Lake Magazine August 2022

Easy Rider Swim Buoy Invasion DSC wins national title

AUGUST 2022

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When it comes to cancer, we’re in your corner.

If you have to fight cancer, you don’t want to have to travel up and down the road for quality care. UAB Medicine – Russell Medical Cancer Center, located in Alexander City, is right here at home where we’ve assembled a team of world-class cancer specialists and revolutionary technologies to fight these deadly diseases with precision and expertise. We’re your neighbors. We’re the UAB Medical- Russell Medical Cancer Center, and we’re proud to be in your corner!

Exceptional care just around the corner 256.329.7888 • russellcares.com/cancercenter 3446 Hwy 280 Alexander City, AL 35010

AUGUST 2022

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Letter from the Editor

Staff

ome days, you just wake up happy right down to the ends of your toes, though there doesn’t seem to be any reason for it. Maybe it’s my imagination, but days at Lake Martin proffer that kind of simple joy, the childlike realization – before you’ve even opened your eyes – that you’re at the lake.

Still in bed, you extend your fingers and your toes as far as they’ll go and scrunch up your shoulders to stretch out your back, and you wonder what you’ll do at the lake today. What delightful wonders can you share with visiting friends and family? What discoveries will you make with the grandchildren? What tricks will you finally land behind the boat? Will this be the day you shoot your age on the golf course? Where will you find the hidden smiles jumping out of the water like a prize bass on a bug today?

That’s why we’re here, isn’t it? To collect those smiles?

Whether our own or those of others, we tuck smiles in sacred corners in our brains, and later, they make more smiles as we recall them, retell their making and sigh over them.

The smiles keep us coming back to the sweetness of waking up at Lake Martin. Collecting them is a worthy pursuit, and fortunately, they are plentiful at the lake.

Dixie Sailing Club’s Keith Bennett wears a smile these days. His crew won the Gold Fleet division National Sailing Championship this summer, an accomplishment he has pursued for 26 years. Lake Martin’s sailing club sent three boats to the national event in Florida this year, and all of them placed well.

Check out their story on page 28 and add your smile to theirs.

If 15-year-old Jackson Clifford is behind the boat, he’s probably wearing a smile, too. Though he's definitely focused, there's no stress or tension written on his face. He’s just happy to be out there, catching air on the turns, flips and jumps and nailing them like a pro. Smile along with him on page 34.

Rob Henry and his friends still wore smiles at the end of their metric century bicycle ride around Lake Martin, though they’d picked a drizzly day for the event. Catch them on a bridge or back road near you on page 22. You know they will create more smiles on the next ride.

Then, smile because, this evening, you could be savoring a highly recommended bourbon and cigar pairing against the backdrop of a spectacular sunset at the lake (turn to page 66); or smile because your Ginger Soy Glazed Eggplant turned out as delicious as SpringHouse Executive Chef Pete McKenny’s looks on page 64; or maybe because pro angler Greg Vinson has unlocked the timing on the baitcasting reel for you on page 68.

Or just smile because you woke up at Lake Martin today.

That alone is reason enough.

Chairman KENNETH BOONE

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editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Publisher STEVE BAKER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Editor in Chief BETSY ILER

editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

Art Director AUDRA SPEARS

audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com

Business & digital Publishing Director ANGELA MULLINS angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com

Audience Development Director ERIN BURTON erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing/Advertising Director TIPPY HUNTER

tippy.hunter@alexcityoutlook.com

Marketing RENEE TRICE

renee.trice@alexcityoutlook.com

KEN RAINBOLT

ken.rainbolt@alexcityoutlook.com

MARILYN HAWKINS

marilyn.hawkins@thewetumpkaherald.com

SHERYL JENNINGS

sheryl.jennings@tallasseetribune.com

Contributors KENNETH BOONE JULIE HUDSON GREG VINSON CLIFF WILLIAMS PETE MCKENNY LONNA UPTON

WILLIAM MARLOW KAITLIN FLEMING JOHN THOMPSON JIM SIMONS MARK GILLILAND ADAM BURKETT

All content, including all stories and photos

Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011 256-234-4281 | lakemagazine.life are copyright of:

Betsy Iler, Editor-in-Chief 4 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

On the Cover

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Jackson Clifford, a rising sophomore at Pike Road High School, rides behind the boat almost every weekend until the water level drops on Lake Martin. He watched YouTube videos to learn wakeboarding tricks and techniques, which helped him to develop an easy-riding style. He picked up some tips from a local pro to better optimize the air, and he has aspirations to go pro.

Photo by Kenneth Boone

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Serving Lake Martin Since 1997 docksunlimitedllc.com | 256-203-8400

Stationar y and Floating Docks | Pile Driving Seawalls | Boat Lifts | Boat Houses

AUGUST 2022

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Apply by Responding to Our Job Postings on Indeed.com

Recruiting Top Quality Healthcare Professionals

RNs and LPNs

3701 Dadeville Road Alexander City, AL 35010

V 260 W. Walnut St. Sylacauga, AL 35150

385 East LaFayette Street Dadeville, AL 36853

RN and LPN Management and Charge Nurse positions available, 100% pre-paid scholarships for aspiring nurses, tuition reimbursement, sign-on bonuses, short-term contracts, and we consider buying out existing employment contracts

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) and Medication Assistant Certified (MAC)

Tuition FREE, paid training classes, prepaid exam fees, signon bonuses, and we consider buying out existing employment contracts.

Dietary and Housekeeping Positions Excellent Pay and Benefits

16 Jones Hill Road Goodwater, AL 35072

805 Hospital Street LaFayette, AL 36862

6 LAKE PM21_AD_HalfMag_RecruitRev_10.14.21.indd 1

Low co-pay & deductible BCBS Health/Dental/Vision/Prescription Drug Insurance, paid vacation, 401K, company paid life insurance, Longevity Bonus up to $1000 a year, employees and their children receive priority for scholarship opportunities, shift differential, and additional weekend differential that starts on Friday

Join us every Saturday June through September 8 AM - 12 PM 4 Court Square - Old City Hall parking lot

AUGUST 2022 11/4/21 11:15 AM

Contents 18. RIVERBOAT BAR-B-Q Lakeside Bay Pines Marina launches a food boat in steamboat style.

22. LAKE MARTIN METRIC CENTURY Four bicycle riders tackle the traffic, bridges and back roads to circumnavigate the lake.

28. DIXIE SAILING CLUB WINS NATIONALS Lake Martin's sailing club brought home the Catalina 22 title at this year's national championship.

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34. EASY RIDER At 15 years old, Pike Roads' Jackson Clifford makes the ride behind the boat look easy.

40. REDNECLECTIC UNICORN An eclectic Eclectic couple makes a well known Lake Martin cabin their own.

50. INVASION OF THE SWIM BUOYS Lake Martin homeowners play defense when the latest proximity bill fails, but are they solving a problem or creating another?

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LAKE MAGAZINE’S MONTHLY FEATURES:

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9. LAKE’S QUICK GUIDE TO THE LAKE 10. LAKE SCENES 14. CALENDAR OF EVENTS 16. LAKE MARTIN NEWS 54. NATURE OF THE LAKE 58. LMRA

61. FAB FINDS 62. HEALTHY LIVING 64. CHEF'S TABLE 66. CHEERS! 68. BIG CATCHES 71. PAR FOR THE COURSE 78. PARTING SHOT

Lake magazine also features an online, digital edition, available 24 hours a day, free of charge. This edition is perfect to share with friends and family and provides you complete access to stories, photos and advertisements from anywhere in the world with Internet access. View our digital edition today at www.lakemagazine.life.

AUGUST 2022

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Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Services • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech Therapy Cecily Lee, Administrator Angela Pitts, Director of Nursing Candi Tate, Clinical Liaison

2334 Washington Street, Alexander City | 256-329-9061 | www.crownehealthcare.com

A Place To Worship Lake Martin Area Churches

WATERFRONT Church of the Living Waters Inside StillWaters, Dadeville 256-825-2990 New Hope Baptist Church 529 Peppers Road, Alexander City 256-329-2510 Church in the Pines Kowaliga Road, Kowaliga 334-857-2133

OFF WATER Equality United Methodist Church 281 AL Hwy 259, Equality 334-541-4063

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OFF WATER

OFF WATER

OFF WATER

First Baptist Church Court Square, Alexander City 256-234-6351

Alex City Church of Christ 945 Tallapoosa Street, Alexander City 256-234-6494

Hillabee Baptist Church Hillabee Road, Alexander City 256-234-6798

Red Ridge United Methodist Church 8091 County Road 34, Dadeville 256-825-9820

Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Avenue Tallassee, AL 36078 334-252-8618 (12 Miles South of Lake Martin)

First Baptist Church 178 South Tallassee Street, Dadeville 256-825-6232

St. James Episcopal Church South Central Avenue, Alexander City 256-234-4752

First United Methodist Church 310 Green Street, Alexander City 256-234-6322 First United Methodist Church West Lafayette Street, Dadeville 256-825-4404 First Presbyterian Church 371 Jefferson Street, Alexander City 256-329-0524

Lake Martin Baptist Church 9823 County Road 34, Dadeville, AL 36853 256-825-7434 Lake Pointe Baptist Church La 8352 Highway 50, Dadeville, AL 36853 256-373-3293 Faith Temple Church 425 Franklin Street, Alexander City 256-234-6421

AUGUST 2022

St John The Apostle Catholic Church 454 North Central Avenue Alexander City, Al 35010 256-234-3631 Flint Hill United Methodist Church 2858 Flint Hill Road Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-5047 Good News Baptist Church 10493 Hwy 280 Jacksons Gap, AL 36861 256-825-2555

Lake’s Quick Guide to the Lake Lake Martin Area Real Estate Indicators Sales Month

Number of sales

Average selling price

Median selling price

Days on the market

Total houses for sale

Inventory/ sales ratio

31 38 47

$1,105,826 $590,030 $451,694

$650,000 $599,000 $345,000

96 130 147

72 283 340

2.68 11.13 12.00

June 2022 June 2019 June 2016

The above numbers are derived from raw sales data from the Lake Martin Area Association of Realtors MLS.The sales noted above are for Lake Martin waterfront residential (single-family and condominium) sales only. This information is provided courtesy of Lake Martin Realty, LLC (a Russell Lands, Inc., affiliated company).

What PWC operators need to know on the water One of the lake's most Fast and fun, it's easy to forget popular vessels, especially boating safety and courtesy with younger operators, is guidelines on a PWC the personal watercraft − SeaDoo, Jet Ski, Wave Runner and others. At less than 16 feet in length, the PWC gets its peppy propulsion from an inboard jet drive. It's fast and manueverable. Just jump on and go.

But just like any other vessel on the water, the PWC is subject to boating rules and regulations, and it is subject to additional rules of courtesy, according to the Marine Patrol boating safety course study manual. n Do not jump the wake of a passing boat, as the boat may block the PWC operator's view of oncoming traffic and also conceal the PWC from ous and is considered reckless operapproaching vessels. Wake jumping and ation. riding too close are common comn Varying your operating area shows plaints against PWC operators. consideration to other boaters and n Do not attempt to spray others property owners. with the wake of a PWC. It is danger-

Weather Outlook for August August 2022 Forecast

Historically, the Lake Martin area experiences average high temperatures in the low 90s with average lows in the upper 60s and about 4-3/4 inches of precipitation in the month of August.The National Weather Service has predicted that temperatures will be above average and rainfall will be normal this month.

