Great outdoors opportunities abound on post

By Amy Guckeen TolsonApril 5, 2012

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(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

When life gets hectic, don't look for T.J. Lapointe on the ground.

"I tell my friends and co-workers that my therapist has a couch 30 feet up in a tree," said Lapointe, who works at AMRDEC's Prototype Integration Facility. "I feel that everything is OK, or in balance with the world around us when you're camo from head to toe calling up a wise old gobbler (Redstone Arsenal wild turkey). I also talk to the duck, rabbit, quail and small game hunters on Redstone Arsenal and they feel the same way. You're close to God and Mother Nature's unique creations in the great outdoors."

And for Lapointe, there's no greater place to be outside than on Redstone Arsenal itself. A self-described Army brat, Lapointe grew up on the installation, learning to hunt side-by-side with his father. While today he may be older and wiser, his love for the outdoors, and all the offerings that are provided to enjoy it through FMWR's Outdoor Recreation have remained the same. Together with family, friends and co-workers, he participates in turkey shoots as well as other hunting opportunities, rents boats, campers and barbecue grills, shops the General Store for equipment, practices his skills at the trap and skeet range, and volunteers for the hunting program, helping to mark areas, check in deer and sign up hunters. Rest and relaxation for Lapointe and his circle of friends starts and ends at Outdoor Rec.

"In today's environment of high stress, optempo of supporting troops in multiple theaters of operation, and lots of interesting challenges facing Redstone Arsenal employees, the downtime that helps us all reset is very therapeutic in nature when you get to spend time in the great outdoors," Lapointe said.

It's hard to capture everything Outdoor Recreation offers because Outdoor Rec does almost exactly that -- everything. From disc golf to hunting, fishing to swimming, picnicking to running trails, and renting campers to boats, Outdoor Rec can get you out of the office and reconnected with Mother Nature in no time at all. Open daily seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at building 5139 on Sportsman Drive, anyone with access to the Arsenal is eligible to use Outdoor Rec's services.

"We have all the resources right here on post to accommodate a wide range of activities," Tom Pyburn, business manager for Outdoor Rec, said. "We live in a gorgeous area; it's really a beautiful part of the country."

Enjoy the Tennessee River without ever having to leave the Arsenal at the Col. Carroll Hudson Recreation Area, located on the south end of post at the end of Patton Road. Here you can picnic at a pavilion, listen to the birds, search for wildlife on the Path to Nature Trail, drop a line to see if the fish are biting, or launch your boat -- and that's only a few of the ways to unwind by the river. Basketball, softball, sand volleyball and a playground are also available, in addition to The Cliffs, formerly known as the Rustic Lodge, which will reopen later this year.

"It's wonderful. Take the family outdoors to have your picnics and relax," Outdoor Recreation manager Bill Moreland said. "There's something about sitting on the river, whether you're reading a book or just watching the children play."

"It centers you," Pyburn said. "It's sort of spiritual."

For a full night of fun, spend the night at the Easter Posey Recreation Area on the river, off of Shields Road near the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, where in addition to fishing, softball, basketball, a playground and picnicking, you can not only launch your boat, but camp as well, with water, electricity and a bathhouse all on site.

An RV Park is also available just off Goss Road for those looking for a less rustic experience, with a laundromat, dog park, bathhouse, pavilion, Wi-Fi and cable television.

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Part 9 of series

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Don't have a boat or a camper? Don't let that stop you. If you've always dreamed of floating down the Tennessee River, make those dreams a reality and rent one from Outdoor Rec. From bass boats, pontoons, canoes, trailers, campers, generators, and smokers, equipment to deepen and enrich your relationship with the outdoors is available for rent at an affordable price. All items must be reserved in person and may be requested up to 90 days in advance. Walk-ins are accepted upon equipment availability. Rentals are from 9:30 a.m. to the following day at 9:30 a.m. Items are held for one hour on the day of reservation; after 10:30 a.m. they may be released to the next person requesting the rental. Riverside pavilions are also available at no charge, but must be reserved in person and may be requested up to 90 days in advance.

"We're the best deal around. There's just not many people that even rent boats or campers, and our rates are fantastic. You're going to get quality and safe equipment," said Moreland, whose friendly staff will make sure you and your family know how to operate the equipment safely before checkout.

Indoor and outdoor boat and RV storage is also available, in addition to mini storage units and moving truck rentals. To inquire about storage prices, call 842-7540.

Pass along a family tradition and teach your children how to live off the land, whether it be hunting or fishing, in the installation's expansive woods and waters. To hunt on post, hunters must have an Alabama state hunting license, a state-approved hunter education certificate, have attended orientation on the Arsenal, and obtained an Arsenal hunting permit. April is turkey season. To fish on post, you must have a state fishing permit; no Outdoor Recreation permit is required. Fishing is allowed at Col. Carroll Hudson and Easter Posey recreation areas seven days of the week. To fish at the Bradford Sinks, you must sign out through Outdoor Rec on open weekends. A trap and skeet range, as well as archery, is also available at Outdoor Rec.

"It's something that you as a parent, you can't wait to get your son or daughter out here. It's so important that we pass this on, especially hunting," Moreland said.

"If we don't teach our children, the outdoor sports will die, especially hunting and youth hunts. We're really trying to ensure that the sport continues, that it thrives, and that we pass along the respect for the land and the game to our children."

If time is of the essence, there's still plenty of opportunities available to get you away from your desk and into the outdoors. To get your blood pumping and some fresh air in your lungs on your lunch break, grab your running shoes and hit the trails. Whether it's one mile, five, or even 10, you can explore the Arsenal as far as your feet will take you, from Martin Road to Goss. A one-way trip from The Links to the jogging track near Toftoy and Digney is 6.2 miles.

If pounding the pavement isn't your strong suit, challenge your co-workers or the family to a round of disc golf at Outdoor Rec's challenging 18-hole course, located off Vincent Drive and Phoenix (the first hole is near the basketball court). Or start a game of sand volleyball, softball, horseshoes or basketball. All are available at nearby Vincent Park with equipment available for rent or purchase at Outdoor Recreation.

While you're renting some equipment, be sure to stop by the General Store next door at building 5138. With an inventory of rods and reels, coolers, live bait -- including crickets, red worms and night crawlers -- ammunition, bug repellant, ice and a propane exchange, the store is a one-stop shop for all your outdoors needs. If they don't have what you're looking for, you can request it.

"We really need that information to know what to put in the store," Moreland said. For more information about Outdoor Recreation and its services, stop by or call 876-4868.

"We're proud of what we have here," Pyburn said. "Just come out and explore the yard and what equipment we offer. We'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have."