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Dockside - Fall 2010
Citation preview
The Lure of the Lake
angles on autumn to help you make the seasonal transition5
Come sail away with Capt. Joan Gilmore
Get on the water this fall in a kayak or canoe
Fall 2010
Recreation: y
2 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
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Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 3
DOCKSIDEPublisher: Jennifer Sorenson [email protected]
Editor: Angelo Gentile [email protected]
Designer: Brian Sorenson [email protected]
Photographer: Loren Jones, Prior Creative Images
Contributors this issue: Vicki Bont, Richard Crawford, Laura French, Sara Glassman, Judy Monn
Advertising Sales: 952-345-6477
Dockside is published quarterly by South-west Newspapers. For advertising infor-mation, call 952-345-6477. For general comments and questions, send e-mail to [email protected] or call 952-345-6676.
Visit us online at: www.docksidemagazine.mn
All contents copyright © 2010, Southwest Newspapers.
THE BOAT SPECIALISTS
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Fall Public Cruising Schedule!Mon-Wed-Fri. 11:30-1 PM Narrated Sightseeing Cruises $13
Tuesday Night Happy Hour & Pizza Cruise Free Pizza! $23
Sunday Brunch, 11 AM-1 PM Includes Brunch, Sodas, Juices & Coffee! $30
Corporate Events • Department PartiesWedding Events • Anniversaries
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4 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
departments
on the cover
featuresLaunch 6
Fishing by the numbers, Jared Allen gossip, Taste of Home cooking show, and more…plus a calendar of selected events.
Marina 12Autumn CruiserSee the fall colors with a lake cruise on the Steamboat Minnehaha.
Dockside Conversation 30Sail OnCome sail away with Capt. Joan Gilmore, sailing instructor.
Season Preview 14Feels Like Fall
Five angles on autumn to help you make the transition
from summer.
Winterizing Your Boat? Consider these tips.
Recreation 26Fall PaddlingNow is a great time to be on the water in a canoe or kayak.
Lake Lifestyles 20The Lure of the Lake...In PicturesExtend the season: Fall Boating Tips.
On the Cover:
Sailboat racing on Lake Minnetonka every
week is always a highlight of summer.
Visit us online at www.docksidemagazine.mn
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 5
Editor’s NoteOn the water
On a recent visit to the scenic Betsie Bay/
Frankfort area on the sandy shores of Lake
Michigan, I was struck by the variety of ways
we all use to get out on the water.
Potent power boats in
various shapes and sizes
occupied hundreds of
slips in several marinas
that lined the harbor.
Graceful sailboats were
also in the marinas, as
well as anchored out in
the sheltered cove of
Betsie Bay. I also waved
to my share of kayakers and canoeists pad-
dling the waters. Plus, the waterskiing and
wakeboarding set could be found tooling
around nearby Lower Herring Lake next to
the Watervale Inn, where I stayed.
The scene is the same on “our” lakes, back
here in Minnesota. Along these lines, this is-
sue of the magazine features a few of the ways
we enjoy our time on the water:
■ Capt. Joan Gilmore talks about her love
of sailing and how she shares that passion
with those she teaches as a sailing instruc-
tor (Dockside Conversation, page 30).
■ The silent sports of canoeing and kayak-
ing are also showcased, including a brief
profi le of canoe racing champion Doug
Berg (Recreation, page 26).
■ We round out this nautical issue with a
photo salute to lake living, a glimpse of
the Steamboat Minnehaha, and a fall sea-
son preview that will help you get ready
for our annual seasonal shift.
As always, we welcome your thoughts and
ideas about this magazine. Contact me at agen-
[email protected] or 952-345-6676.
Angelo GentileEditor
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6 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Launch
Angling in autumn
News • Ideas • Tips
Don’t put away your rod and reel just yet.
Several sources say that autumn angling
can be quite rewarding: fewer boats out on
the lakes, cooler water brings fi sh nearer
the surface, the fall colors create a scenic
backdrop…well, you get the picture.
Noted fi shing guide Gary Roach has
written extensively in Minnesota Sportsman
over the years about walleye fi shing. One
recent article extolled the virtues of fi shing
for walleyes in the fall at night on Lake
Minnetonka. He reported success slowly
trolling along the edge of the long point
that extends from Excelsior beach, after 8
p.m., casting crankbaits, and then doing the
same at the big sand fl at on the west side of
Big Island.
All About Fishing, at its website aa-
fi shing.com, recommends that, for fall, top
baits for walleyes are jigs, crankbaits, and
spoons. The website advises fi shing shallow
to moderate depths in the mornings and
evenings. As the sun rises move deeper
toward outside structures and use small
spoons or jigs.
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Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 7
Fish by the numbersSpeaking of fi shing, Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resourc-
es always has a steady stream of fun facts and fi gures available. Here
are a few numbers from the DNR to consider when you’re drift fi sh-
ing along your favorite angling spots this fall:
158 Fish species found in Minnesota lakes, rivers, and streams
3,800,000 Acres of fi shing waters
5,493 Fishable lakes
15,000 Miles of fi shable streams
283 Minnow dealers in the state
832 Minnow retailers in Minnesota
And which fi sh are caught the most in Minnesota each year?
1st: Panfi sh
2nd: Walleye
3rd: Northern Pike
Black Bean Chili with Winter SquashThe creative foodies at Lakewinds Natural Foods in Minnetonka and
Chanhassen offer this cool weather favorite at the food coop’s website,
www.lakewinds.com. It lends itself to endless variations depending on
the squash variety used. Options include kabocha, delicata, sweet dump-
ling, acorn, butternut, buttercup, and red kuri. Cornbread squares and a
bountiful veggie salad turn this chili into a meal. Red and green grapes
make a refreshing fi nish.
