Southeastern Outings Potluck Lunch, kayak and Canoe Trip, Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park

Southeastern Outings Potluck Picnic Lunch followed by Afternoon Kayak or Canoe Paddle or Afternoon Dayhike Where: Lower Fishing Lake (now called Beaver Lake), Oak Mountain State Park, located at the back entrance to the park, which is just off AL Highway 119 near the intersection of AL Highway 119 and Caldwell Mill Road. Prior to the canoeing and kayaking and hiking, boaters, hikers and other Southeastern Outings people and guests will get together at the Mallard Pavilion in the neighborhood of the Flip Side Water Sports office, (formerly the Fishing Center), for a group potluck picnic. Please bring a dish of food to share with the group. Please bring all food items to this potluck in dishes with a cover on them (think “like Tupperware”.)  Please do not bring your food in fast food, cardboard or open containers.  There are obvious issues with bees, flies and yellow jackets, etc. when setting up food exposed outdoors to nuisance insects.  

You may bring a bag of potato chips, but if you do, you should bring some more substantial food to share in addition.  Please bring also $5/person ($2 seniors and children) park admission fee, a beverage for yourself and folding lawn chairs if you have them.  Southeastern Outings will furnish plates, cups, knives, forks, spoons, napkins, and ice.  Picnic preparations will begin at 11:30 a.m. We will begin eating lunch at 12:00 noon regardless of whether you are there or not! After lunch you can enjoy boating on the lower fishing lake.  You may bring your own boat (no charge) or you may rent a canoe from the park by paying for your rental canoe at the back gate to the park.  The park has 5 tandem canoes for rent.  Two of the canoes each used to have one broken seat in them.  Rental rate for canoes is $14 per hour. Cash only.  No credit cards accepted.  First come, first served. Flip Side Water Sports has available for rent 5 solo kayaks and 8 paddleboards.  Rental rate for either is $20 per hour.  Cash or credit cards accepted by Flip Side Water Sports.  No shuttle involved in any of these boating activities.  Share an adventure!  Bring a friend.  We’ll launch our boats about 1:30 p.m. from a small peninsula which is at the end of the lower drive which passes by the front of the Flip Side Water Sports office (which used to be the Fishing Center building) just below the driveway into the parking lot where you parked.  Or you can enjoy a moderately easy afternoon hike along the shore of the upper fishing lake (now called Lunker Lake) in the park.  Hike also departs from the Flip Side Water Sports office about 1:30 p.m.  You are welcome to participate in the boating or hiking and skip the group picnic; you are welcome to skip the boating or hiking and come just for the picnic; or, as most people did the previous three times we have sponsored this outing, you are encouraged to enjoy the outdoor exercise activities AND the picnic. Meet at the Mallard Pavilion just downhill from the very far end of the parking lot which is designated for the Flip Side Water Sports office near the back entrance to Oak Mountain State Park Info: Acyenith Alexander 205-529-2253 (picnic), Dan Frederick, 205-631-4680 or seoutings@bellsouth.net (boating) and Kerry Cooper, 205-674-5470 (hiking) DIRECTIONS TO MEETING PLACE Mallard Pavilion, Near the Flip Side Water Sports office building (formerly the Fishing Center), Lower Fishing Lake (now called Beaver Lake), Oak Mountain State Park-If you choose to drive to the Mallard Pavilion area from the front, main park entrance, enter the main gate of the park.  Then follow the main park road which goes through the main front gate all the way to where the road goes over a bridge across the spillway on the dam between the visible upper fishing lake which is on the right, above the dam, and the larger, lower fishing lake which is probably not visible from the spillway.  Drive over the spillway and on ahead to the far end of the dam and turn left.  Keep left after you see the back gatehouse and drive straight ahead into the parking lot a bit uphill from the Flip Side Water Sports office which will be on your left nearer to the shore of the lake.  If you choose to drive to the Mallard Pavilion area from the back park entrance which is much closer to the Flip Side water Sports office and the Lower Fishing Lake than is the front park entrance, take U.S. 31, I-65, or U.S. 280 to Alabama Route 119, Cahaba Valley Road.  Turn left onto 119 if coming from Birmingham on 31 or 65.  Turn right on 119 if coming from Birmingham on 280.  Drive to near the traffic light at the intersection of Caldwell Mill Road and AL 119, Cahaba Valley Road.  Caldwell Mill Road is County Route 14.  It is signed for the county route, but there is no visible sign saying “Caldwell Mill Road”.  See sign on 119 for Oak Mountain Lake where you should turn off of 119.  Turn right at that sign if coming from 31 or 65.  The road off 119 going up into the back entrance to the park turns off of AL 119 5.6 miles east of the I-65 exit for Cahaba Valley Road off of I-65.  Turn left off of 119 if coming from 280.  You’ll drive through and pay your park admission fee at the back gate entrance to the park.  Also pay for canoe rentals at the back entrance gate.  Immediately past the gatehouse turn right and drive to the far end of the lower fishing lake parking lot. Look for the Mallard Pavilion through the trees slightly below the far end of the parking lot.  The Pavilion is located in the grass at the edge of the trees beween the far end of the parking lot and the lake shore.  We’ll be eating at the Mallard Pavilion.  You’ll also see the Flip Side Water Sports office (formerly the Fishing Center Building) just below the drive into the parking lot.  Two years ago when we sponsored this event, three people had difficulty finding the eleven of us who were already at the Mallard Pavilion.  Please put these detailed directions in your car NOW and BE SURE TO TAKE THESE DIRECTIONS WITH YOU AND READ THEM WHEN COMING ON THIS OUTING!  Don’t go to the big pavilion right behind the Flip Side Water Sports office.  Go to the Mallard Pavilion which is downhill from the very far end of the parking lot, as far away as you can get in the parking lot from the rear gatehouse. Note for Kayak and Canoe Kayak Trips—The kayak and canoe outing listed above is suitable for beginner/novice canoeists and kayakers, but each beginner canoeist must paddle with an experienced canoeist.  Life jackets are required and must be worn.  You are responsible for finding your own boat.  Bring your own, borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent from the park or Flip Side.  Wear old shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work well).  Also bring at least 6 feet of sturdy cord to tie up your canoe if you don’t already have cord attached to your own canoe or especially if you are renting a canoe.  If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.

