Life in a northern town

Minnesota is a tough place in the winter, which, btw, lasts from November til April. It’s cold and snowy. But it’s especially  cold ‘up North’. In the summer ‘up North’ means beautiful days lounging on the lake, fishing, boating and swimming. In the winter, that means a harsher version–ice fishing, snowmobiling and the general consumption of large amounts of alcohol.

It’s a tradition in the hockey world to take a trip to the hockey mecca of the Iron Range ‘up North’ (for you music fans, this is the birthplace of Bob Dylan too). Hockey is a big deal and the entire towns are part of supporting the tournament.

This year, the boys chartered a bus for the 8 hour drive (just skirting the Red Lake Indian Reservation) to Roseau. It’s an entire 3-day weekend devoted to hockey. The coolers were packed with beer and snacks to supplement the “pot lucks” offered by the host team. 

The ice arena is conveniently located next to the American Legion, where the dinners are hosted (and dads can enjoy pre-game festivities). This trip is generally boys only, so I asked them to take a couple pics to give me a sense of the experience. 

They love the generosity, sense of community and hearty, resolved people that embrace this harsh environment. The food and life are much simpler, and hockey is the most important thing going on.