Ingredients1 small or 2 medium winter squash or edible pumpkin (about 2 pounds)2 teaspoons olive oil1 large onion, chopped2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced1 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon dried oregano2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained, rinsed1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chilies, drained1 green bell pepper, choppedSalt to taste
InstructionsCut each squash in half; scoop out seeds. Bake in a 350°F oven 30 minutes or until tender. (In a hurry? Place halved, seeded squash in a microwave-safe container with 1/2 inch of water; cover. Micro-wave until tender, allowing 2 to 3 minutes per half.) Cool, peel and cut into chunks.
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cumin and oregano. Sauté, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes, Add remaining ingredients except squash and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer gently 15 minutes. Stir in squash; season with salt.
Source: Lakewinds Natural Foods185074
8 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Jared Allen in the neighborhoodFootball is in the air these days in our
region, especially Minnesota Vikings
football, so we felt compelled to offer a
tiny news nugget on fellow lake dweller,
Jared Allen. He stars for the Vikings ev-
ery week as defensive end. Last year, for
instance, he had 50 tackles, fi ve forced
fumbles and an interception.
He had a busy off-season on the do-
mestic front. He bought a six-bedroom,
six-bath home on Lake Lucy in Chan-
hassen, in our Dockside neighborhood,
according to the Chanhassen Villager. He also got married, honey-
mooned in Italy, and, gulp, he even cut off his mullet.
Hungry for the holidays?Attend the Taste of Home cooking school
You say you can’t cook? Or, maybe you can sort of cook and
would like to improve your kitchen skills and cook some more?
Whatever your skill level in the kitchen, become a master just
in time for the holidays with a Taste of Home recipe demonstra-
tion and show.
For the fi rst time in the Twin Cities, the national company
will be sharing the food love on Nov. 6. (You’re getting advance
notice because they sell out quickly after tickets go on sale Sept.
18.) Every attendee gets a drool-worthy gift bag containing a
copy of Taste of Home magazine featuring all the recipes from
the day’s cooking demo,
product samples, useful
ideas and discount offers.
Enjoy an afternoon of
shopping local vendors
(handbags, jewelry, food
and beauty products to
name a few), grab a bite
to eat and then get ready
to enjoy the Midwest-
ern charm and humor of
culinary specialist Karen
Davis. She’ll demon-
strate eight “Made Easy”
recipes ranging from
Baked French Toast to
Mushroom Crab Melts to
Pear-Stuffed Pork Loin
to Outrageous Cranberry
Chocolate Cake.
Taste of Home has been
hosting cooking schools
since the 1950s. Karen
Davis has more than 15
years of experience in the
food business and cur-
rently lives in Iowa, where
her husband is the “chief
taste tester.”
Following the show,
you’ll go home with tons
of great ideas for cooking
and entertaining, a goody
bag and quite possibly
one of dozens of valuable
door prizes. With so much
knowledge, you’ll fi nally
be able to feel as relaxed as
you seem in the kitchen.
–Sara Glassman
Taste of Home Made Easy Holiday cooking demonstrationBrought to you by: South-west Newspapers, publisher of Dockside Magazine, and Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Community Educa-tion
What: Shop local vendors, receive a valuable goody bag, learn new recipes and register to win door prizes. Food and beverages avail-able for purchase.
When: 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6
Where: Prior Lake High School, 7575 150th St. W., Savage
Tickets: $15, available 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 at Southwest News-papers’ headquarters, 327 Marschall Rd., Shakopee and Prior Lake American/Sav-age Pacer newspaper offi ce, 14093 Commerce Ave. N.E., Prior Lake. 10 ticket limit per person.
One woman, one kayak, 1,007 lakesGarrison Keillor likes to crow about how he’s been to all 87 coun-
ties in Minnesota.
Mary Shideler can make a similar claim, although it involves just
one county and a kayak. Her accomplishment, however, makes Keil-
lor’s boast seem a little lame. Sorry, Garrison, just sayin.’
Shideler, this past
August, completed
her quest of dipping a
paddle and kayaking
in every lake in Itasca
County. If you think
that doesn’t sound like
much, well, think again:
she kayaked in 1,007
lakes.
As she told the St.
Paul Pioneer Press: “The county had a defi nition for a lake, and that
was it had to be 10 acres. I had some of my own rules. If it had a loon
on it, it was a lake. But I’ve actually kayaked more than 1,007 lakes
because some of them aren’t there anymore. They’ve dried up.”
Shideler, 48, started her pursuit in July, 1996. Along the way, as the
Pioneer Press reported, she crossed paths with cow and calf moose,
watched a bear swim across the Bowstring River and just missed
stepping on a whitetail fawn. She’s had close encounters with otters
and watched beavers and loons swim under her kayak.
Itasca County, located in northern Minnesota, is the third largest
county in the state, covering about 3,000 square miles. Grand Rapids
is the county seat, which is also where Shideler lives.
As she told the Pioneer Press, she has had people tell her that she
has inspired them to take up kayaking or bicycling, and she is happy
about that.
She says that nature is out there for us to explore, experience, and
appreciate. All it takes is getting off the couch.
Read more about Shideler at marythekayaklady.com.
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 9
We extend thanks to
readers who continue
to send us photos.
This time, we received
photos of people as
well as dogs. That’s
a giant step for man-
kind! In this picture,
submitted by Jane
Crosson of Prior
Lake, we see Hailee
Hodgkiss, Elko, div-
ing into the inviting waters of Lily Bass Lake in
northern Wisconsin.
Of course we couldn’t resist at least one animal shot. In this picture,
submitted by Dockside publisher Jennifer Sorenson, her dog Kaja en-
joys a hot dog after a swim in White Bear Lake.
