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It’s Electric! New biking sensation comes to Logan Martin

Story by Roxann Edsall
Photos by Kelsey Bain

Body low, head down, eyes ahead. You see the hill approaching fast. Downshifting, you begin your ascent and keep pumping. Halfway up the hill, calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes burning, you hit the button once, then twice. Immediately, the bike takes over and the pedals cease their attack on your muscles. You ascend the hill with only as much effort as you want to put into it. Welcome to the world of electric biking!

Electric bicycles are being spotted all around Logan Martin, echoing the explosion of sales around the country. The growth has been fueled, at least in part, by the pandemic, as people shy away from mass transportation and find alternatives for getting around. According to market researcher NPD Group, eBike sales shot up 240% in the 12 months leading up to July 2021. Industry experts predict that upward trend to hold as people continue to spend more time outdoors.

Around the lake, it’s all about having something else fun to do outdoors. Darrell Spears pledges to emphasize the fun in all aspects of electric biking, including the purchasing process.

Electric bikes have come to Logan Martin Lake.

The owner of Logan Martin Electrek, he hopes to help people navigate the world of electric bikes and build the eBike community on Logan Martin Lake. After retiring from the Army, he began looking into purchasing an electric bike to get outside and enjoy areas around Logan Martin.

“Doing research, I went down quite a few rabbit holes,” Spears explains. “There’s a lot to sift through, tons of information and choices to make.” He ended up buying online and making what he describes as “not the best decision for me.

“It’s such a weird business model,” says Spears. “When I went to a regular bike shop, I realized their focus is on selling the bikes they have. I don’t have a storefront, so I find out what’s the best fit for the rider to help them buy the bike that’s most suited to them and what they want to do with it.”

He does this by offering an eBike consulting service. The customer contacts Logan Martin Electrek and fills out a survey to describe their wants and needs. Spears meets the customer in the location where they would be riding the bike and finds out more specific needs and preferences.

At that time, the customer has a chance to try out several test bikes. The consultation and ride are included in the $100 fee, which ends with the customer receiving an emailed consultation report outlining Spears’ recommendations. The fee is applied to the price of a bike, if the customer decides to purchase through Spears.

“I include a lot in the consultation and test ride,” says Spears. “So, it is well worth the money. If I had done this before buying my first bike, I would have made a much better choice.” He insists that it’s fine if you don’t buy from him. You can use the information to purchase elsewhere or online or not buy at all. He just wants to be sure if you do buy, you get the bike that best fits you and your needs.

Spears describes the variables in the eBike buying process. The questions begin with where you want to ride an electric bike and how experienced you are with biking. Then there’s the shape and style you might be interested in.

Do you like a cruiser style or a mountain bike style? Do you prefer a step-over or step-through frame? Are you an upright rider or more aggressive? Are you looking for a hub-drive a mid-drive? And that’s just the beginning. “There are so many variables, but if we get the right fit, it’s more likely that the rider will use the bike and enjoy the experience,” assures Spears, emphasizing the value of his business model.

Martha Davenport and her partner, John Moberg, recently went through the buying process, guided by Spears. An avid cyclist, Martha began having trouble with one of her knees to the extent that she was no longer able to ride her bicycle.

Moberg pushed to investigate the electric bike option for her. “John’s wanted an electric bike and has been researching them for years. Darrell made the process simple,” says Davenport. “He even came over the second day after we got the bikes and showed us several additional features, like how to operate the pedal assist, which is so great!”

She, Moberg and her dog, Gizmo, live at Logan’s Landing Campground and love to take their eBikes out around the lake every day it’s not raining. (Most models are safe to operate in the rain, although models with a built-in charger are not.) They’ve recently purchased a bike rack for John’s car so they can take the bikes to different locations.

“With my knee injury, I never thought I’d be able to ride a bike again,” adds Davenport. “Having an electric bike has really made a difference for me. I love being able to ride again.”

Pell City Parks and Recreation maintenance crewmember John Richardson, and his wife, Melissa, have had two eBikes for about a year. His wife also has issues with her knees. “We like them because they’re easy. If you want to pedal, you can. If you don’t, you don’t have to,” says Richardson. “We use them camping and when we go to the beach. They’re great!” While they bought before Spears opened his business, Richardson was happy to hear about it for others in the market.

Even if you’re an avid standard cyclist, there are benefits to electric bicycles. “The frequently used metric is ‘2x you’ and ‘4x you,’ meaning they can put out two to four times the normal power a rider will put into a bike for a distance of 20 to 80 miles, based on terrain, user input, motor size and battery,” Spears explains.

So, if you want to get more distance with less effort, eBikes may be a good option. And, for those wanting more exercise, industry leaders say most people ride farther because it’s easier, and they end up getting as much or more exercise than they did riding a non-motorized bicycle.

Electric bicycles are, clearly, a major purchase, starting north of $1,000 and up to $10,000, depending on models and options. Most eBikes come with a battery warranty of between two and five years. The charge typically lasts about 40 miles, depending on how much use the motor gets during the ride. It usually takes about six hours to charge using 120 volts.

How fast you can go depends on the class. Electric bikes are divided into Class 1, up to 20 mph with no throttle and motor kicks in when the rider is pedaling; Class 2, up to 20 mph with throttle and can be used when rider is not pedaling; and Class 3, up to 28 mph with or without throttle and requires the rider to pedal.

That price may sting a bit less if President Joe Biden’s $1.75-million Build Back Better bill passes. The bill includes a 30% tax incentive on the purchase of eBikes with price tags under $4,000, with the goal of helping to reduce carbon emissions by replacing gasoline-powered cars with electric options, including electric bikes.

A desire to encourage environmental responsibility and the ability to ride bikes again after a physical injury or limitation top the list of reasons for getting an electric bike.

But the number one reason, according to Spears, is fun, adding, “It lets you be 15 again!” As he nears his 50^th birthday, Spears even traded his plans for a motorcycle cross-country trip in favor of a coast-to-coast eBike ride. In late spring or early fall, he plans to fly out to California and ride an electric bike from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast.

Spears loves the Logan Martin Lake community. He retired in Alabama to be near his two boys, Jonathan, now at the University of Alabama, and Chase, who’s at Jacksonville State University.

He tells the story of when he was looking for a house to buy a few years ago and drove around the lake constantly on the search. One day he drove down a long driveway, thinking it was a road and had to pull off when a car approached coming the other way.

“I talked to this guy for a long time about the area. He was super nice and even invited me to the Rotary Club. He was just about as gracious a person as I have ever met.” Turns out the friendly fellow was Elmer Harris, former CEO of Alabama Power, the company that created Logan Martin.

Spears has started an electric biking group to help build the eBiking community. The group gets together the last Sunday of each month. Their last ride was Bull’s Gap trail in the Talladega National Forest, but he’s always checking out other trip options.

Editor’s Note: For more information on the biking group or to book an eBike consultation, check out their Logan Martin Electrek Facebook page or go to www.lmelectrek.com.

