Winter Wakeboarding

Well I suppose if the lakes aren't going to freeze this year, the watersports season never ends! Kind of wish we were playing ice hockey by now but hey, we'll take what we get.

Photo taken Dec 12, 2015 here in Plymouth.

Wet suit required! ha ha.

Surf Minnesota

Surfing is not really something you might always associate with Minnesota, but there are actually some pretty good options available as far as catching waves here in Plymouth and not too far from Plymouth!

Option 1: Wakesurfing



This is a newer sport which involves riding the waves created by huge powerboats. Its superfun but if you dont have access to a really nice boat your pretty much out of luck.

Option 2: Flowrider at Waterpark of America



This is a devise that shoots water out at high volume and high speed onto a uphill slope. When you drop into the slope on a surfboard or boogie board you can actually surf the slope and its really fun! Only drawbacks here are you have to pay around 20 bucks per visit to the water park, but its indoors and open all winter and a great way to breakup the monotony of winter.

Option 3: Paddleboarding aka "SUP"



This sport has really been gaining traction in MN lately. Its not really surfing, its actually just paddling around on a gigantic surfboard, but its good exercise and very calming and relaxing. Its a good way to make use of our many lakes and waterways in Minnesota. Many parks and companies offer rentals.

Option 4: Surf Lake superior



This is the ultimate. Plan a trip up to lake superior and time it perfectly so that you get a day in which there are big waves breaking on the lake. It is so incredible to me that there are surfable waves on that lake!!

Go Check out the ice

 I think that frozen lakes are some of the most interesting works of art. They have this really cool 3D effect where there are patterns on the top of the ice the bottom of the ice and all the way through the ice. The things frozen in the ice range from fish to baseballs to hockey pucks. The cracks going through them are awesome and on a sunny day you can see right down to the bottom of the lake sometimes.

Here are a few pictures of some ice that I found to be interesting. Enjoy:

Get up early and watch the sun rise over the lakes

Sunrise over Schmidt Lake in Plymouth, MN

You wont regret it.

Slip n Slide

Now that summer is upon us its time for summer fun. I suggest the slip n' slide. I shouldn't have to explain much about it except that you need a hill, water and a slippery surface. Its fun for all ages. Heres a fun video of my friends and I and our slip n slide in Las Vegas back in 2007!



Yes it was as fun as it looks. As always be safe!

Family Video

Living here in Plymouth over the last 20 years I have often lamented our current lack of video rental stores. In the old days right here in our own town we had video update, blockbuster video, hollywood video etc..., man we had it all. Then along came netflix and redbox and with in a few short years: POOF! all video stores gone! Like dust in the wind.  And don't get me wrong redbox is convenient, and cheap, but they also have NO selection, and since half of our year is spent in temperatures below 32 degrees, it would be hard to browse their selection even if they had one since they are all outdoors on a street corner!
So these developments left me yearning for the days where you could cruise down to blockbuster on a friday night and browse around through hundreds of movies both new and old checking out what was in and what looked like a good pick up! Sadly I figured those days were gone forever, and I should just let 'em go. But wait, could it be that a new video store has opened in New Hope?? Yes my friends I am here to tell you that "Family Video" is now open in New Hope. and it is fantastic.
Family Video is great, they give you a free tour of the store on your first visit, they offer tons of coupons, there prices are very competitive (compared to redbox and online streaming services), and wait, what? kids movie are free?? YES. There is an entire section of completely free kids movies, no questions asked. You could just go there and check out free kids movies all year long and they would have not problem with that!
Its not just a video store, but its connected with a pizza place and there is a window that connects the two stores, so you could walk out with movies and pizza! Also if you were at home and you had some movies that you needed to return, you could order pizza and the pizza guy will take your movies back for you.
Anyways, enough said. I am glad to have Family video in the community.