Send your photos to
the subject line, include
the title “Dockside
Pictures.”
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10 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Ladies Night Out
Downtown Prior Lake
Thursday, Sept. 16
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For information, contact Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce:
952-440-1000; www.priorlakechamber.org
OCTOBERAutumn Foliage Ambles
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Chaska
Meet in Oswald Visitor Center
Saturdays, Oct. 9 and 23
10 a.m.
Watch the fall foliage show and
learn about nature’s rhythms on an
autumn walk with Arboretum natu-
ralist Matt Schuth. $10 member, $12
non-member. Register online or call
952-443-1422.
www.arboretum.umn.edu
NOVEMBERTaste of Home Made Easy Holiday cooking demonstration
What: Shop local vendors, receive a valuable goody bag, learn new
recipes, and register to win door prizes. Food and beverages available
for purchase.
SEPTEMBEROngoing Theater
“All Shook Up” (through Jan. 29, 2011) and “Stevie Ray’s Comedy
Cabaret” (ongoing) at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (www.chanhas-
senDT.com). “The Dixie Swim Club (through Sept. 11) at the Old Log
Theater (www.oldlog.com).
James J. Hill Days
Celebrate the 36th annual community festival with a parade, activities
for kids, open-air street market, and more.
Sept. 10 through 12
Lake Street, Wayzata
www.wayzatachamber.com/jjhill.htm
Mark YourCalendar
26th Annual Excelsior Apple Day
A Main Street market featuring antiques, collectibles, crafts, farm
produce, lots of apples, and great food.
Saturday, Sept. 11
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
35th Annual Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous
Maynard’s Restaurant, Excelsior Bay, Lake Minnetonka
Saturday, Sept. 11
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
www.acbs-bslol.com
Saturday, Nov. 6
11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Prior Lake High School, 7575 150th St. W., Savage
Tickets: $15, available 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 at Southwest
Newspapers’ headquarters, 327 Marschall Rd., Shakopee; and Prior
Lake American/Savage Pacer newspaper offi ce, 14093 Commerce Ave.
N.E., Prior Lake. 10 ticket limit per person.
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 11
DECEMBERMaking Spirits Bright
“Great Hall of Trees & Land
of Gingerbread”
Minnesota Landscape
Arboretum
Oswald Visitor Center &
Snyder Building
Chaska
Nov. 26 through Dec. 31
Celebrate the holiday season at
the Arboretum: View dazzling
gingerbread structures and
festive holiday trees decorated
with natural crafted ornaments,
and enjoy holiday music, teas,
and special gourmet dinners.
www.arboretum.umn.edu
Christmas Events and Community Show
Excelsior Elementary School
Saturday, Dec. 4
1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Want to include your event in our listings? Send an e-mail to:
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12 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
While the boating season on area lakes may
be winding down this season, there is still
ample opportunity to enjoy a cruise on Lake
Minnetonka that features a splash of history
and fall color.
The historic Steamboat Minnehaha features
fall tours on the lake that run into October.
“This time of year usually the weather is
still nice, the colors are turning and the lake is
not nearly as crowded,” says Jim Zimmerman.
“So it’s a nice time to be out on the lake.”
Zimmerman, a board member of the Muse-
um of Lake Minnetonka, the organization that
runs the Minnehaha, is a history buff himself.
His interest in history and his home on Lake
Minnetonka were the two key ingredients that
got him involved with the MLM.
“I love to see the Minnehaha on the lake and
I love history,” he says.
Judging by the growing number of people
who have boarded the historic steamboat in re-
cent years, there’s still plenty of interest in the
boat originally launched on Lake Minnetonka
in 1906.
This year, Zimmerman says the Minnehaha is
on pace to set a record for ridership. “We’re run-
ning about on pace with last year and some of
the weather was bad on earlier weekends.”
In 2009, about 10,000 people cruised on the
boat. With several special events planned in Sep-
tember, Zimmerman anticipates a new record.
Special low-price cruises are planned during
Excelsior’s Apple Days Festival and Wayzata’s
James J. Hills Days on the weekend of Sept. 11
and 12. The boat will be running hourly on those
days, offering 45 minute cruises for a reduced
rate of $5.
On Sept. 18, the Minnehaha begins its fall
color cruise schedule on weekends. All cruises
leave from the Excelsior City Dock for 1-hour
cruises. Departure times are 12:40, 2 and 3:20
p.m. The fall color cruises travel around Big
Island and back.
The Museum of Lake Minnetonka is a non-
profi t organization that is operated by volun-
teers. The cruise fees generate funding that
allows the organization to keep the Minnehaha
afl oat.
“Being over 100 years old, there’s always
constant maintenance,” Zimmerman says. “In
the winter months, there’s a lot of sanding and
painting.”
In recent years, more than $100,000 has
been spent on maintaining the wood hull.
The organization is always on the lookout
for additional volunteers who enjoy history,
boating, and Lake Minnetonka and opportuni-
ties are available that can accommodate almost
any skill set.
Whether you’re interested in maintenance
work, marketing, or serving on the boat as a
purser or a captain, the Museum of Lake Min-
netonka likely has a place for you.
Richard Crawford lives in Deephaven and is the
publisher and editor of the Chanhassen Villager.
Marina
Autumn cruiser
Steamboat Minnehaha cruise highlights history, colorBy Richard Crawford
Photo courtesy of RevAir SkyPhotoThe Steamboat Minnehaha, operated by the Museum of Lake Minnetonka, originally provided transporta-tion on Lake Minnetonka in the early 1900s. The re-stored Minnehaha has a capacity of 90 passengers.
