‘We were a mile from the Coosa River, so we knew the water would get us.’
Sue Clinkscales Granger has a lake house. Her house, which sits next door to John Abbott’s, became waterfront when the waters of Logan Martin rose. Though she lives in Jacksonville now, she visits her Cropwell place frequently and remembers well the chaos that came along with the rising waters.
Old Cotton Gin in Easonville
Growing up, she lived in a different house, one that was directly in the path of the floodwaters, and her family was not happy about it. “The surveyors would come by putting in stakes, and my granddaddy would come by and pull them up,” said Granger. “We were a mile from the Coosa River, so we knew the water would get us.”
Continuing, she recalls, “I was away in college at Jacksonville State (JSU). I remember coming down and going swimming as the water was coming up.”
In the end, they sold that home for $6,000 and built a house in Pell City.
Longtime Pell City resident Dianne Fisher tells a similar story. She was in first grade when her parents had to move their home out of the path of the future lake.
Her family’s home was not far from John Abbott’s home, just about 100 yards into the center of what would be the lake.
They had it jacked up and moved to higher ground in 1963.
“My mother cried when they cut down the trees. They were huge, beautiful old oaks.”
Four months after they had the house moved, they sold it and moved into a house they had built in Pell City. The old one that was moved has long since been torn down.
“In the end, it was OK,” admits Fisher. “I have four brothers. Once we got into our bigger home, we all had our own bedrooms, and it was easier. And we were closer to town.”
The months of March and April are my two favorite months to fish on Logan Martin. Warmer and longer days during these months have the fish on the move from their wintertime living quarters to their spawning areas.
Typically, in March, the fish are mainly in their pre-spawn mood. The fish are feeding and fattening up, preparing to move up to spawn.
Usually, I will target fish in 10 feet of water or less this time of year. Bass on Logan Martin love to stage on points that lead into spawning bays. Also brush and shallow docks are great places to search for fish making a pit stop before they spawn.
Reeling one in for another great day
of fishing on the lakes
A few lures I normally reach for would be a bladed jig, square bill crankbait and topwater walking baits. If the water temperature is still in the mid-50s, I’ll mainly fish with the bladed jig and squarebill, and I will cover as much water as possible.
Traditionally, I target creeks on the lower end of the lake. Generally, this is where the fish will try to spawn first. I also like to target windy banks with these baits, if possible.
Once the water temperature reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I will start fishing the topwater walking baits, especially on cloudy, windy days. The fish will usually be in one to three feet of water on points and ready to eat!
Do not be afraid to throw it mid-day if the conditions are right. Topwater baits is my favorite technique to catch these fish, especially in April. The bladed jig and square bill still work great during this month as well.
Make sure to cover water until you find active fish. I usually don’t stay in one area too long if I am not seeing baitfish or some form of activity. If I do not see activity, I will move around until I do.
Try these techniques out because this can be the some of the best fishing days of the year.
Neely Henry
The months of March and April can also be the best two months to get out on Neely Henry to fish. Just like Logan Martin, the fish are on the move to start spawning once the days start getting longer and warmer.
The fish love to live shallow this time of year. My approach is a little different, though, on this lake. I typically like to target mid-lake this time of year. My favorite places to find these fish are creeks mouths and small river pockets.
Neely Henry has a lot of bank grass and wood for an angler to target in these short pockets. Also, there are numerous shallow docks that fish like to stage on before the spawn.
My three baits I usually start with is a frog, swim jig and a Senko style bait. Typically, in early March, I’ll fish with the swim jig a lot more than the other two baits.
Once the water temperature reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I’ll pick up the frog. The frog and swim jig combination is a combo that I will fish with all day.
Once April rolls around, I’ll pick up Senko style baits. I generally Texas rig the Senko-type baits on light 5/16 oz. weight. I really fish this bait when I feel like the fish are in full blown spawning mood.
I’ll pitch this bait around stumps and docks or wherever I feel like a fish might be spawning. You might not be able to physically see the fish since Neely Henry’s water isn’t clear. Just fish very slow inside pockets and really pick everything apart.
Try these techniques on Neely Henry in March and April, and you might catch your biggest fish of the year during these two months!
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.
Coming soon: A look back before there was Alpine Bay
Alpine Bay has a rich history dating back to its days as Point Aquarius, when the likes of Bob Hope and blind Alabama golfer Charlie Boswell frequented the resort.
Name brand entertainment, formal wedding receptions, class reunions and elegant dinners took center stage, and the resort became a destination point.
In the May issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine®, look for a full story on the history, recollections and photographs that capture the essence of Point Aquarius.
Story by Gigi Hood Photos by Kelsey Bain Submitted Photos
Life is a puzzle, and we put the pieces together as our journey unfolds. Sometimes we wonder where we came from, or question ourselves as to where we’re going, and sometimes we find it hard to remember all the places we’ve ever been. From day to day, we never know who we might meet or where and when the puzzle might end.
There is no too large or too small, but there is a dream that needs to be addressed and built that makes it just right.
Such is the case with Gib Johnson and his wife, Lori Hedvig Johnson, who have built their dream home on Logan Martin Lake. Lori is originally from Alexander City, and Gib is a true “Carolina-Blue-Blooded Tar Heel,” who was raised in Salisbury, NC, a small city between Charlotte and Greensboro.
Prior to fulfilling their dream of living on the water’s edge, the Johnsons lived in the Hoover and Pelham areas of Birmingham. Gib had grown up on High Rock Lake in North Carolina, where he spent much of his time, boating, skiing and sailing. “I was and still have been an all-around water/lake lover for as far back as I can remember, and when Lori and I married, we bought a lot, dock and boat at Smith Lake, and I introduced her to life on and around the water; she embraced it, just as I had, and that was the beginning of our dream of one day having a house on the water.”
Farmhouse modern look and feel
As much as they enjoyed Smith Lake, “we knew it was not logistically possible for us to live there permanently and make a daily commute back and forth to Birmingham. So, we started looking at Logan Martin Lake, since it is the closet body of water to Birmingham.”
Gib is the managing partner of Zuriel Technology Group, LLC, which is based in Birmingham. Founded in 2015, the business is an Information Technology Managed Services Company that provides IT support to companies across the southeastern area of the U.S. Lori also works at Zuriel as Financial Controller.
