Life at Lake X in the '60s

[velox]

Hi Charlie - This more fun than going from +7g to -3g in about 2 seconds....and I know... that you know what I mean...Keep the blue side up...at least once in awhile. -Steve

I haven't pulled any G's in a while. My son, David got hurt very badly last March skiing so we haven't got the plane out so far ths year. We worked on i today and plan on flying it tomorrow!
We do plan on getting back in aerobatic shape soon.
It takes me a solid week to get where I don't get sick! He can get back much sooner than I. Someday you will have to go up with one of us.Its not a jet, but it goes 3000 feet vertical and rolls in .75 Seconds . The G's are up to the pilot. The most I have ever seen are -5.5 and + 7.5.

[gofish7070]

Hey I'm reaching for the barf bag,,,,,,,,,,, just looking at those numbers,,,,,,,,, Seeroy can you believe over 25K hits on this thread,,,,,,,,,And they paid us for that stuff,,,,,,,,,,

[seeroy]

OK Lake X, Mercury, and Boat Racing Aficionados, get your memory hats on. Some time back, I said I would post a list of names that I had typed a few years ago, IF I could find it on this darn computer. Well, I finally found it and realized it is not as extensive as I had thought. Also, through this site and OSO I have found out what did happen to some of them and re-established contact with others. Therefore, I have removed their names from the list, which made it even smaller. I will also post this on OSO. Anyway, the list follows. If you can add any information on these folks, please do. Best Regards to all - Steve Sirois
The list -
Freddy Kiekhaefer.
Anita Kiekhaefer.
Helen Kiekhaefer
Freda Kiekhaefer
Mabry Edwards
Jim Wagner
Jean Wagner
Joe Anderson
Red Anderson
Jake Andrson
Pete Anderson
Chet Strickland
Dale Thayer
Gene Wagner
George Anderson
Ed Finley
Billy Steele
Joe Swift
Dave Adams
Billy Marshall
Bob Eider
Pete Brogan
Joel Dumbolten
Clarence Pennel
Rachel (Lake X Maid)
Charlie Rush
Jim Emerson
Izzy Lashmore
Dave Martin
Jim Tebo
Wayne Vickers
Mel Riggs
Odell Lewis
Mike Ramsey
John Stenbeck
Roger Stenbeck
Ed Luthie
Gene (midshift)
Wayne Meyer
Roy Ridgell
Jim Stough
George Thompson
Gene Berg
John Laterneau
Johnny Bakos
Red Crise
Shirley Schwebbes
Ted Collins
Bruce Pfeiffer
John Flood
Al Copeland
Doug Janisch
Larry Smith
Cotton Simms
Dean Schallenberger
George (tower)
Sammy James
Jake Trotter
Jim Bruell
Jim Armington
Buckeye Marine
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<ST1lake</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st=" /><st1:State w:st="on"><ST1</st1:State>Barry Cohen
Dick Clark
Jerry Gilbreath
Jack Gilbreath
Jim Harkins
Dave Stirrat
Bob Magoon
Barry Cordingly
Jerry Howard
Ray Dowling
Dave Martin
Bill Davis
Eddie Morenz
Ed Leslie

[jlf56]

Steve, I don't remember when, but Roy Ridgell (red headed and worked the Europe operations) died some time back. His brother , Bob, lives here in the Port O'Connor, Texas area. The Bob Magoon, wasn't that the Dr. that owned the offshore boats?? Billy Steele, I think was the guy in the picture I have from Havasu Renato and Carlo Racini's daughter. He appeared to be in his fifty's then (1966).

Joe Fielder

[Mark75H]

Joe Swift's son Jimmy is a member here on screamandfly: http://forums.screamandfly.com/forum...er.php?u=18185 jimmiswift

He responded on post # 136 of this thread.

[seeroy]

jlf56 - Joe - Indeed Dr Bob Magoon was (is) the eye surgeon that was highly succesful offshore racer. He was very close friend of Don Aronow. He set records to include Miami to New York. He ran Kiekhaefer Aeromarine for some time. I rode with him in one Around Long Island race in twin outboard Magnum. We puked and engine about 1/3 of the way and had to withdraw. - Steve Sirois

[Seven]

Great storys are told here! Thanks for that

A thing i don't understand: How could Lake X be undiscovered for such a long time? It seems like there were so many people around...didn't they tell others where Lake X is?

By the way...was Lake X private property?

