My First Trip to Brainerd... (1 Viewer)

[Greggo]

I know this is a little late but between moving and repairs and did I mention moving?

I hope to get some pictures posted later in the weekend.

First off... many thanks to Mark Krogen and his family for everything [transportation, housing, food, beers/diet cokes, and vanilla vodka].

Here are some of my Brainerd Memories:
1. Starting in Dallas; closing on the purchase of a new house and getting on a plane 4 hours later.
2. Weather; lows in the low 50s. We've been lucky to get lows under 80 recently in the Dallas area. Gotta love those highs in the upper 70s and low 80s - TONS better than the mid 100s!!!
3. Krogen Family Campground on Mille Lacs Lake; AWSOME!!!
4. Drive to/from Brainerd - lots of trees and lakes - go figure!
5. BIR - I have never seen so many campers and 1 condo at a dragstrip. Getting pictures from the staging lanes is cool too. Also got to meet some of the Northstar Maters... always good to put a face to a name or some-such. And Tom Stanfield [practically a neighbor] was there as well.
6. Bayview Inn on Mille Lacs - some of the best pizza I have ever had and... good beers too!
7. Polar Plunge in August - Saturday night dip in Mille Lacs. All I can say is thank God for a double-tall Vanilla Vodka/Diet Coke. Still froze my arse off providing plenty of entertainment for the Krogen Family.
8. My roommate/fiance/etc. moving boxes in 100+ degree heat back home.

 

[Toejam]

First off... many thanks to Mark Krogen and his family for everything [transportation, housing, food, beers/diet cokes, and vanilla vodka].

Ok Mark, I'm next!

 

[DrRocket]

It was really good to meet you Greg. Really glad you enjoyed your time up here. Planning on making it next year???

 

[PJ]

I heard about your plunge, although if you really want the polar part of come join me for a dip in February

 

[mick]

Greg,
it was a pleasure meeting you, and a big congratulations
on the purchase of your new home.
glad to hear you enjoyed a little reprieve from the texas heat;
plus you got the deluxe mille lacs treatment. very cool.

 

[Greggo]

It was really good to meet you Greg. Really glad you enjoyed your time up here. Planning on making it next year???

Nice to meet you [and the Misses] as well.

I really hope to make it next year but scheduling will be the ultimate factor. The main reason I was able to come up this year was because my Dad had to cancel our trip to Bonneville for Speed Week because of a job change. We were scheduled to leave for Utah today for 12 days. So plans for next year will all hinge on the Brainerd and Bonneville schedules.

 

[Greggo]

I heard about your plunge, although if you really want the polar part of come join me for a dip in February

I don't think I could consume enough alcohol for that!

 

[The Swegian]

Greg, it was a pleasure to have you stay with us. I think you might have been a little concerned initially about "would there be enough room?" in my camper but it worked out perfectly and I don't think you felt squished.

I keep thinking of many stories about the whole weekend...like The Onion website and the "news" articles we were cracking up over, Zach (my 15 year old son) disappearing for an hour and while we're getting quite concerned, he comes back with his hat covered in autographs. He walked the staging lanes when the pros were lining up and got a bunch of drivers to sign although the funny story was he got John Force's just as John emerged from a Porta-Potty. I asked Zach "What'd ya do, stalk him?" The highlight of the weekend had to be the evening dip in the lake.

I look forward to seeing your pictures.

 

[Greggo]

I know this is a week [or 3] late but... here are my pics from Brainerd.

Enjoy!

 

[.]

I know this is a week [or 3] late but... here are my pics from Brainerd.

Enjoy!

Great Shots, Greg.

You even managed to get a shot of several fish houses. (near the end of the slide show)

Sorry I didn't get myself over to the Mater meeting again this year. I always have good intentions but for some reason I always seem to miss the meeting.

Brian.

 

[JRX]

8. My roommate/fiance/etc.

Fiancé? How the heck did I miss this???? Whoa there Greggo! Congratulations to the two of you!!!!!!!!!!!

Great pics too...thanks for sharing! Cya in a couple of days!

 

[tomcat]

Great shots Greg, I just saw this thread. Great seeing you again, and all the new people I met that day. It was a great race, and a great weekend at the track. Looks like I won't get home for the Ennis race, have enough fun there for me too. ( I can't believe you are still alive after buying a house and leaving town for your fiancee to pack and move by herself. You are THE MAN! )

 

[Toejam]

Greg, great pics! I see I've taught you well in the Eye Candy dept! Especially pic #149! But the scenery up there is incredible! Reminds me of Seattle!

 

[.]

First off... many thanks to Mark Krogen and his family for everything [transportation, housing, food, beers/diet cokes, and vanilla vodka].

Mark is good people.

8. My roommate/fiance/etc. moving boxes in 100+ degree heat back home.

I have no words. (LOL)

Good pics, man. Thx

 

[DrRocket]

Good pics Greg. Always nice to see the race from someone else's point of view. Thanks for posting them.

 

[Greggo]

Greg, great pics! I see I've taught you well in the Eye Candy dept! Especially pic #149! But the scenery up there is incredible! Reminds me of Seattle!

You like that???

I believe that is Paul Anderson's significant other.

 

[Toejam]

You like that???

I believe that is Paul Anderson's significant other.

Reminds me of Mindy Hough!

 

[mick]

thanks greg - love the ice fishing houses.
(portions of mille lacs lake turn into small cities on ice each winter)

if you look on BIR's website, there are photos of cars road racing
on lake/ice/winter - same small lake as is seen from your picture from
top row of bleachers (looking behind bleachers)

 

[The Swegian]

These pics were great. It's like I was there.

Wait a minute...I was. Only three more days 'til we leave for Indy!!!

 

[The Swegian]

Oh, and pictures 163-166 were of the gorgeous sunset right around the time Greg took the Polar Plunge on that Saturday evening.