Year-to-Date

Precipitation: 33.27 inches Avg. high temp.: 72.3 Avg. low temp.: 47.5 Avg. temp.: 59.9

Our Normal August Precipitation: 4.7 inches Avg. high temp.: 90.2 Avg. low temp.: 68.6 Avg. temp.: 79.4

Information from the National Weather Service.

AUGUST 2022

n Know the rules of navigation, especially those that indicate right of way − but don't expect other boaters to know or abide by them.

Last Month's Lake Levels Summer: 491 MSL Winter: 481 MSL Highest: 490.41 Lowest: 490.25 Lake depth is measure d in reference to mean sea level. For up-to-date water levels at the lake, visit lakes.alabamapower.com.

Lake elevations are subject to change. Individuals who recreate below Martin Dam and those with boats and waterrelated equipment on the lake should always stay alert to changing conditions.

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Lake Scene n People & Places

Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

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READER SUBMISSIONS (1) Houston Vickers celebrated the 4th of July with a treat at Peanut Point. (2) Charlie Head beams with pride at his first catch of Memorial Day weekend at Lake Martim. (3) Amelia celebratED her first birthday in the new pool on grandparents' dock on Lake Martin. (4) Mia Clayton, 3, enjoys a patriotic breakfast of donuts on July 4th at the lake. (5) Charles Borwski strikes a pose on-point from Our Town at Lake Martin.

(6) Railey Burns waved a flag at the boat parade entries.

(7) A great day at the lake closes with a spectacular sunset. (8) Archie, Kevin Morgan's 15-month-old golden retriever took in a tour of Lake Martin from the pontoon boat at StillWaters.

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AUGUST 2022

Lake Scene n People & Places 1

Email your photos to editor@lakemartinmagazine.com

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READER SUBMISSIONS (1) Timothy Thompson had a great time visiting his grandparents, Tim and Lynn Callahan, at Lake Martin over Memorial Day weekend. (2) Riley, McKailee, Skylar and John Ryan Herman piled into The Social's big chair on the south end of Lake Martin. (3) Cate Higginbotham is glad to be at Lake Martin on the 4th of July. (4) Catherine Carter beats the heat at Peanut Point. (5) Chad Brooks delights his 2-year-old daughter, Alice, while playing near Young's Island on Lake Martin. (6) Andie Borders' Honey B loves a boat ride on a hot summer day in Blue Creek at Lake Martin. (7) A Lake Martin sunrise makes a great start to any day.

AUGUST 2022

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WINDOW CLEANING PRESSURE WASHING GUTTER CLEANING SOFT WASHING

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Serving Auburn, Opelika & Lake Martin Areas!

(334) 759-7080 • sparklealabama.com

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AUGUST 2022

Summer Celebration Sale Going On Now

1425 Dadeville Road, Alexander City, AL AUGUST 2022

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Aug. 4 Strand Sessions

Lake Martin Young Professionals invite you to bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, coolers and family and friends to Strand Park in downtown Alexander City from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for the last Strand Sessions concert of the season. Watch the kids play, meet friends old and new and listen to the free music as you enjoy a pleasant evening. Visit the Strand Sessions Facebook page for details.

Aug. 5 Free Movie Night

First Baptist Church of Dadeville will host a free movie night for the whole community. Bring blankets and chairs for a showing of Disney’s The Wizard of Oz under the stars on a 33-foot screen.

There will be popcorn, treats, giveaways and more. The fun begins at 7 p.m., and the movie starts at dark.

Aug. 14 & 28 Episcopal Church Services at the Lake

St. James Episcopal Church will hold Holy Eucharist services at noon at Church in the Pines. For more information, visit stjamesalexcity.com.

Aug. 22 Auburn Club Scholarship Golf Tournament

Lake Martin Auburn Club will host a golf tournament at Willow Point Golf & Country Club to raise funds for Auburn University students. Entrance fee is $500 per player − $2,000 per team of four. Registration and range time at 8:30 a.m. with a 10 a.m. tee off. Breakfast and lunch are included. For details, email cwbodine@gmail.com.

Aug. 25 United Way Campaign Kick Off

Russell Brands/ Fruit of the Loom will be the pacesetter for this year’s fundraising campaign, themed “Because of You.” Celebrate the kickoff at 5:30 p.m. at Central Alabama Community College with food, fun and displays from each of the agencies served

by Lake Martin Area United Way. For details, call 256-329-3600.

Aug. 6 LMRA Annual Meeting

Lake Martin Resource Association will hold an annual meeting at 8 a.m. at Copper's Grill. Hear updates on cleanup and buoy rewards programs and learn more about Fungi Farm will host a what is happening mushroom cultivation at Lake Martin. This workshop Aug. 27 is an open meeting.

Aug. 27 Members and prospecCALENDAR OF EVENTS tive members are welcome Mushroom and encouraged to attend. For Cultivation Workshop WHAT’S HAPPENING ON LAKE MARTIN more information, visit the Fungi Farm will host this Facebook page or the website workshop where participants at lmra.info. will learn the fundamental principles of mushroom cultivation, laboratory design, greenhouse/fruiting chamber design, aseptic technique, substrate formulations, cloning mushrooms Aug. 6 and more. The class begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.

First Saturday Markets Please bring your lunch. Snacks will be provided. Workshop Standard Deluxe in Waverly will host its final First includes lecture, hand-on activity, laboratory work and a Saturday Market of the season. Pick up lunch, local artwork, tour of the facility. Go home with a ready-to-fruit mushroom T-shirts, posters and more from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit stanblock and two commercial mushroom cultures. Cost is $175. darddeluxe.com for details.

Visit mushroommag.com.

Aug. 12 The Chamber Open

Alexander City Chamber of Commerce will host a fourperson scramble at 10 a.m. at Lake Winds Golf Course. Entry is $400 per team and includes on-course food and beverages, catered lunch, hole-in-one giveaway, prizes for the winners and longest-drive and closest-to-the-pin giveaways. Email Kim Dunn at kim.dunn@alexandercitychamber.com or call her at 256-234-3461 for more information.

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Sept. 2 & 3 Labor Day at Crossroads

Russell Lands has moved the annual Labor Day concert celebration to Friday and Saturday nights at Russell Crossroads with a stellar line up, free of charge. Friday night, the music starts at 6:30 p.m. with Supper Club, followed by The Stews, both bands from Auburn. Local favorite The Bank Walkers will kick off the evening at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday,

AUGUST 2022

and Hotel Fiction, from Athens, Georgia, will close out the show. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, friends, family and the pup on a leash for two great nights of music on the grassy lawn.

The Santuck Flea Market is held the first Saturday of each month at 7300 Central Plank Rd., state Route 9 in Wetumpka.

Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store

Sept. 14-16 The Figure in Pastel or Oil

This intense studio workshop will feature artist Margaret Dyer teaching traditional pastel or oil painting technique using a simple step-by-step method. Students will explore drawing, composition, anatomy, proportion, value, color and application. Visit tallapoosaworkshops.com.

Oct. 1 Car Show and Swap Meet

Spectators enter free from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at this Millerville event at Bibb Graves High School on state Route 9. The fee to enter a car is $20, and swap meet vendors pay $10. Food items will be available for sale, as well, including hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and cold drinks.

Season-long Events Driving and Docking Clinics

Every Monday through August, Singleton Blue Creek Marina will hold free driving and docking clinics for pontoons, sterndrives and towboats. To make a reservatin, call Liz Nowling at 256-825-8888.

Music in the Air

Spend your Thursday evenings at Zazu’s Verandah on the beautiful Dadeville Square enjoying a variety of live music.

The music begins at 6:30 p.m. indoors or outdoors under the verandah, depending on weather conditions and performers’ preferences. Come early to settle in and be sure to get a seat.

Free admission but please tip the musicians. Visit Zazu’s Verandah on Facebook for the weekly scheduled programs.

Artists Association of Central Alabama

AACA artists meet on the third Wednesday of the month at the Senior Center on the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex grounds. Meetings are followed by an open studio program, which also is open to the public. Club dues are $20 for the year.

Clean Community Partnership Cleanups

Santuck Flea Market

Volunteers in Alexander City and Dadeville are encouraged to participate in community partnership cleanups every month. In Alexander City, the cleanups are held on the third Saturday of the month. Meet at Our Town Volunteer Fire Department at 8:30 a.m. to pick up supplies and area assignments. For more information, contact John Thompson at 334-399-3289. In Dadeville, the monthly cleanup is held on the second Saturday of the month, and volunteers can pick up sanitized pickers and bags at 8 a.m. at Dadeville City Hall. There also will be a trash bag drop-off on site. Contact Mickey Forbus at 334-329-0905.

Located on state Route 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You never know what gems you might find – from clothes and household items to boats. Proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of Children’s Harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. For more inforamtion, call 334-857-2008.

Naturalist Presentations and Guided Nature Tours

Naturalist Marianne fills the Naturalist Cabin at Russell Crossroads with children and adults to see and listen to her lively nature presentations with critters, insects, snakes and fowl, just to mention a few. There is never a dull moment with this wildlife biologist as she educates on the beauty of nature in the wild and the outdoor classroom. Check the calendar at RussellLands.com/blog/events for the scheduled subject matter, dates and times.

Fourth Fridays at EPAC

The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts music and other events on the fourth Friday nights of each month at 6:30 p.m. on state Route 9 in Equality. Visit the Equality Performing Arts Center Facebook page for a schedule of upcoming artists.

Trivia Night at Niffer’s on the Lake

Every Thursday, Niffer’s hosts trivia night at 7 p.m.

Winners receive Niffer’s gift cards. First place gets $40; second place gets $25; and third place gets $15. Grab a group of friends and come out for a night of games. A bonus question is posted on the Niffer’s Facebook page at 2 p.m. Thursdays.

Yoga on the Green

Bring your mat and a water bottle to this free yoga class every Saturday morning all summer long. Certified instructors will lead routines that are appropriate for all levels, from beginner to advanced. Meet at 7 a.m. at the Town Green at Russell Crossroads.

Friday on the Green

Start your weekend with friends and family on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads with free music and lawn games from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Friday night through Oct. 7. Bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets, as well as the pup on a leash. Coolers are welcome and food trucks will be on site. For more information, click Events at Russelllands.com.

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 15

Lake Martin News Dadeville glamping resort named among Top 10 in U.S.

Open only 10 months, The Destination Glamping Resort in Dadeville last month was named in USA Today’s top 10 glamping spots in the U.S. Owners Rhonda and Skip Courtney opened the first glamping destination at Lake Martin last fall and have quickly won an audience with four Safari Tent installations on raised wooden platforms in the woods near Dadeville.

The Destination is No. 6 on the list that was determined by a public online vote. Visit The Destination at tdbsc.com.

Staff report

The Destination's upscale tents are nestled in the trees along a picturesque creek

Marina owners pay it forward

In addition to sponsoring play at the Lake Martin Realty Open Golf Tournament for the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch this summer, Lakeside Bay Pines Marina’s Donnie and Buddy McDaniel donated a check in the amount of $5,000 to the ranch.

