October 3 and 4, 2009 -- Weekend Edition, On the Road

Saturday

I left Leech Lake this morning at 10:3o a.m. bound for St. Cloud and a visit with Kathleen's mother, Marge. The weather as I pulled out of my driveway was rainy, with dark skies, windy, roughly 12-15 mph out of the NE and cool, the temperature was 44 degrees.

I stopped in Walker on my way south to meet with Terry Holly, owner of the Walker Ace Hardware and Radio Shack store and long-time advocate for the protection of Leech Lake. For the better part of the past five years, Holly has worked hard to bring back walleye fishing to Leech Lake, by working with local business owners, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and various politicians.

Every step of the way Holly and his supporters were opposed by corrupt MN DNR officials and the wealthy Brainerd lakes business owners who provide financial backing. Holly is still working tireless to ensure that the DNR stocks the lake to the levels mandated by the MN state government.

Another issue Holly is involved in is the ever-dropping water levels in Leech Lake. Although the Army Corps of Engineers is technically responsible for the operation of the dam at Federal Dam, one has to wonder who wants the water levels in Leech Lake lowered and for what purpose. Someone, somewhere (probably in the Brainerd Lakes area again) stands to benefit financially if Leech Lake suffers.

I have committed to working with Holly, and others, to find out why Leech Lake is not being preserved and maintained to the same levels as lakes such as Gull Lake, Big Sandy or even Cass Lake.

Eventually I made my way to St. Cloud and was greeted with my mother-in-law's road completely torn up and two new roads in its place. Across the street from Marge's house used to stand a beautiful woods, complete with gravel pit, pond, nesting eagles, and wildlife galore. Today there isn't a tree left standing, the gravel pit is filled in and in its place is going to be a Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The entire environment ripped to sheds and replaced by big-box junk stores.

My theory is that St. Cloud is trying to lure revenue away from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Brainerd, to the north of St. Cloud is being negatively effected by the expansion of St. Cloud so it in turn must battle to keep revenue from locals and tourists in the Brainerd Lakes area. Thus a new Wal-Mart going in in St. Cloud has ramifications for what happens in Brainerd and ultimately Leech Lake. It's all connected, and not in a good way.

After surveying the devastation of the woods across the street from Marge's house, she and I ran some errands. I took her to the grocery store and we got some dinner.

I watched a little football on TV, since we do not have TV at our house at Leech Lake, and was happy to see Michigan State beat Michigan 26-20 in overtime.

Time for bed. More tomorrow.

Sunday

This morning I made a bacon and egg breakfast for me and Marge before we went to church at Christ Church, Newman Center. That is the same church where Kathleen and I were married more than 28 years ago.

After church we drove home in the light rain, under gray skies and a temperature of 48 degrees. Late last week I cleaned a walleye that I had caught while trolling, and had brought the fillets with me to St. Cloud. As a late lunch, or early dinner, I fried up the walleye fillets, made some French fries and Cole slaw and Marge and I had a nice mid-afternoon meal before it was time for me to drive back to the lake.

I returned to the lake around 7:15 p.m. with a temperature of 44 degrees. The sky was covered in clouds, and although it looked like it could rain, there was none coming down.

I've got a lot of business work to do on Monday, and I also have to make a run into Cass Lake for a few items. It should be a busy week between work, chores around the property, and battling the DNR, Army Corps of Engineers and others who wish to do harm to Leech Lake.