Minnetonka Mills, Minnehaha Creek & Bridge Number 27629

Stubble trouble

I shave every third day nowadays. I’m not trying to look rugged, I am just cheap. The cost of razor blades has tripled in the pst year and a half, so this is just my way of holding my own. Lets call it “The Stubble Bubble”. The cost of straight steel and gasoline and the preponderance of quadruple turbo blade razors.... well something had to burst. At 11.99 for 4 disposables I was taking it on the chin.

Also, with the cost of fuel I have adopted the open window policy of auto air conditioning. Turn the radio up and drive 65.

Wanted!

"Careful. That word has been known to cause adrenaline overdoses.

These giants have just one attitude. Nasty. Muskies have been described as "pure muscle with gills." They give a no-holds-barred tussle like Hulk Hogan in the wrestling ring.

Easy to see why. Ask anyone who has boated one. A thirty-pounder is plenty to give you the excitement of your life. A 40-pounder will stop your heart.

The scientific name for muskellunge is Esox masquinongy. Most anglers translate that as "pure mean."

FISH ON! Members of the pike family, muskies are easily distinguished from its popular cousin, the northern pike. Northerns have light spots on a dark background. Muskies have dark splotches on a light background"

Taken from: Muskie Tips & Tricks
By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson

Old Faces

Behind the scenes

I walk by the general store many mornings with my aging dog "Rocky". This morning I noticed the packaged ice machine with the words "Ice" in red lettering. A break-away-from-the-crowd color choice. No mistake, even the smaller sign on top has red lettering. At first I thought they blue it, but no. Red it is.
And then I noticed the red star...

Carson's Bay revisited on a hot summer evening

On The Bridge

I stood on the wooden bridge and watched as pleasure craft of all sorts shuffling through the narrow St. Alban's Bay channel. It was early Sunday morning, and I have always noticed that the Minnetonka crowd gets off to a later start, I will partially credit church-going.Partially.


I felt like a bit of a voyeur as I took pictures of boats and a lot of bare backed mariners. It was 95 degrees.
Occasionally the wooden bridge would rumble and clatter with the passing of groups of bicyclers on the Lake Minnetonka trail. Yes, it has a name now.


One observation I have made; about bicyclist is the schism that is developing between the younger - say late teen and twenties bicylists and the older over 30 crowd. I also seen seen it by "The U" and now it is even apparent on the trails. The younger riders do not wear helmets, and generally have a disdain for the "Tour De France look" of the older riders. A group of what I will describe as "Earth first" riders passed wearing camo,flannel, backpacks and skullies. No drop handles and spanex here.

A hot weekend

wooden
I took this picture on Friday evening after a long day. Today, I stood on a wooden pedestrian bridge over St. Albans' Bay and took photos of the marine traffic as it passed through the narrow channel. I will post those shots tomorrow.
It was hot and quite entertaining, as I watched the traffic come and go in the sweltering heat.

- Another shot from Friday night.

1890 Double Decker Streetcar

Once connected downtown Minneapolis with Excelsior. With a transfer and you could ride one of the Lake Minnetonka Steam boats.

Lifetime 101

If you look carefully you will see a camera, watching me, watching them. I belong to Lifetime Fitness, although not this one. My wife and I have a "couples membership" and we use it.
Hoever this photo is merely a starting out point for a bit of fitness advice I received from a fitness trainer I ran into him about a year ago - at work. His name was Matt and he gave me some input into my old and ad hoc workout program. He told me I was not doing enough reps. Too few sets, too few reps.
This may seem like a simple observation, but it actually hit home for me. I am nearing 60, and I was still thinking I was 30. So I began to adjust my program for my age...don’t get me wrong, I still put out an effortj just differently. I also added my own philosophy which is: "Above all do no harm".
My wife on the other hand should write a book. She has lost 30+ pounds in the last year and is almost too energetic.

A Pontoon boat in the morning. Wayzata Bay

Unleaded 3.81 in Wayzata

July 12. 2011



On Monday morning radio at 6am the "Wall Street Weekly experts" predicted an upturn in the economy, only to be shocked by the poor economic reports later that day.

Toonie is a Graduate Student

Toonie has graduated her basic and intermediate obedience training with flying fur. Now she is in "agility training". Her basic shy nature is problematic, as she confronts barriers and obstacles with a ginger reserve. However her desire to please, and of course be rewarded, is strong.
Toonie is a rookie at agility, and many of the dogs take to the agility with a real natural zest. Toonie's training is at DogWorks of Eden Prairie. At DogWork some of the dogs are so clever that during break time they have pick up games to keep themselves entertained.

Skuller in the morning

Skulling. A classic rowing sport that seems to lend itself to the East Coast Ivy League more than to Lake Minnetonka. Thomas Eakins, the 18th centruy realist, would surely agree. Still, I happened upon a 'skuller' in Wayzata Bay, and tried to capture him, only to fumble with my camera in my pedestrian way. This is the result. The following is an Eakins' skuller.

Gray's Bay on a bright July 6th morning.

Cottagewood 4th

A quiet morning before the crowds arrive.





Crowds of red, white and blue colored bicycles, riders and pets converged on the Cottagewood General Store for the Annual 4th of July Parade. Perfect weather emboldens me to declare that it was a record crowd. I would estimate 3000 or more, and I will definitively state that they were a happy bunch.

The dunk tank was bit of sham, - where the “dunkies” seem more than willing to be dunked.