Staff report

Donnie and Buddy McDaniel present a check to Candice Gully

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Elijah Lamb won the Wildlife category in the Outdoor Alabama photo contest last year with a bobcat photo taken at Tuskegee National Forest

Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest opens this month

The 2023 Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest will begin accepting entries on Aug. 2. This year’s contest is a joint project between the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Alabama Tourism Department. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31.

The 2023 photo contest will focus on traditional photography techniques and the use of handheld cameras. No cellphone, smartphone, game camera, or drone photography will be chosen as winning photos for nine of the 10 categories. Smartphone and tablet photos will be accepted in the Young Photographers category.

The photo contest is open to state residents and visitors, but qualifying photos must have been taken in Alabama in the past two years. Any amateur photographer not employed by ADCNR is encouraged to enter.

Eight photos per person may be entered in the following categories: Alabama State Parks; Birds; Bugs and Butterflies; Cold-blooded Critters; Nature-Based Recreation; Scenic; Shoots and Roots; Sweet Home Alabama; Wildlife; Young Photographers (17 and under).

First, second, third and one honorable mention will be awarded in each category. Winning images will be featured online and in a traveling exhibit across the state.

For complete 2023 category descriptions and contest rules, visit outdooralabama.com/photocontest.

ADCNR promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.

Staff report

AUGUST 2022

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 17

Riverboat Bar-B-Q

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STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTO BY KENNETH BOONE

One well-worn pontoon boat, long ago considered an eyesore in great need of a makeover, floated for years at a dock near Real Island on Lake Martin. Donnie McDaniel, owner of Lakeside Marina at Bay Pines, purchased the boat with a gut feeling that he could do something with it. McDaniel contacted his friend, Michael Langston, and they started brainstorming. Now, that old boat has been reborn as the home of Riverboat Bar-B-Q, the newest food phenomenon on the lake.

“We figured out exactly what we needed. We needed to call Crash, and it was a great decision. He is the best barbecue and burger chef on the lake,” said Langston, who is consulting and handling logistics for the new endeavor.

Greg “Crash” Peacock has been barbecuing around the Lake Martin area as a hobby for about 20 years – for friends, tailgates, gatherings – and he has quite a reputation for what many folks say is the best barbecue around.

So, although Riverboat Bar-B-Q is new to the lake, the grill master is not.

“I just love to do it. I enjoy smoking butts and ribs, brisket and chicken. I love to grill, too. Even asparagus. I’ll cook anything,” Crash said.

Designed not to compete with but add to food service on the water, Riverboat has experienced tremendous growth since its humble beginnings in June. The boat is now bedecked in red, white and blue – an American flag and eagle proudly displayed. Two smokestacks are on the roof, and a paddlewheel turns as the boat moves through the water.

“We can’t believe how it’s taken off. We know we have great places to get off the boat and eat on Lake Martin, and we hoped we could offer another service for boaters who want to stay on the boat or the beach, or keep floating or cruising, and still have food brought to them,” Langston said.

Riverboat’s base is Lakeside Marina at Bay Pines in Jackson’s Gap, where the new food service is under the regulations of the Tallapoosa County Health Department, which already permits food preparation and sales at the marina. The pork butts are smoked on the premises; then, kept in a warmer at regulated temperature until ready to pull the meat and build the sandwiches.

Crash’s process begins around 3 p.m. every Friday afternoon when he cleans and preps the grill and smokers and gets his seasonings ready. He built the cooking area himself. Two smokers, an open grill, a freezer, a cooler and a warmer are part of his trailered kitchen.

“I use oak, hickory and pecan to cook. I smoke the butts around 10 hours, and the ribs take two-and-a-half to three hours. I’ve never had anyone tell me they didn’t like it, but that would be fine. I want to make people happy with what I serve. That’s all I need to feel satisfied with what I’ve cooked,” Crash said.

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While the meat for Riverboat is smoking, Crash cooks tenderloins, chicken thighs and wings for Friday night customers at Lakeside. After midnight, the butts are ready for the warmer. The sandwiches are built the next morning, wrapped in foil and placed in a warmer on the boat.

“We leave Lakeside between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., but with a little 50-horsepower Yamaha motor, we kind of putt along, making our way to Crowne Pointe. We sell along the way, but we try to be at Crown Pointe by 12:30 p.m. Then, cruise to Pleasure Point and the islands in that

AUGUST 2022

area, stopping as we go if someone wants a sandwich.

Then we get back to Lakeside around 5:30 p.m., hoping we don’t run out before everyone that wants it gets served,” Langston said.

A four-person crew is needed for the afternoon. Jamie and Nicole Brooks manage the operation. Usually, Crash or Langston or both are on board to manage the floating take-out business. Olivia and Laney Leavins, alternating weekends as part of the crew, pack individual bags with a pulled pork sandwich, chips, a peppermint, a hand wipe and an ice-cold bottle of water for a price of $10.

Individual sandwiches can be purchased as well.

After one trip out, the crew perfected its delivery system. Rather than have boats tie up next to them in choppy water and risk damage to both boats, they decided it is safer and more efficient to let Nicole hop onto the customer’s boat to take the order and payment. She can take

cash, credit cards or Venmo – the Venmo QR code is on the side of the boat. She relays the order to the Riverboat crew who prepares the order. When the boat swings back around with Nicole, the food is packaged and ready for the hungry boaters.

“Olivia and Laney do a great job getting the packages together. The girls also have a bit of fun with water guns occasionally and make quite a bit in tips,” Langston said.

Riverboat Bar-B-Q is operates from around noon to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays with an occasional Sunday afternoon. Whole butts and slabs of ribs are available for pick up at Lakeside Bay Pines Marina, but orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance. Text 256-307-5973 to place an order. Follow Riverboat Bar B Q with Crash on Facebook.

New to the Lake Martin food scene this year, Riverboat Bar-B-Q is on the water Saturday afternoons

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 19

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AUGUST 2022

New Homes With Luxurious Amenities: Resort, Golf, Tennis, Fishing, Spa, and Wooded Trails

Everyday Grandeur D I S C O V E R A LU X U R I O U S G O L F L I F E ST Y L E L I V I N G A LO N G G R A N D N AT I O N A L G O L F C O U R S E Tucked away on the outskirts of Auburn University at the world-class Grand National Golf Course, the award winning National Village offers everything you’ll ever need for the way you want to live. The thoughtfully crafted master planned community features georgeous homes designed by national award winner Larry Garnett and built by Ab and Don Conner at Conner Bros. Construction Co., Inc., a local company with more than 100 years of experience. With the Marriott at Grand National on site, residents enjoy championship golf, miles of picturesque nature trails and lakes for fishing, spa and pool. National Village is truly an unbelievable place to live – inside or out.

Plus, thanks to the high speed fiber optic network of Opelika (Alabama’s first Gig City), our homeowners enjoy some of the Nation’s fastest internet for any work- or learn-from-home requirements.

T O L E A R N M O R E , C A L L U S AT 3 3 4 . 7 4 9 . 8 1 6 5 O R V I S I T W W W. N AT I O N2022 A LV I L L A G E . C O M .

AUGUST

LAKE 21

Lake Martin Metric Century STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER & ROB HENRY

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T

Though May 21 dawned drizzly and gray, nothing dampened the spirits of Rob Henry and the biking buddies for whom he had spent nearly two years planning a Lake Martin cyclo-circumnavigation ride. The 64-mile bicycle tour around Lake Martin covered 26 roads and carried the friends over picturesque bridges, past old cemeteries and through stands of thick forest. And when they completed their trek, Sam Thurston, Taylor Dawson, Ken Williams and Henry started talking about doing it again, perhaps in the fall.

The ride was Henry’s brainchild. He rode touring bicycles in the 1980s and rode through Europe before wandering away from riding for a time. He knew Thurston from grad school at The University of North Carolina at Chapel

Hill. Thurston has been riding for 45 years, having ridden across the U.S. twice. Dawson has been riding for eight years, and Williams started doing triathlons 10 years ago.

For this riding experience, Thurston drove in from Marietta, Georgia, while Dawson drove down from Birmingham and Williams came up from Montgomery.

Henry, president of Robert F. Henry Tile Company, lives full time at an Eclectic lake house.

Thurston had never been to Lake Martin before this trip, and he did not meet Dawson and Williams until the four gathered at Henry’s home for a hi-carb dinner and a review of the route the night before the scheduled ride.

The route was painstakingly planned over many weeks and months of driving

Eclectic's Rob Henry (second from left) planned the 64-mile ride around Lake Martin

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 23

Lake Martin roads to find a path that safely circumnavigated the lake.

“It’s not the first time anyone has done it,” Henry explained. “I found some posts online that indicated other people have ridden around the whole lake before, but it’s the first time any of us have done it.”

To prepare for the metric century ride (100 kilometers, which actually is 62.13 miles), Henry built up his endurance from 20 miles to as many as 35 and finally did a 43-mile ride a few weeks before the event.

“You have to do two or three long rides a week to build endurance,” said Thurston. “If you are hurting at 20 or 30 miles, you can take a 10-minute rest and can keep going again after that.”

Most important to finishing a long-distance ride, he said, is staying hydrated and minimizing the weight carried on the bike. Load up on carbohydrates the night before to store up energy and don’t drink too much alcohol the night before.

The riders also wore sun-protective sleeves and clothing and slathered on the sunscreen pre-ride despite the overcast skies. Flashing tail lights were essential safety gear as well.

All of the riders cross-trained with walking or running.

“If you ride every day, you’ll burn out,” Thurston said.

Henry also trained on a paddleboard.

In addition to snacking on protein bars during the ride, they each carried two bottles of fortified water and replenished their water supplies at stops along the route. At about 11 a.m., they stopped at Papa John’s in Alexander City for lunch.

Their equipment included padded bicycle shorts, rid-

ing gloves and helmets fixed with review mirrors. To keep the bugs out of their eyes, they wore glasses, which was somewhat problematic with the steady drizzle that greeted them on their 8 a.m. departure from a Mt. Hebron church on county Road 80 that Saturday morning.

They rode counterclockwise around the lake, heading east on Mt. Hebron Road and crossing state Route 63.

They turned off on Route 229, which turned into Route 50 and took them below the dam. When they hit county Route 49, they headed north and traveled a series of back roads to U.S. 280, which they followed over the River Bridge, turning off at Dadeville Road to enter Alexander City.

“Two lanes in each direction on U.S. 280 was a little hairy, but then we turned off after the bridge,” Henry said.

After lunch, the sun came out, and the foursome followed the long and straight state Route 259 to Equality; then, they turned off on state Route 9 for the final leg of the trip.

“About the only issue with riding was the fact that, as the day wore on, I got behind some. The other three were well matched in riding strength, but they would always stop eventually for a rest and wait for me to catch up. I definitely plan to keep up my riding, so the difference next time is that I plan to be a stronger rider,” Henry said of the finish.

All in all, it was a great adventure and ticked off a bucket list item.

Look for information about the next Lake Martin cyclo-circumnavigation metric century in future issues of Lake magazine.

(Left to right) Rob Henry, Ken Williams, Taylor Dawson and Sam Thurston started the trek about 8 a.m. and finished at 3:30 p.m., having taken an extended break for lunch

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AUGUST 2022

The route crossed several Lake Martin bridges, but the riders mostly kept to back roads

“You have to do two or three long rides a week to build endurance. If you are hurting at 20 or 30 miles, you can take a 10-minute rest and can keep going again after that.”