In the Kitchen with Brenda Reaves

Country cooking, lake living a perfect recipe

Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Kelsey Bain

When Brenda Reaves and her daughter set out to compile a cookbook for a family reunion in 2008, they asked everyone to contribute some of their tried-and-true recipes. They wanted a variety of dishes – everything from meats and vegetables to casseroles and desserts – and only one rule applied: “We said don’t give us the recipe you wish you could cook, give us the recipe you always cook,” Brenda said.

The result is a mouth-watering collection of offerings including sausage balls, biscuits, chicken and dressing, red velvet cake, squash casserole and macaroni and cheese. “We do country cooking,” Brenda said. “I like to cook like my grandmother and mother cooked.”

These days, Brenda does her cooking from the kitchen of the family’s Neely Henry Lake home, where they have lived for seven years. “We originally thought it would be just a weekend place, but the more we were here, the more we didn’t want to be anywhere else,” she said. “It just seems like being on vacation all the time.”

As a result, the focus is always on good food and great fun. Brenda and her husband, Tony, love spending time with family, neighbors and friends at the home they’ve dubbed the Coosa Loosa Lodge and Marina. “We’re kind of known for a having a lot of people over,” Brenda said. “We can cook for a crowd easier than we can cook for two.”

Home cooking

Brenda’s love for good home cooking can be traced back to visits with her grandparents, Rosetta and Bud Wood, affectionately known as Mama Bill and Uncle Bud. “Mama Bill served three meals a day most days,” Brenda wrote in the forward of the Wood Family Cookbook. “Chicken and dumplins were one of my favorites and still are. Fried potatoes, sliced not diced, with lots of black pepper were on the menu quite often. If you were lucky, you were there when there was a peach, apple or blackberry cobbler.”

Many years ago, the family started hosting a reunion in October to celebrate Mama Bill’s mother’s birthday and “since that time, every year on the second Saturday in October, we honor Mama Bill and Uncle Bud’s memory by getting together as a family and visiting and eating,” Brenda wrote. “What could be more appropriate?”

Brenda’s daughter, Beth Reaves, had the idea to compile a family cookbook, and many of the recipes were Mama Bill’s. In addition to her chicken and dumplings recipe, there’s her lemon pound cake, a pecan pie recipe she passed down to her daughters, and Mama Bill’s 15-Day Dill Pickles, which indeed take more than two weeks to prepare.

Brenda contributed a number of her family’s favorites, including chicken and dressing, carrot cake, and meatloaf. Her broccoli and cauliflower salad recipe, which includes a notation that “Tony Reaves is the best chopper in the world,” offers some insight into how the family eats so well all of the time. When it comes to cooking, they subscribe to “the more the merrier” philosophy rather than the idea that “too many cooks spoil the broth.”

“It’s kind of like divide and conquer,” said Beth, who along with her husband, Corey King, moved into the Reaves’ renovated basement last November. “Someone’s putting a salad together, someone else is chopping something, and in 30 minutes, you’ve got a meal.”

Brenda said teamwork is the key. “I wouldn’t cook like I do if they didn’t enjoy eating it and they didn’t pitch in,” she said. “We have some of our best times when we’re cooking. We put music on and make it fun.”

All in the family

Just as Brenda learned her secrets by being in the kitchen with her grandmother and mother, her children and grandchildren are pretty accomplished cooks, as well. “When she was cooking, I was in there talking to her and you just pick it up,” said Beth, who was preparing meals like roast and vegetables for the family by the time she was 10 or 12. Her son, Blake, now a college student, “was chopping onions and okra when he was 4,” Beth said.

The screened porch at the “Coosa Loosa Lodge”

The Reaves’ son, Bret, is a master griller, and he often can be found helping to man the Big Green Egg, the smoker, barbecue grill or flat-top grill, all of which get quite a workout. “We’ve got it all covered,” Tony said of their assortment of outdoor cookers. “On the Fourth of July, we did breakfast for 25 and cooked everything out here,” Brenda added.

Veggies are a big draw for the family, as well. “When my kids were growing up, their favorite food was broccoli,” Brenda said, adding that Blake and her granddaughter, 17-year-old Bella, love turnip greens and asparagus. She and Beth buy their produce from nearby farms and farmer’s markets and get plenty of extra for later.

“It takes a lot of time in the summer to put up the green beans and corn and strawberries, but in the winter it sure is nice to get those fresh veggies from the freezer, Beth said.

A slower pace

Although the family has always loved getting together, the gatherings have become even more fun since Brenda and Tony bought their lake home. “We wanted to have a place for our kids and grandkids to be,” said Brenda, who has wonderful memories of summer days at her parents’ lake cabin. “That’s where my love for the water came from.”

They bought the house in 2014 and spent about a year remodeling it, doing most of the work themselves. Since then, the house has undergone two additional renovations, including changes made a after a 2017 tornado.

The living room now has vaulted ceilings, the swimming pool has been filled in to make a spot for a fire pit and chairs, and a screened porch was added. The deck below is home to all the outdoor cookers, and a wooden walkway connects it to the top deck of the boat house. “We built a bridge so we can get our wheelchairs out there,” Brenda joked.

Some of that work, and the most recent kitchen renovation, was completed after a tree fell through the middle of the house on New Year’s Eve 2019. Beth and Corey were sitting at the table working a puzzle when they heard a loud noise. “We thought someone was just getting an early start with the fireworks,” Beth recalled.

Not ones to let a little thing like a fallen tree and heavily damaged home get in the way of some good food, they took time to eat the New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp that was cooking at the time. “We took it out of the oven and ate it in the carport,” Beth said. “We’re not going to miss a meal,” Tony added with a laugh.

They did miss a few, though, in the more than 20 years that Brenda and Tony operated the Anniston Memorial Funeral Home and Anniston Memorial Gardens before retiring in 2018. The hours were crazy and there was no such thing as a day off. “Even during Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, usually someone would have to leave to go to work,” Tony said.

That’s why they cherish family time even more. “We have enjoyed so much being able to live a slower life,” Brenda said. “This is a life I never could have imagined. If I could have dreamed it, I could not have dreamed it better.”

Mama Bill’s Chicken and Dumplin’s

1 whole chicken or chicken parts
2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter

Dumplins:

3 cups Bisquick
1 can cream of chicken soup
Flour

Cook chicken in enough water to cover and salt. Remove the chicken and add the stick of butter to the broth.

Prepare 3 cups of Bisquick, mixing as directed. Roll flat, to about ¼ inch, on well-floured surface. Use a floured knife to cut dough into 2-inch squares. Roll each piece of dough in a small amount of flour.

Drop squares into boiling broth and push it down into the broth. After dropping all dough, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes and then stir in soup. Cook 10 more minutes and add the chicken pulled from the bone.

*Although Mama Bill used homemade biscuit dough, the taste is very similar.

