• Tweet
• Email
• Sharebar

• Tweet
• Email

by G. Sax

Minneapolis is the "City of Lakes" in a state where every city, town, and northwoods outpost has a lake or two or three. We've grown used to such things from Minneapolis.

Not to say the Minneapolis lakes aren't spectacular. The Lake of the Isles mansionwalk, the Harriet charm, Calhoun's summertime show of shows, the bald eagle I saw at Nokomis. But with the Minneapolis Saint Paul More to Life campaign running around trying to fuse together two interesting and unique cities, they should have trademarked "Cities of Lakes" rather than "More to Life." What does that mean anyway? Beyond life? As in heavenly? Nirvana? Are we that desperate to compete with Seattle?

I don't really want Saint Paul to co-opt the lakes angle. I do want it known that we have a few nice bodies of water in Twin Two. Phalen has a beach and serves as the best long-walker of the group, but I'm going to focus this story on two other walk-around lakes that are closer to my heart and home: Como and Loeb.

I've been doing a lot of jogging of late. I'm signed up to run Grandma's Marathon in Duluth in June. On this blog, I made a public promise to run the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon. As I got into my training, I realized I was on track for a June marathon and the Twin Cities jog isn't until autumn. I'm still going to try to get into that one, so this is setting up to be a banner year for my legs.

On these training runs, I take advantage of my tax dollars and utilize the paths around my urban lakes. Everyone around the Twin Cities knows Como Park and has at least one fond memory of a zoo trip or a visit to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory or a picnic on Memorial Day. Como Park and Zoo is a treasure for all of Minnesota.

But in the deep, dark shadows of Como, literally on the other side of the tracks, is Loeb Lake, nestled in something called Marydale Park (which none of us locals have ever called it). I use Loeb on my midweek runs because it's a little lake and it makes you feel like a speed demon with how fast you get around it.

Como is probably the perfect distance for a dog walk or a walk with friends before or after a trip to Conny's Creamy Cone, a North End institution tucked neatly between Como Lake and Loeb Lake at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and Dale Street.

Loeb is awesome for a walk with the very old or very young or anyone in between who prefers a more leisurely pace. Loeb is also designated as a fishing pond by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. It is stocked in spring with crappies and bluegills.

I don't fish much, but I do run a lot now. I'll be weaving around both lakes later today and tomorrow. Maybe I'll see you there.