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 13
About the Minnehaha• The story of the Steamboat Minnehaha starts with the Hotel St. Louis, which was located on a hill overlooking Carson’s Bay on Lake Minnetonka in 1879. Shortly after the hotel was constructed, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad built a track westward from Minneapolis and connected to Minnetonka’s shoreline at Carson’s Bay.
• In 1905-06, the Twin City Rapid Transit Company bought the railroad right-of-way and began to operate a streetcar service from Minneapolis to the lake.
• The centerpiece of the TCRT fl eet was a team of six fast torpedo stern steamers that served lake residents by running a tight schedule similar to the company’s streetcars. The new boats even looked like streetcars. They were fi nished with the same canary yellow paint. They were named after major destinations on the TCRT’s trolley system: Como, Harriet, Hopkins, Minnehaha, Stillwater, and White Bear.
• By the early 1920s, the automobile was becoming the preferred mode of transpor-
tation in Minnesota. The number of motor vehicles in the state topped 300,000 -- a huge increase over the 7,000 automobiles licensed in 1909. It was the beginning of the end for Lake Minnetonka’s steam-boats.
• By the mid-1920s, ridership on the yel-low express boats had fallen way off. One by one, the boats were withdrawn from service until, fi nally, they stopped operat-ing altogether.
• In July of 1926, workers dismantled three of the fl eet’s seven boats: the Como, the White Bear, and the Min-nehaha. They fi lled the three boats with red clay tiles and other debris. The boats were pumped full of water and allowed to slowly sink to the lake bottom.
• The Minnehaha sat on the bottom of the lake for more than 50 years.
• It was discovered and raised from the lake in 1980.
• Restoration work began in 1990.
• Public cruises began in 1996.
Source: Museum of Lake Minnetonka
To see the fall cruise schedule and to learn more about the Minnehaha, visit www.steamboatminnehaha.org.
Photo courtesy Museum of Lake Minnetonka
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14 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Season Preview
Five angles on autumn to help you make the
seasonal shift By Judy Monn
August/September is one of the three best bird-watching times of
the year in Minnesota (December/January and April/May are the
other two). And of 421 birds on the Minnesota state list, a whopping
81 percent have been seen in Hennepin County. Chances are, even a
fi rst-time bird-watcher (or “birder”), armed with a good fi eld book
and a pair of binoculars, can spot quite a few.
Lake Minnetonka Regional Park has trails that provide good
vantage points for birding. The combination of lake, woods, and
wetlands is an irresistible lure for tree birds and waterfowl. Start at
the 7,000-square-foot Visitor Center.
Carver Park Reserve contains lakes, marshes, woodlands, trails,
boardwalk, and is home to the King Waterbird Sanctuary. The bird
feeders at its visitor center, Lowry Nature Center, attract a
variety of birds, also. The Nature Center offers programs on
all aspects of wildlife, including birds.
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge covers a
34-mile stretch of the Minnesota River (north side) from
Bloomington to Jordan and attracts more than 200 species of
birds. Start at the visitor center; take the 34th Avenue exit off
Interstate 494.
State Fair. School supplies. The fi rst leaf on the lawn. The signs of autumn approaching are everywhere. Instead of viewing
the season as the gateway to winter, however, why not enjoy it for the multi-hued, roller-coaster ride that it is? Here are some
ideas, unique to fair fall.
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 15
Want to see the fall colors from a
completely different vantage point?
How about a kayak? Lake Minneton-
ka Regional Park, part of Three
Rivers Park District, is hosting
two “Fall Colors Kayak Tours” on
Saturday, Sept. 25. This isn’t a learn-
as-you-go; you must have previous
kayak experience and be 16 or bet-
ter. And you must make a reserva-
tion at threeriversparks.org, where
you’ll fi nd more information. From
9 a.m. to noon, it’s the “Fall Color
Kayak Tour on Lake Minnetonka for
Women,” while from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.,
the tour is open to everyone. You’ll
explore secluded islands and bays,
with a stop at Wawatasso Island.
Trees should be just beginning to
display fi ery fall colors. Fun!
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16 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
There’s no shortage of opinions about the
best fall beers. In fact, descriptions of taste
and fi nish begin to rival those of the most eru-
dite wine connoisseur. Who should you trust?
How about your own taste buds? Here are a
few suggestions to get you started.
Local Surly Brewing Company issues Anvil
in September, Surlyfest during Oktoberfest
and Wet in October, but it’s Surly’s Darkness
that ranked No. 1 on beeradvocate.com’s list
of “Top Beers — Fall Seasonals.” Following
in the next nine positions were The Perfect
Storm (Pelican Pub & Brewery), Founders
Breakfast Stout (Founders Brewing Com-
pany), Arctic Devil Barley Wine (Midnight
Sun Brewing Company), Ten FIDY (Oskar
Blues Grill & Brewery), Berserker Impe-
rial Stout (Midnight Sun again), Ol’ Jack
Frost Imperial Stout (Minneapolis Town
Hall Brewery), Sierra Nevada Wet Hop Ale
(Sierra Nevada Brewing Company), Big Bar-
rel Double IPA (Karl Strauss Breweries), and
Coffee Oatmeal Stout (Good People Brewing
Company). The website GreatBrewers.com
adds Abita Fall Fest, Blue Point Oktober-
fest, Dogfi sh Head Punkin and Smuttynose
Pumpkin Ale, among others.
Colder weather seems to bring out the cook and baker
in everyone. There’s no reason to walk away from outdoor
cooking just yet, however. If you have an outdoor kitchen,
grill, or smoker, just remember to adjust your cooking
times for the colder air outside.