After investigating lot possibilities, Gib was excited to find four suitable lakefront properties at Charter Landing Estates, where building had not yet begun. He was disappointed when he found that his search had been to no avail. All the properties had been sold, and the owners already had their future building plans outlined. Knowing they had to start over looking at lots was discouraging, but a “miracle” happened on Thanksgiving Day in 2020 that put their plans back on track.
“I answered the ringing phone,” Gib said, “and there was a voice on the other end telling me that Lot 12 was available for purchase because the owners had bought a new home and decided not to build at Charter Landing. The gentleman asked me if we might still be interested in buying the lot. Our answer was a quick ‘yes!’, and Lori and I postponed our Thanksgiving dinner as we proceeded to make a deal to purchase the lot that day. What a special Thanksgiving that was.”
Next came the step of deciding on plans for their building adventure. Accepting the help and recommendation from one of their friends, they met with architect Mark Tidwell of Tidwell & Associates and hired him to lead them through the task of putting together the version of their vision for their dream house.
Once the design process was approved, they then began the search for who was considered to be the best builder in the area. George Crain of George Crain Homebuilders was the name that kept coming up, and they knew that he was the builder they wanted. According to Gib, “George had other ideas. He was close to retirement and was not planning to build any more homes. Thankfully, we were able to convince him to take on our project, and he agreed. We were thrilled with his professionalism and expertise, and we will always be thankful that he was the man behind making our dream come true.”
Working together, Gib and Lori teamed up on the décor. Together they agreed that they wanted the style of their home to be “Modern Farmhouse.” The result of their time, effort and imagination is a delightful mixture of old and new, comfort and enjoyment of day-to-day living for both their family and their guests.
Priorities were lake view, room for visitors, location in Pell City, private quarters for their visitors on the downstairs level and making sure that all guest rooms had a lake view and the kitchen area.
“To us, the kitchen does not mean the appliances and the immediate area we are cooking in,” Lori explained. “Yes, it is the place food is prepared, but it’s so much more than that for us. We want our kitchen to be warm, inviting and a gathering place. Our plan was to leave it openly connected with our adjoining living spaces. We did plan our area for convenient preparation, while making sure we had plenty of space to comfortably and enjoyably cook together while still being a part of what was going on around us.”
Gib and Lori chose not to have a formal dining room, but rather, stayed with their Farmhouse style. They purchased a taller than usual, long table with bench seating at the end of the kitchen that overlooks the lake. It easily seats 10 people and provides the perfect place for easy conversation and fun gatherings at mealtimes. A granite bar on the backside of the island also provides chairs for more casual eating or an overflow place for more guests.
After an extensive search, Lori found a tile that she just had to have. Originally it was only going to be used for the backsplash of the kitchen. “I was so excited to find that tile, that I decided to decorate my kitchen around it and bought it on the spot,” she said.
“Then, after seeing how the backsplash turned out, I decided I wanted to carry it to the top,” she said. “But then when I decided to extend it, of course, I needed more tile. However, that was when things were in short supply and my original supplier could not get any more. He told me that he was sorry, but the backsplash would have to suffice. Not wanting to dash the look that I had created in my mind’s eye, I searched all over and after combining inventory from four different places, I was able to piece together the entire wall and complete the kitchen to my liking.”
The house furnishings that are a blend of “Modern Farmhouse” mixed with “Modern Elegance” complement one another. Heirloom antiques, inherited from Gib’s father, hold special meaning. His father was a CPA by trade, but his real passion was collecting antiques. “We were able to keep some of his collections, but unfortunately we had to part with many beautiful pieces because there just wasn’t enough room for them,” Gib explained. “The ones we kept blended well with our modern furnishings. Together they are both beautiful to look at and enjoy and of course, very special because they were my Dad’s.”
Among the antiques they did keep and still cherish is a 4-poster bed that is believed to have been used by the actress, Bette Davis, in her New York City apartment. Other artifacts include various Chippendale pieces, one of which is a Chippendale Bar Set that Gib claims as his favorite piece. Lori is partial to the Ming Dynasty Vase as her special item.
View of the house from the lake
Aside from their furnishings, there are a few other special places in the house. There is a full gym, which would be the pride of any exercise guru and is a necessity for daily exercise in their lives. Lori grew up very athletic and was a successful amateur triathlete for six years. She no longer competes in triathlons, but still likes to walk and run as well as do Yoga.
After her work and workouts are through, Lori’s therapy room, consisting of a tanning bed, red light therapy and room to meditate, are a perfect place for her to decompress. Being the “do it yourselfer,” Gib’s special room is his indoor workshop, accessible from both the interior and exterior of the home and complete with an organized place for all his tools and room to work on his projects.
Additional amenities of the home also include a tiered theatre room and a gorgeous swimming pool that Lori and Gib designed, plus an impressive porch on which to entertain as well as watch the sunrises, sunsets and lake activities. And of course, the home wouldn’t be complete without a large yard, pier, boat dock and all the water toys anyone needs for having fun.
During the building process, the Homeowners Association of Charter Landing Estates offered six other lots for sale, and Gib and Lori purchased their second lot. They decided that after retirement (or maybe before) they would build a spec house. “Eventually, we intend to build on the second lot. But for now, we’re taking a rest.”
They agree that it has been a long road to finding and completing their dream home. “We moved once, thinking we wanted to downsize after our four children left the nest,” Lori said. “But when everyone returned home for the holidays with their spouses and friends plus other family members, our downsizing didn’t work because it was bumper-to-bumper people.”
After that experience, Lori and Gib decided to try the ultimate experience – building. “Along the way, there were plenty of ups and downs, frustrations, general craziness. Looking back, it was tedious, maddening and just plain fun building and furnishing our dream,” Lori said.
Would they do it again? “No, not willingly,” Gib replied, “but then again, never say never.” They survived the journey, put all the pieces of the puzzle together, and hope that this will be their forever home.
