4^th of July Recap:

Dave S., Jean, Mom, Cathy, Angie, Tyler, Levi, Jessica, and Ryan left Big Floyd Lake to go back home.

Dave B. and Tim have a successful 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. outing with many 15-18 inch bass at Al’s Honey Hole in Mud Lake on plastic worms.  Fish fry for lunch.

Dave B. fixes Andrea’s non-starting car (anti-theft problem) and takes out his frustration on the charger.

It was a hot day flirting with thunderstorms and other skiers/tubers on the lake.  Dave grilled Jean’s chops and Cathy’s wings, then headed to Wal-Mart for a non-productive trip.

We went to see the fireworks at Big Detroit Lake among many drunken youth, strange people, and mosquitoes.  Andrea’s comment of the day while observing the 4^th of July crowd:  “Where are we – at the circus?!”  The fireworks started late and seemed shorter than other years, but fun to watch.

After returning the cousins slept together in the old cabin after watching the academy-award winning dramatic movie, “Nacho Libre”.

5^th of July Recap:

8:30 – 12:00 a.m. fishing trip with another dandy stringer of bass in the 15-17 inch range on jigs, spinners, and Dave’s newly purchased Power Bait plastic worms on the weed lines in Mud.  We observed a bald eagle swooping down and catching a fish (caught on video).

Dave ran some town errands (recycling, Wal-Mart trip #2).

It was a great day on the lake – lower humidity, mid-80s, sunny, calm.  There was plenty of swimming, sunning, tubing, and relaxing.  It really hadn’t rained since we arrived here two weeks ago, so things are a big dry.

We started cleaning up for the return on the 6^th.  Dave B. and his girls plan to stay until Saturday.

Dave B. took his girls for a late-evening fishing trip and Check Mate ride.

As I type the loons are calling out over the calm lake as the sun sets over the western horizon.

THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT TIME MOM AND DAD! 

We’ll hope to see everyone again next year at Big Floyd Lake!

It was another great few days! On Monday evening the cousins presented a power point presentation on the benefits of a new sun island and jet ski, followed by a beneficial LLC meeting with many discussion topics covered.  The weather has been hot and calm every day with some Monday night storms and perhaps today. Dave made amazing breakfasts with omelets and French toast. Cathy’s family provided a great pizza dinner on Monday as well as her and Jean making chicken tacos last evening. Jessica’s friend Ryan’s car keys went missing for a while yesterday but Levi came to the rescue in finding them.  Dave B. did another fine job mowing the lawn.  Bob Roel came over for a visit. Jenni caught a turtle off the dock.  Angie and Jean shopped for a new sun island. Megan received a surprise special delivery of flowers from her boyfriend.  Andi, Jessica, Ryan, and Uncle Dave had a great tube ride despite breaking the rope. Mom continued to receive numerous roofing bids for the hail damage received a few weeks ago. Andi celebrated her birthday last night with party hats, noise makers, cousin cupcakes, and a fine acceptance speech.  After a “’dad vs. Jessi” tube ride (Jessi won 5-2), Tyler and Angie hit the lake for some fishing action, followed by popcorn and another game of Monopoly.
Despite the national holiday, many of us (Jean, Cathy, Angie) will be leaving today to return for work.  A few of us others plan on staying until Friday.  Happy 4th of July!

After 10:00 a.m. church at Immanuel, Audubon, the annual Floyd Lake fishing contest took place on Sunday under hot and sunny conditions with boats zooming all over the lake.  Paige and Jack took home some cash for their sunfish. Hannah and Jenni came home with prize coupons.  Jean and Mitch made a great grilled dinner as Dave and Cathy celebrated their 24^th wedding anniversary, complete with a 142 tube of red, white, and blue Menards bubble gum and a visit to the Lakeside Bar ($$).  Although Mitch needed to drive back for work that evening, Dave S. took the midnight Amtrak train up to Detroit Lakes and arrived around 4:00 a.m., slept a bit, then made omelets for everyone late morning.   The hot and muggy Monday afternoon was spent in the lake and behind the Check Mate.  Jessica’s nice friend (B)Ryan came up from Minneapolis and fit in well.  Late afternoon storms fired up as Dave and Cathy made pizzas for us all. 

