Welcome to Lake Cumberland

Episode 28:  It’s time for another episode of Lake Life with Molley and Chad! In today’s episode, we’re joined by our friends Fran, Rob and Adam to talk about Lake Cumberland, in Kentucky.  This is a continuation of our tour of lakes across Kentucky and Tennessee.  It's time for a deep dive into what makes this lake so special.

Please note:  This conversation includes a few, random curse words.  We apologize if you find them offensive.  Additionally, we thought we'd let any parents with young kids know, before you begin playing the episode.

Lake Cumberland Is a Special Place

Molley and Chad are recording this episode at Grider Hill Marina.  Chad talks about why Lake Cumberland is her favorite place to go.  It’s one of the prettiest lakes in Kentucky.  Although Molley and Adam agree that Dale Hollow is a close second. 

Adam’s been coming on the lake since 1985.  His buddy’s parents had been coming to Grider Hill, since the early 1970s.  Adam bought a 1963 Marionette that took a lot of work to get running.  He talks about his experiences and why he really likes this lake.  He and his friends would come to the lake and ski all day and grill steaks in the evenings. 

Fran and Rob have been coming to Lake Cumberland for the past 3 seasons.  They rode around with Adam a lot.  At the time, Fran and Rob had a pontoon.  They eventually purchased a 1986 Wellcraft St. Tropez, which was much better to sleep on compared to the pontoon.

Chad asks Fran and Rob about their favorite areas on the lake.  They like 76 Falls.  It’s close to Grider Hill Marina.  That’s a plus for them because their Wellcraft doesn’t have the power of other boats on the lake.  Rob comments about how much he enjoys the opportunity to go to sleep and wake up on the water.  It’s worth the 3-hour drive.

For Adam, even though it’s a 5-6 hour drive to get to the lake, the serenity and ability to unwind is worth it.  However, the duration depends upon how many Walmarts or Dollar Generals he hits on the way. 

Chad comments that it’s a 2-hour drive, unless Molley’s driving.

Lake Cumberland Marinas and Campgrounds

While this might not capture all of them, here’s a good list of marinas:

  Alligator 1

Alligator 2 (also known as Wolf Creek Marina )

Conley Bottom

Lee’s Ford

·      State Dock

·      Burnside

·      Somerset

·      Rowena

·      Grider Hill

There are only 3 recognized campgrounds on Lake Cumberland:

·      Pulaski County Park

·      Lake Cumberland State Park

·      Conley Bottom Campground

Favorite Activities at the Lake

Adam talks about how much he loves to cook.  He always fixes nice meals.  One of his favorite recipes is Sausage Jalapeño Bombs, which he cooks right there on his boat.  The smell usually attracts other boaters for a quick sample.  Being able to share food and meals with friends is all part of what makes this so special for Adam.

Molley talks about how Grider Hill Marina, build in the early 1950s, was one of the last family-owned docks on Lake Cumberland.  It was bought out a few years ago by a company called Safe Harbor. 

There’s a lot to do in and around the lake area.  One of Adam’s favorite activities is to boat over to Cemetery Point at sunset.  There are many places people love to visit and explore on Lake Cumberland.  Having the chance to watch the sunset, while you’re on the water is a terrific experience.

What Other Lakes Have You Visited?

Fran has visited Dale Hollow.  She and Rob have also been to Barren River Lake and Rough River Lake.  She’s not a fan of boating on the river.  Adam comments you’re either a river rat or a bathtub boater (lake boater). 

It’s Not All Fun and Games

Adam and Rob talk about the time their engine stalled in some pretty deep water.  They were half-way back to their destination, and pretty far from shore.  The question was whether they should have tried to repair it or just toss out the anchor and anchor light.  The problem was the depth where they were at the time.

In another incident, Adam had some boat trouble and ended up swimming the boat back.  They sometimes refer to him as Aquaman!

Rob really enjoys the Grider Hills area, especially when he can get a few hours on the boat before everyone wakes up. 

Places to Eat around Lake Cumberland

During the conversation, a few places are mentioned. Fran mentions that Junction Station is a gas station restaurant that serves a pretty good breakfast.  The Eli Country Store is known for its cinnamon roll pancakes.  If you cross in to Tennessee, you can find a steakhouse.  It’s only about 25 minutes from the marina. 

Molley asks again about the boats the guests own.  Fran and Ron have the ’86 Wellcraft St. Tropez.  Adam has a ’73 Trojan Express Cruiser.  And at this point, the conversation goes off the rails for a bit.

Choosing Lake Life for the Family

If you decide to choose lake life is can bring the family closer together and create lasting memories.  There’s definitely a sense of community at the lake.  There are events like the dock crawl where people get together for friendship and a little competition. 

Fran explains that their children have grown up now.  Time at Lake Cumberland gives them the chance to unplug from the day-to-day world, reconnect to each other and to create new experiences together. 

The group talks about when they begin to feel that sense of “we’re going to the lake.”  You can feel the stress melting away. 

Adam explains how the Lake Life actually chose him.  He hasn’t turned back since.

Chad tells a story about the time Rob and Fran’s boat started to sink.  A clamp came off.  They didn’t realize it until the marine assist boat was towing them back to the marina.  It definitely spoiled some of the joy of the trip.

Chad explains how a guy with a jet ski basically took over the ramp, recently.  There are simply things you need to understand about launching and trailering your boat/PWC.  Check out the episode on Ramp Etiquette.

More Fun Facts about Lake Cumberland

The sunsets are beautiful.  The lake actually has more shoreline than FLORIDA.  (Yep, Google it).  The people really make this such a great place to visit.  This sense of community fosters a feeling of belonging and creates a support system that enhances the lake life experience.

Chad comments that this sense of community is common to a lot lakes across the state.   However, there’s always that one guys at the ramp.  Check out the episode titled, Don’t Be That Guy!

Molley notices that with the dock, the group really doesn’t have to deal with the ramp.  Fran has a pop-up wagon they use to bring everything from the cars straight down to the boat.  

That’s a wrap for this episode.  We’d like to thank our friends Fran, Rob and Adam for guest hosting with us.  We hope you found it helpful, insightful and maybe a little entertaining. 

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider sharing it with your social media friends.  We hope to see you out there soon.  Until next time, here’s to warm weather and calm waters!

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