Roosevelt Lake had a little extra star power on Sunday, September 6th, when
A Hall of Famer Takes the Helm at Roosevelt Lake
my friend Nick Lowery, Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame kicker and the most accurate kicker in NFL history at his retirement, came out to spend a day on the water.
We came to visit my friend Dennis Upton, owner of The Olympian, a beautiful 30-foot Catalina sailing yacht. The visit started dockside, trading sailing stories for football stories, and then Dennis took us out for a fabulous sail. He kept us busy ensuring correct sail trim and optimal tacking and jibing, and before long Dennis had Nick at the wheel, helming The Olympian himself.
With a steady 15-knot wind, we sailed down past the bridge, and then right under it, to cheers from the boats gathered nearby. It’s not every day that boaters see a sailing yacht sail under the bridge under full sail. On the way back, we toured the marina under sail before dropping canvas and motoring into the slip.
A Hall of Famer Takes the Helm at Roosevelt Lake
Nick had such a wonderful time that he insisted on buying Dennis and me dinner at Ffinches Restaurant, then stayed overnight at the Roosevelt Resort Motel. The next morning, he was out early, taking long walks and discovering treasures like the old cave dwellings. He was so taken with the whole experience that he posted about it on Facebook, recommending Roosevelt Lake Marina and the surrounding area as a fabulous destination and a hidden treasure that too many Arizonans don’t know about.
He’s right. I keep my own boat at the lake and I’m here most weekends, and I’ve never brought a visitor who didn’t have a wonderful time. There is something about this place: the water, the desert light, the people that stay with everyone who come.
A heartfelt thank you to Dennis Upton for taking us out and for giving the Hall of Famer the chance to take the wheel of The Olympian. Nick has kicked in front of roaring crowds all over America, but I suspect the cheers at the bridge that afternoon meant just as much.
Come out and see the lake for yourself. It might just become your favorite hidden treasure too.
-Christine Ely