Bourbon, Honey and Brown Sugar Salmon in front and Gib’s BEST Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Gib’s BEST Blackened Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp – Blackening Seasoning
2 Tbsp – Olive Oil
12 ounce – Fettucine Pasta
6 Tbsp – Butter
1 Tbsp – Minced Garlic
1 1/2 cup – Heavy Whipping Cream
1 1/2 cup – Grated Parmesan Cheese
Blackening seasoning
1 Tbsp – Paprika or Smoked Paprika
2 Tbsp – Salt
1 Tbsp – Garlic Salt
1 Tbsp – Parsley (optional to taste)
1 Tbsp – Onion Powder
2 Tbsp – Black Pepper
2 Tsp – Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp – Oregano
Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and store in an air tight container.
Preparing the chicken
Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Coat all sides of the chicken with blackening seasoning. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Place Olive Oil in the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts to the skillet.
Cook the chicken for approximately 5 minutes on each side …until each side is brown. Transfer the chicken to a separate plate and cover with foil to keep it warm.
Preparing the Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Remove from cooktop and strain the pasta
Preparing the Alfredo Sauce
Add the butter and the garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes on LOW heat…until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream. Cook – while whisking – for approximately 3-5 minutes until the cream is heated through. Stir in the parmesan cheese and allow the cheese to heat until it is melted in.. Add the blackened chicken and whisk it in so the chicken soaks up the Alfredo flavoring.
Finishing steps to serve
Toss the pasta with the homemade blackened chicken and Alfredo sauce. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!
Bourbon, Honey and Brown Sugar Salmon
Ingredients
Salmon 2 large pieces (can be domestic or wild caught) Domestic is less fishy
Bourbon (your favorite) (1 Jigger)
Honey 3 Tbsp
Brown Sugar 2 Tbsp
Lemon Pepper 1/4 Tsp
Butter 2 Tsp
Salt and Pepper Sprinkle to Taste
Preparing the Fish
Pre-heat oven to 375. Combine bourbon, honey and brown sugar.
Wash Salmon Thoroughly . Spray the pan, dish or grill rack you are cooking on with non-stick spray. Melt Butter and Brush on Both Sides of Salmon. Salt and Pepper both sides. Sprinkle Lemon Butter.
Pour bourbon, honey and brown sugar on both sides. Cook for 6-8 minutes (turning half way through). Make sure Salmon reaches 165 internal temperature.
Remove and serve with broccoli florets or asparagus spears and long grain wild rice or risotto or pasta. Garnish with Parsley red peppers.
Lori’s Party Chicken
Ingredients
4 to 6 boneless chicken breasts
2 to 4 Slices of center cut bacon
2 x 6oz Packs of chipped beef (if you cannot find “chipped beef”, the beef in packs where the sandwich meat is (the cheap stuff), it works great too
1 x 16 oz sour cream
2 x regular size Campbell’s “cream of mushroom” soup (or 1 family size)
Salt and pepper to season
2 Cups Long grain rice (cook separately)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wash your chicken (always), set aside Get a glass casserole dish. A 9 x 13 is preferable. Take the chipped beef and chop them into little squares – you want to make sure the chipped/chopped beef pieces cover the entire bottom of casserole dish. Put cleaned/washed chicken on top of chipped beef and put a little salt and pepper on top.
Take 2 or 3 slices of bacon and stretch them, place on top of the chicken. Combine your sour cream and cream of mushroom soup in a separate bowl, add about 1/2 can of water, stir until blended. Once blended, pour over chicken, covering entirely.
Place in oven and cook for 2.5 – 3 hours (slow cooking on low heat makes chicken most tender). If you don’t have that much time, cook at 350 degrees but at least 2.5 hours.
Keep an eye on it as it cooks and stir regularly after about an hour and a half. If it looks dry, poor a little water in and stir.
Rice
Just follow directions. Remember long grain is best but you have to do the measurements just right and it takes 20 minutes (worth it though). A little trick on long grain – use a liquid measure for water and solid measuring cup for rice. I always put a LITTLE more rice just to make sure it’s not runny. This usually makes the rice perfect. Or use Uncle Ben’s instant rice.
Spring Mix Salad with Fetta, Almond Slivers and Strawberry Vinagaret
Bag of fresh spring mix salad (or romaine mix). Top with slivered almonds. Add fetta, optional. Top with a strawberry or raspberry vinaigrette. If you can’t find strawberry, any sweet vinaigrette will do!
Bread
Serve some Sister Schubert rolls (pan kind) with meal. Enjoy!
When the ribbon is officially cut on Museum of Pell City in coming weeks, the community will welcome a museum that is believed to have the potential to exceed the expectations of cities of comparable size.
It features an extensive, local exhibit tracing Pell City’s steps from mill town to global marketplace and the scores of people, places and events making its history in between.
“This museum represents a group of people whose love of history and preservation of it never wavered along the way despite the twists and turns of the road to get here. Its opening will be an historic day for our community because of their perseverance,” said Museum President Carol Pappas.
The museum is an impressive blend of the city’s history and the state’s history all under one roof – a 4,000 square foot suite on the second floor of the Pell City Municipal Complex.
Making Alabama, the state’s bicentennial exhibit awarded to Museum of Pell City by Alabama Humanities Alliance, showcases Alabama’s 200 years of statehood and beyond. Within that exhibit are artifacts and little-known nuggets of Pell City history weaved into the story that unfolds.
Volunteer help is essential to success. Max Jolley and Nick Olivastri lend a hand.
Just like the whistle that sounded at the turn of the 20th century signaling the beginning of shifts at Avondale Mills – Pell City Manufacturing in its early days – the museum will have its own replica of that whistle at the entrance to the local exhibit, signifying the start of a new day.
Museum cases, made possible through gifts from citizens, are full of artifacts that bring the stories and photos of Pell City history to life. Hundreds of old photos are accessed on computer tablets for each period of history. A simple swipe across the screen reveals photo after photo of the days that were.
An interior room has been built to house music history, art and sports, and the national impact of Pell Citians on all three.
Another section tells the story of service with organizations and individuals dedicating themselves in public service, military and civic arenas.
The exhibit housed for years in the county courthouse is featured as well as the places where memories were made – hangouts like the Rexall Drugs, Skad’s, Jill’s and Dairy Queen.
Alabama Power Foundation partnered with the museum on a project to build a working dam model to take visitors behind the scenes of Logan Martin Dam and the impact it has had on the region. A $45,000 grant from the Foundation made the stunning exhibit possible as well as other aspects of the museum.
Pell City is no longer a mill town, and a Global Marketplace section reflects exactly that – the evolution of Pell City as a player on the world stage in business.
