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Heatwave Drives Minnesotans To The Lake

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Summer in Minnesota and Wisconsin means one thing: More time to spend at the lake.

Memorial Day weekend is kind of the annual kickoff to summer, and is oftentimes the first chance to spend extended time out on the lakes. Which this year is more appreciated than most.

Read More Minnesota In Midst Of Hottest Memorial Day Weekend In Decade

You could quantify the busyness by the line for ice cream near Lake Minnetonka, or you could just ask Maynards manager Kierra Holbert.

"We're so busy, this is awesome. We have all of our deck fully staffed, we've got every table full," Holbert said.

Ask anybody out and about at the lakes this glorious weather weekend, and there's a common theme.

Boaters On Lake Minnetonka
Boaters on Lake Minnetonka (credit: CBS)

"Hallelujah, hallelujah," said Chanhassen resident John Kupfer. "We all deserve this."

"More than earned it. With that winter we went through, we more than earned it," said Minnetonka resident Don Rosacker. "What else could you ask for? I mean seriously, this is great. I mean, the water's cold. You probably want to jump in it's so warm."

Mid-90s? On the first three-day weekend of the year? In May? I'd ask how we could be so lucky, but like Rosacker said, we did earned this.

"I mean, there was ice on there two weeks ago [laughs]!" Kupfer said. "Latest ice-out since 18-whatever. So yeah, we all, we need this."

For many, it was the first chance to get their boat in the water. Some needed no such excuse, while all seemed very appreciative.

"You know, you get a weekend like this, when have we had a Memorial Day weekend that is this nice, right?" Rosacker said.

According to the National Weather Service, it was in 2006!

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