Four Tips for a Great Trip to the Lake

One of my favorite all-time phrases is “the lake.”

I grew up in northern Minnesota, where “the lake” was often just a short walk from your back door. In fact, we had so many lakes around us that we only had to use their first names (omitting “lake”) and everyone knew what you were talking about. “Whacha doin’ this weekend?” “Goin’ to Basswood.”

When I moved to Minneapolis, the lakes were a little farther away and the conversation changed  slightly. “Are you going out to the lake this weekend?” “Yep, as soon as I can ditch work and load up the car, we’re heading to the lake.” The name of a specific lake did not matter. It was enough that you were getting out of the city and going to any lake.

I live in central Illinois these days. We have a lot of small muddy rivers but few real lakes. Sadly, any decent-sized lake within a 2-hour drive is generally jam-packed and accommodations are expensive. When we go to the lake now, it usually means a 9-hour drive north to Fall Lake, nearly Ely, Minnesota. Translation: It takes a lot more time and planning to ensure that we have a great trip. Sure, I miss the old days when I could run down the hill and jump right into the lake. But I’m also grateful for the gorgeous days I do get to spend on those clear, rocky lakes surrounded by pines.

Having made the trip to the lake so many times now, I’d like to offer you a few “I wish I’d thought of that sooner” tips to help you make the most of both your journey and your destination, especially if you’re on a tight budget like we are.

Step 1: Make sure you have the right clothes and shoes. You’re going to need things you probably don’t use every day at home, like footwear suitable to hike down rocky trails, wade into lakes and waterfalls, and then hike back out. Sure, you’ll wear those sequin-strapped flip-flops out to a restaurant at night, but they aren’t going to stand up to the rigors of life at the lake. Two swimsuits, lots of shorts and t-shirts (trust me, you’ll wear more than one a day), a big beach towel, and you’ll be good to go. Look for quick-drying fabrics that will be comfortable in the hot sun, like ripstop nylon khaki shorts (not black) and Under Armour or similar lightweight, quick-drying T-shirts.

Step 2: Make sure the car is in good shape. The lake is generally quite a few miles from the nearest auto parts shop, so now’s the time to get new windshield wipers if you need them and make sure you’re up-to-date on basic maintenance like oil change, tire rotation, and the like.

Step 3: Prepare the cooler. Be sure to choose a cooler suitable for multiple purposes: For snacks and drinks during your long drive to the lake and back, to carry picnic supplies to the beach or out on a boat, and also to pack home any fish you catch or other goodies. On our drive to the lake, we pass a shop that makes the world’s best caramel rolls, so we always buy a dozen, freeze them at my folks’ house, and bring them home in our cooler.

Step 4: Pack plenty of bug spray and bite-relief products. Choose one of the “dry” sprays, like Deep Woods Off! Dry. If your mosquito bites turn into welts and drive you crazy with itching like mine do, also pack Benadryl tablets and Benadryl spray. Do not skimp on these two things.

You can thank me later.

Five Must-Haves for Aging Athletes (40+)

I bet you were a total jock in your teens and twenties, am I right? Lettered in high school, played multiple sports, participated in rec. league softball or volleyball for a while after college. These days, you have to pay to belong to a gym, though you may not make it there as often as you’d like. Maybe you've even taken up a new activity, such as aerial yoga or golf or (haha) home maintenance and repair. Most importantly, you have the aching joints to prove it. Sound familiar? Then you are sure to love at least one of the products I’m about to recommend.

First off, if you haven’t heard of Biofreeze cold therapy pain relief spray, you need to go get yourself a bottle. This stuff is head and shoulders above the old Icy Hot and BenGay creams that we used in the past. It comes in a 360-degree spray, so you can hit that aching spot under your left shoulder blade and your hands don’t get all smelly. If you’re having trouble falling asleep because some part of you is aching, this stuff will give you some quick pain relief. It’s not going to replace a good dose of Advil, but it can definitely help relieve muscle pain.

Second, if you’re still using ziplock bags of ice cubes on your aching knee, it’s time to switch to refreezable, flexible ice packs. Wal-Mart Equate is the brand of choice in our household, and we have at least four of them in different sizes in our freezer right now. Whether it’s lower back pain or that old broken ankle that’s feeling achy, 20 minutes of ice while you catch up on your DVR backlog should do the trick.

Item number three is probably my favorite: the foam roller. In the past few years I’ve noticed a lot more people using these for self-massage, formally known as self-myofascial release, to release muscle tightness in the back and legs. My husband’s knee pain has gone away since he learned to roll out his IT band (which runs down the outside of the thigh). I use my foam roller on my upper back to counteract the tension created by working on a laptop all day. If you get one of these to use at home, and you don’t have thick carpeting, I recommend getting an extra-thick yoga mat as well.

This next item is a little more expensive, but if you’ve given up lounging outside because you can’t get comfortable in those collapsible sling chairs that everyone uses nowadays, you need to check out this one. It’s called the Gaffer’s Portable Recliner. The back is adjustable to three positions, there’s a removable foot rest so you can recline or just sit with your feet up, plus there’s a fully adjustable umbrella to keep the sun out of your eyes. Did I mention the insulated armrest pocket that keeps up to four drinks chilled? But if you’re looking to go one better on back support, check out a zero gravity lounger (preferably in the XL size).

Finally, if you have plantar fasciitis or other types of foot or leg pain, I have found an online store that sells a great variety of specialized products for foot care, with very reasonable prices. It’s called Footsmart, and they carry products ranging from stretching devices to ice packs shaped to stay on difficult spots like shins and heels. One good thing about a specialized shop like this is the product reviews. I figure, if someone has gone to the trouble of seeing out a web retailer that specializes in a particular area like foot care, that reviewer is probably more knowledgeable about the subject than someone posting a product review on a more generalized site like Amazon.

So there you have it: my five favorite product discoveries for aging athletes. Try one today!