The centerpiece of the museum is a Living History Studio, which will be used to record and produce oral history videos designed to capture recollections of events, people and places in the history of the community. Much of it was made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Pell City Rotary Community Foundation Endowment. “That grant will enable us to achieve so many of the goals we have for this ongoing program.”
A mobile video team of experienced videographers and interviewers is being dispatched on location for those who cannot travel. In addition, a special project involving veterans of three wars – World War II, Korean and Vietnam – is making use of a partnership between the museum and the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City. A nearly $9,000 major grant from Alabama Humanities Alliance is the catalyst for the launch of the veterans program.
A control room adjacent to the studio is planned as a working classroom for students to not only develop an appreciation for history through work with these oral histories but to develop skills in video production, audio, lighting, interviewing and research.
Gigi Hood and Lori Junkins install foam panels to help soundproof Living History Studio
Museum First Vice President Deanna Lawley is spearheading the Living History program. “Since 1968, when my husband, Barnett, brought me to Pell City, I have been enriched by tales of an agricultural area with a Mayberry-paced town where everyone set their watch by the mill whistle. How quickly it began to transform with the damming of a river,” she said.
“We are losing the voices that make you smile, laugh, cry or reflect with their wonderful stories. Our goal is to have a living museum; the oral histories will provide that feeling before more are silenced.”
Videos will be preserved, the audio transcribed and word searchable for research, and they can be accessed by the public and for use in the classroom. “What a wonderful opportunity we have to not only preserve the memories of eye witnesses to history but to share them to educate and engage audiences,” Pappas said.
Vision being realized
Museum of Pell City was a vision long before this suite became its home. That vision took many forms. The late Mary Mays, long known as an advocate for historic preservation, spearheaded a movement to place museum cases full of artifacts in the county courthouse in Pell City.
Others worked toward restoring the Mays House in Cropwell. Still others created April Walking Tours of historic downtown Pell City.
Another group brought the Smithsonian and Alabama Humanities Alliance exhibit, The Way We Worked, to Pell City in 2014 at the Center for Education and Performing Arts, CEPA, and created an impressive local history exhibit. That display, melded with the Smithsonian’s exhibition saw more than 7,000 people tour during its six-week stay.
That exhibition is widely viewed as the spark, the tipping point that caught fire and convinced a grassroots group that Pell City could indeed have its own museum. “So many people who toured that exhibition approached us about establishing a museum,” said Pam Foote, who served as project director of The Way We Worked and is now second vice president of the nonprofit that created the museum. “It was gratifying, yes, but it also represented a huge hill to climb.”
There was no place to house it. How could a single exhibit grow into a museum?
So, Foote and Lawley, co-chairs of the 2014 event, along with Pappas asked the city to store it, realizing it could be the nucleus of a museum. For seven years, it remained intact in the basement of the municipal complex while they pushed for a home.
There was talk of locating it in the long vacant administrative building, the single structure still standing on the Avondale Mills property, and that course was pursued for a few years.
After the Pell City Library moved into its new quarters in the municipal complex, that vacant building was seen as a temporary solution on location. The group pursued its prospects as well.
Then, Councilman Jay Jenkins had an idea in 2021, and his ‘what if’ turned into the museum’s home – two floors up from its storage in the municipal complex. The museum occupies a massive suite on the second floor.
“The city has been a terrific supporter of this museum,” Pappas said. “We couldn’t ask for better partners than the mayor, city manager and council. They provided us the space, infrastructure support and best of all, moral support for this project. Without them, we never would have made it this far.”
Pappas had high praise for the community and the support it has shown in rallying around the museum opening. “I cannot say enough about our volunteers. They are the linchpin in all of this – small jobs, large jobs and everything from fetching and toting to building and painting – holding it all together and making it happen. Our board had to create and establish this museum from the ground up, and they deserve a debt of thanks for stepping up to volunteer to steer this ship.”
As with any major project, funding is critical. “This museum would not have been possible without the financial support of so many people and organizations. When we say grassroots, we mean it. Over the past year, tens of thousands of dollars have poured into our treasury from ‘seed money’ by business people to sizable grants from civic, business, governmental and cultural organizations to wide-ranging individual contributions, memorials and social media fundraisers,” Pappas said.
Substantial additional support has come from the St. Clair County Commission, retired state Senator Jim McClendon and Congressman Mike Rogers. “Our sincere thanks goes to our elected leadership for their commitment to this project,” Pappas said.
Our Museum 100 – the 100 founding members who gave $100 – shows the strength of what can happen when they work together to raise $10,000 in a community like ours. That’s what it has been about all along and will be in the future – making history together.”
After the public ceremony officially cutting the ribbon, plans call for the museum to be open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and by special appointment for groups.
Traveling by boat, young trick-or-treaters in costumes and life jackets, catch candy bars and bubblegum in nets usually reserved for snagging catfish and bass.
Meanwhile, their parents bob for miniature bottles of booze or sip salty margaritas.
Instead of chasing bones, Dachshunds are dressed in skeleton costumes. Halloween revelers of all ages chat and giggle and get acquainted with lakeside neighbors they may never have met.
Piers and their people, each with a theme, rock Halloween with their own individual party.
For one spooky evening – Halloween 2.0, if you will – a sliver of the seemingly divided world comes together.
Welcome to Boo Bash.
The inaugural autumn event is the brainchild of Kelli Lasseter, Sonya Hubbard and a band of lakefront merry pranksters. The seed of an idea – probably a pumpkin seed – took root in a summer conversation on a pontoon boat and sprouted on social media.
“We were talking about how fun it might be, since the water levels are going to be higher, to have a pier-to-pier trick-or-treat event,” Lasseter says. “So, the next morning I put the idea on Facebook and well, it just took off from there.”
Hocus Pocus
Boo Bash isn’t a philanthropic or business venture – though some lakefront businesses were involved. Boo Bash was all about old-fashioned fun with a twist.
Lasseter moved to Logan Martin from a Leeds neighborhood where Halloween was “huge.” But until Boo Bash, lake life didn’t mean a steady stream of little ghosts, goblins, princesses and pirates. But it turned out Boo Bash was about more than decorated docks and trick-or-treat.
