July 22, 2008

Today was a beautiful summer day. The winds were calm, the temperature was 80 degrees, and the skies were sunny all day long.

Kathleen is driving to Minneapolis tomorrow to pick up our daughter Melissa and our grand daughter Ashley from the airport, so Joe and I decided to stay on shore today to help clean up the house and hang out with Kathleen.

Kathleen and I went on a 6-mile long hike today, walking from our house to the Ottertail Peninsula Community Center, then south down the unpaved part of Sucker Bay Road to Ottertail Point Road to 26th and then finally down the final mile-long stretch of West Shores Road to our house.

Since it was sunny and hot, we were both drenched in sweat within the first mile of our hike which attracted hundreds of biting black flies. We had to use bandannas and our hands to try to keep the flies off our faces and necks. I liked the walk, and the time to talk with Kathleen, but until those flies die off, I don't think I'll take that type of hike again.

We cooled off with a swim in the lake, then enjoyed a cold Leinenkugel beer on the dock as we watched another spectacular Leech Lake sunset.

I did not go fishing today.

July 21, 2008 on Leech Lake (The Dark Knight)

Today Joe, Kathleen and I went into Bemidji to take Marco and Elsa (our two standard poodles) to the groomer. While the dogs were getting baths and hair cuts, the three of us went to see the movie The Dark Knight. I have to admit it was really a great movie. And my god, did Heath Ledger do a fantastic job playing the Joker. No one has ever protrayed the insanity of the Joker character better than Ledger.

After we got back to the lake and had some dinner, Joe and I decided to go fishing. The temperature was still warm, although a little cooler from the day's high of 74 degrees. The water temperature was 73 degrees and the wind was about 5-8 mph out of the NW. Joe and I trolled our usual route using our usual Minnow Raps, but unlike last night when Joe caught a nice walleye, all we caught tonight were numerous northern pike. They were fun to catch and fight, but we don't like eating pike, so all fish were released unharmed.