Smoke, Water, and Rain

August 4th through 10th, 2025

Lake Lucerne
Last week started out smoky. Carving out summer fun in the acrid air is possible, but requires perseverance, stamina, and more than a few tissues.
Lake Lucerne
Early in the week, looking over the hill to the west you could see Mentonga through the murk. Beyond that there was only murk.
Lake Lucerne
During the smoked part of the week, the sunsets were nice.
Lake Lucerne
The murk moved on mid-week (Huzzah!), just in time for ragweed pollen season.
Lake Lucerne
Lucerne had only one ski show last week. It was great!
Lake Lucerne
There's only one more scheduled for 2025. If you haven't seen it yet, be at Water's Edge at 6:30 PM this Wednesday (The pre-show starts around 6:00 PM and is well worth the time).
Lake Lucerne
Welcome and congratulations to Bob and Cami, the newest shore owners on the lake.
Lake Lucerne
It's always good to have another couple to chase away the sky raccoons.
Lake Lucerne
The foul fowl are getting way too comfortable on the north end of the lake, going so far as to do Abbey Road album cover recreations on West Shore Drive.
Lake Lucerne
As if insulting 60's music fans was not enough, they then entered the water and mooned us.
Lake Lucerne
Other birds were also super active last week. They were emptying feeders in about a day.
Lake Lucerne
While north end squirrels have not yet tried to offend local Beatles fans by mocking cover art, they have continued to raid bird feeders and be generally evil.
Lake Lucerne
Back on the lake there was sailing! On the north end, the men prefer a breeze from the south. Wind from the south has been rare this summer, but we had a good 8 mph zephyr on Friday. Only tipped over once.
Lake Lucerne
Tipping over was not made more emotionally distressing by cold water. The lake temperature is close to 80°F.
Lake Lucerne
There was a campfire gathering of the Lucerne Infirm on Friday. We attended for the friends, fire, tails of warning, and beer.
Lake Lucerne
On Saturday, the main drag in Rhinelander was shut down for an all class reunion. There was food, drink and free music. The Rhinelander Pub and Cafe had the ever entertaining, mysterious, and tasty "Hovering Pizza".
Lake Lucerne
There was rain on the weekend.
Lake Lucerne
The lake got half an inch overnight and another tenth of an inch on Sunday morning. The area needed it.
Lake Lucerne
Corn fields, well...a corn field, on the north end of Lucerne is just weeks away from its first picking if the deer don't beat us to it.
Lake Lucerne
Watching an underpowered outboard pulling a kneeboard made some smile and took us back to the early 70's.
Lake Lucerne
The smoke is gone (for now), the lake is warm (ish), and the air is still hot. Now is the time to get your second wind, objectively easier without all that smoke, and push the summer fun 'ometer to 11 before Labor Day. Armed with energy drinks, tanning butter, and tails of warning from the Lucerne Infirm, the plan is to push the envelope without tourniquets or casts. That's the plan anyway.


-Nemo took most of the mysterious, hovering pizza home.