“The weekend of the event was incredible. People hosted Boo Bash-themed gatherings for family, friends, and in some cases, the entire community. Our wonderful local businesses offered Boo Bash specials for people of all ages. The whole weekend was filled with so much joy. It’s kinda overwhelming to think about now,” Lasseter says.
“Overwhelmingly people said the thing they loved most about the event was that it brought people closer together and it fostered community on Logan Martin Lake. I couldn’t agree more.”
Despite soggy skies, enough homeowners to fill a haunted Transylvanian castle festooned their piers for All Hallows Eve.
“We estimate 45 – 50 host piers participated the day of the event. We had 73 sign-ups, but some had to withdraw in advance of the event due to illness, weather and low water levels,” Lasseter says.
Two restaurants and six marinas, 30 to 40 boats and one personal watercraft braved the elements to welcome between 100 and 130 “dock-or-treaters” of all ages. Between five and 10 furry, four-legged friends joined the fun.
“It was just incredible to see the amount of time, effort and resources everyone put into making Boo Bash such a great event. The people of Logan Martin Lake are very special, and their commitment to Boo Bash is just one example of many that shows how much this community cares about others,” Lasseter said.
Some of the dock decorators – including Angie Murchison’s family and Carl and Marcia “Mar” (cq) Wallace – jumped into the festivities with both feet – or in the case of two members of the Murchison family, four feet.
The Wallaces, with the help of Tim and Shannon Atchenson, won “Best Pier” by viewer’s choice. Other viewer’s choice awards included Mar Wallace and Peggy Boyd for “Halloween Spirit,” and Pier 59 and Angie Murchison for “Cheesiest Pier.” All participating piers received “Honorable Mentions.”
The two family dachshunds, Petey and Beanie, joined by a pack of blow-up skeleton wiener dogs, got in on the fun and inspired their kid-friendly theme – Howl-O-Weenie. One of the family pets had a small cowboy saddled up on her back.
But a neighbor and the Murchison’s two grandsons, ages six and two, sparked the family’s involvement. The Murchisons have called the lake their home for 25 years. Friends made up the family’s “Boo Crew.”
Poor House Branch Marine
“When you live on the lake, there are unique things that come with living on the lake,” Murchison says. “I wanted (my grandsons) to experience this coming by boat to trick or treat … I wanted to do it for them … It was so, so fun.”
A side note: the Murchisons live on a dead-end road. In their quarter-century on the lake, Halloween 2022 was first the time trick-or-treaters ever visited the family.
In a time when the country is still battling COVID-19, a political divide and a culture where folks may not even know their neighbors, events like Boo Bash are important. Emergence from two years of coronavirus cloister helped fuel Boo Bash buzz. Social distancing was still in play.
“Actually, I had a new neighbor, and because she saw us participating, she actually joined in at the last minute. So that kind of made me feel like I could reach out and have something in common with her, something to talk about so I could get to know her a little bit,” Murchison says. She had another positive connection with a neighbor through the Boo Bash Facebook page.
The Wallaces hosted Hall-O Rita, celebrating the season serving the Mexican adult beverage for grownups and candy for the kids. Sixty adults, 30 kids and three dogs visited the Wallace boathouse.
A retired engineer, Wallace pens the popular “Lake Ramblings” blog about people, places and events on Logan Martin.
Thanks to social media, Wallace says, Boo Bash took on “a life of its own.”
“It appealed to a lot of different demographics. It was a common goal kind of thing, happening in a season where generally speaking, there’s not a lot going on and lo and behold, it involved children. It just blew up.”
The Murchisons and their “Boo Crew” are already planning their theme for Boo Bash 2023. As for 2022’s event, Angie Murchison summed it up this way:
“It was a great way to enjoy the holiday season in a way that only relates to the lake.”
Only time will tell what Boo Bash 2022 meant to the lake community, Wallace says. But it touches on a need in a 50-mile-long lake community that loves a reason to come together.
“But that being said, my prediction is we’re going to look back and see this as the start of something really, really big … I think next year is going to be unreal.”
Wallace’s takeaway from the first Boo Bash highlights perhaps the greatest treat of all for Logan Martin friends and neighbors.
“I think if you give the lake community an opportunity to come together face to face, they’ll take it every time,” he says. “Everybody that came to our dock, they were just bursting with smiles.”
Logan Martin in the winter can be your best chance to catch the biggest bass in the lake. The water temperatures usually vary this time of year, but here are a few ways I approach Logan Martin to catch the bass of the year and maybe a lifetime!
Typically, when you read any article on fishing in the winter, it’s going to include fishing deep most of the time. I am not saying you cannot catch fish deep on Logan Martin in the winter, but usually a lot of my bigger fish come out of shallow water in the winter. This is especially true if the weather is in a warming trend.
Normally, I’m still going to start around on the main river. There are a couple things I look for in order to feel like I’m fishing the most productive waters. First, there must be some type of baitfish in the area. Second, I’m looking for more vertical structure this time of year.
The baitfish change daily on what part of the water column they may use. Vertical structure allows fish to move up and down easily with the baitfish. A couple examples of this might be deeper docks or steep river banks with rock and laydowns.
A few of my favorite bait this time of the year are a flat-sided crank bait, a spinnerbait and jig. I will throw some type of red or crawfish color pattern on the crank bait. This is one of the better baits to use if the water is colder than 60 degrees.
The flat-sided crankbait is a great way to get those fish to react in cold water. If the water has a little stain to it, a spinnerbait can be a deadly on warmer days.
Usually, the spinnerbait works best slow-rolling it on the bottom. I’ll typically use a ½-ounce spinnerbait with a single Colorado as the blade. The type of jig I use is dependent upon water color. If the water is dirty, I will flip a black and blue jig. If the water is clear, I’ll stick with the more natural colors, like green pumpkin.
A jig is a great way to get really big bites this time of year. In January and February, it’s the size, not the number. Those months are not the best for catching numbers of fish, but if you bundle up and brave the elements, you could possibly catch some of the biggest fish in the lake.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry historically is one of the better lakes on the Coosa for winter time fishing. Why? It sets up really well for wintertime fishing.
Neely Henry is full of rip rap banks and vertical bluff walls in certain sections of the lake. This allows bass to move up and down with ease with changes in the weather and in water temp.
