Monday, April 23, 2007
Ice Out
by
Fargo (Sundog headquarters) is near the western edge of prime Minnesota lake country. There are over a hundred lakes within about an hour’s drive of town (check to the east of Fargo on Google maps). It’s always a big deal when the ice goes out here in North Country, and signals the unofficial start of spring. Saturday was the big day on Pelican Lake where we have a home. You can see the slide show here on Photobucket.
For the unfamiliar, what is always so amazing is the ice usually performs its disappearing act in one day. The lake can still look significantly locked in ice, but the warming temperatures and the spring sun climbing ever higher in the sky have honeycombed and weakened the ice. It’s solid appearance is partly an illusion. A lead of water opens up here and there near shore, and then one windy day the magic happens. Within 24 hours, a dark gray mass of ice, is consumed by wind, warmth and waves returning to its liquid state.
Yeah, let the season begin.