Smokers are gaining in popularity — they’re like a big,
slow cooker, and they make every kind of meat taste fabu-
lous. Once solely the province of the hunter, smokers have
moved mainstream and can be found in many an outdoor
cooking set-up. Here’s an easy smoker recipe to get you
started.
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 17
Easy pulled pork Pork shoulderWhite bread bunsColeslawBarbecue sauce
Place the pork on the grid of your smoker and cook for 90
to 120 minutes per pound weight of meat at 98°C or 215°F.
(A range of 93°C – 110°C or 200°F – 230°F is acceptable for
smoking.) Allow cooling for 60 minutes because this helps the
pulling apart; then serve.
Pull apart, shred or chop on a white bread bun, leaving the
diner to add the sauce of choice and the coleslaw.
Source: Barbecue-smoker-recipes.com
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffi ns In the fall, harvest fruits
and vegetables are in sea-
son: cranberries, pump-
kin, squash, sweet
potatoes and yams,
nuts. It’s a great time
to incorporate more
of these essential
foods into your diet,
and what better way
than in muffi ns? With
chocolate chips?
Serves about 36
2 cups brown sugar1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)1 cup light tasting olive oil2/3 cup water4 large eggs3 1/3 cups all-purpose fl our1 tablespoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 teaspoon ginger1/4 teaspoon allspice1/8 teaspoon cloves2 teaspoons baking soda1-1/2 teaspoons salt1-1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muf-
fi n tins with papers. In a large bowl, blend the pumpkin, oil,
water, and eggs until smooth. Mix all the dry ingredients
together and then gradually blend that into the pumpkin mix-
ture. Fold in chocolate chips (do not use mixer for this part).
Fill muffi n tins 3/4 full. Bake for 15-19 minutes, or until an
inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before
removing.
Source: Seasonalrecipes.com
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Home Equity Loans• Variable or Fixed Rate Loans• Loans up to 80% of your home’s value• Up to 15 years to pay• A second mortgage, so you can keep your low- interest fi rst mortgageIf you live, work or worship in Scott County, join today.
18 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
The 36th annual James J. Hill Days takes over Wayzata on Saturday,
Sept. 11 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 12 (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) with
something for everyone. There’s a parade on Sunday at 1 p.m., and a
fundraising Walk for Kids and Families. The Open Air Street Market
includes fi ne arts, crafts, antiques, vintage items, homemade products,
and more. The four-wheeled set can enjoy a Coaster Cart Derby and
an Auto Show.
Ironically, according to several published historical accounts, James.
J. Hill was not always the beloved elder statesman he appears to be
now. Irked at a lawsuit fi led by Wayzata demanding that railroad
tracks for his Great Northern Railroad be moved 300 feet from
the edge of Lake Minnetonka, he retaliated by moving the railroad
station a mile from town in 1890. It wasn’t until 1906 that the new
Wayzata Depot was built, and not until 1946 that the issue of the
tracks by the lake was settled.
Judy Monn is a Chanhassen-based freelance writer.
Introducing
Putting Community First
in the Southwest Metro Area!
Here’s how it works: Jeans Day - a day when employees may dress for work in jeans. In return, the employee pays one dollar, which goes to area non-profi t organizations.
Jeans Day is a way to raise funds for non-profi ts and at the same time boost employee morale. We like the idea of people of the Greater Southwest Metro area wearing jeans for area non-profi ts on the last Friday of each month. For the next four months we are proposing the following non-profi ts:
September: CAP Agency
October : Bridging – Serving Families in Transition
November: Feed My Starving Children
December: Carver-Scott Humane Society Southwest Newspapers will promote Jeans Day and all the participating businesses the
last Thursday and Saturday of each month’s event. We’ll provide you with Jeans Day stickers for your participating employees to wear. We also will give you “table tents” to explain to customers why employees are dressed casually. Southwest Newspapers retains less than 10% of the donations to cover the cost of stickers, mailings and other promotional material. Southwest Newspapers also donates all the ads placed in the paper promoting Jeans Day.
In short, this program will cost you nothing. It will boost employee morale. It will pleasantly unite all the of the Greater Southwest Metro area for a worthwhile cause, and hopefully will raise lots of money for local non-profi ts.
If your business is interested in participating in Jeans Day for Charity or have a suggestion of
a non-profi t organization to benefi t from these efforts, please contact Jennifer Sorenson at 952-345-6477 or [email protected].
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Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 19
Yes, those are leaves you are noticing on your dock and deck of your boat in the morning. Summer will soon be a fond memory.
Minnesota’s sub-zero temperatures are not kind to boats, so winterizing your craft is mandatory. Here are a few items to con-sider when putting your boat to sleep for its long winter’s nap.
Checklist? Check.Be sure to have a good checklist to
follow, advises Boat/U.S. in a recent article from its website. Most marine stores and marinas have printed checklists available, or, as always, you can certainly fi nd some-thing online. But, as Boat/U.S. suggests, while these lists are reasonably thorough, consider creating a customized list that specifi cally addresses the plumbing, en-gine, electronics, and other systems aboard your own vessel. “Since it’s specifi c to your boat, you’ll have the peace of mind know-ing that every detail has been attended to properly.”
Fall is actually a good time for repairs.
Now’s the time to repair dings in the pro-peller, replace a corroded exhaust manifold, or order a new halyard, Boat/U.S. advises. Anything that is broken, worn out, or just needs updating is better handled in the fall than when the rush is on in the spring and boatyards and marinas are at their busiest.
Clean everything.Several online boating websites rec-
ommend a thorough cleaning: exterior and interior. Exterior cleaning should involve washing and waxing the hull, including the bottom and the deck, checking for damage, and fi xing anything along the way. Deep cleaning the inside affords you the oppor-tunity, as Boat/U.S. muses on its website, “to discover anything needing attention and dramatically reduces the likelihood of having to deal with foul-smelling surprises in the spring.” Enough said!
