Backyard Rink
Game on! The big two are ready to face off tonight on the rink… 🏒🥅
With this the 2024 Gott Walker Ice rink is open for business. The girls and Big Darbs tested it out. I will say after shoveling it earlier today Darby was so excited to get on the rink and more importantly run all round the rink. 🏒
Flooding Complete: 27 hrs and 11,649 Gallons (44,096 L) of water later I am now going to call it good. It really did take much longer than when I did it in 2022 but I used less water overall and the rink size of 54' x 32' is the same. Now we will wait for ice to start being made by the assistance of mother nature. 🧊
Flooding Update: 24 hours and I am going to let this continue for a while to make sure I have enough water on the shallow side. I am now wondering if I placed the rink in a slightly different location than other years as it seems to be taking longer than last time.
Flooding Update: 22 hrs in and all four corners are finally covered with about 1 inch of water on this shallow side. Since I don’t have to be anywhere to be till 9am I might let it run till at least 8:30 am with two hoses and then decide my next moves.
Flooding Update: Decided to call it a night after the 16 hr check-in as it didn’t look like I was going to have any issues with it overflowing and the structure was solid. However, I was awakened at the 20 hr check-in, so I went out and did a lap again, thinking I might shut off a hose, and it still had not covered all four corners yet, so I will let it continue. Interestingly, there is a little ice forming already out there.
Flooding Update: Can’t believe I still have not filled the 4th corner after 16 hrs of flooding. I am thinking I am just going to go with the plan so let’s hope it is all good tomorrow.
Flooding Update: Well 14hr in now and all braces around the rink are in tack except maybe some small ones as things progress. However, water has still not touched the far back corner. The 18 hrs estimate from other years might be close. Not an idea time though so I am wondering if I go for another 2 hrs with 2 hoses and then cut back to 1 overnight so I can sleep with no worries. 🤔
Flooding Update: Still filling up slowly now that it is about 10 hrs in I am getting eager for it to at least cover all 4 corners. Hopefully, by the 12 hr mark I will get there.
Flooding Update: 12 hours in and only three out of the four corners are now covered but I feel like reaching that fourth is going to take some more time.
Flooding Update: Things are still progressing nicely with no issues to report. I decided to get the back braces put on as I think we have about 1ft of water on the back side now or close to it.
Flooding update: 6 hrs in and things are still looking good. Not quite to half the bottom covered yet but the deep end is filling up nicely so far.
Flooding update: 2 hrs in and keeping pace with the last time I did it from what I can tell as the water is touching the whole back wall (closest in picture). Later this afternoon I probably need to get the braces pounded in place.
Commencement of year 11 10 ice rink filling is officially a go! I guess last year I put the boards up but nothing ever happened.
I might have to reconsider just waiting until December to flood the backyard rink. This week is actually looking like good weather from what I can tell. 🧊 🤔
Decisions have been made so here we go again…. 🏒
Probably won’t get a lot done today but boards out in the grass and stakes down from garage.
I really can’t believe this weather we are having as it is January 24th and it is lightly raining outside and 34ºF. The little bit of snow that we had is going to be gone quickly. I am going to continue to assume more snow is coming but at this point and looking ahead at the weather I think I made the right call on my own backyard rink.. as painful as it is was.
Backyard Rink Update: December 27
Such a strange winter this has been… I should step back to say that originally I was kind of on the fence if I didn’t want to do a hockey rink this year just because I felt it was not used as much as I would have liked to have seen it last year. However, on a whim and looking at weather forecasts in November I quickly decided to put the boards up and then order a tarp from a new company. Then the weather started to get warm and I waited…. and waited… Like I have done since learning that valuable lesson in my earlier years. However, fast forward to today and it is December 27th and the weather may maybe getting close to the right conditions as you can see from my chart below but I am asking myself a very important question. Am I going to finish building the rink for the 2023-2024 Season?
Such a hard questions as I have a streak going of 9 years and not to mention a good handful of the work is already done with the boards up.
I guess I always do say never say never so who knows maybe in the last moment I will change my mind but I don’t think so as of right now. I don’t take it lightly though breaking a good streak right before a round number but this winter is not what I would have expected and once January 2nd hits everyone will be busy again as normally between Christmas and New Year is when we use the rink the most. Hopefully, looking forward to the 2024-2025 season as I will still have the tarp now and should be ready to go. Guess I will have to (unless I change my mind) since everything is purchased and only labor is needed.
Cannot believe it is 50°F today in Minnesota on December 14th. If you have been at the edge of your seat wondering what is up with my backyard rink, lets just say nothing and this is why. As each day goes by I am wondering if I will actually do it this year or if it will just end up being to late.
Rink Update: Seeing how I made the decision to make a backyard rink again this year it is that time of year I start watching the weather in the upcoming 10 days. Looking today, I don’t really see a time in the near future that I am going to start flooding. 😔 🏒