~ Sam Thurston AUGUST 2022

LAKE 25

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26 LAKE

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L A K E M A R T I N R E A LT Y. C O M

Unlock the value in your lake home and trust the market leaders.

Jerry Purcell 205.382.3417

Allison Ladson 256.750.0711

Damon Story 205.789.9526

Mike Davis 256.226.1238

Lindsay Kane 256.675.6792

Amy Duncan 256.212.2222

Hugh Neighbors 256.750.5071

India Davis 256.749.7592

Judy Voss 256.794.0779

Rhonda Jaye 256.749.8681

John McInnish 334.415.2149

Michelle Brooks-Slayman 256.749.1031

Jan Hall 256.329.6313

Sawyer Davis 205.965.7940

Jim Cleveland 256.596.2220

Ashley Chancellor 334.202.9017

Becky Haynie 334.312.0928

Adam Yager 205.914.0830

Mimi Rush 334.399.7874

Jeff Cochran 256.786.0099

Judith Jager 205.789.0698

Cindy Scroggins 256.794.3372

David Mitchell 256.212.3511

Howard Haynie 334.312.0693

Haley Fuller 256.750.2411

Randall Rogers 334.707.5804

Denise Cochran 256.786.2484

John Shelton 404.858.9198

WE’RE THE MARKET LEADER Lake Martin Waterfront Market Share

DADEVILLE

256.825.9092

OURTOWN

256.212.1498

WILLOW POINT

256.212.1498

OTHER COMPETITORS (49 companies)

45.7%

OUR CLOSEST COMPETITOR

LAKE MARTIN REALTY/ RUSSELL LANDS *LMAAR/MLS Member Firms Sales Volume Data May 2021 – April 2022

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 27

DSC wins nationals

D

Dixie Sailing Club’s Keith Bennett won the Gold Fleet competition at the Catalina 22 National Championship Regatta, held June 20 through 24 at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, with Justin Chambers and Doug Thome on crew.

“Every year since 2001, I always felt we had a chance to win, and every year, we came up a little short; however, we always had a great time and never once doubted we would be back the next year. This year, it finally paid off,” Bennett told DSC members later. “All week long, I told myself, ‘Don’t think about winning the regatta. Take it one race at a time.’

On Wednesday night, we were leading by six points with one race to go. I probably didn’t get two hours of sleep. For the final race, when we rounded the

28 LAKE

leeward mark, there was only one boat ahead of us.

That’s when I breathed a sigh of relief and realized that, after 26 years, I had finally reached my goal of winning the Catalina 22 National Championship Regatta.”

DSC sent three boats to the event. Bennett and his crew also won the Spinnaker Fleet, and Bobby Edmond took second in the Silver Fleet with Ed Lowenstein and William Brown crewing. Mickey Richardson, a two-time national champion, finished in sixth in the Gold Fleet.

Bennett, his wife, Jennifer, and Thome also won the Spinnaker competition in 2016.

The championship club hosted 21 teams from across the U.S., including two boats from Washington

AUGUST 2022

As the fleet crossed the starting line, Bennett cautioned himself to focus on one race at a time, not the possibility of winning the regatta

After 26 years, Keith Bennett brings home the solver STORY & PHOTOS COURTESY OF DIXIE SAILING CLUB

state and others from Michigan, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Georgia and Florida. Bennett competed with 16 other teams for the national title.

Brown, an avid sailor since the age of 5, said the nationals was a pivotal event, as he had never raced until joining Lake Martin’s DSC. “Sailing for four days with Bobby and Ed was a thrill that I will not forget. I hope that is only the beginning of many more to come,” Brown said.

Bennett started sailing 30 years ago and in 1996 entered his first national regatta, finishing in 17th place. Since then, he has finished in second three times; third once; fourth three times, fifth once and four times in the top 10.

“It’s been a long journey but also, one of the most

enjoyable of my life,” he explained. “Jennifer and I have made so many friends along the way and have enjoyed every minute of it. In all honesty, I was beginning to think my time was running out, and it may not ever happen. But I never gave up. There is one thing I knew for certain, and that was if I didn’t continue to pursue my goal, it definitely was not going to happen.

“So I want to encourage everyone to never lose sight of your goals, whether it be sailing or anything else in life, because one day, the stars may well align in your favor, just as they did for me.”

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 29

Clockwise from right: Mickey Richardson led two other boats on a downwind leg in pursuit of the Silver Fleet title; Bennett and his crew also won the Spinnaker class with his special sail; Bobby Edmond worked to windward.

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AUGUST 2022

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LAKE 31

Clockwise from Above: Sandy Cox directed Harmon Smith as Skipper Mickey Richardson supervised; Bennett breathed a sigh of relief when he realized he'd finally achieved his goal of winning the Catalina 22 National Championship Regatta; Crossings made the upwind leg interesting.

32 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

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LAKE 33

Jackson Clifford has developed a unique, easy style behind the boat

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AUGUST 2022

Easy Rider A Pike Road teenager makes the ride behind the boat look easy STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 35

He started wakeboarding four years ago

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T

The next wakeboard sensation on Lake Martin might be a 15-year-old rising sophomore from Pike Road, Alabama, who took up the sport four years ago. Jackson Clifford has a smooth, relaxed style behind the boat. His jumps, flips, turns and board grabs look effortless, almost natural, with no hint of stress or tension.

Mostly self-taught, Clifford started his watersports adventures on a slalom ski, behind a 1992 Nautique, but he switched to the wakeboard when his skiing progressed to the point that he had to be on the course to improve.

“Starting with slalom was a huge benefit. It helped him get comfortable on the water,” said Clifford’s father, Tim, who drives the boat.

“But the course was 45 minutes away by boat.

It just wasn’t practical.”

That was 2018, and wakeboarding looked cool and fun. Clifford liked the idea of learning new tricks. Since then, wakeboarding has surpassed football, soccer and golf as the teen’s favorite sport. He picked up tips and techniques from YouTube videos, watching previous Lake Martin greats like Alex Graydon and Ben Watts.

A sophomore at Pike Road High School, Clifford turns 16 next month

He picked up most of his riding techniques by watching YouTube videos

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 37

Clifford comes to Lake Martin year round and rides as long as the water level is up

His goal is to turn pro

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“Watching them motivated me to get better,” said Clifford, who last year had the good fortune to take a clinic session with Graydon. “He helped me a lot with my pop off the wake. That helps to get more air before you even come off the water, and it helps with spins. He made a big difference for me.”

Clifford became acquainted with Lake Martin around the age of 6 when he visited a friend whose parents had a lake house here. At the time, Clifford’s grandparents had a home at the beach, but they sold it and bought in Lake Martin’s Blue Creek in 2014.

Now, the family comes to Lake Martin year round, hitting most every weekend in season, and Clifford can’t wait to get on the wakeboard every spring. He dons a wetsuit and starts riding in April, and he’s still riding in October.

“I ride until the water goes down,” he said with a smile.

His favorite trick is the tantrum because he gets more air out of that one than any other.

“It’s like a straight back flip,” he explained.

At the start of the season this year, he learned his second flip and realized that, if he focused, he could be good.

“I want to start regional competition next year. This summer, I wanted to learn more tricks. I’ve been going to YouTube and WWA websites to learn more about competitions and what tricks I should be learning. I need to work on my spins, 360s, things like that. That’s where I need to work,” he said. “I’d love to compete in the pro tour, get some sponsors.”

Wakeboarding at that level requires support, and Clifford gets plenty of that from his parents, Tim and Gina, and younger brother, Coleman, as well as his uncle, Jonathan Burleson, and others. After riding the wakeboard behind a 2007 Nautique for several years, the family purchased a new wake boat this season.

Next year, Clifford will take in some cable camps and events at cable parks in Florida, where the frequency and consistency of the pull could help him further develop his repertoire of tricks.

“And being around all those good riders, I could pick up some tips from them too,” he said.

Keep an eye on this one. It might be fun to watch him grow.

AUGUST 2022

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 39

'Redneclectic' Unicorn 40 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

The point lot includes 814 feet of shoreline

Lake Martin couple puts unique spin on beloved home site STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 41

Hemlock beams in the master bedroom were reclaimed from an Amish barn

C

Christy Munsterman and Tom Schlinkert had been searching for years for a place to call home on Lake Martin. When at the lake for a visit one day, a new listing appeared on Munsterman’s phone, so they drove straight to it and fell in love. The cabin had previously belonged to Wadynne Bolton Bishop, a family well known around the lake and in Alexander City.

“We were one of two offers on the property. I just sat down on the point by the water and said, ‘Wadynne, if we get this house, we will do you right. I’ll name a boat after you.’ We got the house, and she will get a boat with her name on it,” Munsterman said.

The house had been empty for 10 years, and the three lots it sat on had grown up like a jungle, Schlinkert said.

They cleaned the lots and made the cabin livable for one year, so they could see what the point lot was like, which way the prevailing winds blew and how the waves rolled by. They felt lucky to find many of Wadynne’s treasures still in the cabin – trophies, photographs and letters. They learned a lot about her and tried to find furnishings that she might have had to furnish the cabin for that year.

When they were ready, the couple called home designer Larry Furlong and builder Henderson-Coker.

“Larry was great to work with. We wanted to use the property to its fullest potential and nestle the home site

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into the existing trees. With 814 feet of shoreline, there were lots of things to consider, so we tweaked the plans and tweaked and tweaked, until we had just what we wanted. Scott Henderson did a great job with the build,” Schlinkert said.

Masonry was done by Tremendous Stone. The couple has a special appreciation for the beauty of the company’s work, but also because they taught Schlinkert their trade. He can claim installation on the side of the house.

Beam installation, framing and finish carpentry were done by Jeff Maddingly.

“We wanted to do as much as possible locally. Jeff is extremely talented. We bought our beams and cabinets from Curtis Wellborn, and I am so grateful to him. He helped me get things done that I wanted that no one else does,” Schlinkert said.

The couple visited Wellborn on one trip and saw heartpine flooring that had been planed for someone else.

“We loved that wood. He told us it was from one of the original Russell Mills but that it belonged to someone else. Luckily, the owner had extra, so Curtis sliced the 3-1/2-inch thick boards to 1 inch for us,” Munsterman said.

Flooring was installed by Smith’s Floor Coverings, Inc., of Bowdon, Georgia, and was sealed with a water-

AUGUST 2022

The kitchen and butler's pantry have a ceiling of reclaimed double beadboard

A Chinese wedding bed is part of the guest apartment décor

Work by a favorite artist hangs above an antique cotton scale

The lakeside landscape features Japanese maples and unique lawn ornaments, such as these antique sugar kettles

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 43

A sailboat is part of the décor in an upstairs guest room

The shady front porch welcomes visitors to Unicorn

An antique canoe hangs upstairs

44 LAKE

based sealer to maintain its original tones.

The main living area ceiling is heart pine and vaulted to 24 feet. Purchased from White Acre Farms in Camp Hill, the lower ceiling of the kitchen is reclaimed double beadboard from a boys’ home in Tennessee. Munsterman was born near New Orleans, and while Schlinkert is from Birmingham, he has spent a great deal of time enjoying NOLA. As a nod to their favorite city, the couple hired Robinson Iron to build iron columns for the main room, as well as the French-quarter style railing for the staircase and upstairs overlook.

