Reader Mark Priglmeier routinely sends us information about fly-ins and other get-togethers in Minnesota and, when we’re lucky, he includes some wonderful photos. The photos in a recent e-mail were so cool that we wanted to share them with everyone, along with some narration from Mark:
“With a week of vacation to spend, I set out to enjoy beautiful Minnesota…the aviation way. If there is one thing I love to do, it is visiting my parents. I just love to see my mother give me that “grin” when she is beating me in 500 rummy. So I loaded my plane with food, clothing and winter gear for week-long adventure of flying, fishing and conversation.
I scoped out and prepped an ice runway at my folks lake that was to become my transportation hub for the week. This terminal was directly adjacent to my nightly quarters: The “Ice Shack.”
My winter aerial adventures originated from this “Ice Airport” to exotic places such as:
Duluth, Minn. (KDYT): My daughter Lainey and I flew to KDYT for a very nice lunch at Grandma’s 
Grill in Canal Park located just a short trip from the airport. The resident A&P John Messerer graciously donated the use of his pickup for our ground transportation. Following lunch, we enjoyed a scenic walk along the Canal Park boardwalk and took in all of the nautical memorabilia spread throughout. Back to the airport and departure. The aerial views of Duluth, the North Shore and Lake Superior this time of year are just spectacular…really something to behold.
Mille Lacs Lake, Minn.: My brother Tim Priglmeier and I embarked on a flight to Macs Twin Bay Resort/Buzzies Restaurant for a wonderful lunch. You taxi right up to the restaurant…don’t get much more convenient than that. Let me tell you, they plow these ice roads to the fish houses wider than a California freeway. City on ice indeed.
Mississippi River-North of Sartell, Minn.: A good friend of mine, Ken Olson, recently built a river home on the Mississippi River just north of Sartell, MN. Now this fella has the best runway in the world at his fingertips. Water in the summer, ice in the winter. What a nice destination. Walk right up to the house. Ken’s a good man with a wonderful wife, Mary.
Pleasant Lake, Minn.: My brother Bill relocated the “Ice Shack” to a lake located in central Minnesota: Pleasant Lake. Bingo, another destination. This one closer to home. I could drive there probably faster…but where is the fun in that. In the plane we go. Taxi right up to the fish house, have coffee, tell stories and maybe fish.
I love to fly. I love to explore. I love the utility of my airplane. Above all, I love spending time with family and friends. And what better use for an aircraft is there than that?
Aviate.
Thanks, Mark, for sharing your adventures with us!
Being a fellow Minnesotan this is very neat to see. It’s rare you see a plane on a frozen lake here in Central MN, let alone one without skis! I’m glad you’re enjoying flying, as that is what it’s all about.
What a wonderful article to read and the pictures tell more of your journeys with your airplane! It’s great in life to have a passion and your living it and loving it! Thanks for sharing! Your a great pilot and a great brother!
Wonderful if you can experience such adventures. In my country,Brlgium I cannot experience such adventures.Two years ago I was in Alaska -Anchorage and there I could experience a few hours in the gorges around Mac Kinley with a bush- pilot.Such dream -momentsz are unhappily too short.