Family Video

7700 42nd Ave N
New Hope, MN
(763) 535-9080

Summertime activities for kids and families in Plymouth 2014

This summer Plymouth will be putting on a lot of free shows in their parks. Here is a list of what is happening when:

The Water ski show at Parkers lake is awesome. (Photo Credit Plymouth Sun Sailor)

The Hilde Small Stage: 3450 Plymouth Blvd
6/16: Zoomobile 6:45pm
6/23: Comedy Sportz 7pm
6/25: Happy birthday America with Magician Annette Fragale 11am

Parkers Lake Stage: County Road 6 and Niagara LN
6/10: BZ Girls 7pm
6/17: Andrew Walesch Trio 7pm
6/24: Plymouth Concert Band 7pm
7/8: TaleSpin 7pm
7/9: Kid Concert: Kid Power with Rachael 11am
7/15: Geoff Elvee 7pm
7/16: Water Ski Show 7pm
7/17: Travelld 7pm
7/22: Summer Carnival: kids Koncert: Cale the Juggler 7pm
7/24: Everett Smithson Band 7pm
7/29: Todd Menton 7pm
7/31: Kevin Bowe Duo 7pm
8/6: Water Ski Show 7pm
8/12: Rowe Family Singers 7pm
8/13 Kids Koncert: Alpha Bits 11am

Hilde Amphitheater: 3450 Plymouth Blvd
6/12: Plymouth Concert Band 7pm
6/13 at 7pm and 6/14 at 2pm: Missoula Children's Theater Presents: Rapunzel
6/19: Not Guilty Band 7pm
6/26: Star of the North Concert Band 7pm
7/1: Music in Plymouth all day
7/10: Salsa del Sol
7/11 at 7pm 7/12 at 2pm: Prairie Fire Children's Theater Presents: Tom Sawyer

Plymouth Movies in the park
8/15: Little Big League
8/22: The Jungle Book

"Little Big League" Classic.

Skiing in Minnesota

Skiing in Minnesota

Ok so Plymouth itself doesn’t have a ski resort. You do get a lift ticket when you cross country ski in french park but I still wouldn’t call it a ski resort. But if you’re like me when it comes to winter recreation nothing beats Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding. So in this post I will be handing out awards to our near and dear Minnesota Ski Resorts. In case there’s anyone who doesn’t already know, our state was flattened by glaciers back when Wooly Mammoths roamed, we don’t have “Legit Mountains” but we’ve got a lot of snow and a long skiing season so why not hit a ski hill or two!

The Gnarlyest Award: Hyland Hills

I refuse to refer to it as its updated name: Hyland Ski and Snowbard Area because Hyland Hills just rolls off the tongue so nice. You could basically call Hyland a skatepark on snow. The place is a urban snowboarders dream. You go into the park, hit some rails and jumps and without ever unstrapping your board you slide over and grab the rope tow, head right back up to the top and do it all over again! The sheer amount of time you spend on your board riding is unlike any other place I’ve ever ridden. The ability to just take hit after hit after hit on HUGE jumps and crazy rails allows snowboarders to perfect their craft and really perform some seriously impressive moves. The only things I don’t like about Hyland is other than the Board Park it’s a fairly boring ski hill. The average ride from top to bottom lasts about 15 seconds, so if you just want to go and get some carving in, go elsewhere. But if you just wanna shred rails all day and never unstrap your feet from your board, it doesn’t get much better than just taking a short drive to the south metro to take on Hyland Hills. PS they’ve got that Olympic style ski jump on the corner of the street there… I’ve never seen anything else like that!

Hyland Hills: Small Hill, Good Board Park.

The Most Famous Alumni Award: Buck Hill

If what I hear is true, Lindsey Vonn, the great Olympian was raised up and taught how to ski right here on local Buck Hill! While I can’t really give much noteworthy opinion on the best place to train if slalom skiing is your thing, I would say you might as well give buck hill a try, it was good enough for Lindsey Vonn!

