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.

Hamel Rodeo

The Hamel Rodeo is coming to town. It will take place just 5 miles from Wayzata High School, the address is: 19101 Co Rd 10 Corcoran MN 55340. The dates of the event are: July 9-12 2015.

While I’ve never been to the Hamel Rodeo, I’ve been to enough rodeos to know they are always a good time. Check out HamelRodeo.org for all the information and advance ticketing. And in the meantime watch this video to get you in the mood.

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!!

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

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:

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

Fish Lake

more and better photos coming soon.

I recently had the chance to wakeboard on Fish Lake.  It was an early morning session and it was surprisingly very nice. Its not a huge lake but due to its unique shape (long and skinny) the lake stays very calm and did not get choppy even after a few hours of riding.

There is a great regional park at fish lake with all the amenities, a great beach, paddleboard rental, a boat launch, walking paths, a fishing pier. Its a great place to go and have fun as a family.

14900 Bass Lake Road
Maple Grove, MN 55311

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.

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!

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.

What free activities to do inside with kids during a freezing winter?

Fun things to do with your kids when your snowed in, list provided mostly by Minnesota ECFE:

1. Have an indoor picnic. Pack up your lunch eat on a blanket have kids plan the menu
2. Make a paper chain using 3 colors help your child understand patterns. use as decor in kids room
3. Indoor Ice Skating: Take 2 paper plates and stand on them on a carpeted floor, put on some good skating music!
4. Sing some favorite songs together.
5. Using a newpaper article have your child circle letters that begin with the first letter of your childs name.
6. Celebrate winter by bringing the snow inside. Fill a dishpan with snow, gathers scoops spoons and play.
7. Read a favorite winter book to your kid.
8. Have your child retell a story or event in order, first middle and last.
9. Exercise with your child, Count the number or arm circles or hops. (check out cosmic kids yoga on Youtube)
10. Talk about how you and your child are feeling. Talk about happy faces sad faces and silly faces!
11. Together make some magic goop!
12. Make a crayon resist Picture. draw a picture with crayons and paint over it with blue watercolor.
13. Find a big empty box and make a house, car, barn, space ship, what ev!
14. Read Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak and eat chicken soup with rice for lunch.
15. Paint with cars: Put some paint on a plate and drive matchbox cars through the paint.
16. Homemade soap bubbles. and if its cold enough blow them out side and freeze them!
17. Go to Library Family Story time! Kids will love it!
18. Paper bag puppets.
19. Froot Loops on Yarn to make necklace.
20. Make your own matching memory game.
21. Fill a cookie sheet with sand sugar or flour, practice writing or drawing in it.
22. Birthday Party for a favorite stuffed animal.
23. Make a snow picture. Fill spray bottle with water and food coloring and I think you can figure out the rest.
24. Make a puzzle. Draw a picture then cut it up and see if your kid can put it back together.
25. Put on a parade with things from around the house. Wear crazy clothes and use marching music.
26. Together make soap crayons.
27. Make a collage from magazine pictures.
28. Make play dough, or just buy some play dough! and have fun.
29. Help your kid write letters in shaving cream on a tray.
30. Try an unfamiliar fruit or vegetable together.
31. Check out Stages Theatre. There next show is Alexander and the No Good Very Bad Day.
32. Simon Says.
33. Cut the tops off carrots and put them in water and watch them grow.
34. Grow a house plant. Perhaps an indoor lemon tree??
35. Go to Wild Rumpus.
36. Wee Wednesdays at midtown global market. (free lunch for kids age 5 and under, fun and games for all.)
37. Family night at midtown global market.
38. Ice skating at local rink.
39. Swimming at the Y or lifetime or somewhere similar.
40. Barnes and Noble childrens events. A good story time venue.
41. Home Depot, first saturday of every month a cool workshop where they get a bunch of free stuff and build a toy.
42. Make some waffles.
43. Pick a different culture, research it, and make a meal to be eaten as they would in that foreign land all together with your kids.
44. Dance party.
45. Face Paint.
46. Listen to the Beach Boys and Bob Marley and day dream about summer.
47. Como Zoo little explorers activities on thursdays. Super Fun.
48. Or of course Watch Cartoons!!

Lil explorers exploring the FREE como zoo!

Ice Fishing!

Gone Ice Fishing in Plymouth!

I can't say that I'm an expert Ice fisherman, but its always fun to give it a try! So go to a lake, bore a hole with and auger and throw your pole in. (if you don't want to buy one odds are your neighbor owns one!)

If you want some real advice I recommend going to this cool bait shop located at: 11540 Bass Lake Rd, Plymouth, MN. He'll hook you up with the secret spots and the right bait for what you want! Dress warm, and bring something to sit on!

Joanie with the catch of the day in Plymouth: Curly leaf milfoil!

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?)