“We do not have a style like anyone else, but we

AUGUST 2022

The couple designed the expansive fireplace and hearth

surround ourselves with the things we love. Some like austere, some like Swedish modern. I like to say we are ‘redneclectic.’ Everything in here has meaning,” Schlinkert said.

To that end, treasures, artwork, sculpture and carvings from trips to Africa and Southeast Asia are front and center in their décor. Musical instruments are grouped under a sofa table; sculptures created by artists in New Orleans and the Bahamas are stationed among other treasures on top of the same table.

The living area focal point is a unicorn skull mounted over the fireplace. Munsterman bought the piece for Schlinkert at an oddities and curiosities shop in New

Orleans.

“A special gift for the man who has everything,” she said.

Ultimately, the couple named the property ‘Unicorn’ to signify its standing as a one-in-a-million property.

A giraffe, sculpted as if looking out a window, hangs above the great room looking over the room. Other art includes framed painted silk, one of three pieces in the home by Claude Victorine.

Munsterman and Schlinkert are not avid television watchers, so they purchased Samsung frame televisions for the living room and bedroom. The living room television is framed in ornate gold, but the screen can project

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 45

Balinese teak furniture graces the covered porch

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AUGUST 2022

a picture selected from thousands of choices – from their own photos to fine art.

The kitchen features ivory cabinets and a large island with a 2-1/2-inch-thick slab of leathered Taj Mahal quartzite, selected by Schlinkert as the perfect meal preparation surface. The space in the kitchen maximizes the easy movement he wanted between the island, the Wolf range and the Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer. The kitchen includes a coffee bar and a wet bar, as well as a wine refrigerator. A Javanese sculptured duck bowl graces the top of a live-edge rosewood dining table with an iron industrial base.

Off the kitchen, a large desk area and butler’s pantry also provide access to the back door. The couple found the antique pantry door with three glass panels at the top, which mirrors the windows in the home, at Charles Phillips Antiques in Theodore, Alabama, one of their favorite places to shop for unique pieces. An antique wheat thresher from Greece hangs on the wall.

Just outside, an outdoor kitchen is part of Schlinkert’s cooking space. And next to the garage, an outdoor shower and the clawfoot bathtub from the original cabin.

Munsterman said she could see the lake through an opened shutter window frame but close it for privacy.

The powder room features a panel from the top of an African ironwood table, which the couple repurposed by adding a mirror. An antique cotton scale found in a dilapidated barn stands in the foyer. The hallway to the

master bedroom is filled with memories: dish towels embroidered with birds from Guatemala; a 2020 Jazz Festival poster (from the festival that never happened due to COVID-19) and a Dr. John look-alike walking stick made for Schlinkert; an Orthoceras fossil plate dated 250 to 750 million years old; a trophy from the first and only sailboat race from Pensacola to Cuba in 2015, in which they participated.

The master bedroom features flooring from the Russell Mill No. 3 work surface floor. The ceiling is vaulted, and the reclaimed, rough hand-hewn hemlock beams were found in an Amish barn in Pennsylvania. The paneled bed is from Charles Phillips Antiques, and the colorful, heavy linen bedspread is from Fine Linens. An antique carrier for perfume oils sits in the corner and maintains a subtle scent.

Munsterman rescued a mermaid carved from a hibiscus tree root from the trash behind an artist’s shop in Bali, where the couple’s friend, Nick Perryman, studied for years. She sits on the fireplace mantel in the bedroom.

The master bath features a rock wall, which is the back of the fireplace, and a beautiful copper soaker tub.

Along with the one guestroom downstairs, two rooms upstairs offer beautiful views of the lake. A 1917 Old Town Canoe from Charles River, a company where Schlinkert worked at one time, hangs from the ceiling. A batik on Awagami Ginwashi paper by Orange Beach artist Nick Cantrell is a favorite piece.

The master bath features a copper soaker tub and a stone wall that actually is the back side of a fireplace

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LAKE 47

Windows in a downstairs guest room offer beautiful lake views

An additional guest suite was built above the garage, and the room currently stores a few items not yet placed in the house, such as a delicately carved Chinese canopy wedding bed, artwork of a parade of musicians in Bali and a ship’s figurehead of a Hindu goddess. The room functions as an office as well.

Outside, the property includes two boathouses – one for the couple and one for guests. Schlinkert designed the landscaping, along with Lakeview Lawn & Landscape in Alexander City. The plan included seven Japanese maples, affectionately called The Seven Samurai, planted in a large bed that forms a semi-circle around the covered porch. Schlinkert created a small lake-water swimming pool on one side.

Waves from the lake constantly refresh the pool water,

48 LAKE

but the pool walls also buffer swimmers from large wakes. A shuffleboard court invites hours of fun and competition with guests. The hardscape plan added rock to the top of the existing seawall that wraps the point lot.

The covered porch is furnished with cushioned Balinese teak A collection of instruments sofas, a coffee table and collectibles are displayed in the living area and four rocking chairs. Landscaping was kept low to showcase the stonework apron around the house.

Munsterman and Schlinkert plan to honor Wadynne Bolton Bishop with her name on a classic wood boat, just as promised before the lot was theirs. On the transom of the boat, Wadynne’s yearbook signature will be replicated in her handwriting as, “Love, Wadynne.”

Her legacy will live on at Lake Martin.

AUGUST 2022

A gift to Schlinkert, the unicorn skull became the muse for naming the new home

The dining table is live edge rosewood with an iron base

The kitchen was designed with the cook in mind

Wolf heads are part of the headboard and footboard of an antique iron bed in the guest apartment

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 49

In the absence of proximity legislation, Lake Martin homeowners are using orange swim buoys to effectively create no wake zones near docks and shoreline

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AUGUST 2022

Invasion of the Swim Buoys Lake Martin homeowners play defense when the latest proximity bill fails, but are they solving a problem or creating another?

I

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTO BY KENNETH BOONE

Invasion of the swim buoys could describe back within the allowable distance, the homeowners this summer at Lake Martin, as Alabama Law told him the buoys didn’t belong to them. Someone at Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol and others have the back of the slough was trying to make it idle speed noted that hundreds of orange floating balls have through the whole slough.” appeared all around the lake this year. These unofficial McWaters said he’s had reports of skiers using misbuoys are allowed on the water to mark swimming placed buoys as a slalom course. areas near docks or shoreline; however, homeowners “That is within their rights,” he said. at Lake Martin have taken to using them to protect When the most recent in a long line of attempts to docks, boats and property in the absence of proximity legislate large wakes failed this spring, homeowners regulations for large wakes. took matters into their own “We’re getting comhands, said Lake Martin "Only ALEA is authorized to place plaints, but if people do Resource Association regulatory, navigational buoys on public it right, it won’t be a president John Thompson. waters. All other buoys, per ALEA’s guidproblem,” said Marine LMRA places and maintains ance, must adhere to the following: Patrol Commander Steve marine patrol-authorized McWaters. hazard and no wake buoys n They must be located no farther than Properly placed buoys at Lake Martin. must be no farther than 50 “It’s not a good situation, 50 feet from the shoreline or 25 feet feet from the shoreline or 25 but it’s the only protection from an APC-permitted boat dock/strucfeet from an Alabama Power homeowners have, as we ture. permitted dock or other can’t get a proximity bill n They must not interfere with the legal structure, but McWaters off the desk of legislators,” flow of boat traffic. said his patrol officers have he said. “People trying to n They are not allowed to have the found numerous buoys protect their property are at appearance of a state-enforced regulatory placed as much as 80 feet their wits’ end. We’ve got an marker. from shoreline. issue that is going to have “Some in Blue Creek to be dealt with through the Any buoys not complying with this have pushed them out to the legislature with a proximity guidance are subject to removal by ALEA. idle-speed buoys. That’s a bill.”

Thank you for your cooperation." navigational hazard if two Improper anchoring boats can’t pass in the chancauses further issues, as nel because of swim buoys,” poorly weighted buoys tend ~apcshorelines.com McWaters explained. “And to drift beyond the allowable you can only have three or distance, Thompson said. four of them, not 15; that’s a “When we put out hazard navigational hazard. buoys, we put a hundred pounds on them and a long “In one area over July 4th weekend, one of my enough line to allow for a little movement of the buoy, troopers found a line of them all the way through the but some of these homeowners are doing the installaslough at 60 foot out. When he started to pull them tion themselves. They aren’t weighting them enough,

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 51

or the line is too short, and any wave action will move them out of placement,” he explained.

“I just bought three of them for my own home at the lake,” said Harry DeNegre, president of Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association.

“And I may buy three more. I’m on a point with 320 foot of lakefront. I’ve had people in wake boats and other types of boats that come within 10 feet of my seawall making the turn around my property. The wake washes over it. I’ve got three young grandkids, and if they are out sitting on the steps of my dock, they can get knocked into the steps and seawall.”

Gadsden’s Lori Haroldsen said large wakes nearly caused a disaster at a lake home where she was a guest a few years ago.

“We were floating just a couple of feet from the dock in deep water. My 5-year-old granddaughter was in a foam floating chair, and she had arm floaties on, too, thank God. This boat came through the slough close to us, and the wake knocked my granddaughter out of the chair. I was trying to hold her up out of the water, but I couldn’t touch the bottom, so I was basically drowning trying to save her from going under,” Haroldsen said.

“The marine patrol are in a tough spot,” DeNegre added. “I appreciate the job they do. We complain to them, and the legislature won’t give them any teeth to do anything about it.”

52 LAKE

McWaters said his officers would be courteous about the matter. They will talk to homeowners to make sure the regulations regarding swim buoys are understood, and they will drag buoys back within the allowable distance.

“We don’t have to do that,” McWaters said. “We can just take them if they’re not properly installed. We don’t have to talk to anyone or explain anything. We can just take them, but we’re not doing that. We found one that wasn’t properly installed – the buoy was half under water. We fixed it for him.”

The solution, he said, is courtesy and acceptance of the consequences inherent in owning waterfront property.

“It’s a public lake. Everyone has a right to be out there. If everyone would be courteous, there wouldn’t be the need for this,” McWaters said. “If you own waterfront property anywhere – not just at Lake Martin – it is your responsibility to maintain your seawall and your property. You can’t stop a wake. It will break when it hits a structure, a dock, your boat.

Every boat is going to cause a wake and shore erosion. It’s going to happen. It’s part of being on a recreational lake.

“If you’re a homeowner, be courteous and adhere to the guidelines for swim buoys. If you’re in a boat, be courteous about your wake.”

AUGUST 2022

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 53

Betsy Beetle

NATURE OF THE LAKE

BY KENNETH BOONE

54 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

The Betsy Beetle is most often found in or under decaying logs

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 55

I

If you live in the South for any length of time, it’s very likely you’ve heard someone described as “crazy as a Betsy Bug.” And that description could well be followed with, “Well, bless his (or her) heart.”

But do you know what a Betsy Bug is?

If you pick up an old, moist, rotten log and find a big, shiny black beetle that squeaks, you’ve probably met old Betsy. And you may know this bug by a slew of other common names, like Betsy Beetle, Bessbug, Bessie Bug, Patent Leather Beetle, Peg Beetle, Horned Beetle, Horned Passalus, Pinch Bug or Jerusalem Beetle. its scientific name is Odontotaenius disjunctus.

Betsy Beetles are large, tough, strong, slow moving and harmless to people – perfect for children to play with, and many outdoorsy kids prone to flipping logs do just that.