The Best in the Mid West Award: Lutsen Mountains

This is as close as you’re going to get to skiing in Colorado or Utah. It’s by far the best. They have four individual peaks, a gondola, beautiful scenery, and they are right on Lake Superior. Lutsen is probably the only Minnesota ski hill I could ride 2 or 3 days in a row. At Lutsen you don’t just get the best skiing in state but you get that whole ski resort experience because the whole town has the back woods outdoorsman feel. All the lodges are rustic and the land is wild and untamed. Lutsen has features that aren’t seen in the other resorts in state such as skiing on bridges over rivers, large stone cliffs, 1,688 ft elevation, and runs that can be as long as 2 miles. Lutsen offers a lot of fun, it’s a long drive but if you want a ski trip that will let you feel like you’re really skiing go to Lutsen. One time I was lucky enough to stay in a cabin that was actually on the mountain (were talking: put on your skis on the back porch and away we go!), and all I am going to say about that is if you have the chance, I highly recommend it.

Lutsen Mountains: Definately Minnesota's Best Skiing

The Closest award: Elm Creek Park

Elm Creek: a great park

I previously did a whole report on Elm, but it’s worth mentioning again that technically speaking there is a ski hill right in Elm Creek Park. All it has is a rope-tow board park, and a beginners hill, but its close, cheap and fun!

The Night Owl Award:  Trollhaugen

As far as I can tell this place gets the award for being open the latest into the night! 3am! Wow for those of you not afraid to ski till you drop come “roll the troll” all night long!

Most underrated: Spirit Mountain

While it is no Lutsen, It has the second largest Vertical Drop in State. It’s a little closer drive being only in Duluth and its great skiing! I don’t hear a lot of talk about spirit but I really have enjoyed every time I’ve been there. The scenery and ambiance are not quite a match for Lutsen but the skiing quality is there, 175 skiable acres to enjoy.  A side note: Its really cold there.

Shredding Minnesota's "Mountains" in blizzard Conditions.

Family Fun Award: Wild Mountain

Wild is the perfect family fun hill. A short drive out to Taylors Falls, Not super expensive ticket, a perfect balance of runs, 1/3 being beginner 1/3 being intermediate 1/3 black Diamonds. A Decent amount of vertical Drop (300ft). And as if to drive my point home I just noticed that the ski information site: onthesnow.com has them ranked as the most beloved ski spot in Minnesota for families.

Muddiest Parking Lot Welch Village

I got totally stuck in the Welch Village parking lot last year in my minivan, it was not pretty. So if you come here in March, be careful where you park.

Welch Village's Youngest Snowboarder at 1 Year Old.

Fall Fun in Plymouth

Fall is possibly the most pleasant time of year in Minnesota. There is always a lot to do. The following is a brief list of fall activities with in reach of Plymouth.

Camping: There are thousands of options, my nearby favorites are Baker Park, Elm Creek Park Group Camp, and Taylor's falls Interstate State Park. The fall colors in Taylor's Falls will blow your mind.

Taylors Falls in Autumn

Apple picking: There are many great ones nearby. My personal Favorite is Minnetonka Apple Orchard, which is free on weeknights. Its not just apples, there are animals to pet and feed, lots of playgrounds and tractors for kids to play on, funny scarecrows a corn maze, awesome food including apple donuts, sometimes live music, its an overall good vibe. And then if you feel ambitious pick a million apples and make some homemade apple sauce. Its the old fashioned way to get your food!

Canning Applesauce with those Minnesota Apples

Pumpkin Patch: Very similar to the apple orchard vibe is the pumpkin patch vibe, and often times they can both be found at the same place.

Severs Corn Maze: Its a long drive but its the best corn maze.

Farmers Market: Get some fresh good grub. Maple Grove, open thru oct 24. Plymouth's is closed already sadly.

Red Wagon Riding: Just find a big hill and bomb it like you were Calvin and Hobbes. It'll let you know your alive! I recommend the hill on the backside of Petsmart grassy, steep and in plain view of a lot of cars! Classic.


