Catching big air makes wakeboarding appealing

Over the years, it seems like wakeboarding and wakesurfing have passed skiing in popularity, especially at Smith Lake. More and more teenagers and younger kids are taking up the wakeboard as it offers a variety of ways to get big air, jump off the wake, and generally have an experience that is more like skating and surfing on the water.

Coverage of events like the x-games have brought extreme sports into the national consciousness. Wakeboarding is a great way to experience Smith Lake, and it can be safe if you take care to follow basic boating safety.

Here are some tips for beginners:

• Optimum boat speed is around 16-23 mph. This should create a decent sized wake at a reasonable speed. Experienced riders can ride at about 18mph or more and use a shorter rope.
• The difference between a wakeboard and a wakesurf board are the footbindings on the wakeboard. Wakesurfing doesn’t have bindings and allow for a number of different moves. With practice, wakesurfers can drop the rope and surf off the wake.
• When you’re starting out in wakeboarding, learn the fundamentals first. Then you can move up to advanced tricks.
• Always wear a life jacket, no matter how good you are. It’s not only a good idea, it’s the law. And always observe proper boat safety.
• Always use a boat with an inboard motor.
• To get up on the board the first time–stay in a squat position as the boat revs up. Drag your knees to your chest and point the board at the boat. The resistance will shoot you out of the water. Hold onto the rope and stay relaxed in an athletic position.
• Once you’re up, try hitting the wake back and forth. Don’t be afraid to experiment with some turns and jumps. If you feel out of control, drop the rope.

Smith Lake is an ideal spot for wakeboarding. Have fun out there, be safe and take advantage of the last few weeks of the year to get out on the wakeboard.

Nachos--perfect for an all day football experience

Labor Day has come and gone–that means football season is upon us. The residents of Silverock represent many of the schools in the SEC, so what better place to enjoy a football weekend than up on Smith Lake?

As the SEC has won the national championship for 5 straight years, it is incumbent for fans of the SEC to raise their level of participation and support their teams. As such, here are some thoughts on how to maximize your enjoyment of Saturdays this Fall:

1. The TV. A quality TV is obviously a must-have for football watching. But consider important elements such as placement, avoiding glare, access to the kitchen and avoiding the dreaded “Can we watch the Millionaire Matchmaker marathon?” pitfall.

To confront a number of these potential issues, look into setting up your flatscreen in a corner on the porch. And then look into blocking the Bravo channel.

2. Food. You need to plan ahead, as football Saturdays can be all day affairs. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Grilling is never a bad idea, and hot dogs and burgers will always work during the afternoon.

Savvy football veterans know to plan ahead and this can pay big dividends, especially if you’re a fan of nachos. You really can’t go wrong with nachos–top them with chicken or barbecue plus sour cream, olives, salsa, guacomole, jalapenos, queso…really you’re only limited by your imagination and any warnings from your cardiologist. Looking for an ultimate nacho recipe? Click here.

3. Making a plan. There are great football games every Saturday this Fall. Whether or not you’ll stay up late to watch the Hawaii game depends on your level of devotion.

Here is a list of important SEC games to plan your weekend around:

Sept 10–Auburn/Miss St and Georgia/S. Carolina – Two big early season games for these teams. Can Auburn compete like they did last year without Cam Newton and Nick Fairley? At Georgia, can Mark Richt save his job and turn UGA’s season around?

Sept. 24–Alabama/Arkansas – Arkansas has been improving each year under Bobby Petrino. Is this the year they beat Alabama?

Oct 1–Alabama/Florida and Auburn/South Carolina – New coach for Florida, same great rivalry. And Auburn and South Carolina meet in a rematch of the SEC Championship.

Oct. 22–Alabama/Tennessee and Auburn/LSU – Third weekend in October. Auburn and LSU have played some classic games this decade.

Oct. 29–Florida/Georgia – The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail party will be in Jacksonville once again this year. They’ll play a football game as well.

Nov. 5–Alabama/LSU – This could be the game of the year in the SEC.

Nov. 25–Arkansas/LSU – Friday game after Thanksgiving should be enjoyable. Mainly because of the amount of leftovers in the house.

Nov. 26–Alabama/Auburn and Miss St/Ole Miss – Rivalry weekend.

Dec. 3–SEC Championship Game – Should be another great game, is your team going to make it to Atlanta?

Have a great football season. We’ll see you on Saturdays up at Smith Lake!