Congratulations to Levi for winning the earlier three-day-dad vs. Levi fishing contest (just to keep things interesting) with a morning fishing trip triumph in the sunfish and northern category.  That, along with his previous 19 inch bass, put him over the top for a grand prize of a box of Menards fruit snacks (his request).  There'll be a rematch next year:).
Mitch, Jean, and their family arrived late Friday evening at the lake, followed by Jessica (picked up at the Fargo airport from Tucson via Chicago by Tim and Levi), and Angie, Tyler, and Jenni from Wisconsin.  The Biedenbenders came mid-Saturday morning and we enjoyed a very calm, warm day at Floyd.  Angie and her girls hit the town for the farmers' market.  Tyler joined Levi in the wake-board category.  Surprisingly, no one tubed!  Angie and Jessi enjoy canoe rides around the bay.  There was plenty of sun, playing in the water, and relation.
On that day, June 30, 2012, we celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of our dear parents Joyce and father-in-heaven Fran with a fish taco dinner (quoted by Mitch as "the best meal here ever", much to the dismay of Dave and his world-famous Rubens), followed by some rhubarb crisp and celebratory raspberry champagne. Mom enjoyed her 50th anniversary card, scalp massager, scented soap, and chocolates. Later on Mitch, Levi, and Jack hit the weed bed for a quick run (Jack got a 14 inch bass).  We also had a fire with smores followed by two games of Yahtzee, Mitch's New York car trip, Guy Johnson stories, and a good night's sleep.  We're looking forward to another great day today with church, the annual Floyd Lake fishing contest, Andi's arrival, and more good times.

On a very warm and humid day we took a mid-morning canoe ride with grandma, followed by skiing and wake boarding with Levi, then lunch.  Since the weather calmed down with cloudy skies, we tried mid-afternoon fishing which resulted in a nice basketful of panfish from the north Floyd shore of reeds and a dandy 19 inch plus bass caught and released (after photos) by Levi on a plastic worm.  During that time Joyce continued to weed and make the yard look great.  After filleting the fish we travelled to Wal-Mart for a new trolling motor battery, some groceries, then back to Floyd for a nice evening neighborhood walk.  Warm days are expected for the next week, as it looks like most of the other families will be making it to the lake by this Friday.  Safe travels everyone!

The great Becker county weather continued on Saturday and Sunday.  Although fishing was not as active, the lake was filled with many weekend boaters.  Levi went skiing and tried wake boarding a few times.  After church at Immanuel, Audubon, we stopped at an antique store along the way for some casual shopping.  The raised concrete on the sidewalk in front of the old cabin was fixed (the second chunk removed and buried by Levi in the sand).  The winter ice had pushed the parts together to form a 45 degree angle.  Mom did extensive weeding throughout the weekend but we ended Sunday with a long canoe ride to the far southwest area with Levi, mom, and Tim. Some nice bass were caught in the far southwest reeds on a plastic worm.

Floyd Lake 2012!

There were three early spring trips:  Dave Biedenbender came up with three MVL teachers to open up the cabin, mow lawn, and put in the boats in mid-May (18-20);  Dave and Laura Schubkegel and Joyce came up Memorial Day weekend (May 25-27) to mow lawn, rake leaves, and fix some earlier plumbing issues; Biedenbenders then came up (June 8-10) for a family get-away.

Currently Joyce, Tim, and Levi Schubkegel are enjoying pleasant weather at Floyd Lake today, June 22, 2012.  Reports were phoned by Bob Roel to Joyce earlier in the week of a major hail storm up here ("larger than golf ball sized hail").   We noticed many leaves on the lawn and some branches when we arrived.  Mom will get a report from State Farm on roof damage. There was also some "strange heaving" from the winter ice, pushing the concrete sidewalk in the old cabin up at a 45 degree angle.

We arrived last evening, unpacked, and headed out for about an hour of Floyd fishing (first year with Levi getting a license as he's 16).  We drifted in mid-Big Floyd and caught panfish and bass  (while on the lake we saw a rainbow end right over the cabin!) and enjoyed an evening fish meal for Joyce while watching the Heat beat the Thunder in the NBA finals, game five.

This morning's fishing action was very good with early topwater bass action in Mud Lake, followed by fish hitting spinners along the weedlines along the east coast.  We (Levi and Tim) limited out on bass and northerns and enjoyed an evening fish fry after a great day of lawn mowing, a canoe ride with mom, Levi, and Tim to the reed bay,  skiing (Levi), weeding (mom), and power washing (Levi).  An evening trip to WalMart resulted in a flat tire in their parking lot.  After a quick replacement with the mini-spare we made it back to the cabin.

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day with little to no wind and mid-upper 70s temps! The boats are working well and the weather forecast looks good for the days ahead.