Mostly just spend some time soaking up that crisp fall air because you know whats coming, all too soon...

Go for a Swim!

Calvin Wilks is ready for a swim at one of plymouth's beaches. You know you are too!

Summer is great here in Plymouth. One of the best ways to get out and enjoy it is swimming! Lifetime fitness has a great pool with big waterslides and an indoor pool too! But you do have to pay to use it 7.25 for adults and 3.50 for kids, that’s a special rate for Plymouth residents.  New Hope pool is also great with high dives and the classic outdoor pool vibe. However that pool closes on August 18.

The indoor pool at life time is sweet.

In my opinion swimming in one of Plymouths 8 lakes is way better anyways. It’s completely free of course and there are many well maintained beach areas.  The lakes are safe and clean, even though they’re real murky. 

The pavilion and beach at West Medicine Lake Park! A great place to swim, barbeque or pop wheelies on Radio Flyers

The best beach in Plymouth is West Medicine Lake Park. Its scenic and comfortable, the water stays shallow for quite a ways, there is a great playground, and a basketball court with a tall hoop and a short hoop so you can show off your best slam dunks. Another nice thing about this beach is it has an area where you can pull boats up and park them on the beach. You’ll always see plenty of fishermen at this park fishing both in the lake and on the little pond behind the park.

The Beach at West Medicine Lake Park, Nicest on the Lake.

Other good swimming areas:

French Park, good beach, but you have to park way up at the playground and ride a little shuttle train thing down to the beach, which is actually kind of fun.

East Medicine Lake Park: Nice but in a weird place by all these mechanical buildings, also windiest side of the lake.

Parkers Lake Park: This place is nice but last I saw it was completely underwater due to high water levels.  The Trick Water Ski Show by “Shockwaves” takes place at this park and its totally sweet.

Or Your Backyard:

Well there’s just a small sampling enjoy ‘em while you still can!

French Park

French Park is Plymouth’s best Park. And it has Plymouth’s best playground. All you really need to know is they have the nets, aka the spider webs, aka the ropes, it’s fun for everyone. I included a few pictures to get you excited. But seriously not much has to be said, your right by a beach for swimming, there’s an indoor facility with taxidermied animals and ice cream treats and it’s the funnest playground equipment you’ve ever played on.  It’s the old kind of playground that’s not completely safe and made out of wood, therefore its more fun. So come play on it or bring your kids because they don’t make them like this anymore.

Part of it was under construction at this time, but as of last time I was there (5/8/15) all construction was complete.

Its free! and its located at: 12605 Rockford Rd  Plymouth, MN 55441
(763) 694-7750

Go There

Plymouth's Best Burger: Five Guys

When they finally shut down the old Blockbuster Video, I felt pretty sad, like a piece of my childhood had died, all the friday nights poring over all the VHS tapes and settling on raiders of the lost ark again. But then they put a Five Guys Burger Joint in where the Blockbuster store used to be and suddenly I wasn't too worried about all the videos I would not be renting anymore.

Five Guys is an excellent Burger and Fries fast food restaurant which originated in the Washington DC area. Since all my inlaws are from DC I'd known about Five Guys for several years, and I love it. There are tons of options for your burger, every kind of topping under the sun, but the menu is simple.

One thing thats funny at Five Guys is there are free peanuts all over the place, its pretty awesome, also they tell you exactly where their potatoes are coming from that day. (almost always Idaho). Every thing is super delicious and fresh. The standard burger comes with 2 beef patties, so you gotta specify if you only want one.

So go try one you wont regret it, perfect for a saturday lunch.

 4105 Vinewood Ln N - Where Blockbuster once was, right next to Target.

It's the best burger in town!! (till we get our In-n-Out burger, but that just wouldn't fly, would it Eric Fernelious of Simi Valley, California?)

Ride the Merry Go Round!

