Some archive days we have a common theme that’s instantly recognizable, like today, it’s all about ice! Our own Charlie Hopper starts the Pasty Cam Ice Capades off today, with a shot he took of the parking lot at the Quincy Mine back in 2002. Charlie reminisced about the first skating lesson he had from his daughter Becky: “As I inched my way across the glazed parking lot at Quincy Mine, it reminded me of when my daughter Becky gave me my first and last skating lesson. It was about 11 years ago (27 years ago now), on a clear ice patch of Lake Superior below the dunes in Eagle River. The surface was much like the picture above - rough and bumpy, extremely slick. I spent most of that session in a horizontal posture, wondering how hockey players are immune to gravity.”

Our next ice adventure takes place in 2006, on Brita Haapala’s backyard ice rink, where her kids spend a good portion of the winter months skating and playing hockey. Good exercise for the kids, first clearing the snow off the ice and then fun part begins...skating the day away!

Lindsay Butala and her kiddos were doing some ice exploring at the Eben Ice Caves back in 2014. Just look at the size of the icicle formed from the ceiling of the cave to the icy floor. It’s so big around, her son can’t even get his arms around it.

If you’re looking for a simple way to make your backyard ice rink smooth and slick, check out today’s video of a youngster named Jaxen and his Dad’s ingenious idea for their own backyard Zamboni.

A nice ice rink where you park, how lovely, lol.
I love the kids playing hockey. It's always so
nice to see kids playing outside. You don't see
that much out here in the winter because there's
not a lot of snow, but it's always so darn cold.
Have a great day!

Great fun with all the icy images today! Let's start
a GoFundMe page to get Jaxen some tire studs!

Made my day with the pint size Zamboni man.

I remember that day back in 2002 when I still worked at Quincy. We had to access the Hoist House for something and remembering slipping and sliding all the way to the door. Fun times.......

When I was young, my father used to make me a small skating pond
and a little ski hill in our puny backyard in Detroit. You never could
take the Yooper out of my dad (or me). Love the picture of the kid
clearing the ice with his "zamboni!"

I'm in to help Jaxen get better traction! Very
ingenious set up there.

That car looks like a blooper about to happen and the bike is better than spinning.

That Zamboni is a great idea. Jaxen has a future in the
neighborhood.