DESCRIPTION OF SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS Do you wish you had friends who share your active lifestyle and enjoyment of outdoor activities?  Then become active with Southeastern Outings (SEO), a nonprofit organization committed and created to serve people who enjoy being active in the outdoors.  The organization plans, organizes and leads outings such as dayhikes, easy kayak and canoe trips, stream and waterfall walks, bicycle rides, lake events and other fun activities to beautiful sites in our natural environment.  From time to time we also sponsor potluck suppers and other socials.  All events and activities of the group are open to the public.  Participating in SEO activities is a splendid, simple way to make congenial new friends who enjoy the outdoors. NO DOGS OR SMOKING ALLOWED, PLEASE, ON ANY SOUTHEASTERN OUTINGS EVENTS. The organization currently has over 400 members.  We scheduled ninety-one events during calendar year 2015 for an average of 8 fun events per month.  We enjoy the outdoors in all seasons throughout the year.  Nineteen people, on average, have participated in each outing since January 1, 2016. SEO does not charge for participation in any of its outings.  You do not have to be a member to participate in one r two SEO activities.  Dues are only $10.  Please contact Dan Frederick, President, 205-631-4680, or seoutings@bellsouth.net for more information and to obtain three free monthly newsletters with membership application and a complete description of all our outdoor events. Southeastern Outings now has a website.  Just go to seoutings.org to find announcements of all our upcoming outings scheduled plus some brief, general information about Southeastern Outings, a membership application and 1500 lovely photographs from several of our outings. Thank you.