A true rarity! a legitimate Merry-Go-Round! (Known in some circles as the big spinner or the roundabout) When I first came to Timber Shores Park I couldn't believe my eyes.  I thought for sure that "The Man" had washed playgrounds free from all the fun play equipment in the name of safety.  But no! This park actually has a full fledged merry go round with no restrictions, no safety precautions. So come on down with your friends spin it as fast as you can and try to the last one to stay on, and the first one to toss his cookies!!

Location is Timber Shores Park: Just west of Zachary Ln N & 53rd Ave N
Plymouth, MN
55442

My favorite story of Merry-Go-Rounds is about my Dad who is one of 8 kids. When he was a youngster, they went down to their local park to play king of the mountain on the Merry-Go-Round. Well, him and his siblings got their Merry-Go-Round really cranking to the point where the centrifugal forces made it so my dad was just hanging on with his hands for dear life and the rest of his body was completely horizontal, spinning round and round and round. So his brother started peeling his fingers off one by one until he flew off the Merry-Go-Round, but only far enough that his face was still in contact with the metal bars as they spun past him, each time smacking him in the face rapid fire.  Needless to say his nose was broken, but it’s that kind of thing that you can tell you’re kids one day and they’ll think you’re the man. Because you are!

Elm Creek Park



After tying the knot, getting to elm creek park has got to be first priority! (Photo Credit John Sharpe)

 Elm Creek Park is a lot of fun for all seasons. It’s just about 5 miles north of us in Plymouth, and it’s on James Deane parkway (I’m assuming not named after the rebel without a cause).

 In summertime there is a lot of great space for playing with kids and running around.  They have a stellar Frisbee Golf (Disc Golf) Course. They have camping areas, swimming areas, mountain biking trails, the whole nine yards! I actually helped make one of the trails myself.  Last summer a good friend of mine had his wedding reception at the park, it was a beautiful Minnesota night and they got some great pics.

One of the most absurd things about Elm creek park is that they have a man-made, chlorinated, filtered swimming hole with a nice sandy beach. This strikes me as hilarious but hey if you hate lake weeds, fish, and other lake monsters this is your place. We’ve got 10,000 lakes, we might as well chlorinate a few of ‘em.

But I think my favorite activities at elm creek park are the winter activities. They have a great snowboarding hill. Its small, only a rope tow to take you from top to bottom, but its PACKED with ramps and rails. Check out the video to see what it’s all about.

They also have top notch cross-country skiing, with several miles of trails.  And you can’t leave out the classic snow tubing hill! If you like to sled but don’t like to walk back up the hill this is the place for you. Ride down on their groomed trails and ride back up on the conveyer belt. Pretty awesome.

Take a Road Trip

When on the road remember your car will run smoothest on sinclair gas.

Usually I promote activities that you can do in Plymouth, but with this kind of weather sometimes all I can think about is hitting the open road! So I have compiled a list of great destinations within a days drive of Plymouth, because there's nothing like loading up the fam in the station wagon and pumping up the jams for a long and exciting road trip! I started with the nearest and ended with the farthest.

Taylors Falls - 1 Hours Drive

Taylors Falls is real close by, a great place to camp, swim, jump off rocks, canoe, in the winter you can ski! Its set right on the St. Croix river and is extremely picturesque. I highly recommend the Interstate State Park, and the Pothole Trail for hiking.

North Shore Lake superior - 3 to 4 Hours Drive

The north shore is one of my favorite areas in Minnesota. It has a mountainous feel to it, and the Lake looks like an ocean. As you can see my favorite activity is cliff jumping, but there is lots more to do: hiking (superior hiking trail), skiing, swimming, golfing, eating, lots of scenic drives, the light house, waterfalls, camping, cabins, museums, parks, restraunts (betty's pies, yum). Its the best. I highly recommend the beach front camp sites at Lamb's resort. Also SURFING! (WHAT?) yes I've seen it with my own 2 eyes and I went so wild I was scouring craigslist for surfboards after that until I realized becoming a full time lake surfer just wasn't going to be in the cards for me but I can dream right?