These bugs are native to many climates with high humidity in both the northern and southern hemispheres, and they are widely distributed in North America. They are most often found in and under decaying logs.

Two of this insect’s common names allude to their identifying characteristics: a body so dark, black and glossy that it looks like patent leather and a single curved horn on the top of the head.

Betsy Beetles grow up to 1-1/2 inches long. Their hard forewings, which cover their abdomens, are striped with deep grooves. Although these beetles’ wings are functional, they don’t often fly, choosing instead to walk, bulldozing through rotting wood.

They have short orange hairs on their legs, antennae and other parts of their bodies. Males and females look alike and grow to similar sizes. They are very strong for their size, capable of pulling 50 times their own weight. When you pick one up, a Betsy Beetle will twist and move with obvious strength, often making a squeaking sound.

Grubs mature in as little as three months, and the average lifespan of a Betsy Beetle is about one year.

A Betsy Beetle grub is long and translucent white with a brown head and what look like four small legs near its head. This grub actually has two more tiny legs – too small to be used for moving around – that it uses These bugs have short orange hairs on their backs, legs and antennae and a single horn on the tops of their heads

56 LAKE

to rub against its body to make squeaking noises.

The adults make squeaking noises by rubbing their wings against a rasp-like structure on the top of their abdomens.

Squeaks are often said to sound like a kissing sound, which may be the where they get their common name, “Betsy” or “Bessie,” since in many languages the term “bes” or “bus” is the root of the word for kiss. Other people say the squeaking noise sounds like the words “Bessie” or “Betsy.”

In any case, their ability to make noise is important because when Betsy Beetles mate, both parents help raise the grubs.

The adults eat lots of wood – usually elm, oak or hickory that is falling-apart rotten. They chew up the wood with their strong pincer-like mandibles. They poop out the “processed wood,” which is known as frass. Fungi and bacteria grow on the frass; then, the grubs eat the enriched feces, and that’s the only food they can consume because they require their parents’ gut microbes to digest wood. It’s important that adults and grubs can communicate in the dark inside of a rotting log, so they can find and follow each other and keep the clan alive.

While that process doesn’t sound too appetizing to us, it is very important to our environment. Betsy Beetles do a lot of heavy lifting in decomposing fallen trees in forests, breaking down the tough polymers in wood and helping to keep our forests clean.

So what’s “Crazy as a Betsy Bug” mean?

Well, would you believe there are big, strong, shiny, one-horned black bugs eating trees and making kissing noises right in our own backyards?

That’s crazy.

Bless their hearts.

Some information for this article came from the North Carolina State University Extension office, bugoftheweek.com, insectidentification.org and almanac.com.

Betsy bugs bulldoze through rotting logs, chewing the wood with their pincer-like mandibles

AUGUST 2022

lamberthandlamberth.com

256-234-6401 6 Franklin Street • Alexander City

Mon - Thur 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Fri 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 57

Two down, one to go

I

n the past, holiday weekends in June and July the year. have always been very busy on Lake Martin. The Holiday weekends tend to attract more people, cool, clear, clean water of our Treasured Lake is many of whom have heard about Lake Martin and a magnet for all who seek a getaway location to celmay be visiting for the very first time. Visitors, genebrate, recreate and make memories that will last a erally, are here to have a good time, and trash dislifetime. posal is not high on the to-do list. When While most everyone visiting and departing, they sometimes find they enjoying Lake Martin depart after the have more disposable trash than will fit holiday and leave only footprints, there in their one available trashcan. So what are still some who leave unpleasant happens? reminders of their visits. Aluminum cans, Trash is not bagged properly; cans plastic bottles, paper plates, plastic forks are overloaded; bagged trash is left on and Styrofoam cups are sometimes scatthe ground and becomes a target for fortered on our sandy beaches and scenic est critters. Visitors are usually unaware roadsides. Occasionally, we find partially that it may be several days before the burned cans, plastic bottles and even cans are emptied, and the drivers are not LMRA glass bottles left behind in crudely conallowed to get out of their trucks to pick

BY JOHN THOMPSON structed firepits. up bags or clean up loose items.

The most disgusting The homeowners, rentsight to find is a firepit ers or other individuals filled with trash that will must take responsibility not burn – Oh, and one for proper disposal of item I failed to mention: all trash. No excuses are soiled baby diapers. acceptable. If any of the For many years now, garbage ends up on the Lake Martin Resource ground, it could end up Association has made a in Lake Martin and will strong effort to remove present a danger to wildall the trash from the lake life. shoreline while stressing Be kind. Love and the importance of keeping enjoy Lake Martin and – it clean. Environmental please – always leave it education has been and cleaner than you find it. continues to be a major focus for our organization.

John Thompson is Partnering with president of Lake Martin Alabama Power and many Resource Association. Visit local businesses, organizalmra@lmra.info for more tions and volunteers in the information. annual Renew Our Rivers lake cleanups for more than 18 years has resulted Garbage that doesn't fit in the trash can could be in the removal of more washed into Lake Martin than 160 tons of trash from the Lake Martin shoreline. In addition, we have removed more than 800 automobile and truck tires.

The introduction of the Treasured Mile program a few years back helped tremendously to keep popular islands litter free. The adopters take personal pride in making certain these areas are kept clean throughout

58 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

Lake Martin’s Best Source for News and Information.

TPI

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Make sure your heart is healthy and ready for the season with an appointment at the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic at Russell Medical.

Kevin Sublett, MD, is board-certified in cardiovascular care and offers the latest in prevention, testing, and treatment for keeping your heart healthy.

Our clinic is backed by the knowledge and expertise of UAB Medicine, including: • • • •

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AUGUST 2022

LAKE 59

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60 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

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AUGUST 2022

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LAKEMAGAZINE.LIFE

LAKE 61

Freshman 15 Help students eat a healthy diet for good grades

T

he “freshman 15,” a common phrase used to eating habits. College campuses offer unlimited choices describe the weight gain of many college freshof fast food, chips, soft drinks, calorie-loaded bevermen during their first year, can be a real thing. ages, desserts and pizza at 3 a.m., as well as very limited That’s not to say that everyone gains exactly 15 pounds. cooking facilities.

Actually, some students may gain more or less or not Second, eating while studying late at night develops gain any weight at all. The reality is that the freshman bad habits of snacking on junk food. Most students 15 is common enough to have earned this don’t study during class but find themselves nickname. As the eating and exercise habits staying up late to study or party, and that’s affect academic success, it is important to when hunger pains appear. Late-night cravknow what brings on the freshman 15 and ings could lead to overeating and binge eathow junk food consumption and unhealthy ing, which contribute to weight gain. eating relate to grades.

Eating snack foods is very convenient Since there is more focus placed on any time of the day. It is easy to get into grade point average and academic perfora routine of regular snacking, consuming mance in college, it is important to explore burgers, fries, chips and soft drinks. how lifestyle habits, especially eating Emotional eating is a fourth common HEALTHY LIVING reason for weight gain among freshmen behaviors, can influence a student’s acaBY JULIE HUDSON demic success. As students enter college, facing the challenge of new environments their health-related habits often change as and routines, difficult classes, new relationthey adjust to the new environments and lack of parenships and perhaps homesickness. tal guidance. It is well known that university students Fifth, it is true that many college students drink alcoare far from reaching the public, national and global hol and so do the freshmen. Alcohol is very high in health recommendations when it comes to dietary habcalories and contributes substantially to weight gain. its. Research on this topic has made it clear that dietary Finally, lack of exercise also could lead to weight patterns and proper nutrition should be a priority for stu- gain. Walking from class to class might feel like a dents. Unfortunately, studies have shown that negative workout, but the reality is that it’s not enough. For most behaviors tend to worsen as students progress through freshmen, the demands of college life are challenging, college. and exercise falls low on the priority list.

There are several factors that contribute to weight But regular workouts are a great way to relieve stress gain in the first year of college. First is establishing new and could help fight off the infamous 15.

62 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

A lifestyle of junk food and fast food could bring about negative health effects. While most fast food establishments list the number of calories for each menu item, calorie counts are only part of the equation when considering food health. Fast food is typically high in sugar, salt, saturated fats, trans fats and processed preservatives and ingredients.

These foods often cause a spike in blood sugar. This can make people feel tired and actually promote hunger in a shorter amount of time. Consuming high levels of salt could lead to fluid retention and high blood pressure. Increased inflammation is a side effect of eating fast food, which does not typically contain fresh fruit and vegetables. That makes it challenging to meet the recommended amount of five servings a day. It also is very difficult to reach the recommended fiber intake on a fast-food diet.

Fast food is highly palatable, which means it activates the reward center in the brain. This trains the palate to prefer these highly processed foods.

Studies on college students show that poor eating habits negatively affect academic performance. Healthy dietary patterns have shown greater academic success, and eating breakfast is the No. 1 factor in academic success. Eating a healthy breakfast increases glucose levels, which leads to improved memory, recall, attention span and better test grades. Studies found that students who ate breakfast before exams had higher grades, and those who fasted in the morning experienced inability to recall and remember lectures and lists.

Food insecurity is a topic not to be forgotten as well.

Rising food costs and inaccessibility of well-balanced meals leads students to choose fast food and soft drinks. Students facing food insecurity have reported an inability to concentrate.

Although more studies need to be performed on college students to fully learn how academic performance is affected by eating habits, it’s clear that healthy eating behaviors positively impact academic performance.

Freshman 15 is very real and remains a challenge for new college students. Studies have demonstrated that students who eat breakfast at least five days a week report much higher-grade point averages than students who eat breakfast three or fewer days per week. Fast food consumption has shown to negatively affect student success. Students who eat fast food at least seven times in a week have lower grades than students who eat fast food fewer than four times a week or not at all.

If you know and love a student heading to the new adventure of college this fall, visit this article at lakemagazine.life and send the link to that freshman. Then, follow up with a conversation and help the student develop healthy eating habits for good grades.

Julie Hudson is a certified dietician at Lake Martin Wellness Center in Dadeville.

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 63

64 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

Ginger Soy

Glazed Eggplant Ingredients

4-5 Chinese eggplant (long and skinny) 2 cups rice wine vinegar 1 cup brown sugar 2 cups soy sauce 1 cup mirin 2 tablespoons sesame oil 3-4 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons grated ginger (fresh) 1-1/2 tablespoons sambal chili paste Green onions to garnish Sesame seeds to garnish

Directions

Cut the eggplant in half; then, into quarters. Sprinkle a little salt over the cut side and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, add the rice vinegar and the brown sugar. Reduce by half. Add the soy, mirin and sesame oil and bring to a boil. Add the minced garlic and the grated ginger. Then, reduce by one quarter. Add the chili paste and check for seasoning.

Warm a nonstick pan over high heat. Place the eggplant pieces cut side down and sauté until they start to get some color on them.

Place the sautéed eggplant on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the eggplant with the soy glaze and bake for 5-10 minutes.

Finish with the chopped green onions and sesame seeds to garnish.

Pete McKenny, General Manager and Executive Chef at SpringHouse Restaurant, trained at fourstar restaurants and Forbes four-star resorts in Ohio, Washington, Arizona and Vermont before returning to Russell Lands on Lake Martin, where he began his career as chef de cuisine at Willow Point Golf & Country Club 12 years ago.

