Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite RealtorSnowmobile Drag Races Deep Creek Lake
Snowmobile Drag Races Deep Creek Lake
Let’s get ready to RUMBLE! Leave the boxing gloves at home this weekend, fuel up your snowmobile and head on down to the big drag races this Saturday February 12th, 2011. This weekend the crowd will be at Harvey’s Farm, 2482 Sandflat Road watching the bold and brave flex their ego’s and horsepower at this classic Garrett County event. I am bursting with excitement because this is my first sled drag race other than racing my husband Bob for bragging rights on the lake. I’m still on the fence whether I will suit up and represent the ladies in this all day event. Watching my new husband race may be about all the excitement I can stand in one day, personally. I can’t wait to watch the thunder in all the different classes which go from Stock, Super Stock, and Pro Modified. Word is that the big dogs are bringing in their super hot rods that will be thrilling to watch as they can reach some rally insane speeds. Bring your family, and tell your friends about this supercharged winter event.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite RealtorFour Season-Deep Creek Lake
Four Season Deep Creek Lake
Imagine with me for a minute a beautiful lake nuzzled into majestic mountain ranges that boasts four spectacular seasons with literally hundreds of different activities to quench your thirst for living. Close your eyes and spin an imaginary wheel with the four seasons on it, and wherever it lands you will be rewarded with a special time to visit us here at the lake. Deep Creek Lake is truly an amazing four season area to come explore with your family and friends. It will not take long for Garrett County to feel like home as you experience year-after-year perfect mountain conditions, one season at a time.
Winter time here at the “Little Tahoe of the East” can be more fun and excitement than you can take. There is plenty of snow to provide a picturesque background to many winter activities. I suggest after getting your fill of skiing or snowboarding that you go take a hike in one of Garrett County’s 7 State Parks. Swallow Falls State Park is my personal favorite in the wintertime because of the partially frozen falls that are covered with hundreds of little icicles. Bring a camera and some snowshoes after a big snow and be prepared to enter a winter wonderland.
Four Season-Deep Creek Lake
As spring starts to slowly melt the snow, again the waterfalls and Youghiogheny River swell dramatically and you will witness some of the most spectacular waterfalls the East Coast has to offer at Swallow Falls State Park. Listen to the sound of water flowing that rivals that of thunder and feel the freight train power of the Yough exploding all around you. Spring is also a good time to get your boat tuned up and head to the lake to begin capitalizing on some productive fishing.
As summer arrives, you are in the heart of my favorite time of the year here. Enjoy low humidity, warm air and lake temperatures, and a zillion things to do. Every day here during the summer season is sacred to me and I count my blessings every car ride to work. Summers here possess a positive, beautiful aura for being alive. Activities? Hmmm…it would take days to list all the things I enjoy doing here during the summer. For a start, go on a hike, go Kayaking, go wakeboarding, go fishing, those are the obvious. Go chase every day with the eyes of an explorer and you’ll be amazed at what you uncover.
Fall here brings people from all over the East Coast to enjoy the stunning fall foliage as the trees prepare to shed their leaving and turn into the most amazing kaleidoscope of colors. Find a spot on Wisp Mountain that has mountain views and you’ll be in awe of colorful mountainscapes. It is also a prime time to go fishing on the lake and in the rivers so don’t forget your fishing gear.
Come visit the only home I’ve ever known and see the brilliance of all four seasons.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite RealtorDeep Creek Lake Bear Safety Facts
Deep Creek Lake Bear Safety Facts
Although we are experiencing another wonderful snow-filled winter in Deep Creek Lake, it will not be long before spring is here and our friend the ‘Black Bear’ is coming out of hibernation! I thought it would be a good idea to talk about some bear safety and do’s and don’ts from what I have read, and from personal experience living here on Wisp Mountain.
Hiking or Camping: First of all, most attacks are mother bears defending their cubs. I know that baby bear cubs are very cute, but if you see a cub you need to distance yourself calmly and immediately because the mother cub is always close by. Mother bears are very defensive of their cubs so be respectful of their family; do not underestimate the mother’s fury. The old saying, “you attract what you fear”, comes to play when dealing with any wild animal. Remain calm! Slowly back away from a bear confrontation until the bear ignores you. At your campsite, bang pots and pans & yell and clap loudly to try to keep the bear moving away from you. Wave your hands as high as possible to appear larger. Never turn your back on a bear and never run. Running attracts any animal to pursue you. Always cook and store your food at least 100 feet from your camp. Store your food in Tupperware and keep it in a tree 30 feet off the ground and 15 feet from the tree trunk. Remember, bears are very agile tree climbers. My husband and I witnessed a mother and cub grazing through our front yard a few summers back and the playful cub climbed every other 60 foot tree in seconds. The mother occasionally will do the same. It’s hard to comprehend the lightning speed that the bears possess.
