In honor of the previous weekend, I'd like to devote this Six on Sunday entry to Lake Okoboji in Iowa.
I'm not entirely sure, but I think the first time I ever visited Okoboji was when I was seven. I learned to ski on that lake. My family took several summer vacations at Crescent Beach on Okoboji. I simply love it there. I spent time there in different ways, shapes, and forms over my school years. The lake has a special place in my heart.
Enter my husband, 1995. (OK, he wasn't my husband yet but I kinda thought he was cute and maybe he'd make a good boyfriend.) His best friend's girlfriend's family had a cabin on Okoboji. Score one for the Boyfriend! That summer was the first summer we spent time up at the lake with Jason and Susan and all their friends. It was awesome. It was the place we "honeymooned" with a crowd of oh, about TEN! I've been up there while pregnant, while nursing a baby, and now as the mom of four girls. Each and every summer has been a total BLAST and something we look forward to all year - both for the beauty of the lake and the company of our great friends.
I am now dedicating this post to Lake Okoboji. Here are six reasons Okoboji ROCKS!
1. O'Farrell Sisters This place has been in business since before I was born. For reals. We go up there every single morning for breakfast and they never disappoint. True, it's only about a 20 yard walk but still, it's seriously good breakfast. And since I can really pack it in, it negates the need for lunch. So it's like two meals in one. A win-win.
This is the Triple K. My favorite. Two eggs, two slices of bacon, two pieces of toast, hashbrowns, and one pancake. See? I told you I can pack it in! I wasn't lying. Why do you think I run all those crazy miles?
2. Barefoot Bar and Okoboji Boatworks and Bracco's These are all fantastic places to go for a drink (Barefoot Bar and Boatworks) or for dinner. What's the similarity? They are all right off the water which means you can cruise on up, hop off the boat, and dine in your swim suit. Perfect. No need for a shower!
Here is the view at Bracco's.
3. Cheese balls. Deep fat fried, cheddar cheese balls. Dipped in Ranch. Enough said.
4. The lake itself is simply beautiful. It is one of the cleanest lakes you will find - especially in the midwest. You see, it's really, really deep - the deepest lake in the state of Iowa. What does that mean? Well, the lake only "turns over" twice a year. More shallow lakes can turn over once a day, even multiple times a day due to wind. That means everything gets all mixed together - dirt, etc. Since Okoboji is so deep, the wind can't turn it over. So each spring and fall, it turns over. When the water on top becomes colder than the water underneath it, it "turns over". The result is a super clean lake.
5. Lakeshore Dr. I love to run along Lakeshore Dr. It is so fun to look at the different architecture! Each house is completely different from the next which is so refreshing coming from the 'burbs. Some homes are gigantic mansions and some are true lake cottages. It takes my mind off what I'm doing and how hot I am. Another plus are the trees. The drive is almost all in the shade which makes it possible to run at all times of the day. You don't have to get up super early to get in your long run - a definite bonus when you're on vacation!
6. Friends. Of course I have to end on this note. Okoboji just wouldn't be the same without all our friends. Oh, I'd still go - but it wouldn't be half as fun. Now that we're getting up there in years, some of the boys can say they've been friends for 30 years! And those of us who met in college are coming up on knowing each other 20 years! That's a long time. That's a lot of great memories.
This year, three of Jason and my hubby's friends from grade school (through high school) came up on Saturday night. Most of us were surprised and it was a truly awesome surprise! It's so fun to listen to them reminisce and give each other a hard time. Love it.
Here we all are at the Ritz about midnight - so forgive the crappy picture!
When Smacker, Trump, and John showed up, nobody skipped a beat. It felt like we had just hung out together the weekend before. There are no awkward pauses, no silence. Everyone just has a great time together!
Every year we play cards. Every year I lose. Every year the hubby loses our money. Every. Single. Year.
We dance. We love to go out dancing and that is something I NEVER do at home. That means letting my hair down and that doesn't happen very often. But when it does? Watch out! The hubby clearly enjoyed himself as well. Here he is "singing along" with the band at the Ritz. I am simply amazed he hasn't been picked up by a major label yet.
Inside jokes. We have a lot of them and they always make me laugh. Running home from the bars, telling stories, taking pictures with other people's cameras, you name it. Okoboji is always a great time! Can't wait for next year.
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