[Monday, June 17, the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum hosted Gopher Road Trip: Chalk Talk 2013 at the beautiful Maritime Gardens.  Alex was the 10th of 16 venues being visited by Gopher Athletic Director Norwood Teague and several of the varsity coaches.  Here the supervisor hosts Goldy, the No.1-ranked mascot in the country!  😉 ]

Earlier that day, this reporter produced another in a series of award winning travelogues of West Lake Cowdry Road (a/k/a, the way home after a morning at the Y):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MbbZn-Ypwg

[By early that afternoon, a small cadre of volunteers in the protected age group assembled at the Maritime Gardens to collect and set-up 40 tables and some 220 chairs.  Thanks to the RCC for the tables and to Tastefully Simple for the chairs.  Three trailer loads, coming and going, did the trick.  Why yes, it was a beautiful day in Vacationland USA.]

[The back entry to the museum from the gardens.]

[Looking west from the gardens toward the Runestone Museum and Fort Alexandria.]

[A few forward guides for the Gophers arrived early ahead of the main entourage to begin displaying the Maroon and Gold.]

[Where the goodies were served from Depot Express.]

[Returning with the supervisor after an ablution and change of clothes from our physical labors, the anticipated crowd of 300 (?) began to trickle in.]

[Taking a stroll around the Gardens – they really are quite lovely.  There is still much to do on the west side, all done with volunteer labor.]

[Chad Kono, Geographic Chapter Outreach Program Director for the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, i.e., the guy who comes up from the Cities for all our West Central Lakes Chapter of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (I’m exhausted!).  We’re always looking for new members (you don’t need to be a U of M alum) and board members.  Give us a shout out.]

[They’re here . . .]

[Because here’s Goldy!]

[I don’t care if she is a Hoosier.]

[Coaches arrive . . .]

[Goldy fans . . .]

[Setting up a photo op.]

[Athletic Director Norwood Teague deserves thanks for taking the coaching staff on a tour of the state.  Of course, the women’s hockey team would have been a nice addition.  😉 ]

[Volleyball Coach Hugh McCutcheon, who moved “up” to the Gophers  after coaching the Olympic team.]

[Who’s that who has the ear of new men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino?]

[Aha, a locally-known insurance guy and golfer who reported, “He [Pitino] was sorely disappointed when I told him I had used up my eligibility . . .”]

[Take a guess?]

[No, not diving.]

[Yup, the gymnastics coach . . .]

[55-year old Mike Burns, also a former Olympics coach.]

[Sarah Hesser, Women’s Cross Country Coach, who sang the praises of Jamie Piepenberg, Alexandria’s contribution to her program.  She calls her “Peeps,” we called her “The Peeper.”  😉 ]

[I’m sorry, I forgot.  He’s not on the traveling agenda . . . and yet we discussed the upcoming music concerts coming here.  Oy!  I somehow missed a photo of Golf Coach John Carlson who mentioned some golfer from Alex, and former Gopher, named Tom Lehman? ]

[Softball Coach Jessica Allister whose team won 40 games despite being able to have only 6 at home (remember our lovely spring weather?).]

[New Men’s Basketball Coach Richard Pitino, who obviously has little knowledge of, and readily admitted such, outstate Minnesota.   But he was enjoying the trips . . .]

[He echoed all the other speakers that Alex was their first outside venue . . . and they thought it terrific!  The Gardens were a great setting, helped by a beautiful day. 😉 ]

In other news . . .

[The supervisor on hole No. 2 at the Alex Golf Club on June 2.  Only two weeks ago, the leaves were just coming out then!]

[June 11 @ Sixth Avenue Wine & Ale.]

[Uncle Willie’s Gut Bucket Blues Band was doing its 2nd Tuesday of the month thing:  Terry Kennedy, Erik Schultz, and Al Lieffort.]

[Hmmm, what does this band need?]

[A girl singer?]

[Fortunately, Mary Lou Thunselle . . .]

[Of past Hotdishes fame . . .]

[Was available from the front row.  🙂 ]

[She was also fiddling with a mini-iPad, that planted a seed with the supervisor.  😉 ]

[And this happened shortly after we got home.  The one in the middle bottom was the size of a dime.  Made a rat-a-tat-tat on our metal roof and skylight.]

[And then on Saturday, we had the annual Cap Paciotti Memorial Cardinal Athletic Foundation Golf Tournament.  And we had golf weather – finally.  Looking down No. 6.]

[The course obviously is in great shape as we have not suffered from a dearth of rain.]

[Our team on the 6th tee.]

[Hunter Rebrovich, Dave Dittberner, and Dave Rogosheske.]

[Hunter is the 6th-grade son of our golf pro.  He filled in because so many who usually play with us are in various stages of physical incapability.  It’s humbling to play with a 6th-grader!]

[Robo!]

Up next?  Probably music.  🙂

Reminder:  Funky Gumbo begins the season of music in the Gardens this Friday from 5:30 – 9:30.  A la the courthouse lawn, this is a BYOC venue – bring your own chair or blanket!