Vacationers at Deep Creek Lake- The Department of Natural Resources were called in to help us a few summers back to deal with a bear problem in our neighborhood. Reason being….food in trash cans. People have to understand the importance of keeping trash cans away in their garages or securing them tightly in outside containers. Bears can be huge scavengers if there is a steady food source. Too many mornings going to work or driving around the lake I see trash heaped up improperly outside and you can bet you will find trash littered from dozens of homes all the way up and down the roads of DCL when this happens. First of all, it becomes a huge littering problem for the lake but more importantly it could put your family and children in harms way. Also, some locals think it’s nice to set out food so they can witness the bears eating it. It’s never a good idea to feed the bears; they will become reliant on humans to supply their food source and it quickly becomes habit-forming, creating bear problems within our neighborhood. Lets all be respectful of the bear’s natural habitat and the safety of local and out-of-state residents. Deep Creek Lake is a very special place where we are lucky to interact with a massive amount of wildlife so let’s take a few precautions to respect and enjoy the bears presence in our lives.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite RealtorSnow Tubing at Deep Creek Lake
No other Deep Creek Lake activity screams family fun like Snow Tubing at Wisp Resort. Take a little time away from skiing or snowboarding and head down to Wisp Outdoors Adventure Park and get the family signed up for a fun afternoon of snow tubing. This takes very little effort, other than bringing your enthusiasm with you, and a smile on your face. Just grab a tube (the firmer, the faster) and head up the magic carpet to the top of the park. Stop and look around at the top because you get an amazing view of McHenry Cove from that vantage point. Don’t be intimidated in any way shape or form. Plant your bottom in a tube and get ready to slide and spin your way up and down the dump-dee-dumps to the bottom. Try it on your belly on your next run if you want to mix up the excitement. Don’t put it off another minute on your next visit to Deep Creek Lake. Watch the kids’ smiles, on both young and adult, at the end of every run and see how they scurry with excitement to their next turn down the mountain.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Deep Creek Lake WVU Fans
Deep Creek Lake WVU Fans
September 4, 2010 and we get out first cool fall-like morning,
waking up to 50 degree temperatures and the start of college football season. There are a lot of West Virginia University fans here at Deep Creek Lake and I’m pretty confident that I’m at the top of the list of passionate football fans.
I started going to the WVU games when I was 4 years old and haven’t missed a season in 27 seasons. My sweet grandmother would stitch me really cute Mountaineer cheerleading outfits and I would chant as loud as I could cheering on my team.
I have many exciting football-based memories with my friends and family. We traditionally show up 3-4 hours before the game and get our tailgating groove on with a huge clan of WVU fans. Morgantown is a hardcore football town that shows immense pride in their beloved team.
As I pack up the car this morning with my tailgating gear my stomach already stirs with excitement in anticipation of hearing the Mountaineer Marching Band blasting out Mylan Puskar stadium, and the Mountain man mascot firing a shot out of his period rifle leading the team on the field! LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!!
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
5th Annual Deep Creek Chili Splash
Wisp Resort will be holding their infamous CHILI COOK-OFF this Saturday August 7th from Noon-5:30 pm. Come taste many different interpretations of this famous San Antonio dish dating back to 1731…yes, that’s right…Texas that is! I have researched it and there is a misconception that chili is a Mexican dish. The history books will steer you to San Antonio, Texas where early Spanish settlers by order of King Phillips V arrived from the Spanish Canary Islands and made a spicy “Spanish” stew that later became what we now know as chili.
5th Annual Deep Creek Chili Splash
The key ingredient to this world re-known “stew” is hot peppers and in some cases, a lot of them! Some chili enthusiasts pride themselves in preparing a chili that is nuclear hot with the hot pepper being the star. Other cooks like to layer the smokey flavors of cumin, chili powder, onion, beef, and kidney beans, with a hint of spice from the hot pepper. I believe the key to a great chili is a delicious flavor base, and for me that is a bottle of Newcastle beer. I also like to combine ground beef, ground pork, and ground turkey with the other “regular” ingredients. If you think you can take the heat, then bring your brave taste pallet over to the hot pepper eating contest. Size up your hot pepper eating skills against other fire bellies.
General admission is $5 for adults, $3 Children (7-12yrs), 6 and under is free, which includes entrance to the event, Music, Children’s events and 5 tasting kits.
Cooks may contact John McCracken at 301.387.4911 ext. 2211
or email jmccracken@wispresort.com for information.
