Hot town, summer in the city

Summer in Minneapolis offers the best of both worlds — urban sophistication and pastoral charm, an impressive steel skyline that reaches right out of a sweet chain of lakes.

We lowered our gangly selves into kayaks Saturday afternoon and headed out to explore Lake of the Isles with a group of experienced but thankfully patient fellow paddlers.

I loved it all — the pull on arm muscles that could use a little work, the peaceful trail of boat through the water, the laughter, the lily pads! Glance to the right and you feel like you’re floating past an island (because you are), look left and you think you’re smack in the center of the city (because you are).

I saw sweet little dogs wearing cute little life vests and having a swell time skimming along the waves on their owner’s paddle boards. (City folks). I also saw ducks, mallards and a great blue heron that posed briefly and then slowly snuck away (country birds).

Best of all, each of us — birds, boarders, boaters and buddies — enjoyed the same beautiful Saturday afternoon and no one seemed to mind the other’s company.

Thanks again, Minneapolis, for a spectacular weekend.

We can’t wait to come back.

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I was very taken with the lily pads on Lake of the Isles.
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For a while, it seemed like an enchanted place. Them, the wind picked up as we crossed Cedar Lake and we all got a nice workout.
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The channels felt magical too.
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I stopped and positioned my kayak carefully for this pic, which may or may not have caused a kayak traffic jam behind me. We’ll never know because Minnesotans are very polite and nobody said a word.
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Vince on a lake with the Minneapolis skyline behind him. What a cool city!
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This blue heron posed regally for my photo.For the record, I took this shot from my kayak in the middle of Minneapolis. Cool, right?
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Here’s a shot of the group. Turns out it’s not that easy to take a selfie of seven people while you’re kayaking, but Vinnie did a pretty good job!

 

 

 

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