Atlanta Riders

Just wondering if there is a wakeboard club in Atlanta and where does everyone usually ride. And which are the best lakes for riding.

Try www.wakeboardatlanta.com

didn't see much on clubs or tournaments. Any one else have info?

The group that rides out of Ambush is pretty dialed into the scene. Most of the lakes get pretty crowded. A remote lake further to the north called Carter's Lake often has some of the best conditions, many of the core groups will do weekend trips up there. If you send an email to Ambush and tell them you're with the Canyon Lake club, I'm betting somebody will get back to you on it.

BTW, it's cold there now, and most of the lakes dry up badly in the fall and winter. When are you going?

(Message edited by dococ on October 18, 2006)

Yeah Geri, doc has a good idea...get ahold of the buywake/ambush guys. They also put events on as well.

Doc had a good question...when are you going Geri?

The clubs in ATL are all Ski clubs that do not like wakeboarders. If you can hook up with some folks on the site, you can get out and find some pulls. There are usually 2-4 touneys a year, Ambush is usually a main sponsor on them. If there is a touney happening...the slackers at wakeboardatlanta will have it up...but you have to look on the message board

Thanks for the info doc

Wipe that grin off your face Josh!!!

We are going over Thanksgiving and have several places on Lanier to look at. Just not 100% sure yet but may have a better idea after the trip.

Several jobs available for me too. I guess starting a wakeboard club would be a challenge.

Thanks Sam..

geri, screw atlanta....

NORCAL BABY!!!

Joe... It's funny you say that...Roseville/Rocklin is a very strong contendor.

Hey SoCal, I am a REALTOR in the Atlanta area. Let me know if you need anything, I would be more than happy to help you out and show you around. You can email me at jsimpson7@student.gsu.edu

Let me know where you will be going on Lanier. I first learned to ski on the lake when I was 6 years old, and in my 20s I knew it so well I could drive it in pitch black. My in-laws have a lake house there, and i still make it back once a year. It is a huge lake, and the conditions vary a lot depending on location. It can be hard to find good water during the summer, especially in the more populated (and more easily accessible) southern deep water areas. Better conditions toward the north, but you have to know your way around up there. Most of the commercial development is around Holiday Marina/Lazydays, but that actually is one of the worst areas for good water. You probably will find better water in November as long as the wind stays down, I've ridden in a shorty on Thanksgiving before, but only if the air is warm that day and not much wind. The major issue is the water level. Seriously, it almost always drops way down in the winter. Some years it is so low by Thanksgiving that the launch ramps are mostly closed. I was there in July and already it was very low for that time of year. I'll call there and try to get a water level report, and if you let me know the areas you will be, I'll see if I can think of any more ideas. I still think it would not hurt to call Ambush/Buywake. The owners built a pimp new lake house last year, but I cannot remember if it is on Lanier or lake Allatoona, I'm thinking maybe Lanier. The owners of Ambush are WAY cool, and if you tell them you are Canyon Lake family, they surely will help you out as long as the message actually reaches them and not just one of the clerks at the store. I'll give you some names when you get closer to the time of your trip.

That is way cool, doc!!! If you had a choice of living on Lanier or Allatoona, or ANY Lake in Atlanta, which would you choose? We were thinking of looking at the south end of Lanier because it would be close to the Kaiser there. Or even Allatoona. Thanks so much for all the info and help. Really appreciate it. I will let you know closer and I definately want to get in touch with Ambush.

Thanks John...I will e-mail you.

I grew up on Lanier and if I had to pick a spot on Lanier to live at, it would currently be in the Dawsonville area or north of Gainesville with easy access to I985. Ten to fifteen years ago, the Cumming or Flowery Branch areas would've been fine but it's supremely crowded anywhere near either now. Further south on the lake is even worse. I've never spent much time on Allatoona but the time I did spend there didn't make it seem any less crowded.

Thanks....I will check it out. After dealing with Elsi, I am all for less crowds.