Carrot Cake

2 cups plain or cake flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sugar
½ cup chopped nuts
3 cups carrots, grated
1 cup Wesson oil
4 eggs

Frosting:

1 box confectioner’s sugar
1 stick margarine
2 tsp. vanilla
1 8-ounce cream cheese, softened
½ cup chopped nuts

Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and sugar together three times. Put Wesson oil and eggs in mixer; beat until fluffy. Add grated carrots, then blend in dry ingredients; add nuts.

Pour batter into three 9-inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Frosting: Combine sugar, cream cheese and margarine. Add vanilla and nuts. Frost each layer completely.

GadRock, a lakeside destination point for climbing, paddleboarding

Story by Katie Bohannon
Photos by Meghan Frondorf

When innovative indoor climbing “microgym” GadRock made its debut in 2018, The City of Champions added another trophy to its display case. Located on Rainbow Drive overlooking serene Lake Gadsden, adventure awaits all seeking to explore something new in Etowah County, with GadRock proving the perfect escape on the water.

GadRock co-owners and friends Carrie Machen and Kate Wilson coined the term “microgym” as a nod to their past. The pair initially sparked a friendship while working at local microbrewery Back Forty Beer Company in downtown Gadsden, where a meager chat prompted the duo to dive into a massive venture. Both avid outdoorswomen and fitness enthusiasts, Machen and Wilson juggled the idea of a space where rock climbers – such as Machen’s son – could train indoors. Wilson’s solution was a concept already brewing in Machen’s mind: a gym.

She first familiarized herself with indoor rock-climbing facilities at YoungLife Camp Windy Gap neighboring Asheville, N.C. While she was an efficient recreational outdoor rock climber, the immersive world of artificial rope walls and bouldering areas intrigued Machen. Her family had joined gyms across the country, as they traveled from state to state with her husband’s military career. Drawing from these previous experiences, she and Wilson began the extensive search for the perfect location for GadRock, settling on a vacant lot at 1403 Rainbow Drive, which was full of potential.

Massachusetts-centered design company, Rockwerx, Inc., Chase Building Group and CDP Design, LLC conjured GadRock’s concept into a tangible footprint, constructing 4,500 square feet of climbing space. Courses vary in difficulty between both the rope climbing area and bouldering area, with one of the gym’s feature walls towering 40 feet high. Unobstructed, captivating views of the lake dazzle climbers, who peer down at the glistening water via garage-style doors that lift when the weather permits.

GadRock offers options for climbers of all levels of expertise and comfort. The microgym’s welcoming staff eliminates the intimidation that sometimes hinders new visitors, demonstrating necessary rope skills and the correct way to climb and belay during classes. Guests can choose from lead climbing or top roping. They are common forms of indoor climbing that incorporate harnesses and rope anchored from above and belayed from the ground, or bouldering, which features no harness or rope, just a crash pad to catch any who fall. Bouldering climbers seldom ascend higher than 20 feet as they deduce solutions to the “problems” appearing in boulder routes to reach their destinations.

On land and water

While GadRock nurtures the climbing community that circulates throughout Etowah County, its prime accessibility to Lake Gadsden unlocks another realm of opportunity for visitors to enjoy: paddleboarding. Machen and Wilson began paddling classes before climbing ever became available at GadRock, both earning their coaching certification the summer they started construction of the microgym.

Though some gym-goers flock to GadRock for just climbing or only paddling, gym members have access to both sports. The gym provides everything climbers or paddlers need concerning equipment, from harnesses and chalk to boards.

“Paddleboarding is another sense of community out there on the water,” said Machen. “It’s very peaceful out there on Lake Gadsden, with lots of wildlife that is fun to see. During the summer, a lot of people will come in here for a climbing session because it’s cool inside, then get out on the water and paddle and swim.”

Five classes cater to paddleboarders of all stages: SUP Intro Tour, SUP Fitness Tour, SUP Eco Tour, SUP Yoga Tour or a SUP & SIP Tour. Designed for beginners, the Intro Tour reigns true to its name, introducing beginners to the basics of paddleboarding. Machen shared that by the end of the Intro Tour, most people are standing up and paddling without a hitch.

A history of Lake Gadsden alongside the Coosa River, native wildlife spotting and exploration of the area characterize the Eco Tour, with the Yoga Tour emerging as a peaceful relaxation time on the water. Wilson leads the Fitness Tour, which incorporates a HIIT-style workout with aggressive paddling for 45 minutes to an hour of efficient exercise.

The SUP & SIP Tour, which Machen describes as the most popular and leisurely tour, is pure fun. A group gathers to explore tributary creeks, circling back to GadRock’s dock to enjoy a drink while watching the sunset.

“Stand-up paddling for this area is very new. So is indoor climbing,” said Machen. “With GadRock, we were introducing these new sports to people. I believe people might see our guests paddling and think that it looks hard and intimidating, but it absolutely isn’t – same with climbing. If you look at how tall the walls are, that might look overwhelming for some people. We try to take that intimidation factor out by having clinics and classes for paddling.”

Machen noted that in both climbing and paddling, GadRock transforms exercise from traditional techniques people sometimes dread, into unique, fun and interactive activities that generate excitement. Complimentary cross-training sports, both paddling and climbing are full-body workouts, using the same muscles.

After tearing her ACL climbing, paddling became a form of rehabilitation for Machen, aiding in her regaining her strength. Machen shared that not only does paddling and climbing minister to an individual’s physical wellness, but both contribute to improving one’s mental health.

“I love to get out on the water,” said Machen, who gains her greatest ideas while paddling by herself (or with her dog, who she often takes with her). “Sometimes, I’ll just stop and listen to the sounds around me and just let my mind drift and think. I’m more reflective when I’m out on the water.”

While paddling proves restorative and contemplative, climbing exercises a person’s mind in an alternate way. Machen noted that climbing is full of mistakes, but the sport teaches that to fail does not make a person a failure – it just gives him or her another opportunity to stand up and try again.

“When I’m climbing, I’m thinking about the next move, or what I’m doing right then in the moment, how to accomplish my goals on the wall,” said Machen. “I like that, because you’re not thinking about everything else in your life or in the world. You can take some time climbing and reflect on the present.”

Machen furthered paddling’s link to climbing, emphasizing that the Coosa River runs through all her favorite outdoor spots. From Southeastern Climbers Coalition’s Hospital Boulders on Lookout Mountain to Chandler Mountain’s Horse Pens 40, to Cherokee Rock Village and Moss Rock Preserve, a stone’s throw in Hoover, Etowah County and surrounding communities provide residents with countless remarkable chances for adventure. As climbing generates a deeper sense of understanding concerning nature, paddling parallels that appreciation, with Machen and other paddlers involved in efforts to protect the natural resources at their fingertips.

“The paddling and climbing communities are amazing,” said Machen. “They’re the people who are out there on the rocks and on the water. If you’re never on the water, you may never appreciate it as much as someone who is using it. We (these communities) are the people most invested in protecting those assets, concerned with water quality and access points. Even if you never get out on the water, if you just sit beside the lake and see the visual beauty … we should all look around and appreciate what (these resources) bring to our community.” As a child growing up in Gadsden, Machen often trekked through the little wooded areas of Clubview, excavating the pliable earth in creek beds and overturning rocks to uncover arrowheads. While Machen surmised that she probably found them all, cradling those arrowheads in her palms, her ears filled with the tranquil burble of water foreshadowed a future intwined with conservation and community.

