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Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       10-13-2016, 9:11 PM Reply   
Might have an option to relocate down there for work in 2017/2018.

Any input on the wake scene?
Any thoughts on places to live (good schools, etc...)

Work would be in Inverness so would like to be reasonably close to there, also close to the 2 tower at Oak Mountain State Park. Input on living in Hoover, Pelham, Vestavia Hills? Looking for safe neighborhood and good public schools (kids currently 4 and 6).

What about lakes? I have my own boat (although not a current beastly wake maker), how easy is it to find others to ride with?

May not amount to anything, but I'm trying to do all my research so I'm informed for if/when the discussion does come up at work for a career relocation.

Thanks in advance,
-dy
Old     (Connolly_Crew)      Join Date: Mar 2016       10-14-2016, 3:43 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by dyost View Post
Might have an option to relocate down there for work in 2017/2018.



Any input on the wake scene?

Any thoughts on places to live (good schools, etc...)



Work would be in Inverness so would like to be reasonably close to there, also close to the 2 tower at Oak Mountain State Park. Input on living in Hoover, Pelham, Vestavia Hills? Looking for safe neighborhood and good public schools (kids currently 4 and 6).



What about lakes? I have my own boat (although not a current beastly wake maker), how easy is it to find others to ride with?



May not amount to anything, but I'm trying to do all my research so I'm informed for if/when the discussion does come up at work for a career relocation.



Thanks in advance,

-dy


Vestavia, Hoover, Oak Mt schools are all very good school systems. Working in Inverness puts you within minutes of all of these. Smith Lake approx 50 miles North on 65 is a Great Lake to play on. We ride behind boat more than200 hrs year and have a great group of lake friends that ride as well. There are a couple other lakes close as well. Oak Mt state park has a cable pull as well. Feel free to call or text if you have any other questions.
Jerald
205 nine362414
Old     (cporourke)      Join Date: Jul 2016       10-15-2016, 8:56 AM Reply   
All of the areas you listed are good places to live and have good schools. I live in Leeds which is about a 15-20 minute ride down 119 from Highway 280. The 280 area is much nicer and has much better schools than where we are at.

I just got back into the sport (had not wakeboarded since I was 14) and am always looking for another boat driver. My parents have a place on Logan Martin and I keep our boat at a local marina. The wife and I just purchased a 16 A20 and I like to have it out at least once on the weekend and again during the week. If you end up down this way definitely give me a call 205 five six 3 4987! Being new to the sport...I have exactly 0 friends that are interested or able to meet me at the lake and ride so this offer goes for anyone looking to ride at Logan Martin.

Chuck
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       08-30-2017, 9:07 PM Reply   
Man I can't believe it was almost a year ago when I posted this.

Long time coming, but accepted the job and relocation this week. I will probably be moving down sometime in the early Spring of next year.

Jerald / Chuck, I'll definitely be looking you guys up, thanks for the replies to this thread.

So I think we've narrowed our housing choice down to Pelham, possibly looking to build in a neighborhood called Grey Oaks on the back side of Oak Mt. State park just off HWY 11. The kids would go to Pelham Ridge Elementary School.

Anyone from Bham have any input? We looked in Chelsea, but determined that it would be too far to drive on the 280 traffic and going the wrong direction both ways. Looked hard at the Highland Lakes neighborhood just off 280, but man you pay a lot for a house with a small or non-existent lot and most need some updating at this point. We do like the proximity to 280 and that the kids would go to Mt. Laurel Elementary. But for the same money we could get a brand new, bigger house, on a 1/2 acre lot in Pelham. We looked at Ballantrae but that's a ways out there also.

We have also looked at Greystone, Brook Highlands, Eagle Point, etc... Haven't looked a lot at Inverness/Valleydale area, again, wind up paying a lot for a house. Also my wife is more excited about Shelby Co. or Pelham schools over Hoover (I know Hoover is supposed to be better). We've just heard it's getting crowded and that they are busing kids all over the place due to the way the school district lines are drawn.

Any input on places to live from Birmingham residents?

Also, how about boat storage? I found a self store off 280 near Chelsea but indoor storage is $217/mo. I was expecting 125, maybe 150??? Are my expectations unrealistic?

Looks like Logan Martin Lake would be my closest body of water? Any input?
I'm sure there are storage options out there, but then it winds up kinda tying you to that one lake (assuming there are other options).

Anyway thanks for any input anyone can provide.
Old     (Connolly_Crew)      Join Date: Mar 2016       08-31-2017, 9:32 AM Reply   
Smith Lake is an hour away and it's our choice by far. If you choose to boat on Smith look at Duskin Pt Marina and Duncan Bridge Marina.
We live on the west side of Hoover and like the schools. Did you guys look at Ross Bridge? It's a great community. Pelham is also a good choice, they recently broke off from the county school system and are freestanding. You are also right around the corner from the only cable park in Alabama.
DM me for my number and I will be glad to share what I know about the area and lakes if that helps.
Congrats,
Jerald
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       08-31-2017, 2:27 PM Reply   
Jerald,

Thanks, is your number still the same as what you put in a few posts up?
If so, I'll try and reach out maybe next week (I'm crazy busy tomorrow and don't want to bug you over the long weekend) and quiz you out some, thanks for the offer to call you.

We're planning to be back in Bham week of Sept 18th for more house hunting.

Have a great Labor Day weekend and hope you make it out on the water.
Have fun,
-dy
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       01-11-2018, 8:41 PM Reply   
Ok so officially in Alabama as of Jan 1 this year.

Jerald and Chuck I’ll be looking you guys up this spring.

We wound up buying in Highland Lakes, found a good deal on a house with a relativaley flat, private lot and doesn’t need much for maintenance or repairs right out of the gate.