Thanks for all the storys and keep on coming up with new ones!
M

[seeroy]

OOPS! I did not mean to say earlier that Doc Magoon RAN Kiekhaefer Aeromarine. I meant to say that he ran boats powered by KAM. -Steve

[seeroy]

Seven - Sounds like you got your moniker from Seinfield episode where George wanted to name a child "Seven". As to Lake X ownership. Original official name is Lake Conlin, and it is listed as such on maps. As I understand, it was acquired by Mr Kiekhaefer around 1960, +or- a couple of years. When he no longer owned the company, he leased it back to the company and the family finally sold the property to a private owner at some point after his death. I do not know the name of new owner but he built a house (complex) on the North end of the lake. My brother once told me that he had met or knew the new owner. I looked at his complex from the air around 1997 and was impressed. I have attached 2 Google earth pics. One shows the entire property which is approximately 17 miles around. The other pic shows the new owners complex at the North end of the lake. I hope he does not consider this a violation of his privacy. There are others on this site that can give much better, and probably more accurate, information on the ownership of Lake X. -Steve Sirois

[T2x]

Lake X was private property and it was on a side road about a mile north of the main highway that ran through St.Cloud and Kissimmee. If you were'nt given directions you would never have known where it was. In addition, even if you knew where it was you would not have gotten through the guarded gate house. After the old man sold it, the new owner started something called the "Lake X Cattle company" and converted it to a cattle ranching operation. I knew his name at one time but, like so many other things, it has been lost to a "senior moment".

[T2x]

See a few answers below

Freddy Kiekhaefer. Currently President of Mercury Racing in Fond Du Lac

Jim Emerson Just retired after years of running the Mercury race truck at offshore races. He also was head tech and rigger on our Jesse James projects.
Wayne Vickers Invented an Espresso machine and moved to New England somewhere
Mel Riggs Still rigging in Wisconsin in his own shop

John Stenbeck Last seen working for His REggieness about 8 years ago
Johnny Bakos Posts on this website

John Flood Back in Oshkosh I think
Al Copeland Still kicking and owns at least two or three TUrbine Skaters and various other toys...no race boats however
Larry Smith Still designing original Cigarette copies in California
Barry Cohen active in Antique race boat activities and restorations and still owns a few antique hulls
Jerry Gilbreath Currently crew chief for the AMF turbine boat "Miss Geico"
Jack Gilbreath deceased
Billy Martin Just resumed his racing career in local northeast events

[seeroy]

T2 - Great update on some folks. Thank You. A couple of years ago I was in Kissimmee and figured, what the Hell, I think I will ride out to the Lake. It was eerily quiet at the front gate. There was a call box at the gate and a "Lake X Cattle Company" sign. I pushed the button but got no response. It was an incredibly lonely feeling standing there looking into the property. I went away feeling like an amazing piece of history had just faded into anonymity. For anyone that feels the call of Lake X, Go South/East out of Saint Cloud on US 441/192, when you pass 15/Narcoossee Road, check your odometer and procede for 3.9 miles, angle Left onto the Old Melbourne Highway, go 4.3 miles and on the left will be at the Lake X Gate (assuming that it is still there). Just inside of the gate you will see the end of the 5000' paved runway with an X on the end. If you are fortunate enough to be flying, it is not hard to find. I have attached a Google Earth image of the road from 441 to the gate. It is actually a very nice ride. -Steve Sirois

[blkmtrfan]

Larry Smith Still designing original Cigarette copies in California

Thanks for that one Rich

[moparbarn]

i went to school at the sanford naval academy in sanford, fl. from 66 to 69. used to go down 441/192, going home to miami. amazing to think i drove THAT close to the lake so many times. lake x is a somewhat mythical place to all us non racers. up until these past few posts, i had no idea where it was, other than central fl. knowing where it was wouldn't have done me any good, but damn-that close . thanx to all for sharing all the history. i grew up around it, but not in it, all these posts bring it into perspective for those of us not involved back then. once again, a heartfelt thanx to all of you guys for sharing. one more reason i love the boating community, and s&f .

[Bruce Washburn]

I beleive the current owner's last name is Kirchman ?spelling? It is also interesting to note that a massive Housing development was started in 2000 between 441 and old Melbournne Hwy. just across the street from the Lake. This may have been one of the contributing reasons why the Lake went away.

I saw Janish about 6 to 7 years ago in Lauderdale he was getting ready to move at the time and was battling Parkinsons.