The Big Metal Slide at Schmidt Lake Park

The metal slide is great for a family train!

I just wanted to talk for a minute about the big metal slide at Schmidt Lake Park.  I think its really cool and you can tell it was custom made for this park and you just don't see that too much.  It seems that all park equipment is kind of prefabricated and I like how this slide is so long and fits right into the hillside.

View at the top of the slide

Its kind of a long slide and it overlooks the hillside and the lake, it has nice sunsets and its worth a look if you have kids. Also in the winter it turns into a classic sledding run as a jump always gets made at the bottom. The rest of the park is nice, but the slide really makes it a good park.

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!

Play some Hockey

Here in Plymouth winter is long as I'm sure you know.  Well as long as everything is frozen make the most of it! Hockey is everywhere here in the state of hockey.  Even if you never played its not too late. The best way to play in Plymouth, in my opinion, is on frozen lakes.  Its free and hockey in it's purest form.  Sure the ice is cracking and shifting the whole time but that's just part of the magic!

The Chiefs, city champions 2007-2008

While outdoor hockey may be the best, indoor hockey allows the puck to be played all year long! Many parks and rec leagues, drop in games and open skate times are available in town at both the Plymouth Ice center and New Hope Ice arena.  

Boot hockey on Lost Lake in Plymouth.

Another great option if you don't feel like going out on the lake is down at the park! zachary Playfield and plymouth creek both have awesome free outdoor rinks. As do many parks in town.

And if you don't feel like going to the park or the lake, just flood your yard and let it freeze!

Also I'll put in a plug for my favorite hockey shop near by: Way to Go Sports, which is in Golden Valley. (8028 Olson Memorial Hwy) Its all used stuff so its cheap but still works just fine. Either that or I knock on my neighbors door who has a garage full of gear and they are kindly enough to let me use it.

 But no matter where you play or who you play with, be sure to end your game with a victory slide for the fans!

Wakeskating

Dan Taylor going big on the CWB skate on Medicine Lake.

Since were deep in the heart of the Land o' Lakes I would like to describe one my my personal favorite activites: Wakeskating.  For those familiar with watersports you already know how fun this can be, for newcomers to the world of wake allow me to introduce you.

The Wakeskate is a board to be ridden on water and it differs from other boards because it has no bindings.  Thats right you just wear your old sneak's and tennies or you go buy a fresh pair of vans if you wanna get serious.

The allure of the wakeskate for me is it's accessability.  The wakeboarders and waterskiiers crave a big fancy boat, but on your wakeskate you're slashing behind your jet ski, your pontoon, your fishing boat, or whatever ghetto-rig you've got on hand. You could even ride behind your car if you can find somewhere to drive along side a flooded ditch!

Plymouth's own Jamison Metzger laying a nice wakeskate power slide. observe the classic Nike sneaks.

Hitting Rails on wakeskate at Plymouth's Schmidt Lake. Photo Credits to Seth Halsey and Geri Halsey

The wakeskate allows for a lot of creativity.  Watch some videos on Youtube, get some Ideas, do whatever you want, hit some rails ride across the grass, bring along some homies and make a day of it.

The bomb drop on the old SF Giants wakeskate.

Well this may all sound like a real blast but you may be saying to yourself: "Yo, dogg, i'm flippin burgers at mickey D's, where am I going to come up with 100$ to get a wakeskate?" Well your worries are over because I was once in your shoes as well: Check out Plymouth's top skater Stu J rocking the plywood skate:

First cut your piece of wood in the shape you want it...

...Then drop in. (Stu Jackson Plywood Wakeskate)