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Programs
Check the programs schedule frequently to see what’s coming up. After business as usual, our meetings feature multimedia presentations and informative discussions on topics such as past trips, wilderness preservation, equipment demonstrations, and tips & techniques such as bicycle maintenance, backpacking for beginners, how to hang a bear bag, wild flower identification, etc.
If you would like to schedule a program/presentation or have ideas/requests for a future Rovers program, contact John Taylor at 612-578-6024.
If you have any other questions about Minnesota Rovers, please e-mail us at info@mnrovers.org.
Upcoming Programs & Presentations
- May 13: Tips on International Travel. Learn some tips on planning a more economical international trip as well as how to avoid the more common hassles. Presented by Cheryl Batson
- May 20: Folding Kayak Demo. Watch a folding kayak be assembled before your eyes and try it out yourself on Lake Como. Get answers to the following questions: How long does it take to assemble? Are they sturdy? Are they sea worthy? Do they track well? How much do they weigh? Can you take a folding kayak as checked in luggage? Why would a person want a folding kayak anyways? How much do they cost? Where can I buy a folding kayak?
- May 27: Camping with Children. Camping with kids can be a little different than a "grown-up" Rover's adventure, but still loads of fun! Whether its your own kids, or nieces and nephews, friends of family, come and hear how to pass on your love of the outdoors to future generations. Presented by Cari Gelle
Past Programs & Presentations
The list below shows programs and presentations from past meetings. Use it as a reference for programs you might be interested in presenting or suggesting.
- May 6: How to Organize a Trip. It's simple and fun, and any Rover member can do it! If you've got a favorite destination in mind, or fun outdoor activity or sport you'd like some Rovers to join in on, Cari & Uwe will share Tips and Tricks, Q & A for how to plan and organize a trip. Presented by Uwe Thomanschefsky and Cari Gelle
- April 22: Thailand and Cambodia. Pictures of biking around the countryside outside Chiang Mai, Thailand with former Rover Doug Van Sickle and six days in Siem Reap, Cambodia visiting the temples of Angkor Wat. Presented by Mike Smith.
- April 15: Middle East. Trip to Jordan and Egypt in January where we hiked and climbed pretty much everything including Petra and Mt. Sinai. Presented by Karen Nikolai.
- April 8: Planning Trips in the Upper Midwest. Beth Gauper and Torsten Muller will present their new on-line travel guide, MidwestWeekends.com, and show how club members can use it and other resources to get fresh ideas for trips (including trips they might want to lead for the Rovers). Emphasis will be on summer and fall trips, such as backpacking in Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, hiking and kayaking around Rossport, Ont., and bicycling new trails in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
- April 1: AAA Avalanche Course. This past January Tom Harris and Cheryl Batson spent a week telemark skiing and randonee skiing in Colorado while taking an avalanche course for a part of the week. (Randonee skiing is much like downhill skiing only the heels can lock down for downhill skiing and unlock for cross country skiing). The avalanche course came during ideal training weather as the conditions hit the high-risk range as we headed into the backcountry. Come learn a little bit of how to ski safely in high avalanche conditions, a bit of what the course teaches, and the telemark/randonee pros and cons while viewing slides set in the beautiful Colorado mountains.
- March 25: 10 Days in Laos. Traveling down the Mekong River in a slow boat to Luang Prabang to a two-day jungle trek to a hill tribe village in northern Laos to biking in the countryside outside Vang Vieng, Laos. Presented by Mike Smith.
- March 18: Backpacking Out West. Fresh video from a backpacking trip this past August into the Wind River Range of WY—shot in widescreen. It features some "River flows Through It" type fly fishing action! There could some other surprises too. Presented by John Borgfelt.
