Mike & Zeus

Mike and Zeus have a new twist on the old habit of taking your dog for a walk. Every afternoon Mike Schrank takes his Black Lab Zeus for a ride in his car. Rain for shine, hot or cold you can see them on their route seven days a week. At about 3:00 PM Mike get the signal from Zeus that its time for his ride. Their route takes them through the neighborhood including a trip through Oak Point Estates and down Camper Landing Road then all the way to Welsh Lake and back home. About a 20 mile round trip. Zeus has the back seat all to himself. He usually sticks his head out the window and barks at what ever catches his fancy. Mike steers his grey sedan, a Hyundai Sonata, through the course at about 20 mph. The whole trip last about one hour. On many days you can see Mike park his car down by the narrows where he gets excellent cell phone signals straight to the towers at Walker.

Actually Zeus is a recent substitute for Roc-e his predecessor in the back seat. Roc-e was also a Black Lab that lasted 13 years and many miles.

Mike, his wife Diane and son Joe have lived on the Steamboat side on Mounds Point Drive sine 1992 when Mike retired from the cities. Mike and Diane have two other children, Mike Jr. from Minneapolis and daughter Susan who lives in Delaware. This time of the year Mike harvests Maple Syrup. He taps 22 trees on his property to make his 30 plus pints of syrup. Mike uses his old turkey fryer cooker to boil down the sap. He says that his years process is about two weeks ahead of the usual harvest dates.

Mike is a very active man who enjoys his retirement up north. He enjoys a large garden full of usual vegetables beans, tomatoes, potatoes, squash etc etc. Mike and Diane like to can as much as possible. Mike likes to can because he says he knows what is inside. Good point. Mike likes to hunt deer and grouse. He hunts deep down by Jimmy Whipple's area. Mike and his son have a large pile of Oak that they have piled up ready for splitting for their fireplace. Mike is early to bed 8:00 pm and early to rise 5:00 am. Mike recently put his riding lawn mower aside and bought two new walk behind mowers so he and Joe can get their exercise.


The next time you see Mike driving his grey sedan in the afternoon on Oak Point Road with Zeus in the back seat, smile, wave and pass them by.