CHEF'S TABLE

BY PETE MCKENNY

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 65

Smooth

Flavorful

CHEERS

BY MARK GILLILAND

Relaxing

Ashton Aged Maduro received a well-deserved 92-rating from Cigar Aficionado, noting: “A dark and oily cigar with a good cap. The draw is a bit firm.

The smoke is rich, leathery and cedary, with notes of semi-sweet chocolate.

Very tasty.”

66 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

Ashton Aged Maduro a perfect companion to Old Forester Statesman A hard-to-find treat made by Fuente, the Ashton Aged Maduro is a dark, slightly sweet and almost-black cigar. Unlike other maduros on the market, Ashton remains at a comfortable mellow profile, making it perfect for dipping the toes into darker waters. A product of the long process of naturally-fermenting the Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, each Ashton Maduro features Dominican-grown leaf for the filler and binder. The result is a beautiful cigar with oily, silky Connecticut Shade wrappers, providing a complex and distinctive character with a chocolatey and spicy sweet flavor.

Out of all the acclaimed whisky that has rolled out of Old Forester in the last several years, there's little fanfare over Statesman. Maybe due to the Kingsman movie connection, many assume it has little to talk about in the bottle. But this isn’t another name grab.

Statesman has a very nice nose, like sweet cinnamon bread, baked tart apples and a touch of brown sugar with a strong crowd-pleasing dose of waffles and cherry syrup, honey butter biscuits, a little bit of light red fruits and oak. It finishes with maraschino cherries. There is some drying oak, but overall, it doesn’t get in the way because of a thick layer of syrup. Simply put: Delicious.

Mark Gilliland is the owner of Grain & Leaf located at 6068 state Route 63, Suite 1, in Alexander City.

AUGUST 2022

LAKE 67

Unraveling the baitcasting reel

68 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

M

ake no mistake, the most primitive tools will catch caster learners – but a reel with a brake setting of 10 limits fish, including a stick of bamboo, some fishing casting distance significantly. line and a hook, but the angler’s desire to catch Other reels have internal brakes that can be adjusted more and bigger fish drives a major industry. Think about inside the reel. By lifting or removing the side plate on the the equipment that is available to the angling public: boats, reel, the brakes can be set active or inactive, according to the motors, fish finders, rods, reels, lines, tackle, apparel and so user’s preference. The ultimate goal is to reach a point with much more. the least amount of braking and still making efficient casts One of those categories is fishing reels, and they come in with little to no loose line on the spool. all shapes and sizes. Some are big enough to When starting out with a baitcaster, it’s best land blue marlin, and some are designed for to turn the braking system up higher than you the smallest panfish. Just one of those fishing might expect to need. Begin making short casts reel types is a baitcasting reel. Probably best and thumbing the spool slightly. With each known for some of the most hideous backcast, slowly turn the braking down in small lashes imaginable, the baitcasting reel also is increments. If loose line starts to jump up on recognized by accomplished users as the most the spool, it may be time to turn the brakes powerful and efficient reel type available for back up some for now. catching freshwater gamefish.

The other key component that I constantly Many aspiring anglers have picked up fiddle with on my reels is the spool tension a baitcasting reel only to put it back on the knob. The spool tension knob is a small round garage shelf after the third consecutive backknob underneath the handle and drag star. lash. Picking at loops of line and/or eventually Tightening the spool tension knob has a similar cutting out a fresh spool of line in a freshly effect as turning up the brakes on the reel, but BIG CATCHES blown-up baitcaster can be demoralizing. As it’s more of a fine-tuning mechanism. Most

BY GREG VINSON with many things, practice makes perfect, and of my reels are set at similar braking levels, there is some satisfaction in being proficient regardless of the bait size. with this precarious fishing reel. Once comfortable, an Assuming the braking system is in a comfortable spot, the angler can place a larger sized bait on a dime from 50-plus spool tension knob can be backed off to allow the spool to feet away; and then, winch double-digit-sized bass from the spin more freely, improving casting distance. As with braknastiest cover. ing, turning the knob too far back can be risky. Oftentimes, a The first baitcaster I bought was a red Ambassadeur 4500 slight turn of the knob can be the difference between a perwhen I was about 14 years old. After saving up some hardfectly clean cast and a speedy spool leading to overrun. earned money from cutting grass, this was like getting a new Work in small, incremental changes to the knob while boat or car. I honestly may have slept with it the first night trying casts. Too much loose line and it probably needs to be after bringing it home. I couldn’t wait to get it rigged up on tightened back some as with the braking system. a rod and go to work.

Try holding the rod up with the bait dangling just below The thumb bar made it appear as if it worked just like an the tip. Press the thumb bar with thumb on the line. Lift old push button, but I had been forewarned that it was not your thumb from the spool and see if the bait begins to fall. going to be that easy. After going through a few minor back- A good guideline to start would be a setting where the bait lashes, as well as a few really bad ones, I started to get the falls ever so slowly with no thumb pressure on the spool. feel for when to apply pressure with my thumb on the spool. Stop the spool by applying thumb pressure; then, engage the More pressure was good to avoid the spool overrunning, but reel handle. my bait didn’t go 15 feet. With less pressure, the bait took When practicing casts, long, smooth, deliberate sweeps of off like a rocket, but the spool occasionally spun so fast that the rod are more forgiving. One of my favorites is a roll cast the dreaded line loops began to roll up. One trick was to rec- with the rod to my side, sweeping across sideways rather ognize that the bait was slowing down, and I needed to press than overhead. It’s a more fluid delivery without introducing down on the spool before it landed. slack line mid-cast, and it allows for a softer bait landing.

The Ambassadeur was a top-of-the-line reel for bass Practicing for fishing doesn’t always require water. fishing at the time. Equipment has improved by leaps and Casting accuracy is a key element in successful fishing. bounds since then. Reels are lighter, faster and more forgivFortunately, by just setting up a few targets in a garage or ing with advanced materials and braking systems that make the back yard, you could improve casting skills. Eventually, baitcasters an option for anyone. casts get better and better with much less time spent pulling There are two main components to setting up a baitcaster out loose line. I like to practice with an old bait, like a jig, to match casting ability with a given bait. The first is a brak- and just cut the hook off, so it doesn’t hang or, in our case, ing system. On a right-handed baitcaster, the braking system one of the pets doesn’t think it’s a toy. is on the left side plate of the reel. Many of the reels have a dial ranging from zero to 10 with zero being essentially no Greg Vinson is a full-time professional angler on braking and 10 being the maximum amount of braking. As the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. He lives in the line rolls off the reel during a cast, internal brakes slow Wetumpka and grew up fishing on Lake Martin. the spool down. This sounds great, and it is – for early baitAUGUST 2022

LAKE 69

70 LAKE

AUGUST 2022

Championship Play A

dam Burkett is a new assistant golf profescancel out on 12 and 15, respectively. He finished strong sional at Willow Point Golf & Country Club. A with a birdie-birdie and a great way to head into the final Trussville native, he grew up visiting round. Murdock got off to a slower start on Lake Martin and graduated the PGA Golf the front at two over par; then, heated up the Management program at Mississippi State back nine with five birdies and one bogey to University. Burkett realized he had a gift in finish the day at two under par. making golf fun for juniors at his first job at In round two of the championship diviVestavia Hills Country Club. sion, Andress had the hottest start with a “We initiated the Operation 36 program two-under-par front nine; then, the back nine through our directors of instruction and made got interesting, starting on the 13th tee box. it our flagship program for junior golf. We Murdock hit his tee ball on the par three, applied for and were rewarded as a Top 100 which bounced off the rock wall to land facility, and I also was named a Top 100 back on the green, saving his par and gaincoach in the world,” Burkett said. ing momentum to make birdie on 14. This He moved to Timuquana, the Florida PAR for the COURSE opened up more long par-putt saves and tight home of PGA Tour player Jim Furyk, and approach shots for a close one-shot margin ADAM BURKETT then spent six months at Jupiter Hills Club victory for Andress, resulting in a two-round before joining the staff at Willow Point, total of two under, with Murdock at one where he kept up with the men and juniors who played under, Miller even and Dove at one over. the Willow Point Club Championship last month.

The regular division was a gross-and-net-quota diviThe forecast seemed questionable for the first day of sion based on the players’ USGA handicaps. John the junior division, but the turf and grounds crews manChapman won, posting 71 points over two days, gross. aged the 2 inches of rainfall, David Upton won most over net Wilson Andress finished allowing the carts off the path quota with nine points over after at two under for the second day of the men’s day one; then, holding on with to win the championship, and still mainfour under on the final day for championship tained tournament-level condithe five-over total. division tions.

The senior club championIt was a family matter in ship was filled with consistent the junior club championship play by all, ending in a playoff with Max Lamberth winning on 18 between Thomas Radney his 9-and-under division with a and Scott Henderson. They 48 on nine holes and his older had to play two extra holes to brother, Henry Lamberth, windecide the winner. The first ning the 11-and-12-age diviplayoff hole started with both sion, firing a 76. Paul Vardaman players hitting the green in two closed out the 13-and-older shots and both making birdie. division with a solid 81 in tough The second playoff hole started conditions. the same, with both hitting Round one of the championthe green in two shots again. ship proved even competition Henderson putted first from 25 with two or more players tied for the lead in three of the feet and made eagle. Radney was up next, putting from divisions. The championship division had a three-way 15 feet for eagle and missed. Great playing by both. tie going into the second day. Hal Dove and McGowin Super senior division was won by Roger Lucas, winMiller were one under par through the first nine holes ning by three shots over David Marsh. This club chamwith Wilson Andress at even and Coe Murdock at two pionship was Marsh’s first ever championship event, and over par. he was in the hunt after day one. Lucas pulled away with Dove stayed steady with one birdie, one bogey and the gross division win, shooting a 79 on the final day. seven pars to finish the day at 71. Miller had one bogey on the fourth hole, a par four and went on to play the Adam Burkett is an assistant golf professional at next 13 holes bogey free with three birdies to finish the Willow Point Golf & Country Club. day at two under par. Andress had a birdie and bogey AUGUST 2022

LAKE 71

Legend

63

22

280

To Sylacauga

23

Alexander City

Public Boat Ramps 19

9

Churches

4

Camp ASCCA

11 Flint Hill Church

Camps & Parks 280

Power lines U.S. Highways

3

22

County Roads Piney Woods Landing

Wind Creek State Park

Pleasant Grove Church

11

COOSA COUNTY

Alex City Boat Ramp

Mt. Zion Church

259 9

10

128

Russell Farms Baptist Church 63

D.A.R.E. Park Landing

Friendship Church

18 20

New Hope Church

Liberty Church

12 Willow Point

24

7

13

Equality

Paces Point Boat Ramp

63

Camp Alamisco

14

Kowaliga Boat Landing

22 The Ridge

55

5

Seman

Camp Kiwanis

1 15

Church in The Pines

24

2

The Amp Ko w

ali

19 80

9

Central

ga

Ba

y

29 90

Union

ELMORE COUNTY Union Church

Red Hill 63

229

Eclectic

Tallassee

20 Kent

72 LAKE

Union Landing

Children’s Harbor

Trillium

34

AUGUST 2022

Timbergut Landing

Horseshoe Bend National Park

Jaybird Landing

Lake Martin Alabama Marinas

TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

49

Jacksons Gap 280

Bethel Church

21

Dadeville

57

280

25 Camp Hill

Smith Landing

Red Ridge United Methodist Church

Lake Martin Baptist Church 49 Church of the Living Waters

6

4. Russell Do It Center (Eclectic) 20 334-541-2132 1969 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

42. Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors 256-397-1700 19 Russell Marine Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