Neely Henry also has a lot of docks and flat clay points. These two choices are also great wintertime hot spots.
On the rip rap, I usually first reach for a square bill crank bait. I keep colors fairly simple. Either I’ll throw a red or some sort of shad pattern. Boat positioning is a big key to success with the crankbait as well. I will hug the boat fairly tight to the bank and make repeated parallel casts. This allows me to cover more water efficiently and keep my bait in the strike zone longer.
My next bait choice is a jerkbait. A jerkbait can be a real good fish catcher if the water is a little clear. I’ll fish a jerkbait around clay points and deeper docks in creeks. Another great bait at Neely Henry is a jig.
The jig probably ranks up there as one of my favorite baits at Neely Henry. The reason I like the jig is because I can fish it around any type of structure. It doesn’t matter – rock, docks or wood. If the water is below 60 degrees, a jig will always be in the back of my mind when fishing Neely Henry.
These two months, January and February, can be when Neely Henry shines the brightest all year. So, don’t fail to go and give some of this a try.
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.
Story by Scottie Vickery Photos by Mackenzie Free Submitted Photos
Everything in Amy and Derrick Heckman’s Ashville home tells a story.
The handrail going up the steps was original to the Teague Mercantile building on the town square and was hand-hewn from longleaf pine before the Civil War. A cabinet is filled with family quilts made by Amy’s great-grandmother and her sisters. There’s a snapping turtle shell that held a place of honor in Derrick’s family’s lake cabin in Texas, and the collapsible cup her great-grandfather took into the coal mines will always have a special place in Amy’s heart.
“Everything in this house has some special meaning,” Amy said. “It may not have a lot of value, but it’s all precious to us.”
Amy and Derrick said turning the abandoned log cabin into their dream home has been a labor of love.
The Heckmans share a love for making old things new again, and the log cabin they bought on Neely Henry Lake’s Canoe Creek is no exception. It’s been a work in progress for years, but both say it’s been well worth the time and elbow grease they’ve invested. “It’s been one project after another, but it’s been a labor of love,” Amy said.
Their appreciation of family and Ashville history is evident all over the 2-bedroom, 2-bath cabin, and the kitchen and dining room areas are no exception. A 1940s Chambers stove from Derrick’s grandparents’ house takes center stage in the kitchen, and they use it every day. A collection of cast iron skillets from Amy’s great-grandmother and other family members hangs nearby.
They rescued the kitchen table from a nearby old dogtrot house that was slated for demolition and took the piece to a carwash in an effort to pressure wash motor oil stains off before finishing the table with linseed oil. An antique dough bowl filled with rolling pins passed down through the generations rests on top, and a light fixture they made from an old ladder, party lights and muscadine and supplejack vines from the yard, hangs above it.
“We’ve both lived a simplistic lifestyle, whether by choice or circumstance,” Derrick said. “When I was growing up if you needed something, you built it. We try to find old stuff and fix it.”
Cabin sweet cabin
The Heckmans had been house-hunting for about seven years when they stumbled across the log cabin, tucked at the end of a quiet street off Highway 411. They already had a home on Canoe Creek but they wanted more house, less land and deeper water so they could build a boathouse.
When they found the cabin, it was clear that no one had lived there for a while. They were intrigued, so they left a note on the door for the owner. A month later, the phone rang. “It was basically a home to animals,” Amy said. “There were all kinds of wildlife living in it, but it had good bones, and we saw what it could be. We’ve just about gotten it to that place.”
It’s taken a lot of work. They salvaged the kitchen and dining room floors and a claw foot tub, “but other than that, we redid everything,” she said, adding that they first saw the house and property they’ve named Canoe Cove in 2014, bought it in 2015 and moved there in 2017. “It took us that long to get it to where we could live in it. The general footprint is the same, but there is not a piece of that house that was not changed in some way.”
The first thing on the agenda was building a stone fireplace. “When we first bought the house, the very first thing we said to each other was, ‘How can you have a log cabin without a fireplace?’ There was a wood stove, but no fireplace,” she said.
Derrick’s grandfather knew a good bit about construction, so he had learned a lot about building growing up, and a friend taught him to lay the rock. “I’ve learned skills by watching people and just doing it,” he said. “When I was a kid, I could come up with an idea to build something. Sometimes it was by trial and error, but eventually I came up with something that worked.”
Those skills came in handy for their biggest project – building an outdoor pavilion, complete with an outdoor kitchen and a ‘Cracker Barrel fireplace.’ “She kept telling me all she wanted was a Cracker Barrel fireplace, so I went (into the restaurant) with a tape measure,” he said.
They built the pavilion from lumber they milled on the property – the lot was so wooded you couldn’t see the water. Derrick also used the lumber to build the 14-foot table and four Adirondack chairs, as well as the boathouse they added in 2020.
Two cooks, two kitchens
His pride and joy, though, is the outdoor kitchen, complete with a smoker that can handle 30 butts, a deep fryer, grill and flat top.
“We both like cooking, but he’s a natural cook,” Amy said. “There’s no recipe ever followed; no measuring involved. I’m just the opposite.” They often share the cooking duties, Derrick said, and they each take a kitchen. “She cooks the indoor part of the meal, and I cook the outdoor part,” he said and laughed. “I cook anything that might stink up the house. Amy likes pumpkin spice and if it doesn’t smell like pumpkin spice in here, she ain’t happy.”
They use this 1940s Chambers stove from Derrick’s grandparents’ house every day.
Although Amy has been known to find ideas online, it’s no surprise that they also use a lot of recipes handed down from family members. She uses a 1950s cookie press to make her grandmother’s cheese straws, and her spaghetti sauce is a favorite. “It’s very good, but it still never tastes as good as I remember hers being,” Amy said.
They love cooking for family and friends, and as a result, their house is a gathering spot during the holidays. At Thanksgiving, they usually have 12 to 16 guests, and Derrick smokes a turkey while Amy handles many of the sides. “I’ve promised Amy a freight elevator to make it easier to haul stuff inside and out for meals,” Derrick said.
Although it’s usually warm enough at Thanksgiving to eat under the pavilion, there was one memorable year when they ate inside. “We were all sitting at the table, and we looked out the window and there were 20 turkeys standing out in the front yard looking at us while we ate our Thanksgiving turkey,” Derrick said. “It was crazy.”
