Feels more like winter with temps dropping down nicely and a few flakes of snow. Snowed all day today but not much to show for other than the lake more white. Every little bit helps. We have been skating on the smaller ponds this week and might be able to skate the lake this weekend in the middle and ski on the edges where the wind blows the snow. The cold biting on the face feels good, hoping it kills the rest of the lymes that is camping out in my body.


Checking out Bullhead lake yesterday. Was good to go on the edges but since I was solo didn't want to venture to far out.




Jonell swamped in Christmas decorations at the lodge. I had to remind her what we were doing a year ago at this time....Mexico. Tried to pull the annual trip off this year but just too much going on. Jonell and few other staffers got everything dialed. I could never do it. Nicely done Jonell.


Dry conditions have been good for getting lots of trail work done. Do not like basswood trees. Cutting up basswood deadfall is always sketchy. Thought it would fall straight across like what lays on the ground but gets hung up on a tree.
Then second cut ends up straight up and down.
Third cut down and lucky not to hit the red truck. Thought it was going to go other way so didn't think about moving truck.
Green truck on Lucky's loype. Managed to keep from getting wedged between any trees like last Spring.
Keep thinking snow!

Another action packed Thanksgiving weekend. Bummer not to have ice on the lake this year or snow to sled or ski but plenty of activity to keep everyone busy when not eating or visiting.


The only moment all 61 of us were seated at the dinner table filling up the entire length of the dining room at Maplelag. For the record, we prepare the food ourselves with folks bringing a few items. Buffet style works great and having the kids older and more responsible ?!?! makes it easier for sure.

Capture the flag upstairs. The shoes are the line. No cuts, bruises or broken lights this year so all good. Shiny hockey downstairs.
Grandma Darlene organizes a couple of skits to mix things up.
Crafts in the evening.
Steaming nicely after soaking in the hot tub. Jake, Scott and Daniel were the only ones to jump in. The water temp is right there at 33-35 degrees.
Basketball action on Friday afternoon.


Couldn't skate on the lake so took probably the last kayak trip around most of the lake Friday afternoon.
Out for a short ride on the ski trails and bumped into this Fargo rider having a good time. Ground is frozen and maybe 80% of the trails covered with a dusting. With full moon coming up later this week, conditions are ideal for moonlight riding with just enough snow to really light up the woods, no under brush and frozen ground for good traction etc.
Some years I have been pretty aggressive in blowing leaves off the trail but this year I only did a few key areas since we have had so much rain and the leaves are all matted down anyways. It is interesting that the snow will stick better on leafy trails compared to cleared off trails. But once everything is frozen solid, it is all the same.
Three road games for Jon's team this weekend. Lost to Alex, beat Brainerd and Fergus Falls. On the way back from Brainerd, saw the above person double poling with ski poles in the wheel chair. Never seen that before. Impressive. He was moving along quite snappy.
Today's game the team was short two players so only two lines. The team was tired and the play showed but they still pulled off the win. I thought Jon would be too tired and not up for any skating but he was itching to skate outside so I walked out on a larger pond I have been keeping my eye on but it was making too much cracking so we opted out for a pond closer to the house that is protected from the sun and was just thick and large enough in size. Skated for a hour with no troubles and pretty much perfect conditions outside. Jon was using the logs etc. frozen in to work on the moves. Hopefully this week I can start flooding the ice rink and maybe ice by the weekend as colder temps should move in middle of the week.

Power company decided to put in new underground power lines while weather was still nice. Company contracted out was surprised how many rocks they hit but if you look around, it shouldn't be. Hit the main power line and also the phone line. Power good to go but the phone line is hanging from the tops of the trees. If the driveway freezes before next week, the line might be hanging all winter.
Ice roads I think of Fast. Like, Icy Fast Road.

Steve Wenzel has been highlighting a lot of the sweet rides in the Fargo area. Jonell and I were up there last week for some business matters and noticed this one.
Also noticed this convert. Walked up to it...
And these three guys hopped out. Clearly having a good time. Hauling band equipment around.
The corn harvest fired up last week during a dry and warm run. One of the most amazing crops. Absolutely mind boggling how much yield comes out in such a small area. It would be fun to run a combine but that would be like someone asking me to groom out 3-4 fresh on top of a base of 6.

Thanksgiving table all set for tomorrow. 60 family members, friends, neighbors, dogs..Should be a hopping time. Lake didn't freeze over so no skate action like last year but was nice to wake up to white this morning. Hopefully more on the weekend and next week. Happy Thanksgiving!

Jack's first basketball game on the weekend. His goal for the season was to make a basket for each game. First game accomplished. Jack is pretty much smiling the whole time and just having a grand ol' time. All about having fun and Jack does it well.

Team mate Wyatt.