4. Russell Building Supply 21 256-825-4256 350 Fulton Street, Dadeville, AL 36853

52. Real Island Marina 256-397-1200 2700 Real Island Rd., Equality, AL 36026

4. The Stables at Russell Crossroads 22 256-794-1333 288 Stables Loop, Alex City, AL 35010

63. Blue Creek Marina 256-825-8888 7280 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

234. Dark Insurance 256-234-5026 410 Hillabee Street, Alex City, AL 35010 www.darkinsuranceagency.com

2. Parker Creek Marina 7 256-329-8550 486 Parker Creek Marina Rd., Equality, AL 36026 83. Harbor Pointe Marina 256-825-0600 397 Marina Point Rd., Dadeville, AL 36853 www.harborpointe.net

Restaurants & Venues

Walnut Hill

27 26 Lake Pointe Baptist Church

33. River North Marina 256-397-1500 250 River North Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

12 Smith Marina - Shipwreck Sam's Froyo 256-444-8793 smithmarinaonlakemartin@yahoo.com

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17 50

19 4. Russell Do It Center (Alex City) 256-234-2567 1750 Alabama 22, Alex City, AL 35010

2. Alex City Marine 11 256-215-FISH(3474) 2190 Cherokee Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

Stillwaters

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22. The Ridge Marina 256-397-1300 450 Ridge Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

10 2. Lakeside Marina at Bay Pines 256-825-0999 3455 Bay Pine Rd., Jackson's Gap, AL 36861

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18 Lake Martin Storm Shelters 256-794-8075 970 Hwy. 63 South, Alex City, AL 35010

2. Lakeside Marina 9 256-825-9286 7361 Hwy 49 S., Dadeville, AL 36853

Pleasant Ridge Church

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6. SpringHouse 13 256-215-7080 12 Benson Mill Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 146. Catherine’s Market 256-215-7070 17 Russell Farms Rd., Alex City, AL 35010 15 Kowaliga Restaurant 256-215-7035 295 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

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Business & Shopping

11. Kowaliga Marina 256-397-1210 255 Kowaliga Marina Rd., Alex City, AL 35010

24. Kowaliga Whole Health Pet Care & Resort 334-857-1816 8610 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024 25 . Off the Beaton Path 205-994-0847 21322 Hwy. 280, Dadeville, AL 36853 26 . Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage 334-391-0717 8421 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

Churches 27 Lake Pointe Baptist Church 256-373-3293 8352 Hwy. 50, Dadeville, AL 36853 28 Red Ridge United Methodist Church 256-825-9820 8091 County Rd. 34, Dadeville, AL 36853

Dock Builders 29 Lake Martin Dock Company, Inc Marine Contractor License #49146 334-857-2443 180 Birmingham Rd., Eclectic, AL 36024

Advertise your business on our Lake Martin Region Map for as little as $25.

Contact our Marketing Department at 256-234-4281 or marketing@alexcityoutlook.com for more information.

16 Lake Martin Pizza 256-373-3337 5042 Hwy 49, Dadeville, AL 36853 17 The Burritos Corner Mexican Grill 256-307-1887 8605 AL HWY 50, Dadeville, AL 36853

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Lake Magazine Distribution ALEXANDER CITY Robinson Iron A & M Plumbing Carlos The Body Shop Walgreens Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. Jake's Moore Wealth Management Carlisle's Emporium Wine Cloud Nine Downtown Girl Shay Aesthetics JR'S Hillabee Towers Senior Nutrition Center Noel Boone George Hardy First Realty Dark Insurance Warren Appliance MainStreet Family Care Grace's Flowers Koon's Korner Larry's General Merchandise Daylight Donuts Alfa Valley Bank - 280 Pricare Temple Medical AllState BB&T Bank Hometown Pharmacy Lake Martin Home Health Allen's Food Mart (Exxon) Karen Channell - State Farm Insurance North Lake Condo River Bend Store River North Marina Lake Martin Building Supply Petro

Sho'Nuff BBQ Hair Design Mark King's Lake Martin Furniture Longleaf Antique Mall Playhouse Cinemas Chamber of Commerce Winn Dixie Re/Max Around the Lake City Hall A&E Metal Regions Bank Marathon - 280 Renfroe's Market Russell Medical Center Russell Marine Boating and Outdoors Koon's II Tallapoosa Ford Dylan Johnson - Country Financial Holley's Home Furniture Jackson's Drugs Selling Lake Martin - Amy Clark The Sure Shot Shell - 280 Big B Bar-B-Que Russell Do It Center Russell Home Decor Holman Floor Satterfield Inc. Grain & Leaf, Bottles & Cigars Tippy Canoe Love Lake Martin Real Estate Office Wind Creek Gate Wind Creek Store Willow Point Office Willow Point Country Club Smith Marina on Lake Martin Nails Kowaliga Marina Kowaliga Restaurant Children's Harbor Catherine's Market Russell Lands Corporate Office

Russell Lands Real Estate Sales Center SpringHouse Restaurant Ridge Club Ridge Marina HACKNEYVILLE Hackneyville Water Authority NEW SITE Piggly Wiggly - New Site Foodland DADEVILLE Chamber of Commerce Raining Dogs Studio & Gallery Root 49 Salon Ellaby Boutique, LLC Alabama Power Siggers Siggers Barbershop Fusion Cafe Dadeville Library At the Beauty Shop Dadeville Courthouse Payne's Furniture PNC Bank Valley Bank McKelvey Chevrolet Renfroe's Market Foshee's Boat Doc Lakeshore Pharmacy Russell Building Supply Lakay's Tallapoosa Nutrition Sweet Pickins Century 21 - Rhonda Gaskins Farmers & Merchants Bank Jim's Pharmacy Poplar Dawgs Still Waters Country Club Still Waters Home Association Russell Lands Realty Fuller Realty Harbor Pointe Oskar's Aronov Realty Lake Martin

Creekside Lodge Blue Creek Marina Lakeside Marina Niffers Hwy 50 Eagle Millstone Japanese Maple Nursery Lakeside Mercantile Walnut Hill Chuck's Marina Deep Water Docks Lake Martin Pizza CAMP HILL Link Gas Station KELLYTON Five Star Plantation EQUALITY Equality Food Mart Southern Star Parker Creek Marina Charles Borden ECLECTIC Lake Breeze Realty Offshore Marina Lake Martin Mini Mall Corner Stone Coffee Co. Lake Martin Dock Company Cotton's Alabama Barbecue Russell Do It Center Johnson Furniture WOW Catering LLC Eclectic Library Real Island Marina Anchor Bay Marina Wetumpka Wetumpka Herald Office Tallassee Marathon Tallassee Eagle Tallassee Chamber Parris Mullins Jr. O.D. Get Lake magazine delivered to your mailbox for just $50 per year. To start your subscription, call Linda Ewing at 256-234-4281.

Lighting the Way for the Lake & River Region for more than 100 Years alexcityoutlook.com thewetumpkaherald.com tallasseetribune.com lakemagazine.life 74 LAKE

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Lake Martin Business and Service Directory

COACH KRAFT

UPHOLSTERY Complete Marine Upholstery!

Floors ■ Carpets Bimini Tops ■ Custom Seats ■ Mooring Covers ■

■

Patrick Mason 334-283-6759

LAKE

676 Dean Circle • Tallassee, AL www.coachkraft.com

Relax. Enjoy. Lake Martin.

Call to order your subscription 256-234-4281

MAGAZINE

AUGUST 2022

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Our Advertisers n To Join, Call 256.234.4281 Alex City Guide Service............................................. 8

Hwy 50 Blue Creek Boat & RV Storage............... 75

Raining Dogs Gallery................................................. 75

Alex City Marine......................................................... 70

Hughes Pools............................................................... 20

Reinhardt Lexus.......................................................... 53

Artic Air........................................................................ 52

Karen Channell State Farm...................................... 75

Renaissance Electronics............................................... 5

AVSP............................................................................... 77

Kowaliga Whole Health............................................. 76

Russell Lands..........................................................39, 80

Blue Creek Iron Works............................................. 75

Lake Martin Dock....................................................... 17

Russell Marine & Outdoors....................................... 3

Brown Nursing & Rehabilitation..........................................8

Lake Martin Mortgage................................................ 61

Russell Medical.............................................................. 2

Chuck's Marina............................................................ 57

Lake Martin Pressure Washing................................... 6

Satterfield........................................................................ 5

Coach Kraft Upholstery............................................ 75

Lake Martin Realty...................................................... 27

Security Pest Control.................................................. 8

Custom Docks............................................................. 20

Lake Martin Signature Construction...................... 33

Singleton Marine......................................................... 76

Davco............................................................................. 75

Lake Martin Storm Shelters..................................... 57

Sparkle Cleaning Services......................................... 12

Diamond Golf Cars.................................................... 26

Lamberth & Lamberth............................................... 57

Sunrise Dock................................................................ 12

Docks Unlimited........................................................... 5

Main Street Alexander City........................................ 6

Temple Medical Center............................................... 8

Electronic Technology Group................................... 75

Mark King's Furniture................................................ 13

Tippy Canoe................................................................. 67

Froggy Bottom Materials.......................................... 17

Moore Wealth Management..................................... 79

TowBoat US................................................................. 60

George Hardy D.M.D................................................... 8

National Village............................................................ 21

UAB Heart & Vascular............................................... 59

Harbor Pointe Marina................................................ 67

Odd Jobs....................................................................... 70

US Bank......................................................................... 26

Hawk Detailing............................................................ 75

Off the Beaton Path..................................................... 8

Vacation Rental Management................................... 75

Henderson Glass......................................................... 75

Precise Pressure Washing......................................... 75

Wind Creek Zipline................................................... 63

Heritage South Credit Union.................................. 70

Prime Management....................................................... 6

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Parting Shot

"Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land." ~ Aldo Leopold

Photo by Kenneth Boone

Make it their

TH E HERI TAGE FROM RU S S ELL LA N D S .

EXQU I S I TE WATERFRON T LOTS N OW AVA I L AB LE .

Firepits and birthdays. Starry nights and laughter. There’s no life more wonderful than The Heritage on Lake Martin. Set among Lake Martin’s nearly 900 miles of shoreline surrounding over 40,000 acres of pristine water, The Heritage is a 1,500-acre waterfront development along 12 miles of sparkling shoreline—all from Russell Lands, one of the South’s most respected land companies. The stunning community features spectacular waterfront and luxury interior homesites, as well as a flagship 256.215.7011 RealEstate@RussellLands.com RussellLands.com

resident-owned lake club and private Coore & Crenshaw golf course.

Don’t miss your chance to start your own cherished traditions.

Opportunities to rewrite your Heritage are now open. Contact us today.

This is not intended to be an offer to sell nor a solicitation of offers to buy real estate in The Heritage development to residents of Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania or South Carolina, or to residents of any other jurisdiction where prohibited by law. No offering can be made to residents of New York until an offering plan is filed with the Department of Law of the State of New York. The Heritage is a proposed planned master development on the shores of Lake Martin, Alabama that does not yet exist.

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