Labor Day

John,

What lake is that?

Makes me miss my Seadoo. I had a Bombadier that the kids loved but we had to part with it when we moved.

Bob: Lower Hay lake, in north central Minnesota.

John,

Your waterskiing picture made me jealous! But getting whacked with the ski did not [ouch!].

I had no idea that Minnesota even had summers.

Are you kidding? Minnesota has WICKED summers. Think of it this way: Minnesota weather isn't cold. It's extreme. It gets up to 90 in the summers with massive humidity (where did you think all of the snow went?) and then dips to -15 in the winter.

I hear Siberia is pretty similar, actually.

That's funny, before you identified which lake I was going to say that it looked like you were pulling up to a spot in Crosslake.

I grew up going to my grandfather's home on Lower Hay on the Whitefish Chain. He actually owned 10 acres just off the lake but with views, and because he personally installed the water well for the homes on the shore, every cabin owner was so grateful they would happily take his family anywhere on the chain he wished. Boating over to Crosslake at the other end of the chain, eating at the restaurants along the lake there.

Ah, the Brainerd Lakes region... Nisswa, Pine River, Pequot Lakes, ... how I miss thee.

Eric, the minute I laid eyes on Lower Hay, I knew I wanted to visit again (and I will).

I grew up spending summers on Lake Michigan, the Minnesota "lake culture" is similiar, and I love it.

I've never been to Lower Hay, but I have been to Crosslake. Cool!

I live on the north shore of Lake Superior, about 35 miles NE of Duluth. I always feel like I have to defend northern MN winters...they aren't THAT bad, and there's stuff to do. You just have to put on a few layers to do it.

go easy everyone

Mule,
Does Lake Superior get warm enough in the summer for swimming??

Yes, in spots. Park Point down in Duluth is a big sand beach and water temps down there on the surface get in the 70's. Even up the shore here you'll see surface temps in the 60's and 70's occasionally.

I hear that the water is crystal clear and beautiful.

It is. I fish Lk Superior a lot and farther up the shore, up by Grand Marais/Grand Portage, on a good flat calm day you can see bottom in 60+ feet of water.

ditto for the water in Lower Hay (Bob & Mule), although there was so much plant growth, visibility was limited.

The Great Lakes are..well, um GREAT. It just doesn't get much better than sand-bottom, freshwater lakes.

Greedy folk have long arms... Annanias

f8c1f23d6a hi, i`m from india, and i has been very hart by you site)))

Sister and husband have house (sweeeeeeeet pad) on Clam Shell Lake, went last year to watch the fireworks a week or so after July 4........what a blast. Going again same time this 2007