Memories of Tuttle

[Jeremy C_88-93]

So, I did a lot of mountain biking when I was at K-State. I and other Smithies rode to the lake and rode our bikes on the motocross trails next to the spillway which were a lot of fun and still hold a place dear to my heart.

We also sort of got into a tradition of taking a new rider up to the ORV range near Carnahan (correct name?) and 'breaking them in'.

But the most memorabe occasion was when the floodwaters came one year and Tuttle rose so high they had to open the spillway gates. It was 1993. For several days, water poured across the sluice and churned up the spillway. That alone was something to see, but when they were able to close the gates and let the water run down, it revealed a incredible scene of rock cliffs, pools, and channels where there had once been flat dirt. It instantly became the place to go for rock scrambling, and VERY technical mountain biking. Link: abyss.kgs.ku.edu/pls/abyss/pubcat.phd1.View_Photo?f_id=10674&f_hd=Y

On one such mountain biking excursion, I attempted to ride across a channel of water and my front wheel fell into a concealed hole. I went straight over the bars into the rock slab on other side and broke my jawbone.

Any other Tuttle stories?

[Jeremy C_88-93]

From Chet:

Places to go, things to do at Tuttle:

1. Watch submarine races at "Observation Point"
2. Sunbathe/wind surf at Tuttle Cove
3. The Tubes
4. The Rocks

I would also fish off the dam. Once after the 4th of July I found an artillery flash simulator from Ft. Riley. It looked like you could set it off with a 9V battery and I had it on my desk for a long time. I remember Mog swinging it around by the wires. One night Caudill, Scharping and I and some girls from Smurthwaite went out to the spill way and set it off. HUGE Explosion!!!

[Jeremy C_88-93]

Explosions!! That reminds me going to Tuttle one winter with Jim Butterfield, Jeff Walters and some other guys when the lake was partially frozen. Jim had made a bottle rocket launcher out of pvc and wood. We launched dozens of 'rockets' straight out across the lake and watched them skip out across the ice.

Anyone else have memories of swimming in "Smith Cove" where the cove had flooded some old trees. We would stand on the submerged stumps while people jumped off the trunkes that were still standing above the water. The only person I remember that time was Tom Yi.

And I have to add that I might have spent the most time at Tuttle out of any Smithies since I was on the KSU crew for two years. I was there every day, sometimes twice, all fall and spring. Any other Smithies ever been on crew?

[Jeremy C_88-93]

Posted by guest on the other board:

I wasn't on the crew, but I remember people who had access would take us down to the boat house and we would swim across that cove. We would also dive under the dock and come back up underneath. I forgot about Smith cove where we would play frisbee and jump in the water. Didn't one tree have a rope?

I won't name names for potential embarrassment, but I used to take an older Smithy's girlfriend out there on Sunday afternoons because he was too busy and he trusted me. That was tough because she was hot and wore a bikini every time. The trust was well placed though. I was the "brother" to the Smurthwaite girls.

[Jeremy C_88-93]

Posting this photo for Chet. He and a lady friend studying (?) at Pott 2.

[Russel Woodworth]

Wow Chet! Someone posting that I actually know! Hmmm did you guys get married?
Russel Woodworth

[chetzki]

Russel! Long time no see. No I married one I met the next year. All these ladies "trusted" me to much like I was their "brother". That was Chuck's girlfriend at the time. Last I heard she moved to Montana??

Chetzki