Much of what they cook is what they’ve grown, caught or hunted. “You don’t have to go far around here to find something to eat,” Derrick said. “If it’s not in the garden, it’s at the boathouse. We’re pretty self-sufficient.”
Their freezer is full of fish, which they enjoy grilled, fried and blackened, as well as venison. “I haven’t bought red meat in 15 years,” Amy said. “Derrick is known for his (venison) burgers. They’re delicious.”
The gardens – there are several – are another source of sustenance. “I grew up gardening; it came naturally to me,” Derrick said. “And Amy loves canning, so we make a good pair.”
Thanks to their teamwork, they enjoy a variety of homegrown fruits and vegetables throughout the year. In addition to blueberries and blackberries, their bounty includes figs, corn, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, squash, strawberries, pumpkin, black-eyed peas, watermelon and purple pole beans. “Everything we have around here, we use,” Amy said.
Leaving the rat race early
So, when do they have time to do it all? It’s been a lot easier since they retired. Derrick retired from the Alabama Forestry Commission in 2017 at age 49, and Amy left the St. Clair County Probate Office in 2019 when she was 47.
“When I was a kid and started working, the first thing my parents told me was if you save 20 or 25 cents out of every dollar you make, you can retire at 50,” Derrick said. “I wasn’t rebellious; I was one of those people who believed my parents. When you start early, you learn to live off that 80 cents and you don’t miss the other 20.”
Amy followed suit not long after they began dating in 2007, and early retirement has given them the freedom to work on the house, tend their gardens, enjoy their time on the lake and indulge their love of of Americana.
“We go picking,” Amy said. “We love collecting things, and it all seems to find a place.” They didn’t have to go far to find many of their treasures. The mantle on the pavilion fireplace was a central beam from under the old Cason-Tipton House, for example, and several finds came from historic buildings they have owned.
In addition to the handrail from Teague Mercantile, a building they owned for about 15 years before selling it earlier this year, the Heckmans salvaged a wood stove from the original Ashville Savings Bank that they owned for a while, as well. It has a place of honor in the loft, which is home to Amy’s library.
“I’m a huge reader, and I asked for my own library,” she said. “I wanted a place for my books. It just makes me happy to come up here.”
The same can be said for the house as a whole. Amy and Derrick love knowing they created their home, filled with memories from generations of love, together. “We wanted it to be cozy and comfortable, but we wanted it to have character, as well,” she said. “A lot of things we have belonged to family, and we wouldn’t trade anything for it. We’d both rather have something old than new any day.”
Blackened Catfish
Large catfish filets (Use filets from 2- or 3-pound catfish. Caught fresh is best!)
Fire-n-Smoke Fish Monger seasoning
Zatarain’s ground cayenne pepper
Olive oil or Pam spray
Pepper jelly
Rinse filets with water. Lightly sprinkle with Fish Monger seasoning and cayenne pepper (lightly, the pepper is powerful.)
Let marinate in refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Heat a cast iron skillet or flat top on high. Lightly sprinkle filets with olive oil or Pam spray. Lay filets in skillet or on flat top and cover with a lid. (This is crucial. I use a pot lid.)
Brown until golden; it usually has blackened edges. (This takes practice.) Serve on a bed of shrimp and grits, rice, etouffee or jambalaya. Drizzle with pepper jelly to finish. Enjoy!
Blueberry Pecan Sour Cream Cake
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus over-filled ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups blueberries
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bundt pan.
In mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to batter until just blended. Fold in blueberries. Spoon half the batter into pan.
Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Sprinkle ½ mixture over batter. Spoon remaining batter on top and then sprinkle remaining pecan mixture.
Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. (Cooking times may vary depending on oven.)
Shrimp and Grits
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quick cook grits
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp parsley
6 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Bring broth to boil. Stir in grits. Cook, stirring occasionally 5-7 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in salt and next 3 ingredients. Set aside and keep warm.
Cook bacon and remove from pan. Cook shrimp in same pan 3 minutes or until almost pink. Add lemon juice and next four ingredients and cook 3 minutes. Stir in crumbled bacon.
Spoon grits onto plate or bowl and top with shrimp mixture.
Corn and Black Bean Salsa
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cups fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels
2 cans black beans, drained
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
1 cup diced fresh or canned tomatoes
½ cup red onion
1 jalapeño
3 tbsp lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Cook corn in skillet until slightly charred. Add salt and cumin.
Combine remaining ingredients, add corn, stir and enjoy!
Summer 2022 garnered much interest for Neely Henry Lake, with a full house of supportive participants hitting the water for Neely Henry Lake Association’s Poker Run. While boaters soaked in the sun and crossed their fingers for a royal flush, the event served as an exceptionally successful fundraiser for local and neighboring communities.
Grabbing a playing card
Original founding NHLA board member and officer Hap Bryant inspired the poker run, designing the idea from his past as a motorcycle rider. Bryant and his fellow bikers often participated in poker runs – racing to designated stops and collecting cards along the way – with the hopes of ending the route with a winning hand.
While Bryant never dissuaded a victory, he expressed that the true joy the event produced came from the camaraderie he and the other bike-enthusiasts shared. Although Bryant himself has since passed away, the NHLA’s own poker run channeled his joviality into planning its event, dedicating the fundraiser in his memory.
The poker run mirrored Bryant’s bike design, replacing motorcycles with boats. NHLA’s event committee – alongside board members Randy Elrod, Stace Beecham and Hugh Stump, led the effort. They established five points up and down Neely Henry Lake, positioning greeters at each stop to give boaters the opportunity to select a card.
The race was not timed, with the mentality that boaters could leisurely cruise from one point to another, enjoying a peaceful and fun day on the lake.
“We strive to communicate to the public how important our lake is – environmentally and economically,” said NHLA President Dave Tumlin, describing how the poker run reinforced the association’s mission. “Our mission is to preserve, protect and improve life on the Coosa River. With such a great turnout, I learned how much our communities love and appreciate our lake, and how in working as a team, we can help introduce even more people to the joy and pleasure of spending time on a clean and safe lake.”
Over 150 dedicated members and families, who all share a common focus to protect and preserve the natural asset in Neely Henry Lake and surrounding waterways, comprise NHLA’s membership.