Great expectations of lake season

If you’re a ‘LakeLifer’ like me, this time of year holds great expectations — anticipation of good things to come. It’s almost spring, but not quite. Warm days are more frequent, but not quite enough. Nevertheless, you feel good times await just around the bend.

And you’d be right.

On Logan Martin, it means the water’s about to rise toward its seasonal high, which generally translates into getting outside, hopping on the boat and heading no place in particular, just knowing that pure enjoyment is involved.

This year on Logan Martin, expectations are even greater. The water will not fluctuate as much as in years past when fall returns. LakeLifers get to keep an extra two feet from now on, a move touted for so long but finally coming to fruition in 2022.

For LakeLifers on Neely Henry, they may not understand the excitement building on their Coosa River sister lake. After all, they’ve been lucky enough to have more stable water depths for years, only fluctuating a foot.

The great expectations are equally as high there, though. Temperatures are rising, and that means all kinds of outdoor activities on and around the lake.

First Friday kicks off in Gadsden April 1, drawing thousands to an inviting downtown just a stone’s throw from ‘the river.’ Classic cars, great food, shopping and an all-around good time for the entire family await.

The popularity of fly fishing in Black Creek at Noccalula Falls and around the lake and river will continue to climb. So will those who visit GadRock, an indoor rock-climbing facility that overlooks the lake in Gadsden. And don’t forget their paddle boards just outside their door, ready to take you on a tour you won’t soon forget.

Around Logan Martin, a new sensation is taking hold — electric bicycles from Logan Martin Electrek. It’s a pedaling/motorized adventure all rolled into one.

Fishing is a year-round affair in these parts on both lakes, but there’s something about early spring that really brings out the anglers — pros and novices alike. Rookie pro angler Zeke Gossett will guide you through not only what’s biting on both lakes, but what they’re biting in his Catching the Coosa, a favorite among those wanting to try their luck.

All these great expectations are a part of this edition of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®, but as always, there is plenty more. We’ll take you inside the kitchen of some great Southern cooks in Southside on Neely Henry and back in time on Logan Martin’s Broken Arrow Creek, where Native Americans once roamed. You can still find their arrowheads today.

But for now, we will be savoring good times ahead and in our memories. That’s what being a ‘LakeLifer’ is all about. So, here’s to great expectations. Turn the page and discover them all with us!

Catch the Rainbow

Gadsden’s Black Creek becoming a fly-fishing hotbed for rainbow trout

Story by Paul South
Photos by Mackenzie Free
Sumitted photos

Frank Roden, it seems, always has a ripping good fish tale. Roden, an expert fly angler and Rainbow City antique dealer known as “the guy with the tie” on the trout streams of St. Clair and Etowah counties, has a great story that illustrates how fly angling has taken off in the area, particularly in the Black Creek Gorge and the streams near Noccalula Falls.

A fly-fishing instructor endorsed by the iconic outdoor brand, Orvis, Roden has seen folks from multiple states fly fish, thanks in part to the City of Gadsden’s restocking efforts, now in its third year on Black Creek.

“There was a man from Hattiesburg, Miss., who was coming to the area and stopped to fly fish one day and once he fly fished it, he we went back home and returned a week later with his family of four in an RV, rented space in a local campground and stayed for a week with his family to fly fish and to visit the Greater Gadsden area,” Roden says.

While the man fished, his family shopped on Broad Street in downtown Gadsden, along with buying the basics – food and fuel.

“He said he would definitely be back to visit because of the things that he saw and the things he and his family were able to get involved with while he was here,” Roden says.

Frank Roden stocking the creek near Noccalula Falls

He’s heard a creel full of stories like that, of anglers coming from the Gulf Coast and southern Florida to fly fish. No longer would they have to travel to the Appalachian waters of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.

“They said (Gadsden) puts them four hours closer to trout than they were before, Roden says.

The Mississippi fish tale is poetry to government and tourism officials in Gadsden like Hugh Stump, executive director of Greater Gadsden Tourism. For the past three years in November and May, Gadsden has restocked Black Creek with rainbow trout, an iconic North American game fish prized by fly anglers around the world.

Most recently, the city put 1,000 10 to 14-inch rainbows into Black Creek, where the trout season runs from Nov. 15 to May 31. According to an independent economic impact study commissioned by the Greater Gadsden Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, overnight visitors who come to the area to fly fish spend an average of $110.72 per person, while day-trippers spend $50.52 per person. The city realizes more than $6.50 return on investment for every dollar spent promoting fly fishing.

The annual stocking and promotion efforts benefit anglers from Etowah, St. Clair, Jefferson and other nearby counties, who now have fly fishing close to home.

“The idea behind the stocking was to create another amenity for people who are visiting the area,” Stump says. “But it’s also an amenity for people who live here. The (local) Rainbow City Fly Fishing Club has a lot of members, and they don’t have to drive to Georgia or North Carolina anymore to fly fish, so it’s in their backyard.”

The Rainbow City club returns the favor by assisting the restocking effort on a volunteer basis.

Another economic aspect, according to the study, is that 49% of respondents who fly fished Black Creek have a household income of $100,000 or more. And environmental tourism gives Gadsden another lure in its economic development tackle box.

“Ecotourism, like wineries, breweries, fly fishing, that kind of stuff is sustainable. It’s natural,” Stump says. “You don’t have to build a building … It’s there. It’s natural. And we’re just amplifying it for people to enjoy it. That’s what we’re trying to do here in Gadsden.”

He added, “We’re not trying to do just ecotourism. It’s just one facet.”

Gadsden City Councilman Kent Back says the effort has boosted the economy, not just by fishing, but in the city’s revitalized downtown district. While anglers fish, their spouses and children browse in local shops and dine in local eateries.

“We know that’s happening,” Back says.

The city also built cabins near Noccalula Falls that Back says are “really, really nice and moderately priced.

“When you’re in those cabins, you think you’re in Gatlinburg,” Back says.

While a trout permit and an Alabama fishing license are required to fly fish for trout in Black Creek Gorge, anglers will also be able to fish for other species as they always have.

“Technically, fishing of any sort is not allowed in the gorge,” Stump says. “The only way you can fish in the gorge is with a City of Gadsden trout permit and a State of Alabama fishing license. But we’re not busting people’s chops if they’re just fishing for their dinner, because we don’t have any way to really maintain and police that.”

Black Creek offers unique challenges for fly anglers, Roden says. A small stream, the waters are canopied by trees along its banks. Reading the currents can offer a fun puzzle for anglers to solve. And the area is slowly becoming a hotbed for fly fishing. Along with Black Creek, the nearby Sipsey River – Alabama’s only year-round trout fishery – are increasingly popular.

