Once each year, the Jenum family tries to get together in one place for one weekend of fun, food, and hopefully sunshine. Although we are fairly spreadout – both within the state and outside of the state – it’s hard NOT to coordinate our individual schedules to meet up on the shores of Lake Minnewaska. It is a compelling place to visit.
Lake Minnewaska is an awesome lake and epitomizes the Minnesota-experience. In terms of size, it measures about 8 miles long x 2 miles wide – coming in as the 13th largest lake in Minnesota. For the size and amount of available lakeshore, it is generally a fairly quiet lake. This means that you can get out on the water with little disruption and enjoy the solitude of bobbing along with the gentle waves.
Morning rides are great as they often include cool temperatures and light winds
Except – this past weekend marked the local Waterama festival – where several thousand extra people come into the town and flood the streets and the lakes with activities. My brother brought along his sailboat for the weekend and it was quite an event for the two of us to get it in the water and out of the marina while avoiding the various jet-skis and power boats. Out on the water, a normal straight sailing trip involved a few more obstacles than normally encountered. But even with the hustle and bustle within the normally sleepy community, it still brought along the wonderful, calming experiences that a body of water provides.
I was probably a little over-dressed for the ride, but it did start out at about 60 degrees – cool enough to require some wind protection for both the arms and the legs.
After a full day of lake-related action (concluding with a wonderful fireworks display over the water), it was time to get some miles in the legs and head out on the bike over my childhood roads. Sunday morning was made for riding, as there was no wind to be found and the temperatures were in the mid-60s. I donned my “superhero” costume and hit the road – targeting around 30 miles. Later that morning, we were invited to a brunch in-town, so I knew that I should earn the extra calories that would be consumed.
Heading from my dad’s place, I decided to circle the lake in a counter-clockwise manner. This was probably more due to instinct than a well-thought plan, since I would generally follow the same direction when I was younger and riding. The route had me approaching Starbuck – especially the local Dairy Queen – where a traditional fill of the water bottle would take place. Given that I was planned for a 1.5 hour ride, I knew that I would use the extra water and the Dairy Queen water is always a favorite and part of every ride when I was young.
In taking pictures for this ride around the lake, I noticed that I have no photos that actually include the lake
The route continued to the southern loop around the lake, encountering the usual mix of people out on the roads – walking dogs and generally enjoying the quiet morning before the bustle of the day began. While passing in front of the Peters Resort, I heard a buzz of a small plane overhead. A quick look showed that it was a yellow plane with pontoons for water landing – doing all sorts of acrobatics. It took me a second to realize that it wasn’t a full-scale plane, but was instead a model that someone was controlling from the shoreline. It must have been a rather large model, since it seemed real to me for a few moments.
The ride ended with a quick extension beyond the normal lake loop to log a total of 28 miles. As I was pushing hard, I was glad to see it end. The numbers looked good and I passed beyond the 19 mph average mark. This was probably due to how flat the route around the lake is – as it is rather void of hills – as well as the cooperation of the weather.
It’s great to have a reason to return to the Glenwood area – be it for family events, community festivals, or even just a basic bike ride on familiar roads.