Storage options.Carefully consider where and how
you’ll store your boat, Boat/US advises. A dry, climate-controlled environment at an indoor storage facility is nice, and often gives you better access to your boat during
Winterizing your boat? Consider these tipsthe winter, but it can be costly. Storing outdoors, under cover, carries more risk of damage from the elements, but is more affordable.
Shrink-wrapping will keep your boat dry and, with proper ventilation, you’ll encoun-ter less of a chance of mildew, the website About.com points out in its section on
powerboating. Boat yards specialize in shrink-wrapping boats or you can purchase do-it-yourself kits at marine stores. The downside to shrink-wrap, of course, is you will be unable to work on your boat during the winter. If this isn’t a problem, then this option may be right for you.
Sources: Boat/U.S., About.com, eHow.com
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20 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Lake Lifestyles
Season of Transition:A photo salute to our lakes
The end of summer means, for the most
part, the end of your usual activity on
the water. With that in mind, we offer
these photos, both as a fi nal salute to summer,
but also as a look ahead to a scenic, perhaps
more contemplative time of year, autumn, as
we make the transition, in summer’s wake,
to cooler weather and the anticipated winter
ahead.
Beyond the photos, here are some brief
items to go along with the pictures:
■ The lure of the lake
■ How to live on a lake
■ Boating on the lake past Labor Day
By Angelo GentilePhotos by Loren Jones
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 21
The Lure of the LakeLife at the lake means an ever-changing
scene outside your door and on your dock.
Think about those quieter times, such as
the stillness of a mirror-like, windless lake
in the early morning as you load the boat
for a pre-dawn fi shing outing. Or the time
you were surprised when you spotted an
eagle gliding overhead while you sat read-
ing on your dock.
Then there are the fun times, too, fami-
lies and friends getting together for swim-
ming, waterskiing, and wakeboarding.
The seasons come and go, and the lakes
change and adapt to those shifts. And,
yet, throughout these transitions—warm
waters and ice overs, brilliant sunsets and
stark moon rises, threatening waves and
tranquil fl atness—there’s something about
the lake’s presence that draws us to it.
What is that?
“The lure of living or spending time
beside the water is elemental,” says Konnie
LeMay, editor of Lake Superior magazine.
“The convergence of water, land, and
sky remains ever magnetic and magical.
Watching the dynamic interaction of these
elements—and of the people and critters
drawn to them—fascinates us.”
That magnetic pull of the water is also
quite egalitarian. Think about it. Lakes,
rivers, oceans, whatever, attract all kinds.
And everyone is welcome, too.
There are those who prefer the elegant
art of sailing: trimming and adjusting sails
to make the most of the available wind.
There are others who prefer slowly troll-
ing around a back bay somewhere in search
of walleye. Some get a kick out of towing
excited wakeboarders behind their high-
powered Ski Nautique. And still others
revel in the silent sports of canoeing and
kayaking (see related story on page 26).
This fascination or magic or lure or
whatever it is has drawn Joan Gilmore
to the water (see related article on page
30). She has lived, played, and worked on
various bodies of waters for years, includ-
ing serving as a tugboat operator and now,
more recently, as a sailing instructor.
Her preferences these days are to the
sailing life. She teaches sailing on a
number of Minnesota lakes, including
Lake Minnetonka and Lake Superior.
“As a sailing instructor, my pleasure is in
helping people enjoy the lake in its natural
state,” she says. “When sailing, you can
soundlessly glide up beside a loon before
it takes a dive. You can enjoy the beauty
of a fabulous sunset as your wake quietly
ripples its refl ection behind you. Sailing
lets you interact with the lake in a dynamic
way while not impacting its ecology.”
Still others enjoy a more active life on
the water. Mound resident Jane Norling,
for instance, acknowledges the quieter side
of life on the water: “Water is soothing,
which aids relaxation and even healing.”
Yet, she says, living on the water can also
be an invigorating proposition. “Living on
Lake Minnetonka means access to a whole
unique lifestyle. You can go out to eat,
visit friends, or arrive at a party by boat.
You call to reserve dock space, before your
table.”
Finally, beyond lifestyle preferences,
maybe this lure or magnetic pull goes
deeper. Maybe, as living beings on this
planet, we just feel some sort of kinship
with water.
Consider the perspective of Russian
Olympic swimmer Aleksandr Popov, who
was quoted recently in At the Lake maga-
zine: “The water is your friend. You don’t
have to fi ght with water, just share the
same spirit as the water, and it will help
you move.”
22 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
How to Live on a LakeDeb Kind is the mayor of Greenwood in the
Lake Minnetonka area, which, she says, “is a
very part-time job.”
She also works as a graphic designer. She
recently designed a note card that humorously
sums up, in a handy list, how to live on a lake.
Here’s that list:
RelaxListen to gullsPut turtles backGlideFloatSquish sand between your toesFish for sunniesExploreLaugh like a loonGo wide openExpect unexpected guestsProvide clean towels and salty snacksRide the windSkip stonesSeek simplicityEmbrace quietSki on glassDrink lemonadeSoak up the sunCool off with a swimPaint a sunsetBe dazzled by moonbeams on ripplesCount your blessings
Water is egalitarian. Lakes attract all kinds of folks: Sailors, pleasure boaters, swimmers, waterskiing performers, and even toddlers who seem to espe-cially like the sandy beaches that lakes provide.