This is a must watch, then go there and see it yourself:

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 5 Hour Drive

tailgating paradise

Milwaukee is fun. Best tailgating scene in the major leagues, hands down. Watching a game at miller park is well worth it. With their retractable roof, sometimes your watching an outdoor game sometimes your in a dome! Pretty cool! The nice part is if your driving from Plymouth to Milwaukee your guaranteed not to have a rain out. I havn't actually done anything in Milwaukee other than watch the Brewers play but I hear there's a sweet Harley Davidson Museum.

Chicago - 7 Hours

Beware of toll booths! Everytime I drive to Chicago I run out of loose change and have to scour my car for some way to satisfy the toll roads. Other than that Chicago has tons to do. Great food, 2 baseball stadiums (Wrigley is a must see, "Comisky" is a bit dicey). Everyone has a friend in Chicago so there's always a free place to stay. I would like to see the river on St. Patricks day before I die.

South Bend, Indiana - 8 Hour Drive

With Notre Dame Making a return to relevance this year Seeing a football game at Notre Dame is well worth it, whether your rooting for the Home or Away team.

Black Hills, South Dakota - 9 Hour Drive

Contrary to popular opinion the Dakotas are sweet. The badlands, the black hills, Mt. Rushmore, they are all must see's in my opinion.  You may have seen Rushmore on TV but in real life, Man, is it cool. Go check it out, lots of camping options nearby.

Cliff Jumping in the South Dakota Black Hills

Nashville, Tennesee - 13 Hour Drive

The home of Country Music and the Birth state of Davey Crockett. It seems far, but if you start driving at 7 you'll be there by about 9pm with a few breaks in there. Its really historical and really fun. They've also got a good zoo.

Wyoming - 10 Hours to the State Line

But 15 hours to yellowstone, 17 hours to Jackson Hole

Wyoming is where the wild wild west is alive and well. The snake river is ready to be ridden, Old Faithful explodes every hour, Cowboys ride the ranges, yodelers singing, chuckwagon dinners, antlers decorate everything. Its just good old fashioned fun. There are plenty of mountains and all the recreation that they bring as well.

Utah - 18 Hours

This is really the farthest I know of anyone driving in one day, when my sister and my friend took off bright and early and didn't stop till they made it home, and then again when my uncle brought a van full of friends from Utah to see me and my wife get married in St. Paul. Both completed the trip in under 18 hours, I have a feeling some caffeinated beverages were involved.  But anyhow, as far as I'm concerned Utah is the outdoorsmans paradise with very accessable skiing, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, etc. The people are extremely friendly and the atmosphere is fun. Salt Lake's historic temple square is amazing and well worth a visit.

Sledding at Lion's Hill

Lion's hill, its technically in Crystal, but it was such a big part of my days of youth that I'm putting it in here. Its a sledding Paradise! Its got lights! Its got jumps! Its free! 

Location:

6822 32^nd Avenue North

 Crystal, MN

It's technical name is "Valley Place Park." But since it was sponsored by The Lions Club, I have always known it simply as Lion's Hill.

Its one of the best sledding hills I've ever seen. A giant mound in the middle of a big playfield. Perfect for sledding. Each side of the hill has something different to offer. the north side is the steepest and wildest, the south face is small and mellow. I've heard talk that there used to be a rope tow here, now a days you have to hike back up on your own strength.

Lion's has fun for everyone. As you can see here theres also 2 hockey rinks and a flooded field for skating on in winter time. They also have a warming house which is usually open, and a playground for summer time!

Night time dosn't mean its time to stop sledding! This well lit hill allows you to keep on trucking into the wee hours of the morning!

The North Face! aka the bumpy side

A common sight at Lion's: kids catching tons of air and having a good old time!!

Also my runner up sledding hill is Plymouth's french park: a great hill in it's own right!