“The interest is building daily,” Roden says.

Roden would like to see the Alabama tourism officials take a page from one of its past efforts, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. A fly-fishing trail would also boost the economies of Alabama’s smaller towns.

“I would like to see a fly-fishing trail developed in Alabama, much the same as the golf trail,” he says.

Roden is one of the area’s most fervent fishing evangelists. “Fly fishing is more than about fishing,” Roden says. “It’s a way of life.”

And along with the economic and environmental benefits, fly fishing Black Creek catches another intangible – joy.

And the colorful catch brings more than just a trophy fish. “Everybody who catches a rainbow has a smile on their face,” Roden says.

Business booming for traveling mechanic making boat calls

Story Elaine Hobson Miller
Photos by Wallace Bromberg Jr.

This past summer Paul Davis realized many boat owners don’t want to haul their watercraft to a dealer and wait weeks for repairs. A noted mechanic, he decided to make house calls. He started a mobile marine repair service that takes him to the boats instead. He’s now making 20 service calls a week, and he’s training a helper so he can expand. If the secret to success is finding a need and filling it, then it’s no wonder Paul’s Mobile Marine Service has proven so successful.

“I saw a need for people who didn’t want their boats sitting outside at a dealership two to five weeks at a time, waiting for repairs,” he says. “Some people don’t even have trailers to take their boats to a dealer. I’m offering them a convenience.”

Because he has no permanent shop, he has no overhead, so he doesn’t have a trip charge and doesn’t even build that charge into his fees. He charges the same as if he had a shop at a marina or in a building somewhere. Many of his services, like lube and oil changes, are priced at a flat rate, while others are billed by the hour.

“They do this a lot on the coast,” he says of his new business.

His shop is located inside his Dodge Ram high-roof van that allows him to stand up inside, and he is 6 feet 2 inches tall.

He designed the shop area and had it built to his specifications. It contains shelves and bins, hoses and drills, a work bench, portable generator, bins and boxes and a vice grip.

He also has a pontoon boat that he converted into his work barge with wooden floors, a truck toolbox, a workbench and a motor, of course. He pulls it with a pickup truck for those jobs that he does when his clients’ boats are docked in the water. He has a bag of tools he can move from truck to pontoon at a moment’s notice. “I use 10% of my tools on 90% of the jobs anyway,” he says.

He tries to stay within a 50 to 60-mile radius of his home base in Pell City and has customers in Oxford, Birmingham and Trussville. “I sponsor Hewitt-Trussville and Chelsea high school fishing teams,” says the man who also competes in fishing tournaments himself. “I also do a lot of work on Lay Lake, around Sylacauga and Childersburg.” Most of what he does is of a mechanical nature, working on motors, lights and pumps. He keeps many standard parts in his van, but if he has to order something, he can get it within 24 hours.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time a customer has me look at his boat, he’ll have me fix it,” he says. He services all major brands of motor boats, pontoons, ski boats, bass boats and the wake boats that people use for wake surfing. He is available from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Mondays through Fridays, although he sometimes quits a little earlier because it gets dark earlier due to Daylight Savings Time.

Unlike a lot of businesses, Paul’s has flourished during the COVID-19 pandemic, and not just despite COVID but perhaps because of it, too. “I think COVID made lot of people who were just sitting at home or working from home go out and buy a boat,” he says. “This has made me a lot busier. In fact, I have more business than I can handle, and I’m having to turn some stuff down. I’m looking to hire a helper, and I’m training a potential one now. I might even expand to service Lake Martin, Smith Lake, even Orange Beach.” Before starting his mobile marine service, Paul and a partner ran Lakeside Marine beside Lakeside Landing in Pell City. They worked on boats there, too, but were bought out before he went out on his own. “People really like the convenience of my service,” he says.

Lakeside Marine is where Bill and Nila McBrier first met Paul. They have been doing business with him ever since. “We had trouble in the summer, and our boat was in the water,” Nila McBrier says. “He fixed it right down on the dock. He winterizes and summerizes our boat in our own yard, which is extremely convenient. We live at East Winds on the Talladega side of Logan Martin Lake. His prices are as reasonable as anybody else. We think he’s amazing and dependable. He’s the best.”

Jud Alverson has been using Davis for boat repairs for at least eight years, again, going back to Paul’s days at Lakeside Marine. “I’ve always used him,” Alverson says. “He’s timely, responsive, fair and knowledgeable.”

Alverson lives in Pine Harbor but stores his boat at another location, and Davis handles the twice-a-year maintenance for him. “The type of boat I have is called an inboard/outboard, where the engine is inside the boat, but the foot and propeller are in the water,” he says. “The motor takes in water to cool it, and everything has to be drained and winterized. In the summer he changes the oil and goes over the entire boat. This coming spring, he’ll have to fix the speedometer for me.”

Like the McBriers, Alverson enjoys the convenience that Paul’s service affords him. “He just goes where it is stored, uncovers it, works on it, covers it back up. Then he emails me an invoice, and with a few clicks, I pay the bill online. At the end of the day, most people don’t know the ins and outs of a boat, but Paul certainly does.”

Red Hill Farms

Historic legacy and new traditions all in one

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by MeghanFrondorf

Meander around the one-lane road that winds through Red Hill Farms, passing the cows, the hogs and the goats in this pastoral setting, and you can’t help but notice the water as the ideal backdrop to make the scene complete.

“We didn’t come to the river,” said Vaughan Bryant, who owns the farm with wife Christa. “The river came to us.”

But there it is, a panoramic reflection of glistening sunrises and sunsets bordering a 150-acre farm that has been in the family for three generations now.

When his grandfather bought the land in 1941, it was because the Army had decided to expand Pelham Range near Anniston, which needed the land where his Ohatchee farm stood. He found suitable land in Cropwell and while there was a stream that flowed nearby called Fountain Run, it would not be until 1965 when Logan Martin Lake was created that water would surround it.

For the Bryants, it has become the best of both worlds – lake living and farm life all rolled into one perfect package.

Most Saturday mornings, lake residents and others from around these parts have a new tradition – getting a glimpse of farm life and an unrivaled taste of it they can take home with them. That’s when they open the door of their garage to market what they’ve raised – USDA grass-fed beef and free-range pork – packaged in freezers that line the interior walls.

Vaughan Bryant shows off Red Hill’s wares.

Pull up in the driveway of their lakeside home, and you’re immediately met by the farm’s official greeters, dogs Koda and Piper. The wag of their tails is a pretty good indicator they’re glad you came. They’ll even escort you all the way into the garage for a browsing session.

Beef and pork roasts, ribs, kabobs, steaks of all descriptions – filets, strips, T-bones, flank and bone-in ribeye – await. So do liver, cubed steak and ground beef. When the pork is in, usually in the spring, look for sausage, bacon and cubed ham – ideal for any table.

The concept isn’t much different than his grandfather, James Michael Bryant, who raised cotton, honey, pork, poultry, cows and vegetables and peddled what he could on the square in Anniston. The modern-day Bryants concentrate on beef and pork. But instead of selling at market, they sell directly to the customer – they take orders online (but don’t ship), they sell by appointment and through their Saturday morning markets.