Here is a schedule of events
11 am Lighting of the Stoves
12 pm Gates Open
1 pm Mr. Hot Sauce & Ms. Chili Pepper
1:30 pm Salsa Turn In
2 pm Splash Contest
2:30 pm Chili Verde Turn In
3 pm Pepper Eating Contest
3:30 pm Red Chili Turn In
4 pm Wet T-Shirt Contest
5:30 pm Awards
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Celebrating Independence Day Deep Creek Lake-style! Fourth of July weekend brings images of a Boston Butt slow smoking on the grill, corn on the cob, pork and beans, potato salad, sweet ice tea, and of course as the day ends and it gets dark, fireworks! Deep Creek Lake’s McHenry Cove become’s a parking lot full of boats jockeying for the best view of Wisp Resort and the famous fireworks show that they annually put on. The elevated highway, Route 219/Garrett Highway, which sits across from DCL and the Wisp is littered with hundreds of cars filled with excited families who have made this fireworks show a proud tradition for Garrett County residence and folks visiting from out of town. The fireworks start at 9:15 and continue on until 9:45. Save some energy from your busy day barbecuing and pull up a chair or a boat to enjoy an American Independence Day celebration here in Patriotic Deep Creek Lake.
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
Wisp Resort’s Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour-Deep Creek Lake. The newest adventure activity to hit Deep Creek Lake, Maryland…a Canopy Tour attraction! I had the great opportunity to experience Wisp Resort’s Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour for myself a few weeks ago. It was a blast! There are 5 zips plus a training zip at the beginning of the course. It’s important to pay attention in the practice area and listen to all of the guides instructions, it will make your tour go smoother and safer.
Remember to bring your handheld recording device or camera to bring the experience home with you. It takes approximately 1 1/2 hours to get through the course and they can take up to 8 people and a Guide at a time. The cost is $39/pp. Happy zipping
Wisp Resort’s Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour-Deep Creek LakeWisp Resort’s Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour-Deep Creek Lake
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
The Taylor-Made Vacations and Sales are proud to introduce Bob Holcomb as an integral part of our team. After 23 years of working around the world in golf course construction, the epiphany in Holcomb’s career came when he was hired to supervise the construction of Lodestone Golf Club at Wisp Resort. He subsequently fell in love with Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County. “I haven’t experienced any place that offers the variety of activities such as fishing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, waterskiing, snowmobiling and hiking”.
Jack Nicklaus Bob Holcomb
Bob has had a lucrative career working with some of the world’s legendary golf design greats, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Fred Couples, Rees Jones and most recently… Hale Irwin, at Lodestone private course atop Wisp Mountain near Deep Creek Lake.
Arnold Palmer Bob Holcomb
While the world’s greatest courses are typically designed by these legends, its guys like Holcomb who take the blueprints and bend them to fit the earth. The result is “a very artistic interpretation of the plans,” Holcomb said. “Having experienced different design philosophies, its enjoyable for me to apply this knowledge in the field…it’s like a hybrid in your mind”. Bob has gained acclaim as perhaps the industry’s finest in golf course construction. His creativity led one architect to describe him as “Picasso” using the earth as his canvas.
Fred Couples Bob Holcomb
He has shaped or reshaped courses that have hosted some of the world’s mightiest tournaments, including Hazeltine, the Atlanta Athletic Club (which hosted both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship), the critically acclaimed Brandon Dunes in Oregon and The Victoria in Portugal (which was host of the 2005 World Championship World Cup and the Portuguese Masters).
arnold palmer bob holcomb
Bob’s role with the Spiker Team and Long & Foster will center on Real Estate Sales, as well as being available for questions at Lodestone Golf Information Centers. Please feel free to talk with Bob and learn the Lodestone “behind the scenes” stories that relate the process that blends the brute force of heavy equipment to rip the earth like bulls, then sculpt it like plastic surgeons.
David McLay Kidd Bob HolcombHale Irwin and Bob Holcomb Lodestone
Betsy Spiker Holcomb Deep Creek Lakes Favorite Realtor
So this is it, the last weekend of skiing at Wisp Resort in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. March’s warm temperatures have encouraged us to put away the skiis, sleds, snowshovels and boots but there’s a pretty cool opportunity presenting itself this weekend with the help of the awesome weather brought by Mother Nature and Wisp Resort’s promise to keep us skiing until Easter.
Shredding Wisp Resort
Imagine this…taking runs on the ski slopes in 80 degree temperatures, then suiting up in your spring wetsuit to take the first passes of the season on DCL with your wakeboard or waterskiis. All in the same day, that is. I’m sold! A very cool proposition we’ve been given by some local thrill seekers. That’s where you’ll find me tomorrow. Slopes at 11:00 and lake at 12:00.. Happy Easter!