On a mission
The organization sponsors and co-sponsors several local projects throughout the year. The poker run supported the association’s Annual Christmas Boat Parade, an event it created and a collaborative effort with Downtown Gadsden, Inc. It integrates the parade with First Friday and the city’s tree lighting.
The association also coordinates with Southside and Rainbow City to promote parades for both municipalities, generating more and more spectators each year, gathering crowds looking forward to the countless twinkling lights, music and holiday festivities.
Most recently, the association partnered with Rainbow City and Southside to debut “Dinner and a Movie” at the new Southside marina, which supported Southside Elementary School. Families flocked to the waterfront property, with 800 attendees – both on land and boat – grabbing snacks from local food vendors as they watched the iconic classic, Jaws.
Studying the course
“At our bimonthly meetings, we have expert speakers that help communicate various subjects, including environmental importance, safety and history of the lake,” said Tumlin, discussing the significance of supporting these projects. “Recent speakers have talked on a major fish study going on, with changes to shoreline construction rules and other similar topics. Three years ago, with support from Greater Gadsden Area Tourism, we had Jacksonville State University complete an economic impact study of Neely Henry Lake on Etowah County. The results were startling. The study found that Neely Henry Lake had annual economic activity of $523,731,618 to Etowah County! If you add in Calhoun and St. Clair counties, the annual activity number is $570,663,991!”
The association partners with Alabama Power each year to build and deploy fish habitats in various locations on the lake, while supporting the Renew Our Rivers project alongside frequent educational programs geared toward improving the quality and appreciation of the lake.
In October, in collaboration with Alabama Power, the association will build 100 “spider blocks,” long-lasting structures that attract bait and game fish, to promote the sport at a world-class level. Though in years past the structures were deployed out of Rainbow City Landing and River Rocks Landing, this year, the association will build out of Greensport Marina on Neely Henry’s St. Clair side.
While the association commits itself to treasuring the enrichment and value the lake and local waterways generates for its community, opportunities such as the poker run arise as an outlet of support to fulfill its mission. It’s a purpose that those affiliated with the association strive to preserve, not only for themselves, but for the future of the beloved place they call home.
“Our team is fully committed to the future of Neely Henry Lake,” said Tumlin. “We hope that the actions we take, be it education on the environment, improving the quality of water and habitat or helping us all to better appreciate our lake, will allow our kids and grandkids to enjoy this magnificent natural asset for many decades to come.”
Volunteering for Alabama paddle race gives writer chance to be eye witness
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Rheagan Fann, Steve Edsall and Max Jolley
I was struck by the tenacity and grit of the paddlers. I saw these athletes, pushed to the brink of exhaustion and delirium, stumble from the water into the care of their ground crew.
Then a quick nap and meal later, I saw them, sunburned and blistered, but with a renewed determination, climb back into these vessels and face the water again. These men and women were paddling the Great Alabama 650.
When the call came out for volunteers to assist with this race, my interest was piqued. I live here, love the lake and enjoy kayaking. So how could it get any better than getting to support the Great Alabama 650 as the paddlers glide through the waters of Logan Martin Lake? So I signed up, but that’s just the beginning of my love story.
I loved learning the history of the race, but perhaps more importantly, the way it affords the local community a chance to participate, either by volunteering or by cheering on the racers from the shores.
Salli O’Donnell smiles as she completes the Logan Martin portion of the race
Touted as the longest annual paddle race in the world, its 650 miles span the length of the state from Weiss Lake to Ft. Morgan in Mobile Bay.
I learned that it was conceived by the Alabama Scenic River Trails system as a way to promote the state’s navigable waterways. In its fourth year, the 2022 field was full at 20 boats, but only 11 started due to injuries and issues with Hurricane Ian.
One of the tandem teams had to drop out at Logan Martin Dam due to injuries. Their ground crew shared that it was a tough decision whether to continue or not. Ultimately, the injuries won out, and the kayak stayed atop the carrier until the team headed home. In that moment, though I didn’t even know this team, I felt their overwhelming disappointment.
I witnessed loving mothers, fathers and husbands crewing for their paddlers.
Tempers flared in moments of extreme stress and frustration. To be clear, the paddler is not the only one who is sleep-deprived. Their ground support crew does everything for the racer once they’re off the water. The crew may get some brief naps while the paddler is napping and after they’ve launched again, but they also must follow by land to meet them at the next stop.
A perfectly rehearsed ground-crew operation is a wonder to behold. I watched as a paddler reached shore at the takeout point and, out of nowhere, a crew that would rival a Talladega pit crew descended on the kayak. With barely a word, they went to work, each doing their own job efficiently.
Expertly assessing their racer’s physical status and fatigue level, they met the most urgent needs first, allowing the paddler to decompress so the mind and body could reset for the next leg of the race.
One of the first people I met when I started my 13-hour shift was Mirko Prufer, who flew in from Germany to crew for Frances Hiscox. He was taking down the tent she had used for her brief rest time when I had a moment to talk to him.
I was interested to learn that their roles were reversed from last year when she served as his ground crew. So, he took vacation time to do the same for her this year, adding that immersion in the culture is his favorite way to vacation. As he washed her race shirt in the lake, he shared his plans to kayak in a different race before heading back to Germany.
Volunteers help paddlers help move boats from water to portage vehicles
From the moment I put on my official T-shirt and became a “yellow shirt” volunteer, I was taken by the perseverance and dedication of the paddlers and ground crew, but also by the enthusiasm of the race staff and volunteers.
While there were many busy times for me as a volunteer, there were also many hours of getting to know my portage chief, Max Jolley. Max has been serving since the inception of the Alabama 650 race in 2019.
Race director Greg Wingo describes him as a “great guy,” adding that Max has the portage process down to a science. I would have to agree. He made the process of learning the ropes easy on a new volunteer.
Quick with a story, Max told me his favorite part of the experience was hearing the stories from paddlers and their ground crews. I wholeheartedly agree. Time sitting with Randi Evans (Ryan Gillikan’s mom) and Bryant Taylor (Gayle Taylor’s husband) around the table in the park after dark sharing family stories and kayaking adventures was a highlight for me as well.
Combining my love of kayaking, community, people and writing made my experience with the Great Alabama 650 a big win for me. And, yes, I will be back next year.
