Well, That Was A Lil' Different

This past weekend the hubs and I went to visit a family friend.  Actually, brother by another mother.  He lives on the Lake James chain in the northeast corner of Indiana.  Home of 110 natural lakes, with Lake James being one of the most visited.  Our brother we were staying with lives on Jimmerson Lake.  It's awesome!  During the summer we tool out on the pontoon and spend all day out on the lake.  Love! It! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!  (Did I mention that it is awesome?)  One of the main destinations is the sandbar.  It's right off the beach from Pokagon State Park and the backside of the inn. You anchor your boat in the middle of the lake and walk around.  It's like a park picnic but in the water.  There are several boats that set up shop with yummy drinks and food vendors.  Nothing like a brat and some yummy fruity drink standing in the water at a table!

Obviously we cannot do that in February with close to three feet of ice and 14" of snow on top of that.  But I was still standing, right where we normally anchor the boat.  As a matter of fact, I stood all over several of the lakes on Saturday.  Before we left, my husband told me everything would be fine, not to worry, and I would have fun.  We went snowmobiling for hours (and woo-wee are my muscles feeling it now!)  The majority of time was snowmobiling on the lakes.  That was a new experience for me.  Never been trail riding either.  Yeah, deep pitched hills going downward was a little unexpected.  And other riders everywhere!  It was like crosstown traffic.  One right after the other.

Was okay on the first lake, snowmobile tracks just everywhere, until we went through an area of heavy slush.  My freak-o-meter needle went into the deep red.  Visions flashing through my head of falling into a hole and drowning.  I look like the Michelin tire man in my gear, with a helmet.  And did I mention that my snowmobile is light weight?  So when hitting those patches that snowmobile goes where it wants to go and I just have to hold on because my hundred pound ass is not going to change its mind on which way to go.  Never spun around but my track lines were more like the path of a gin drunk than a straight parallel plane.  My thigh muscles got a wicked workout from death gripping the seat.

Then we get to Lake James.  Near the channel where Lake James and Jimmerson Lake connect, the Fire & Ice Festival was happening.  On the lake.  There's a bonfire, a small skating rink for the kids with little people hockey goals.  Eventually they couldn't play hockey anymore because a big ole dopey chocolate lab kept snatching up the puck and running towards the middle of the lake with it.  That was funny.  Other kids were building snowmen.

They had a beer tent and music playing.  And when we arrived a small plane had just taken off but three others were still parked.  Two more came in for a landing and another had taken off by the time we left.  (This particular area has a couple few well-to-do's living there but you wouldn't know it looking at them - no one flaunts it).  Ran into a few people that we know and chatted.  Met some new people too.  Ended up being invited to a bonfire by a couple we had just met.  Very nice people.

Aerial shot courtesy of the Potawatomi Snowmobile Club 

We left from there and rode for another hour or so and decided to stop for a bite to eat.  No restaurants in the middle of the lake.  Nope.  Instead we go straight to Dave's Lake Shack.  Ride right off the lake and into the side parking lot.  They have a shelving unit right inside their door for your snowmobile helmet.  Love the food there.  And the ladies that work there are super sweet.  So had some good eats and a tasty libation.  Bellies full, we headed back out for another hour or so until sunset.  Then sitting right in the middle of Snow Lake, we watched the sun set.  Vibrant pinks, oranges and yellows.  That was beautiful.  Just beautiful.  And most everyone had gone home so it was pretty quiet.

We were out riding for a over five hours.  I 'parked' my snowmobile in a snowbank.  Couldn't quite make the turn onto the concrete pad in front of our brother's barn.  My husband jut started laughing and gave me a high five.  Next to the snowbank was our trailer.  At the front, my husband welded a crate style box for the gas cans.  When he tried to 'unpark' my spectacular-on-purpose job, it wouldn't start.  I had run out of gas, four feet from the gas cans.  I meant to do that, well because, let's face it, I am just one stellar individual. :p

As nerve wracking as some of the riding was, mainly huge slush areas on the lakes and having to travel short distances on roadways, I did have fun.  I am not by any means a winter person (shocker, I know) but my husband is.  He truly enjoys all things winter so I gave it a try for the hubs.  I'm glad I did.  Sometimes I guess he does know what he is talking about.