentiful. Although most folks bring their own gear, a quick spin along the east end of Oak Street will take you through some of the best windsurfing shops in the country.

In fact, there's a lot of good shopping right along Oak. I love 2nd Wind Sports because you never know what you'll find inside: racks of ski gloves and hats, snowboards and skis, tents and backpacks—all at the right price. And Kerrit's. Founder Kerri Kent was one of the first windsurfers to announce she was going to stay in Hood River for the winters. Today her shop specializes in original active clothing. The custom swimsuit operation is especially popular.

Nearby, in the old Hood River Hotel, Pasquale's is a great place for sea-food, big salads, and pastas. The Sixth Street Bistro has a terrific bar with a good mix of both locals and "boardheads" (without attitude from either side). And, a little farther afield, the Mesquitery in the Heights has great steaks and scrumptious hickory barbecue fare.

When you get out of town, you find the area around Hood River offers much more than windsurfing. There's world-class mountain biking in the foothills of the Cascades and kayaking on the many rivers that flow down from the mountains and into the Columbia. Day hikes can take you all the way to the crater of Mount St. Helens or to one of the many waterfalls hidden in the surrounding forests.

Many visitors to the area tend to favor the wildflower tours in the spring or stern-wheeler boat rides up the river from Stevenson. If golf is your game, both the Hood River Country Club and the Indian Creek Golf Club offer day-use passes along with stunning views of Mount Adams on one side and Mount Hood on the other. And there's nothing like winding down the day with a fresh microbrew at the Full Sail Brewery or a tour and a tasting session at either the Hood River or Flerchinger vineyards.

"My wife and I have run a bed-and-breakfast here for the last 16 years," says Pat Frodel, who blew into town in 1982 and now runs the Gorge View B&B. "It's great because the guests are easygoing and there's always something to do whether the wind is blowing or not. They often come for the sailing, but they find so much more that they come back or just stay."