Jen's classmate "Coley" coming by to catch the action.
Jon's only home game in November on Friday then on the road Saturday and Sunday in Sauk Centre and Little Falls, respectively. Took back roads to get to Sauk Centre, driving through the town of Villard for the first time. Nice little depot.
One of Villard's finest. Taking advantage of everything 20% off at the local supermarket scoring some V8 before giving us directions to Sauk. "Going to drink Bloody Marys all day, what the hell"
Getting desperate having to play on zamboni scat. Jon's team really fun to watch. Moving the puck all the time and scoring spread out nicely. I thought the Little Falls game would of been a bit closer today but they stuck it to them notching the win at 8-1 to stay undefeated on the year. Should be some exciting games next weekend with Alex, Brainerd and Fergus Falls on tap.
Plenty of car time to read through the ink. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. Sending signals to his head and reading his thoughts? What is this guy thinking the government would want to know anyways? Shoot the other computers with his gun he missed with his truck?!?! Dude must have lymes disease or something.

In what seems to be the norm the past five Novembers, relatively dry and warm conditions allow for cat work when there really should be white. But thats how it goes and you take the opportunity when you can.
Basically all the work this week was to make things easier for snowmobile grooming. A handful of corners I can only make on a good day so hopefully the work done this week will allow for a continuous flow and less "down" time.


I don't know if it was the frozen ground bouncing me all over the place, lymes or the smoothie at breakfast but after about two hours I had to come in and let things settle down before heading back out and finishing things up for the day. Thought I was going to lose it.
More blocks to add to the growing pile.
Despite the warm days, we have been cooling down nicely setting up ice on the ponds and sloughs. The kids are dying to go skating but I tried walking out and no way safe to give it a go. Won't take much though and I have my eye on a few ponds that would make for nice skating. Some years the above pond would be dry. Water tables and all the sloughs are pretty much record level.
If you have raced the short track at Maplelag, you should remember going up the hill in the back bowl. Mowed it the other day and the ground was still frozen. This would be a great spot to set up camp with a backyard blizzard and make a kicker on the sledder and a 100 meter loop or something. (If anyone has one of these, drop me a note, I want to know how they really work)
Jens had his first in house termite hockey game. He was so darn excited it was priceless. The game is the absolute best. Kids having a blast and falling all over the place. Didn't think he would fall asleep tonight. On the way home he had to call and talk to his brothers and grandma and grandpas and aunts and uncles.....Jonell wants to cut the "tornado hair" but he says he is going to grow it out until next November!

Past weeks highlights include the final cycling race of the season for us. State CX capped off 8 months of racing two wheels. It has been another good season. I would say great but picking up lymes this summer was not fun. Still fun to watch the races and catch the action. State CX is a great atmosphere and truly a championship event. Nicely done to all those involved. Jake maybe didn't have the race he wanted but hard to expect much when the past few weeks has seen little saddle time and in between hard core bike racing and gearing up for the xc ski season.


Maplelag/Paramount team start of the JR race. Matt Wenzel and Trent Warner having great races.
Jake in Cat 3

O Bros. Congrats to Eric in taking the Cat 3 State title.



After the cx race we bolted home so Jake could make it for khaki pants dance and Jon had first hockey game of the year. Jon's team is a solid club led by an incredible goaltender and a nice mix of players. Should be a fun year. Another game on Sunday which they won to start out 2-0 after sitting a few hours in the deer stand. Nothing ever came by but nice to sit in 20 degree temps and watch the sun come up. Went to a different stand for the heck of it. Pretty quiet year in the area.

As expected, November has been warm and relatively dry so far. Seems like in the Fall if one month is cold and wet, the next one is warm and dry. Probably said this a while ago but really hoping for skiable snow for Thanksgiving. The lake is very close to freezing over. Just need a night of calm and teens. Last night only down to the upper 20's and lake was gelling on the north end so it is right there. John Dee has fired up his forecasts and nothing getting him excited the next 10.

Seems like the kids have been playing football whenever they are all together. Rain, snow or shine--- all good.


Head cook Deb had a birthday on a weekend so we picked her up a sugarbush cruiser from Paramount. Deb does an awesome job.
Not much action from the deer stand over the weekend as far as deer harvesting. Lots of sunrises and sunsets and time to think a lot. Saw a few deer. All but one while riding on the Salsa out to the stand. One did see in stand bolted when I moved just a bit. First time in maybe 8 years I haven't seen some type of buck on opening day. Don't get it when probably a 100 deer the past year have tried suicide missions towards our car but you move one inch on the stand and white flags are a flying. Lot of bird action with swans, ducks, woodpecker and other perchers zipping around. A pileated was soaring through Sunday morning just screeching like crazy about something. You wonder if any other critter can understand what it is saying. Sure was noisy.

Jon and Jens have started hockey, Jake has started ski practice and Jack finally started basketball. Bring on the snow!