And they ensure satisfied customers by providing healthier, better tasting eating choices.

In the “About Our Farm” section of their website, redhillfarms.com, they say: “We believe that contented animals produce a superior product, so we strive for a low-stress environment emphasizing the humane treatment of our livestock.

“When you choose to eat meat from animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the animals, helping put an end to environmental degradation, helping small-scale farmers, sustaining rural communities and giving your family the healthiest food possible.”

It’s not a big money-maker, they said, but direct-to-consumer helps them capture a little bit of the market while creating a win-win situation. “It’s good for the public,” said Christa. There are no antibiotics or hormones used. “The meat is much healthier than grain-fed beef,” added Vaughan.

Noting that Red Hill’s livestock are raised in a natural, healthy and humane way, Christa pointed out that with all the preservatives used in traditional markets, “we don’t know what we’re putting in our bodies.” Customers have responded. Some even get the rest of their groceries in a regular store but opt for Red Hill Farms for their meat.

They choose their breeds wisely to produce the best possible meat. They have gone from Hereford to Black Angus to South Poll, which is a composite breed developed by Teddy Gentry, bass player of the country music group, Alabama.

Gentry’s aim – as is the Bryants – was to raise a more heat-tolerant animal with a gentle disposition to produce tender beef by feeding on grass. Their newest breed, South Poll, finishes on grass and is a cross between Red Angus, Hereford, Senepol and Barzona.

“The South Poll breed is easy to raise, has a docile temperament, slick-haired, fertile, and mama cows stay in production longer than straight-bred English cattle,” Vaughan said. “Finishing on grass, their meat can be as tender or more tender than commodity beef.”

It’s a more natural way to raise cattle. They call it, “Keeping the Creator’s design in mind.”

Raising a farmer

Livestock isn’t the only thing raised on the farm. Vaughan and Christa talked of raising generations who know the value in the land and the joys of raising them to appreciate those values.

He vividly remembers one of his first chores on the family farm in Cropwell. He would dutifully gather eggs each day and make sure the chickens were watered and fed when he got home from school.

One of six children, he was second to youngest. His older brothers “saw to the cows. As time went on, I moved up to cow feeding, too,” he said. But his fledgling aspirations were a little loftier, he recalled. One day his brothers were loading hay, and he would hear them “shouting and carrying on” in what he perceived as more of a fun time than he was having rolling the bales of hay into a single line. “They wanted it in one line so they wouldn’t have to walk as far.”

He thought that would be a much easier route than rolling all those bales. An older, wiser Bryant surmised: “When you get there, you understand why they were shouting and carrying on. It’s hard work, rolling, tossing and baling hay.”

But hard work never deterred him. “I always felt like I wanted to be on the farm,” he said. “I was the only one who stayed. I always wanted to do something on the farm.” Initially, he stayed on the farm to help his father, David Bryant. The elder Bryant left a good portion of the farm to him, the younger Bryant and his wife, Christa, added to the acreage and now farm about 150 acres.

“I would like to think he’s happiest with me, but the truth is he’s happiest on the tractor outside,” Christa said with a smile. “I didn’t see it as work,” her husband added.

Christa’s no stranger to farm work herself. An educator by trade – who served as coordinator of Federal Programs and personnel director the Pell City School System before her retirement – grew up on a 10-acre farm in Coal City, she said. “But this was definitely a different life for me.”

Her father worked at Bynum, was home every day at 4, and they ate dinner together as a family. When she married Vaughan, she quickly learned that farming meant “staying until everything gets done,” so it may be well after dark before he was able to make it to the dinner table.

She was a quick learner, Vaughan noted, recalling the time she “took a trailer loaded with cattle and headed over the mountain with Daddy.”

A solid work ethic, perseverance and dedication to the job at hand are but a few of the legacies handed down to Christa and Vauhan’s generation from life on the farm. And they, in turn, passed them on to their children – Martin and Meredith. “It taught both children good skills,” Christa said. “It built their character. It wasn’t always easy.”

Sharing the good life

Vaughan and Christa recognize their good fortune in farm life and lake life, and they share both with travelers from nearby towns and places around the world. Vaughan’s father had sold a small parcel of land to a man who wanted to build a cabin on the lake.

The cabin has a perfect setting for guests

So, he built a 400-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath cabin. When it came time to sell, it was too small a parcel for the cabin so the land could sell, and the Bryants bought it back. “I jacked it up (the cabin) and dragged it across the pasture and set it right here,” he said, pointing to the quaint little wooden cabin nestled under a grove of trees on a bank of Rabbit Branch.It’s an ideal setting.Farmland stretches out in front, cattle grazing nearby, and the lake is its backyard.

They have been sharing it as a rental since 1992, and it has been the setting for peaceful getaways, weddings and other gatherings.

A longtime resident there was Joey Nania, who wanted to learn to fish Logan Martin and dreamed of being the youngest Bassmaster champion. He was from Washington state, and the lake had hosted a couple of Bassmaster Classics. Nania’s father called Vaughan and asked if he could rent the cabin while learning to fish the lake.

Nania met his wife-to-be in Pell City and stayed. They held their wedding at the cabin, and Nania earned some championships along the way to becoming a noted fishing guide on Logan Martin and other Coosa River lakes.

“Through farming and the cabin,” Christa said, “we have met some really neat people and established friendships along the way. It has really been cool.”

Catching the Coosa January 2022

By Zeke Gossett

On Logan Martin

A squarebill is a great way to trigger those lethargic fish.

January and February can produce some of coldest water anglers see all year long, but that doesn’t mean the fish stop eating.

This time of year, I use a couple of different approaches when fishing Logan Martin. The first approach consists of fishing shallow around main lake rock and wood. I usually attack this with two baits. My first go-to bait is a squarebill crankbait. The squarebill is like the four-wheel drive of crankbaits, and I throw it as tight to the cover as I can without getting hung. A squarebill is a great way to trigger those lethargic fish holding tight to cover.

The second option is a finesse jig. The Strike King Bitsy flip jig is an awesome option for this style of fishing. This jig comes in and out of cover well and has a big enough hook to flip with bigger line. I usually flip this in laydown trees and around docks near deep water.

Another approach is to fish for suspended fish out in the middle of creek channels or humps close to deep water. Looking at and catching fish located on your electronic units is a fun way to fish and something that may take some time to learn.

Look for birds diving in the middle of the lake. They will show where the bait fish are, and active fish are usually feeding on these bait fish most of the time. My boat will sometimes sit in water as deep as 50 feet but most of the time you will find fish in the 10 to 20-foot zone.

The two baits I use for this is a Strike King Baby Z-Too soft jerkbait on a 3/16 oz. ball jig head. The other bait I use is a deep-diving jerkbait. The jerkbait is perfect for mimicking those dying bait fish the fish are feeding on.

