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.

Plymouth, MN Library

A crazy book I found at the library. Nothing like gaining a little inspiration from NASCAR.

Plymouth has a fantastic library. It has tons of books (obviously). Tons of computers, even toys for kids. Its definately been recently updated! Its worth a look.

I saw lots of books there that seemed like they'd be fun to check out, and all the kids books are kept down real low so the kids can get at them them selves.

There is also a big meeting space, when I was there I think there was a large group gathered in the meeting room, they were all men from forign countries and they were starting up a Cricket league I think. Anyways seems like a good spot to meet.

As with any library the books are free, access is free everythings free. Go check it out.

Address:15700 36th Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55446
Phone: (612) 543-5825

Great Sledding Hills - Wayzata East Middle School

If we get anymore snow this winter, Wayzata East is a great place to go sledding. It has a cool hill that has 3 big bumps you go down.  Great for kids and totally free of course. More pics to come soon! in the mean time here's a video of some folks enjoying it!

12000 Ridgemount Avenue West, Plymouth, MN 55441

Plymouth Fire and Ice Festival

Here is the schedule for the 2015 Fire and Ice Fest!

Be sure to be there its an awesome event that is totally free and tons of fun! Its good for adults and kids. Its certainly a fun thing to do in plymouth in winter. I have great memories of hanging out at the festival riding the dog sled, doing the recycle bin races. Its all good! the Cheese Curds are not to be missed. Here are a few pictures from years gone by.

Don't Miss the ATV Train

Mushing with real sled dog teams!

Goldy and the other Minnesota sports mascots show up!

Recycling bin races are awesome, but last year I lost to some guy wearing metal cleats!

The little tykes hockey games are so fun

Cool Ice sculptures.

Live Music: Kurt Metzger's The Warmest Christmas

Kurt Metzger (on the right) puts on a great Christmas Piano Concert every year.

I want to put in a plug for a great Christmas concert: Kurt Metzger's The Warmest Christmas.  Kurt puts on an amazing Christmas piano concert every year, past locations have been the St. Paul Landmark Center, and Theo Wirth Chalet, this year he is taking his talents to the LDS Church on Douglas Drive in Crystal and admission is free. The concert consists of traditional Christmas Carols, mixed in with his own original songs, and even fun singalongs with the whole crowd.

-Kurt Metzger’s The Warmest Christmas concert, featuring Kurt and other great musicians, will be held December 21 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Crystal. 
Tickets are Free, but RSVP required at kurtmetzgermusic.com or warmestchristmas.com

Plymouth Magazine Recently ran this article about Kurt: http://plymouthmag.com/kurt-metzger%E2%80%99s-seventh-warmest-christmas-concert

Road Trip destinations: The All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club

Professional grade tennis in a cornfield: The All-Iowa Lawn Tennis Club

 I recently heard about this place in a New York Times article that was an exact replica of Wimbledon's Centre Court. Then I learned it was free to play on. Then I learned it was only 3 hours drive away in Iowa. Then I knew I had to go there.

The place is amazing its a true field of dreams. The owner, Mark Kuhn keeps it maintained himself and offers it as his gift to the world. He grew up farming the area and dreamed of turning it into a grass tennis court. So, when he was all grown up he decided to make the dream a reality. And he couldn't be a nicer guy.

The detail is amazing, from the custom fence, to the neatly trimmed grass, the painted lines down to the green and purple color scheme.  The chance to play on a grass court is what lured me in. This is an opportunity that not everyone gets in their lifetime.  I must say that after playing on the court I loved it and wish I could play on grass always.

Tennis at the pristine grounds of the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club

The experience I had was very surreal, the chance to play tennis on a professional grade lawn tennis court in the middle of a cornfield, very fun.  I highly recommend checking it out just be sure to email ahead to make a free reservation.

Email: visit@alliowalawntennisclub.com
Site: www.alliowalawntennisclub.com

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!

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