Looking forward to an earlier than usual spring. I rode back in Kansas on Dec 15th in 60 degree air and 48 degree water so hopefully I can get an early start , as long as I can get someone else to get out there with me haha...
Old     (MMPres)      Join Date: Dec 2013       01-12-2018, 2:13 PM Reply   
Just caught up with the thread. Congrats on the new place and welcome to Alabama!

You should have a good time going to Flip Side (cable park), a lot of great guys there.

I know both Jerald and Chuck had mentioned the bigger lakes in Smith and Logan Martin. We live a little south of you in Calera, AL (just off 65S-Mile Marker 228) and boat on Lake Mitchell. For you, you would take 280 to 145 in Harpersville and take it south till you hit 65, then 65 till Exit 208 and the public launch is off that exit. Probably closer to the travel time as Logan Martin, just a few more back roads as opposed to highway/interstate and definitely shorter than Smith. You'd actually pass by Lay Lake on your way (as it's also a part of the Coosa River system as well), but it's more of a fishing lake/river and doesn't have as much protected water as Mitchell.

Mitchell is without a doubt is the best kept secret in Alabama. Significantly less traffic on weekends (other than holidays; which is expected), and you can always find nice water to ride; especially if you hang out till the magic hour or get out early. There's also a great group of guys that are contest riders/semi-pros/pros that gather together most weekends when there's not a tournament somewhere. You should come on down and check it out, or come ride with us sometime (I'm always looking for a driver-love my wife, but she still needs some training).

Hit me up sometime and maybe we can put something together. Adam- two 0 five- 4 seven 8- nine seven 9 zero
Old     (MMPres)      Join Date: Dec 2013       01-12-2018, 2:18 PM Reply   
For the record, that's probably about average for storage in the metropolitan 280 area, services tend to be a little more inflated with all the extra traffic/commerce. You could probably find something a little cheaper down 280 E, but security is probably pretty lax.

We keep ours on Mitchell in a slip. Pay about $1k per year. But it's a less populated lake and wouldn't have mobility. Not sure where'd you'd land there.
Old     (jward10)      Join Date: Mar 2007       01-12-2018, 2:32 PM Reply   
Dustin welcome to Alabama. You are going to love hanging at Flip Side with the boys. Come to the boat show at the BJCC sat night 1-20-18. We will be at the Russell Marine booth with all the Nautiques as well as a booth for flip side. There should be several of the local riders hanging in that area. Come introduce yourself and say hello! Look me up on facebook (Justin Ward).
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       01-14-2018, 9:53 AM Reply   
Thanks guys for all the input. Justin I’ll try and make the boat show next weekend. We’re still trying to get moved in and living in a sea of boxes so I may have work to do instead but hopefully can peel away for a bit.

Look forward to getting the season started. If anyone needs a third let me know, I am an ok rider (base inverts, some to revert, 3s, and on a good day 5s) and great with boats and trucks, always good for gas and cleanup, etc...

I have a boat also 89 Supra sunsport with loads of ballast, tower, stereo, and speed control. Probably not as much wake as some of you guys have but definitely does the job and I know sometimes it’s nice to just show up and ride without all the mess of dragging the boat out.
Old     (haknslash)      Join Date: Jan 2018       02-04-2018, 9:57 AM Reply   
Welcome to Bama! I live in the Alabaster area so just south of you. I boat on Lake Mitchell and grew up there on Ware Island as a kid. Back in the day Lake Mitchell was huge water sports lake but now-a-days it's more laid back. It's a great Lake that isn't overpopulated and always easy to find a good spot to have fun or chill. I don't have a wake boat yet but do have a 19' Yamaha jet boat. I'll likely get a surf boat in the next year or two when we move to a larger house. Looking at the new Moomba Max.

Welcome to the state and be sure to check out the larger lakes too. Smith is really deep water and super clear. It can get a little rough in some areas and the coves aren't tucked deep from the main channel but it's a really nice lake to visit and the scenery changes so much as you travel down the lake. Lake Martin is also really nice and beautiful lake. It can get busy in the summer as its next to Auburn but it's large enough to find a spot of your own. I also visit Lake Tuscaloosa a lot if I'm not out at Mitchell and it's a nice reservoir lake. It's not huge but it has some nice water. There is one branch most water sports folks go to surf or do wake boarding, so it can get a little busy in that branch or rough unless you go early or wait until later in the day. I don't really care to go to Lay Lake even though it's the closest to me as it has tons of stick ups, trees, etc and if you don't know that lake well chances are you'll hit something at some point. Congrats on the relocation and hope you enjoy your time on the waters!

Last edited by haknslash; 02-04-2018 at 10:01 AM. Reason: Added more
Old     (dyost)      Join Date: Jan 2007       02-21-2023, 6:52 PM Reply   
I’m not sure how I came across this again….

But damn it’s been 5 years since we moved down to BHM.

Settled in now but really would love to get a bigger network of people to ride with.

Here’s an update from the last post…

I actually have met both Jerald and Justin on different occasions.

Met Jerald through Baker Bru and worked on a boat deal at Rambo (wound up finding something else….) When you were replying to my thread’s back then I don’t thing you were working at Rambo yet.

Met Justin at the 2019 Nautique regatta at Lake Martin. When you were replying to this thread way back then your boy was good but probably not on the super-grom map yet….

We’ve settled in at Lay lake and primarily ride on the Coosa river at Childersburg right off 280. My in-laws bought a lake house just south of Shelby Shores.

Unfortunately… I have yet to ride at Flip Side but going to try at least a few times this season if nothing else to meet some other riders.

Looking forward to a great 2023 season and hope to broaden my network this year.

Last edited by dyost; 02-21-2023 at 6:54 PM.

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