I've been going out on the lake for over a month already this year, but with our second straight nice weekend, the lake was alive and well!  Water temps were only 62-65 degrees, but that didn't stop the water-sports enthusiasts from hitting the waves early!  We got to spend another day with Murphy testing out the Dog-On-Water boat ramp (pics and video over on Murphy's Log), and we definitely had more success than last time, and I didn't have to jump in the water.  It was great to see all the activity on the lake, however there was also plenty of bad boating behavior going on as well, so I figured it's time to post another Rule of the lake, so look for that to come out here this week.  (Here's a hint and a free download that every laker should read)

Wake surfing is definitely the "in" thing right now, and it looks like a lot of fun.  I'm told it's much easier on the body than skiing and tubing, which is nice for some of us broken down ex-athletes.  HOWEVER, it really sucks having one of these boats go by you when you're just cruising.  The wakes that these boats create are just massive and will definitely rock your boat.  It looks like a lot of fun and if I had a sweet wake boat I'm sure I'd be out there tearing it up too.  I only have a pontoon boat though, so I try to steer clear of that wake after several massive waves crashed over us....literally.  

So another great weekend is in the books; yards were worked on, tennis balls were chased after, golf balls were swung at and hit occasionally, we taste tested a beer that did not live up to expectations (review coming to The Cooler), and my first mate was very helpful on the boat.!  

This week the Rule The Lake team leaves the water for the friendly grounds of Talladega for 5 nights of camping and ​revelry.  Come say hi in the North Park campground or in the Paddock Club on race day!  Were you on the water this weekend?  How'd it go?

​It was a glorious weekend here in Central Indiana as winter finally packed its things and moved out, and gave way to the first great weekend of April.  Outdoor activity was at a fever pitch as we all finally had some opportunity to soak up some vitamin D and get started on all the work that needed to be done.  My weekend was packed from sunrise to sunset each day with a mixture of sports, recreation, yard-work, and I even took in a Broadway musical downtown on Sunday. 

​The weekend started out on the golf course with a nice little 9-hole round at a local course, and we followed that up with an impromptu wine cruise and a stop at one of the lake restaurants/bars, which was absolutely slammed.  I got to test out several new pieces of lake gear and will be posting some new reviews this week (just in time for Mother’s Day).  It only took about an hour on the lake Friday night, and I already found “that guy.”  If you’ve read Rule #1 of the Ruler’s Guide to the Lake, you’ll know what I’m talking about.  If you haven’t, you should read it here.  This boat was perfectly suited for Lake Eerie, or maybe somewhere off the Florida Coast, but a complete joke on Morse Reservoir.  And the captain of that boat, which was so load we couldn’t hear each other talk from 20 yards away, was a real great guy that basically “tailgated” us for a good 15 minutes.  I sped up, he sped up, I slowed down, he’d get closer and closer.  I finally just came to a complete stop and let him go by.

You win, too big boat guy, you win!

Aside from that, a perfect Friday evening.  It was great seeing everyone at the bar outside and enjoying the lake view, and the hustle and bustle of life and energy on the lake was invigorating.  The people of Indiana, myself included, go crazy when the weather turns nice.  If you can sit outside, you're doing it!  When I lived in Virginia, 50 degrees was still winter coat and hat weather.  Here, it's shorts and flip-flop time!

Saturday morning I was up for a sunrise kayak trip and enjoyed some tranquility with the swans.  After that, it was yard work time.  Around mid-day, Murphy was giving me the eye, and I was pretty hot and basically done with my chores, so I took the old boy out for a spin and a swim.  We tried out his newest toy, the Dog-on-water boat ramp (available in the Lake Store), and it was hit and miss.  It worked like a charm when it worked, but Murphy hasn’t figured it out yet and the end result was me having to jump into some 56 degree water and get him straightened out.  You can read Murphy’s weekend recap over on Murphy’s Log.  After I got him tired out, we took a cruise around the lake just to dry out and soak up some sun, and I came upon these poor, unfortunate souls.  My heart sank a little bit thinking about it…you never want to see your fellow Lakers have a misfortune like this! 

It was definitely hopping at the boat launch, so I stayed well clear of all that madness and traffic.  However, the lake was alive again, and a general feeling of happiness and excitement was in the air.  As I was returning to my dock, one of my neighbors was heading out and asked me “How are you doing?”  I replied, “I’m out on the lake, could I be doing any better?”  He echoed the sentiment, and that’s the spirit of the lake, and why I love it.

Sunday was a family day and we headed to Indianapolis to catch “The Book of Mormon” and then celebrated my birthday.  It was one of the best weekends I’ve had in a long time, and considering it was basically the first lake weekend of the year, the bar is set high.  It’s going to be a special summer I think.  I’ll be posting several updates this week so check back often and follow on twitter and Instagram for the latest updates.  I also added the ‘Merica Collection to the store, because Old Glory is always in style, and the Fourth of July is not that far away.  You can shop directly from Amazon from the Lake Store without even leaving the page...how convenient!

Were you on the lake this weekend?  Did you spot “that guy”?  Leave a comment and tell us about it.

Welcome to The King’s Blog, the feature blog of Rule The Lake!  This blog was inspired by several conversations I’ve had with non-lake friends, associates, and co-workers about being on the lake over the last few years, none of which ended with them understanding just how special the “lake life” is.  There is something different about the way of life on and around The Lake, and non-Lakers just can’t, don’t, or won’t understand it.  How many of you out there have explained living on the lake to someone unfamiliar with it?  It’s frustrating, isn’t it!  You can tell them all the great things about it repeatedly, but there is something more to it that you have to experience before it really sinks in (this topic will be explored throughout the life of the blog).  On the lake people are friendlier, happier, easy going, more inclined to be active, and most certainly helpful!  It truly is a wonderful place to be and is a place where your everyday stress disappears.  Having a bad day?  Go sit by the water and watch the ducks swim around and quack.  Bad traffic?  Get out on that boat for a quick cruise, ski, or swim!  Miss a workout?  Jump in the lake, canoe, kayak, or paddleboard and you’re all good!  Whatever life throws at you, the lake has an answer!  This is the spirit of this blog, and of Rule The Lake!  There are so many great things about “The Lake” which I think are worth writing about and sharing with you, and I hope you read and share your experiences with me as well! 
Throughout the blog, you’ll be getting stories, anecdotes, humor (or at least what I think is funny), reviews, tips, deals, and products, and much more that will certainly be relevant to anyone that spends time on a lake.  My goal is to provide you with everything you need to rule the lake and I am excited to pursue that effort!  Take a look around the site, leave some comments, or send me an email!  Make Rule The Lake your hub for all things lake related!  You can also follow me on Instagram @Kingofthelake, the site @rulethelake, or on Twitter @rulethelake.  Like us on Facebook and check out our videos on Youtube (when the water gets warm and I make some).  Now go jump in the lake!