On Neely Henry

Neely Henry is a great wintertime fishery.

Throwing a squarebill crankbait or flat-sided crankbait is an excellent option when looking for bass on Neely Henry this time of year.

I usually look for bluff walls and any type of rip rap around bridges. I usually use red colors when the water is dingy and more natural colors like brown and baitfish colors when the water has less stain.

I always have the Strike King Bitsy Flip jig on hand, as well, in case there is a laydown log or dock I pass by. I mainly focus on the crankbait since it triggers those fish to bite when it’s especially cold, and it also allows me to cover a lot of water.

Look for baitfish when running this pattern and chase the wind if there is any. Keeping your approach simple will give you success on Neely Henry during these months.

For more info, check out Zeke Gossett’s Fishing Guide website!

In the Kitchen: Deborah Mattison and Ronnie Harkins

Story Scottie Vickery
Photos by Kelsey Bain

Ten years after buying their dream house on Logan Martin Lake, Deborah Mattison and her husband, Ronnie Harkins, created an outdoor oasis that made their own piece of paradise even dreamier.

After removing the concrete slab that was their patio, the couple created a backyard haven, complete with a cozy fireplace, covered sitting and dining areas, and an outdoor kitchen that rivals many of its indoor counterparts.

“It’s like having another living space, and it’s opened up so many possibilities,” Deborah said. “This makes it so much easier to entertain.”

Like many home-renovation projects, the outdoor living area started with a small idea that took on a life of its own. “I wanted an outdoor fireplace, and it grew from there,” Ronnie said. Four years later, he and Deborah are thrilled that it did.

“I have a stressful job,” said Deborah, an attorney who represents children with disabilities in special education matters. “When I get home from work, we come out here more nights than not and just look at the lake and relax. Being on the lake is really calming.”

Dining al fresco

Although Deborah is the chief cook, Ronnie said he handles the grilling. These days, they eat a lot of fish and chicken, so both the Coyote Grill and Big Green Egg get quite a workout. The outdoor kitchen also features two burners, an infrared cooker, a mini fridge, sink and lots of storage space.

One of their favorite recipes is Cedar Plank Salmon. “For some reason, cooking salmon on a plank makes the fish incredibly tender,” Deborah said, adding that they always keep cedar planks on hand.

She often pairs the salmon with Whole Artichokes with Aioli Sauce. “Artichokes are a unique vegetable with many health benefits,” she said. “They’re low in fat and high in fiber, minerals and vitamins C and K. Most people only eat them in dips, but they are delicious whole.”

They were also part of the very first meal she made for Ronnie when they were dating. “I made him crab cakes and an artichoke. I hoped the artichoke would make me look sophisticated,” she said with a laugh.

The couple met on a dating website and got married in 2002. “He was the first person I ever met online,” she said. She was intrigued that Ronnie, who had long served as chief financial officer for Central Alabama Community College, had started law school one month shy of his 50^th birthday.

That, coupled with the fact that his profile picture showed him in front of a floor-to-ceiling bookcase that held many photos of his family, sealed the deal for Deborah. “I thought Ronnie looked smart and interesting,” she said.

Ronnie, who began practicing law in Sylacauga in 2005 before retiring two years ago, remembers being fascinated by her work and some of her cases. “Early on, she had a case that went to the United States Supreme Court,” he said. “I tagged along with her, and with me attending law school, that was very interesting.”

A piece of paradise

Deborah, who grew up in Michigan, lived on a lake before moving to Alabama in 1993. She didn’t want to give up the lake lifestyle, so she looked for a home on the water that wasn’t too far from her office in downtown Birmingham.

Her first home was on the Talladega side of the lake, and when they married, Ronnie sold his home in Childersburg and soon fell in love with lake living as well. They began looking for a new house and spent a lot of time on the pontoon boat searching for the perfect place and debating whether to renovate Deborah’s home, buy a new house or build. “We used to ride around all the time looking at houses and lots,” Ronnie said. “This was our dream home.”

Around that time, Ronnie’s cousin, Charlie Pepper, and his wife, Willie, moved home from California to help care for their elderly parents. They invited Ronnie and Deborah to dinner, and the couple did a double take when they arrived. “They had our house,” Deborah said.

Ronnie said the visit came at a time when they had gotten serious about finding a new home and had actually looked at six or eight houses that day. “When we got here that night to see Charlie and Willie, it emphasized our love of the house,” he said. “It has lots of windows and 14-foot ceilings in several of the rooms and an open plan.”

The Peppers knew they would eventually return to California, and “they told us they would give us the first opportunity to buy it,” Ronnie said. “We decided it was worth the wait.”

The 4-bedroom house in Pell City is just across from Bird Island and sits on 4½ acres on the point. It boasts 800 feet of seawall and has tremendous views from every vantage point. “You can see the water from every room in the house,” Deborah said.

Making it their own

Over the years, Deborah and Ronnie have renovated parts of the home to make it a better space for entertaining. They updated the kitchen and master bathroom and transformed an office just off the foyer into a small sitting room where they spend most of their time when they’re inside.

They converted a double closet to create the room’s focal point, a beautiful bar area featuring an antique chest flanked with built-in wine racks and topped with granite. An antique mirror and shelves holding glasses and bottles rests on top. In addition, they switched their living room and dining room to create more space for a larger table, which seats 10 people.

Although they like having guests, Deborah also enjoys preparing meals for just the two of them. “I love to cook,” she said. “While I often use recipes for ideas, I typically don’t measure anything, I eyeball it – unless I’m baking, which I very seldom do. I measure then because I don’t have enough of a feel for baking to use my own judgement.”

One thing she swears by is using fresh herbs, which she grows herself. “I grow a ton of herbs – mint, chives, rosemary, oregano, thyme,” she said. “Alabama has such a great growing season, and since these are perennial herbs, you don’t have to do anything but stick them in the pot and let them grow year-round.”

Now that Ronnie has retired, they have started gardening, too. He built some raised beds last year for tomatoes, radishes, onions, summer squash and bell peppers. They also have eight blueberry bushes. “I eat them just about every day when they are in season,” Ronnie said.

The great outdoors

The addition of the kitchen and living area has extended the “outdoor season” for Deborah and Ronnie, allowing them to enjoy lake life even more. They often host football parties and dinners for family and friends, and they find themselves heading outside even during the colder months.

“We love the fireplace at night,” Deborah said, adding that it’s especially cozy when there’s a nip in the air. “I put blankets in the dryer to warm them up, and then we sit in front of the fire for quite a while. It’s like being on vacation.”

Cedar Plank Salmon

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

2 salmon filets
1/8 cup Garlic Expressions Vinaigrette, Dressing & Marinade (or any preferred vinaigrette dressing)
1/8 cup soy sauce (optional)
Lemon slices
Capers (optional)
1 cedar plank board, soaked in water for about an hour.

Directions:

Marinate the filets for about an hour in the Garlic Expressions and soy sauce. I use a plastic sandwich bag and turn it over after 30 minutes.