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 23
Photo by Mary Sorenson Photo by Kristen Holtz
24 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Boating past Labor DayTo twist up a Bob Dylan lyric just slightly:
Oh mama, can this really be the end…of
boating season? Let’s face it; boating season
is generally thought to be those days between
Memorial Day and Labor Day.
But many hardy boaters declare that fall can
be a great time to enjoy Minnesota lakes. Here
are a few reasons why:
Less crowded. Indeed, after Labor Day,
you will fi nd dramatically fewer boats on area
lakes, which makes time on the water that
much more enjoyable and stress-free.
Good fi shing. Fewer boats mean fewer
people, which can often mean fewer fellow an-
glers. Plus, a number of sport anglers claim at
least that cooler water often brings fi sh nearer
the surface.
Fall colors. While you’re on the lake in
the fall, you’ll be treated to beautiful, scenic
displays of leaves changing colors.
Mild weather. Sure, temperatures gener-
ally cool off in autumn, but most years bring
plenty of pleasant days in September and
October and, yup, even a few in November.
Simply stated: If your boat isn’t out yet,
consider a few more weeks to enjoy the lake.
Lake lovers have a variety of preferences: from hanging out on and around a pontoon on Prior Lake, to competitive sailing on Lake Minnetonka.
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26 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Minnesotans and visitors to our state love
spending time on our lakes and rivers in their
kayaks and canoes.
Paddle sports are wildly popular here. The
U.S. Coast Guard and Minnesota DNR esti-
mate that close to 200,000 canoes and kayaks
are registered in the state. Plus, the Bound-
ary Waters Canoe Area alone attracts more
than 200,000 visitors each year who paddle its
more than 1,500 miles of canoe routes.
Most folks dip a paddle in the water in the
summer, but enthusiastic canoeists and kayak-
ers agree that late summer and fall are also
great times to be in the water.
With this in mind, we offer a tiny primer
on fall kayaking and canoeing. We include a
look at the cool new kayaks that are making
the sport more accessible (and where to rent
Whether kayaking or canoeing, autumn is a great time to be on the water
Story & Photos By Vicki Bont
Recreation
Fall paddling
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 27
or buy kayaks and canoes in the fall), a brief profi le of a 67-year old
canoe racing champion, and a quick tips list for fall paddling.
Cooler kayaksA growing trend in paddle sports these days is a turn toward
kayaking, and these are not the tippy, claustrophobic boats you re-
member. The recreational paddler is turning to short, wide boats
that are open and can accommodate up to two to three people, plus
gear. These kayaks are stable and are easy to learn to paddle.
Get your gear:To Rent: Tommy’s Trolley, 952-220-0101, [email protected], www.tonkatrolley.com
To Purchase: Even though it’s fall, Hoigaard’s always has a kayak or canoe hanging in the raf-ters for sale in the off season.
Other: Larger chain stores like Gander Mountain, Dick’s, Cabela’s, and REI might only have hunting canoes available at this time of year (late summer and fall). Call ahead.
Shorter, wider kayaks, seen here and on the facing page, are easier to control and gaining in popularity.
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28 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
“I’m seeing more people purchasing the short, wide recreation-
al kayaks (12- to 14-ft.) and canoes (under 11-ft),” says Jay Berne
of Hoigaard’s. “They give up some of the glide that produces
the speed, but they are better for touring.” He added that one
drawback with purchasing a basic boat is that it can be very easy
to outgrow. Still, they are great options for those just starting
out in the sport.
Tommy’s Tonka Trolley and Kayak Rentals in Excelsior on
Lake Minnetonka offers another option by supplying everything
a beginning kayaker needs.
Owner Tom Drummond explains, “For $15, we supply the life
jacket, paddle, a single kayak, and an introductory lesson. We
have our own dock to ensure a safe lateral transfer to the boat.
And we match the right kayak to the person.”
Indeed, Drummond also has several clients who have sold their
own kayaks for the ease of not storing or transporting them and
now just rent from Tonka Trolley.
Double kayaks are also available, and all of the boats are ocean-
style, meaning they are open on top. Drummond said they are
cooler, more comfortable, wider, and safer than the closed-in,
whitewater-style kayak that most people envision.
With all of these new-style kayaks in mind, anyone should be
able to go out and follow the general routes that Tommy’s crew
provides to Lake Minnetonka destinations such as St. Albans
Bay or Gideon’s Bay. When you’re out there, plan to stop on the
beach in Excelsior for a picnic.
Lake Minnetonka’s canoe champIt’s never too late to aspire to become a champion in the sport
of paddling a canoe. And especially if you are as dedicated and fi t
as Deephaven resident Doug Berg. At 67, Berg just returned re-
cently from the Big Five Challenge in Spring Green, Wis. Berg
and his paddling partner won their age category and handily met
the combined age requirement of 110 by equaling 127 in years.
Flat-water canoe races can be anything from a sprint distance
(40 to 70 miles), where teams try to ride on each others’ prow-
wake to gain advantage (much like bicyclists and runners draft
each other,) to multi-day events like the 1,000-mile race Berg did
on the Yukon River in the Arctic last summer.
In the fall, Berg usually starts cutting his water workouts
down to 10 to 12 hours a week in favor of conditioning he does
for his preferred winter sport, cross-country skiing. He works
out on roller skis. But he says he still really enjoys being out on
the lake and will continue paddling until the ice comes in.
He didn’t start out a senior sports superman, though he was
an outdoorsman. He taught at Minnetonka High School for 34
years. There, he began a very novel program for alternative stu-
dents that featured about 50 days a year camping, canoeing, and
backpacking to foster self-reliance and confi dence.
At 67, Deephaven resident Doug Berg is a champion canoe racer.
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 29
About 25 years ago, while still teaching, Berg says he picked up the
sport of canoe racing to supplement his true love, cross-country skiing.