I agree 100% with Dante's assessment of Lanier. The riding conditions are way better up north, but it is a long way to drive if you are going to be working down in Atlanta. My family's property is in Cumming, and there is not much good water apart from a couple secret spots, but even these are for early birds in the summer. Up to the north Lanier the water is better. It had been major sticks-ville up there (think Dukes of Hazzard for real), but it is starting to blow up, especially around Dawsonville and Dahlonega). My frinds this summer were trying to get me to consider moving back, found me a nice big new custom home in a private golf community with a large lake lot and private dock already in place - under 500K!!!. There is major development to the north of Atlanta, and if you could find a new Kaiser branch up there, you could be set up nicely.

Allatoona has more of a core wakeboard scene. The owners of Holiday Marina Harbor are very dedicated riders and are tight with Ambush, so that place has become a bit of a hub for wakeboarding. There are other spots on Allatoona, and again, it gets less crowded the further north you go away from Atlanta. Chris Denney has helped build the scene up there, and Chris Law came out of this area. My main beef with Allatoona is the water seems a bit murkier in some places, but it still probably is better than much of what we ride in out here.

Great info...thanks. Can your friend tell me where the house is? I am already doing a 70 minute commute in horrible traffic...can't be any worse going into Atlanta from the north end of Lanier. I was looking on line in Dawsonville but I can't really find much on Allatoona. If the core wakeboarding scene is Allatoona, I may prefer there. We really need to just go back and look. What is the weather/lake like the end of November?

The subdivision:
http://www.chestatee.net/index.asp

Personally, don't care about golf, but it is a very nice community, lots of kids, still some good lake lots left still reasonable priced (at least for now), very close to GA400 (the main shot to ATL), and also the neighboring old mining town of Dahlonega is undergoing something of a cultural revival, with lots of shops, restaurants, cafes, etc. For me the worst part would probably be the conservative (and pretty homogenous) cultural climate (definitely NOT California). Oh and it might well take you more than 70 min to downtown ATL during peak rush, but there are lots of potential opportunities not so close in. Look for Kaisers in Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, Roswell or anywhere moving north up that GA400 corridor. That is where the growth is.

If you are looking at Allatoona, I know there was a big scene at the Little River area. Chris Denney (and many others) had places there, and there were wakeboarding company reps and top area riders out there all the time. Chris Law came out of this area. Since Holiday Marina Harbor was purchased and completely renovated by core riders and friendly with the Ambush crew, I'm not sure if some of the scene has shifted there. I have not kept up with many of these folks in recent years, but as things were beginning to get cooking in the late 90s, these are the areas where it was happening. Houses in general will probably be a bit cheaper on Allatoona, but Lanier is thought to be a "nicer" lake, and there is probably a significantly lower percentage of rednecks around Lanier as opposed to Allatoona (although you'll get some of that wherever you go in north Georgia) Just keepin it real.

I spend hundreds of hours out on the north end of Lanier every year, there is glass and NOBODY and no ramp fees in the middle of the day on the weekend in the summer. It's a deep lake, so even when it's down a bit there's still tons of water. Less boats because some ramps are closed. Beats the HELL out of Norcal. Plus, gas, taxes (all) food, housing, etc are a LOT cheaper. I used to live in Norcal and will never move back.

I think Ambush has gravity research center you can go and ride the sliders behind a jet ski..

Gordie...something I always wanted to do
Where ya been....missed you and the family at the last(few) Canyon Tourneys.

Psychlone...that's kinda what I have been thinking. do you live on Lanier? And how much of a season do you have. Nice Weimaraner...we have one too.

There are people that ride year round but I would say the majority of the serious riders start in March/April (we started March 1 and the water temp was 47) and stop riding by November. Of course the water gets a little chilly after November but it is some of the best you will get since you are usually only sharing it with fisherman who are delighted by the entertainment.

By the way, the Gravity Research Center isn't connected to Ambush in any way other than some of the guys that work there are friends with the guy that owns it. Also, it is in Eastman GA which is probably 3 or 4 hours south of Ambush (which is in Kennesaw GA) and it is invite only so you definitely want to get in with the guys on wakeboardatlanta.com that go down there.