Summer Time Activities for Kids in and around Plymouth 2013

Here are some Cool Community events that can be fun for the whole family, many are free! The list is created by Minnesota ECFE


June
13 - 16 - Brooklyn Park Tater Daze, Noble Sports Park 4701 Oak Grove Pkwy
14 - 15 - Missoula Children's Theater - Plymouth Creek Center
15 - 16 - Art in the Park 10am til 5pm Basset Creek Park, Crystal
15, 29 - Little Splashers Pool Time 10:30am - 12:30pm Crystal Cove Pool $3
17 - Three Rivers Naturalist 6:45pm Snakes and Turtles, Hilde Small Stage
21 - Water Day, 12:30-2:15 Sheid Park
27 - 29 - Earle Brown Days, Centennial Park, Brooklyn Center
28 - Happy Birthday America Parade, 10am Plymouth Hilde Center
28 - Annette Fragele, Magician, 11am Hilde Center, Plymouth

July
2 - Music in Plymouth - 5pm Hilde Amphitheater
9 - Kid Power with Rachael 7pm Music with live animals, Parkers Lake
11-14 - Whiz Bang Days Robbinsdale
12 - Water Day 12:30- 2:15 Scheid Park
12, 13 - Prairie Fire Theater (12th at 7pm, 13th at 2pm) Robin Hood
13, 20 - Little Splashers Pool Time 10:30am - 12:30pm Crystal Cove Pool $3
15 - Ice Cream Social 7pm Brookview Park
17 - Water Ski Show, 7pm Parkers Lake
18, 25 - New Hope Summer Theater, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 8pm, NH City Center
19-21 - Duk Duk Daze New Hope
23 - Brooklyn Center Puppet Playhouse, 7pm Centennial Park
24 - Concert, "the Zinghoppers"  11am Parkers Lake
25 - 28 - Crystal Frolics
26 - Penny Carnival, 10:30am- 12:30pm  Brookview Park
27 - Splash Bash 11:15am-12:45pm Crystal Cove Pool $4

August
1 - Pet and Wheel Parade, 6:15pm Robbinsdale
2 - Wet and Wild Fun Day, 12:30-3pm Lions Valley Place Park, Crystal $4
3, 10 - Little Splashers Pool Time, 10:30am - 12:30pm Crystal Cove Pool $3
4 - Concert, "Miss Catherine", 11am Parkers Lake
5 - Zoo Mobile, 6:45pm Cool Animals of the North, Hilde Small Stage.
7 - Picnic and Music 11:15am-12pm Brookview Park
7 - Water Ski Show 7pm Parkers Lake
10 - Antique Car Run 2pm Crystal Community Center

Have a great day in Plymouth!

Go to Music in Plymouth

This years Music in Plymouth is  Tuesday, July 1, 2014. BE THERE!

When your talking about your "MUST-DO" things to be done in Plymouth, #1 on the list has got to be Music in Plymouth. If the state fair is the Great-Minnesota-Get-Together, this is the Great-Northwest-Suburbs-Get-Together. Its an all-day outdoor event at the Hilde Amphitheater focused on live music. There are performances from several musicians all day. Its all a big build up to when the sun goes down, and the Minnesota Orchestra plays the classics and the crowd goes wild, and of course the fireworks show.  They always finish the night with a righteous fireworks show and I'm proud to be an american is usually pumping in the background and the crowd goes wild when Lee Greewood sings the line: "From the Lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennesee."

I've been going to this event since I was a youngster, and it has remained largely unchanged. You gotta get there early if you want good seats. The adults hold down the blankets and lawn chairs to save good seats, while the middle school and high school kids hang out back by the Port-a-Pot's mixing and mingling and trying to figure out who they're going to cuddle up with during the fireworks show, and the young kids go down in front to dance to the music. A Few nice changes have occured though, such as the addition of a nice fountain and steps in the back of the audience area, and the chopping down of that huge tree in the middle of the grass which was doing some serious fire work viewing blockage.

The sea of people staking their claims at the Hilde Amphiteater for Music in Plymouth.

A sweet Fireworks show caps off the night at Music in Plymouth

The only 3 things that can make music in plymouth a little tough are high heat, mosquitos and parking.  So be sure to bring a cooler of beverages on ice and bugspray.  But if you dont its really no big deal because odds are if you forgot someone else will get you covered. But as far as parking goes, I've ridden a scooter and bikes before and that worked awesome to weave through traffic.

Soaking it up

Well, Music in Plymouth only occurs once a year on the week of the Fourth of July so put it on your calander and don't miss it!

Plymouth Skate Park

Classic Ramp at the Plymouth Skatepark.

The New Plymouth skatepark is awesome. For many years the skaters of plymouth have suffering at the old plymouth skatepark which was stuffed in the back corner of the industrial part of town and it was all made of lame portable metal ramps. In 2012 they tore up an old hockey rink at Plymouth Creek Park and put in a really nice skatepark. Its all concrete pour and really well made. They call it the skate plaza, and mostly everything there is 3 feet or less. The one thing about it that really blew my mind was the ramp they put in which is in the shape of the city of Plymouth logo.  I’ve skated here a few times and the vibe is pretty good, not too many crazies. Its a great thing to do in plymouth.

There’s a great website here of the company who made the park packed with photos of the park under construction all the way to completion. http://actionsportdesign.com/project/plymouth-mn-wheel-plaza/

The park is totally free and open to the public 24/4 its located just south of Rockford Road(aka county road 9) on Fernbrook.

All in all I give a major thumbs up to Plymouth parks and rec for getting this park put in a family friendly park/playground in the neighborhoods, easy access and a well-made and creative skate park, perfect for a summers afternoon.

Sweet front boardslide at plymouth skate park. Photo Credit to ASD

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!