Nightrider - I have two guesses
 

Are you a Mel Gibson fan i.e. Mad Max or I think there was a 70's vintage TV show that featued the NightRider? Let me know......

I wasn't going to post but since I was egged on by APS, I will. My family history goes way back on Lake Winni. My great grandfather died gathering ice from the lake. My parents first owned their own lake property in 1954. So I was fortunate to have spent almost all of my life on the lake. My better half and I have been in our own house on the lake for about 25 years. So we have been lakeside for at least 3 generations. I love the lake and could never imagine being anywhere else in the world in the summer. Winter is a different story as I hate cold. But we did love to snowmobile when there was snow. I think I have done everything there is to do on the lake, except those new chair things that go up and down. What do you call them?
I remember when there were no houses on the east side of Rattlesnake. I also remember when a friend of the family bought the first lot on Cow Island across from the Barber Pole. He tented there, but before he could build was killed in a car accident. So I guess I am getting to be one of the old timers on the lake. But I still occasionally remember how much fun it was being a teenager on Lake Winnipesaukee!

I'm still a newbie to the lake and I am not sure that my story warrants a post. In the past couple of years, I've turned into a boating nut and so I picked boat_guy. Hate to say it, but I was born in 64. Hence, boat_guy64. I moved to New Hampshire in 1984 but never ventured to "the lake" until 2002. ( I just didn't know what I was missing) I was working really long days to finish a project and my boss at the time suggested I take some time off at his lakehouse. After an amazing week with my wife and kids on the lake, we've been hooked ever since. In 2005 we purchased our first boat and we've spent every possible weekend on the lake. We recently purchased a summer house in Meredith and we are looking for our first summer "living on the lake". I only hope that my kids and grandkids will write stories on this forum in many years that tell about how they spent their childhood's on the lake and the memories that they have of it. While I missed many years here, from a newbie standpoint, this is the best place on earth.

about Mark
 

I'll let you guess why my screen name is Mark. No avatar yet. I've been reading the forum for some time. Last summer I decided to become a member.

I have been a lake Winnipesaukee addict for many years. I try to be at the lake as often as possible.

I power boat, sail, canoe and row.

Change is good according to some people. I've watched the area change every year. I still love the place but I wish the changes would slow down.

It is interesting to read all the posts in this thread. Everyone should add to it.

Another Jerseyite
 

The name explains. I'm from New Jersey and I think Bear Island is the greatest place on earth. I started spending several weeks each summer with my parents back in the early 1950's on Bear when food was kept in an ice box a real one kept cold with ice. There were no flushies back then only the old house. I loved it and after having my own children brought them to the island and they now come with their children. We spend a lot of quality time together and enjoyed having great grandmom with us for a lot of years.The area has changed so much over the past 50 years but still has that magical hold. There is nothing better than the morning cup of coffee and watching the loons as the steam rises from the lake

My Turn
 

jbess = A combination of my first and last name (not a great imagination I guess)

We hail from Waterbury, CT and spend much of the summer at the lake. My wifes parents have a sizeable campsite at Pinehollow Park (across from Funspot) where we have a nice fifth wheel set up with a deck and covered porch, plus the inlaws motorhome. We have been coming up to the lake for at the least 10 years now, and wouldn't vacation anywhere else. we got into boating by renting from Anchor marine and Winnesquam marine a few times and bought our first boat last year from Channel. A 2002 Glastron GX185.

First vacation is the week of Memorial day, can't wait!!!:banana:

http://www.lighthousebaptistct.org

What's in a name
 

The BigGuy part comes from the fact that I'm 6' 8", the "The real" came about when we had to register user names. By the time I did someone had taken "BigGuy."

My wife has been coming to the lake since she was a little girl, I started when I was in my late teens and my Dad found the lake for vacation rentals. After we were married we bought a boat and docked it Meredith Marina. We would come up every weekend and sleep on our 20 footer. Every summer we would rent for a week and she would keep telling me we should buy.

Finnally, in '96 she made an appointment with two realestate agents to look at island property. We were out w/John Bridges and had seen the last place he wanted to show us. At that point my wife had made up her mind that that one was "the place." John asked if we had a few more minutes because he wanted to show us one more place even thought he said we wouldn't be interested. He came around the corner nad pointed the place out from several 100 yds away. I looked at my wife and said "No, that's the place!" and we have been there ever since.

My best memory - (and you need to understand, the first year I wasn't convinced we could afford it) The first year we had it I was sitting up on the deck drinking a beer and watching the kids (then 11 & 7) jumping off the end of the dock, swimming around to the ladder, climbing back up and doing it all over again - FOR 2 HOURS W/O a STOP. I looked over at my wife and said, "You were right, this is the best thing we have ever done!"

That Knight Rider
 

The TV show was in the 80's by the and is spelled with a K. Like ka-niggit in the "Holy Grail"

Knight Rider/Night Rider
 

There was clearly the 1982 television show with David Hasselhof (Knight Rider), but that is not likely your intended association.

There was a made for TV movie in 1979 called Night Rider:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079627/

My personal favorite is the character in Mad Max. As Toecutter would say: "Remember the NightRider!"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079501/

One of our cats is named Mad Max. :D

Jetskier:cool:

Anybody else??
 

I know theres been over 120 replies, but theres more forum members out there....
;)

here's one more
 

This is a really nice thread - I've mostly lurked with an occasional post, and it's a pleasure to find out a bit about others!

I grew up on Long Island (NY) and discovered Winni at the tender age of 11 when I started as a camper at the late Camp Idlewild on Cow Island. I spent 14 wonderful summers there as a camper, CIT, and counsellor until it closed in 1975 (like Wyanoke). I took up a career teaching Physics and Chemistry and coaching at various prep schools around New England but always came back to the Lake in the summer. I spent a few more summers at other camps, then ten summers as a Marine Patrol officer, finally ending up with Winni Flagship as the skipper of the Sophie C - hence the screen name - all the time as a summer house sitter for an old friend in Tuftonboro.

I finally bought my own place up here in 1994 near 19 Mile Bay. I left the classroom in 1999 and took up full time with Flagship. You might spot me in the engine room or the wheelhouse of the Mount, actually getting paid to cruise my favorite Lake!

I've been a long-time SCUBA diver, ham radio op (W1RSR), player of Scottish music, and contra dancer.

This is an incredibly diverse group and always enjoyable - occasionally exasperating - to follow. I do hope, with all of our opinions, we never lose sight of the fact that we all love the Lake!

She's Right!!!!!
 

Hey Folks! Glad to see people enjoy this thread. There are a BUNCH of "lurkers" that have yet to contribute -- c'mon folks, chime in! We won't bite (unless your screen name happens to be "Waldo_Peppers_Lobter_Roll :D)!!!!

My husband's nic-name was "Argie" in school and at his reunion I got referred to as "Argie's fiancee" but now I'm "Argie's Wife".

We're in Alton and love it! I love, love, love my town (hate the politics but love the town.) Hubby is from Laconia (but don't hold that against him) and I'm from Maine, but my dad's side of the family (Ellis) was all in the Lakes Region since the mid/late 1700's, so we've got strong ties here.

I've been a lurker here for many years but only became an active poster recently... love the sense of community this board affords and the history that is offered here - I've learned so much about the Lakes Region since coming here and have recommended this forum to many people!

The name "Ropetow" is the name of our cat and the license plate on my truck. My wife and I are both longtime skiers, and a Ropetow was a type of ski lift. When we brought him home, he was curled up in a ball and looked like a pile of coiled-up rope....hence the name. We live in the seacoast region, have a slip in Alton Bay, and are considering moving there full-time....Even before retirement comes calling.