Visit to Joe Wheeler

Russ — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:47:27 +0000

Many times in my travels I just happen upon interesting places. One one these happens to be Joe Wheeler State Park which is located on Wheeler Lake in Rogersville, Alabama. We actually were looking for a back road to I-65 when we saw a sign for the park and though we did not have as much time as I would have liked, we did get a brief tour.

Wheeler Dam over the Tennessee River

If you drive over the damn, there are cabins located on either side and both offer views of Wheeler Lake. As I understand it this lake was produced when the Tennessee Valley Authority dammed up the Tennessee River for producing electricity. What actually has been produced is a wonderful place if you find a need to fish. We observed folks fishing on the upper and lower side of the dam.

The Lodge is quite nice and offers three levels with banquet halls, a restaurant, large outdoor pool, and of course access to the marina if you were to bring your boat.

Joe Wheeler State Park

There is a golf course, campsites, and plenty of room for picnics. After talking with several employees, we concluded that this was the slowest time of the year to visit the park, but may be a great time if your ‘getaway’ involves isolation from others. I plan to go back and visit Joe Wheeler State Park when it gets a little warmer or when I can borrow a bass boat from a buddy.

2009 Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo

Russ — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:33:18 +0000

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the 2009 Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo held in Opp, Alabama. This I think was the 48th year to have this event. Though we did not know exactly what activities lay in storefor us, we did know they would include rattlesnakes. In fact, these rattlesnakes were the largest I have ever witnessed in my life. It seems each year folks go out into the forests surrounding this area of south Alabama and capture these rodeo going reptiles. The snakes are then used for the event and then are returned to the wild. I think these folks do an excellent job of introducing a very dangerous and (questionably) misunderstood snake to the masses.

When we first arrived it was clear to see that this rodeo would be ’hoppin’ as we saw car tags from all over Alabama, Florida, Georgia and many other southern states. I even saw a car tag from Colorado. I generally try not to complaign about things that happen on my adventures, but it would have been nice to have someone monitor and direct parking.

If you are looking for a truly unique experience or the entire family where you can have fun and actually learn something uselful in the process, then I recommend the Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo.

AlabamaTrails.com

Visit to Joe Wheeler

2009 Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo