Pine Ridge Resort News & Views

The way April started, I wasn’t sure we would see this day until sometime in May. But the weather improved tremendously late in April and the ice left Girl Lake on April 20, just a week later than in 2006. So I called up my guys and last week end the dock crew showed up. We spent Saturday in the lake and by the end of the day, all the docks were in place.

Pictured below is the crew. I’m on the left. Matt Roehl is in the front kayak and my nephew, Shawn Holloway is in the back kayak. Brother-in-law, Lyle Boeshart is on the end of the dock next to Greg Roehl and the boy’s dad, Al is standing in the water on the right. Al, Matt and Greg have been helping me put docks in and take them out for about the last 12 years now. They have been great and I really appreciate their efforts.

It was an absolutely perfect day. No wind, no clouds, and the air temp was about 65*. In all the 16 years that I have been here at the resort, we have never had a better day for putting in the docks. Just to remind myself of what it usually is like, I pulled up a picture of last years installation. More typical - 40*, windy with an all day rain. We were soaked through to the bone all day long. I think it took two hot showers to warm me up.

Of course, after the work is done the fun starts. And for these guys, that means crappie fishing. Al, Matt and Greg love their fishing and they were in a boat a couple hours after the docks were in the water. And the crappies are biting. In just a few hours of fishing Saturday evening and Sunday morning, they almost took home their limit and left a few for our dinner.

Thanks again, guys.

So if April showers bring May flowers, what does 10″ of snow bring? The geese and ducks are back, eagles are migrating through and I think I heard a loon a couple of days ago. Now it’s all white again and we have to wait another couple of weeks for our drain fields to thaw out. I expected to be putting docks in the lake in three or four weeks, cleaning cabins and getting ready for opener.

Lakes that were starting to soften up are now frozen shore to shore again with temps this morning back down in the teens with wind chills close to zero. I had to find my snow shovel after I thought it was safely put away for the year. Hey, isn’t it great to live in Minnesota?

In another week, the temps will be back in the 50’s and 60’s, the snow will be gone and things will be back on track. Lots of work to get done before opener on May 12th and I’m anxious to get at it. Several people have signed up for Work Week and I’m looking forward to getting started on this springs projects.

By the way, I’m looking into buying a new boat for the resort and I need your feedback. Got a lead on a new bass boat that some of you might be interested in renting. Here’s a picture.

What do you think? I figure it will have to rent for about $1000.00 a day. Let me know if you are interested. If there is enough interest, I’ll try to get it delivered before opener.

Summer reservations are filling up quickly. There are only a few weeks left in June and July. Check out our “Availability Chart” on the web site if you are still looking for a week.

Enough for now. Got to get back out and finish shoveling snow. Think Sunshine, Warm Air and Spring. Take care.