Drain the cedar board and place the board on a grill set at 350 degrees for 3 minutes. Turn the plank over on the grill and place the salmon on it. Cook the salmon for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on how well cooked you like your salmon.

Remove the plank from the grill and plate the salmon. Garnish with lemon and capers. We sometimes add butter and/or marinated ginger.

Whole Artichokes with Aioli Sauce

While we like our artichokes with an aioli sauce, they pair well with many dips, such as a butter and lemon sauce or ranch dressing.

Ingredients:

1 artichoke per person
Lemon (optional)
Garlic (optional)
Bay leaf (optional)

Directions for Cooking and Eating:

When picking an artichoke, squeeze it to make sure it is firm, and the leaves are tight.

Trim the stem and cut off the small leaves at the bottom of the artichoke. Trim the first inch off the top (the pointy ends of the leaves).

Steam the artichoke for about 30 minutes. You can also add lemon and/or garlic and/or a bay leaf to the water for added taste. An artichoke is done when you can easily pull out one of the outer leaves. Drain the artichoke.

To eat the artichoke, pull off an outer leaf and dip it into the aioli sauce. Place the tender (lighter) side of a leaf on your bottom front teeth, bite gently down and pull it through your teeth, scrapping off the tender part of the leaf. Discard the remainder of the leaf.

Continue with the remaining leaves until you reach the fuzzy part of the artichoke, called the “choke.” Scrape out the fuzzy choke and discard. The remaining part is the artichoke “heart,” and it is completely edible, using the reminder of the dip.

Aioli Sauce

This is a very versatile sauce and can be used with fries, burgers or salmon. Consider adding any of the following: horseradish, Dijon or stone-ground mustard, pesto or basil, chives and/or chipotle.

Ingredients:

½ cup of mayonnaise
3 cloves of garlic, use more or less to taste
1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon sauce, to taste
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix the ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Little Bridge connects history, communities

Story Katie Bohannon
Submitted photos

While in 2022 Little Bridge’s eye-catching arches coincide with a beloved Etowah County restaurant and marina, 82 years ago Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge first served as a gateway between sister cities – sparking a unified narrative its presence nurtures today.

June 17, 1939, signified the official opening of a bridge that would bear many names in its lifetime. The late 1930s referred to the passage as Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge, a structure 864 feet in length supported with a trio of concrete piers and foundations resting on solid rock. Former Southside Mayor Jane Keenum remembered the bridge’s opening in 1939, sharing her experience in a Gadsden Times article celebrating the city’s 40^th anniversary. Keenum noted that the bridge was designed to turn to allow boats to pass through.

The bridge earned its original namesake from the surge of transportation in Southside that flourished on the Coosa River in ferries. Though Gilbert’s Ferry was the largest, Lister Ferry boated routes to Rainbow City, and Fowler Ferry traveled from Pilgrims Rest to Whorton Bend – all communities the bridge continues to serve years after its construction.

“These old ferries brought out a lazy feeling around summer, when one would doze off in the early afternoon holding a fishing pole,” said Etowah County historian Danny Crownover, detailing how the operations influenced life on the Coosa. “It was living just like Huckleberry Finn!”

In a 2013 article for The Messenger, Crownover referenced 1963 Assistant County Engineer Paul Ryan’s perception of the Coosa’s ferries, which he coined as the “only means of transportation for people who live near the banks of the river.” The ferries proved vital for Southside and Rainbow City residents, saving them a 15 to 30-mile trip to either Gadsden or Leesburg to cross the Coosa River.

State Rep. Joe Ford demonstrates the narrowness of the bridge, which was too tight for two school buses to pass one another.

“In many instances, a family lives on one side of the river and works a crop on the other side,” said Ryan. “It would take them a long time to get to their fields if they had to drive it. By using a ferry, they can make the trip in a matter of minutes.”

Former Southside Mayor Eddie Hedgspeth told reporter Lisa Rodgers that his great-grandfather Mark H. Smith ran Gilbert’s Ferry for 30 years, during a time when buggies were charged 50 cents, wagons cost 25 cents, horseback riders were 10 cents and individuals could pay 5 cents to cross the river. When Smith sold the ferry to the county, rides became free.

Smith’s feet waded into the past and the future of river transportation. Though his ferry represented a way of life for Etowah County, he later donated land on both sides of the Coosa to build Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge, introducing a new age on the river for residents.

Fluctuation in water levels following Alabama Power Company’s development of the Coosa River and Etowah County’s blueprints for bridges (to take the place of ferries) phased out the memorable Mark Twain era. Some 20 years following the debut of Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge, an Alabama Power Company construction program erected the H. Neely Henry, Weiss, Logan Martin and Bouldin dams.

Little Bridge Marina owner Craig Inzer, Jr., recalled stories he heard of Etowah County residents who were instrumental in the transformation of the land beneath Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge. When Lawyer Rowan Bone and businessman Jay Troutman learned of the water level’s increase due to the dams during the 1960s, they decided to move their land into the future.

“They dug that farmland up and put dirt where the road is (now),” said Inzer. “They put boat slips in, so when the water came up, they had boat slips (and were prepared).”

Since its inception, Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge played a pivotal role in the relationship between two mirroring municipalities in Etowah County, connecting Rainbow City and Southside. The year 1850 witnessed the small agricultural merger of Pilgrims Rest, Cedar Bend and Green Valley, giving birth to Southside. The “loveliest village on the Coosa,” settles at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, resting along the banks of the river.

Green Valley proved the catalyst for the city’s industry with its grist, blacksmith and sorghum mill, while Brannon Springs and Alabama 77 operated a cotton gin. Like its bridge, the community hopped from name to name until Southside stuck in the 1920s and became incorporated in 1957.

Rainbow City’s rolling green hills were home to one of the earliest settlements in Etowah County with families from Georgia and North and South Carolina migrating to Alabama to put down roots in the early 1800s. According to the city’s history, Hernando DeSoto’s troops first visited the area in 1540. Where the Pensacola Trading Path crossed the Coosa, a bridge now stands. Incorporated in 1950, Rainbow City houses numerous thriving businesses alongside Southside, with its current mayors and administration working hand in hand to foster prosperity for its citizens.

The narrow Gilbert’s Ferry Bridge, now referred to as the Southside Bridge or lovingly called Little Bridge, once welcomed traffic to and from Southside. Its cramped two-lane space proved too constricting for vehicles, with photographs highlighting how local school buses barely scraped past one another.

During the late 1970s, Southside secured a $7-million bond project and constructed a new bridge to serve as the southbound lane between cities. This bridge is now a two-lane entrance and exit to the city.

Today, Little Bridge remains solely a northbound lane on Alabama 77 with residents driving over generations of history – traveling to and from prominent communities, illustrating the unified spirit of Etowah County each time they pass underneath its arches.

Editor’s Note: Gadsden Public Library staff Craig Scott, Kevin Graves and Debbie Walker contributed to this article, along with Craig Inzer, Jr., and Danny Crownover, City of Rainbow City and the City of Southside.