- March 11: Backpacking in Patagonia and "Poor Man's Cruise." In December 2007 two former Rovers traveled to scenic southern Chile to hike an
8-day circuit route through Torres del Paine National Park. Upon arrival, they encountered a major surprise, which added to their adventure. After the trek, they boarded a converted ferry boat with 160 others from around the world for a 5-day "poor man's cruise" up the Chilean coast. Presented by Jim and Patty Hastreiter.
- March 4: Skiing the North Shore of Lake Superior. Lake Superior's North Shore is a cross country skier's paradise. Between Duluth and Grand Marais, there are at least 700 kilometers of groomed trails. Andrew Slade, author of the new book Skiing the North Shore, will take you there. A lucky combination of geology and climate brings winter enthusiasts back to the North Shore year after year — for good reason. Through slides and stories, Andrew will take you back to favorite trails and show you where to find new adventures, from the amazing variety of trails in the Duluth-Superior area to the wild and wooly adventures on the Gunflint Trail. Andrew Slade is the original editor of Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail and author of White Woods, Quiet Trails, the first comprehensive guide to North Shore winter recreation. He has been exploring the North Shore of Lake Superior his entire life, both professionally and personally. He is the executive director of Sugarloaf: The North Shore Stewardship Association. He lives in Duluth with his wife and two sons.
- February 26: 88 Bikes. A microphilanthropy project whose goal is to provide bicycles to children in undeveloped countries while at the same time connecting donors from the developed world with the bicycle recipients. 88 bikes was founded in 2006 by brothers Dan Austin and Jared Austin, and their friend Nick Arauz. Dan is a writer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Jared is the pediatric chief resident at the University of Minnesota. Nick is a social media entrepreneur in Brooklyn, NY. Jared will be discussing how the project unfolded in Palm Tree Orphanage of Phnom Penh, Cambodia in January 2007 and the Patango refugee camp of Northern Uganda in January 2008. More information can be found at www.88bikes.com.
- February 19: Day Hiking in Death Valley. Presented by Terry Kochaver
- February 12: Tanzania. Trip taken in 2007 to Eastern Africa. Presented by Amy Ekberg.
- February 5: Gila Wilderness Area. The 550,000 acre Gila Wilderness Area is said to be the world's first officially designated wilderness area. Along with the adjoining Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area, this comprises one of the largest wilderness areas in the Southwest. With forested mountains, a great climate, clear trout filled streams and varied ecosystems, this area has great backpacking opportunities. Come hear about four recent backpacking trips to the area. Presented by Joe Burns.
- January 29: Maine — Mt. Katahdin and Acadia National Park. This past autumn I went to Maine during peak fall colors and did an ascent up Mt Katahdin which is the start and end of the Appalachian Trail. The route chosen includes going over a knife ridge. Then I went to Acadia National Park which is an island off the Maine coast, hiking the steep Precipice Trail which has chains and ladders drilled into the rock to make it possible for average hikers (who are not afraid of heights) to ascend. Presented By Cheryl Batson.
- January 22: Mountain Biking on the Italian Riviera: Five Rovers spent a week at a bike hotel in Finale Ligure on the Italian Riviera in May, 2007. We sampled the area's mountain bike trails, watched a 24-hour mountain bike race, and rode up to watch a mountain-top finish of the Giro d'Italia outside Genoa. Presented by Susie Hartigan and Melissa Krumholz.
- January 15: Germany. Three-week trip to Germany in August 2007. Presented by Terry Kochaver
- January 8: Chilkat River Bald Eagle Preserve.This 48,000 acre preserve near Haines, Alaska was established in 1982 to protect the world's largest natural concentration of eagles as they gather each year to take advantage of a late season salmon run. The Chilkat River is glacial fed with waters that remain open in the early winter for the salmon to spawn. Along a 3-4 mile stretch of river there can be as many as 4,000 eagles present, and most are quite tolerant of human presence, allowing for wild eagle photography opportunities not found anywhere else in the world. Liz visited the preserve in November 2007 and will share her experiences and photographs. Presented by Liz Stanley, amateur photographer.
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