“Now I also weight train in a gym. I’m in pretty good shape.”
Indeed he is, and, even though he’s “winding down” his canoe condi-
tioning during this time of year, Berg usually spends Labor Day pad-
dling a 100-mile race in Texas.
While Berg’s in Texas, the rest of us mere mortals can be content
to watch Minnesota’s unoffi cial state canoe championship, the 70-mile-
long races held on Labor Day weekend in Bemidji, which closes the
racing season.
Follow these simple tips for fall fun on the waterChampion canoeist Doug Berg thinks fall is a great time for people to paddle on the big lakes because they are not crowded with boats making waves. He says the main thing to consider is that the water temperature starts going down by Labor Day.
If you are planning some fall paddling, consider these tips from Jay Berne at Hoigaard’s:
■ Dress for the water temperature, not the air. On an Indian Sum-mer day in October the air temperature may be 75 degrees, but the water temp may have fallen off into the 50s. Wear microfi ber clothing designed to be lightweight and wick the water away. Natural fi bers are heavy when wet and retain water.
■ Have everyone wear a life jacket.
■ Stay close to shore; this is not the season for an excursion out to the Big Island.
■ Water, water, everywhere but, not a drop to drink… stay hy-drated.
■ Always know the weather conditions.
Vicki Bont is a Victoria-based freelance writer.
ATTENTION LOCAL BUSINESSES!
Show Date: Sat.,
Nov. 6, 2010
Doors open:11 a.m.
Show begins: 2 p.m.
Location:Prior
Lake High School
As a VENDOR at the Holiday Taste of Home Cooking show you will be able to demonstrate,
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At the Holiday Taste of Home Cooking Show, attendees experience a 2-hour demonstration of exciting recipes they can
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Join us for the 2010 Holiday
Brought to you by: Southwest Newspapers and Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Community Education
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30 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Dockside Conversation
By Laura French
Captain Joan Gilmore didn’t take up sailing until she was in her 30s.
But after leaving her desk job to take the helm, it’s been smooth sailing.
Today, her Sail Away Sailing School offers Basic Keelboat & Cruising
courses on Lake Minnetonka and White Bear Lake, as well as basic and
bareboat chartering courses on Lake Superior and winter courses in the
Virgin Islands.
She got her start volunteering to crew for friends who would charter
boats in Superior and Bayfi eld. Once bitten by the sailing bug, she got
skipper certifi ed to charter. Then she decided to try for her Coast
Guard captain’s license.
“I thought it would be just a part-time thing, but it took over my
life,” she says.
Her fi rst full-time sailing job was as live-aboard captain of a 42-
foot sailing ketch owned by Camp St. Croix. Asked about the scariest
experience in her sailing career, she remembers the time she and the
teen-aged sailors were on the Black River when a bear climbed onto the
boat ahead of theirs and ate the leftover breakfast cereal off the picnic
table. Captain Joan loaded the fl are gun, prepared to fi re it at the bear.
Fortunately, a blast of the air horn was enough to scare the bear away.
Interestingly, she says that this experience was far more frighten-
ing than the times when 10-foot waves on Lake Superior were washing
over the top of the boat, or seeing six water spouts along the horizon.
Really?
“If you’re in a boat you trust, you’re okay,” she says calmly.
‘Like a little kid’Dramatic moments aside, Gilmore’s favorite part of her job is “the
teaching part,” she says. “I love seeing students feeling comfortable,
getting excited, taking the helm and controlling the boat. Every adult
looks like a little kid.”
These days, most of her students are “middle-aged couples, people
with desk jobs.” They’re people Gilmore can relate to. She had previ-
ously worked for a Japanese marketing group, providing high-tech and
automotive information. “Then the Internet took over,” she says, and it
was time for a career change.
“In middle age, you want to develop the other side of your personal-
ity,” she says. For her, that meant switching from the intellectual to the
physical. “Because I learned sailing in my 30s, I can remember what it
feels like not to know. That helps me in my teaching now.”
Captain Joan thinks that sailing should be part of every lake-dwell-
er’s experience. For those whose vehicles of choice are motor craft, she
challenges, “How close can you get to a loon? If you’re in a sailboat,
you can get up really close. You can hear a duck paddling in the water,
hear the whoosh of its wings as it takes off.” Night sailing is another
magical experience, she says. “It’s so quiet, and you see the moon on
the water, and it seems to follow you.”
Getting startedGetting started can be as simple as a basic 12-hour keelboat course.
Her students have a 98 percent passing rate after four three-hour ses-
sions, she says. With three students per boat, and all instructors with
at least 10 years of experience, students get lots of hands-on experi-
ence. For information, go to www.sailawaysailingschool.com.
The Upper Minnetonka Yacht Club (www.umyc.org) has several
kinds of boats for rent, and Captain Joan advises renting a few variet-
ies before buying. “There’s racing, cruising, you can get a bare boat
charter license to charter boats in the Caribbean.”
Sailing is even accessible to folks who can’t afford to buy and main-
tain a boat. The Northern Lights Sailing Club (www.nlsc.org) offers
trips throughout the summer on Lake Pepin and Lake Superior. A day
of sailing costs just $25 to $40 per person, Captain Joan says.
The best thing about a sailing trip, she notes, is that once you have
all your food and all your friends on board, you can get away from the
world. “It’s a Utopia.”
Laura French is a Roseville-based freelance writer. She wrote about the
historic homes of Lake Minnetonka in the last issue of Dockside.
Sail On Come sail away with Captain Joan Gilmore
Dockside ◆ Fall 2010 31
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32 Dockside ◆ Fall 2010
Landscaping & Garden Center
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THE Joys OF Fall