Adventures in Gopherland

Quarantine Chronicles: Rice Lake State Park

During the “safe at home” period, we started trying to get out to a local state park once a week. We focused on our brainstorming efforts on parks south of the Twin Cities to stick to our geographic region until life opens up a bit more. We scoured the book “60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Minneapolis and St. Paul” to see what parks had good hikes and made it a list. This took us back to the first state park we visited when we moved here in August – Rice Lake State Park!

When we visited in August we went canoeing with my parents on the lake. This time we set out to follow a trail that goes along the side of the lake then loops through the woods and meadows also within the park grounds. It was a primarily flat trail and it mostly followed the designated Hiking Club trail. I’m not sure how long the hike was supposed to be, but we ended up going 2.38 miles. We’re still not in great hiking shape so we’ve tried to stick to easier trails to build up our endurance again (it was a long winter!)

The hike was absolutely beautiful, and compared with other state parks we’ve visited during this time, it wasn’t very busy. We really appreciated the different scenery during the trail and the small wildflowers that were starting to bloom. We dodged a few heavy raindrops at the start of the hike and you can see in our pictures that a full storm was looming by the time we finished – but we did stay dry!

We would highly recommend it as an easier but not boring trail south of the Cities! For more information on the park, visit the website!

Quarantine Chronicles: St. Olaf Natural Lands

Quarantine Chronicles!

When Minnesota went into “safe at home” at the end of March, we saw all of our bucket list plans disappearing. We went into lock down days before we were supposed to see a Timberwolves game to finish our sports section! This was obviously not the biggest concern at the moment, but it was still a disappointment. We wondered if we’d be able to do much else in the state in the next few months.

Thankfully, Minnesotans did a great job of flattening the curve, and the first thing to open back up was state park and privately owned nature areas! We haven’t ventured very far from home, but we have gotten out to do a few hikes that I’ll start highlighting here!

Last weekend we did our closest outdoor activity – visiting the St. Olaf natural lands. It feels silly to even admit that we hadn’t made it to them before this point. But we were looking for a short hike before the rain moved in, so we headed to the windmill.

The St. Olaf Natural Lands includes 350 acres of natural habitat land and 444 agricultural land. Students use the land to find ways to improve farming techniques and practice habitat restoration (including restoring part of the Big Woods, local wetlands, and prairie areas). There are a multitude of trails that take you through the area and since we wanted a quick walk we did a loop around the Windmill.

It was a perfect introduction to the area, since we got to see the prairie areas, seedlings of a new forest, and the work being done to cultivate existing forested areas. It was a smooth path, making for an easy walk. If you’re ever in the Northfield area, I’d highly recommend checking it out! You can learn more about the natural lands on St. Olaf College’s website.

Maple Syrup Madness

If you know me at all, you know that I’m an absolute fan of pure maple syrup. I can’t tell you the last time I had “pancake syrup” when it wasn’t forced on me by restaurants serving up sub-quality breakfast condiments.

Growing up in Upstate NY it was always easy to get locally sourced bottles. I would end up buying some for my dad every year for Christmas during college. It was a win-win gift if we’re being honest.

Moving to Colorado and now Minnesota, I’ve been suffering in the land of “people who don’t know what pure maple syrup is except that it might only come from Canada or Vermont”. Let me tell you, Canadian maple syrup is not nearly as good as NY. I’ll begrudgingly give Vermont a nod, though I still prefer my childhood favorite. I’ve had folks mail me syrup while I’ve been in exile because my need is so great.

When we first moved to Minnesota, I had to try several of the “pure maple syrup” brands at the local grocery stores. A few were incredibly disappointing, but I’ve settled on one that I enjoy (when I’m out of my NY stuff) which comes from the St. Croix area of Minnesota-Wisconsin. But given my impressions of Minnesota before moving here, I’ve been surprised to learn that maple syrup isn’t a big thing. No pop up sugar shacks selling pancakes during the season.

Thankfully, there’s a great state park system ready to educate folks like me!

Each during during the syrup season, several of the state parks in Minnesota hold weekend classes where you can learn how to tap trees and they teach you more about the history of maple syrup along the way. We went to Whitewater State Park in Altura.

What I didn’t realize is that only a small part of southern Minnesota has the right climate to have sugar maples – if you go just a little further west or north into the state, you end up in prairie. That’s part of the reason there isn’t more of an economy for it in the state.

There’s only a limited amount of time during the spring when you can tap maple trees. The temperatures need to get below freezing at night and above freezing during the day in order for the sap to get flowing.

The park ranger started by teaching us how to identify maple trees without their leaves. After that, the ranger worked with a group of 15 of us to tap a tree and start to collect the sap! It was fun to collaborate on it. After that, we collected from buckets that were already in the woods and he went over the procedure for boiling the sap into syrup and the differences between color and flavor of the various quality grades. The whole point of the class was to show how easy it is to tap your own trees and make your own syrup. While we don’t have land to do that, it was really enjoyable to learn how the process works.

We ended the session by asking the ranger why there might be flavor differences between NY and MN maple syrup. He said that the quality of the syrup in the grocery store wouldn’t be as high as you’d get by purchasing directly from a processor, and that the variation in the trees could also have an impact.

Even if you don’t have trees to tap, I’d encourage you to spend the time visiting a state park to learn more about this process! It’s very family friendly, and this is a terrific time of year to get outside!

You can find more information on the program and parks that host it here.

SPAM – The Miracle Meat!

In Austin, MN there’s a museum dedicated to Spam.

Or as one billboard says –

“14,000 square feet of square meat!”

I’m an absolute sucker for any type of tourist attraction like this. One of my favorite family trips as a child was to the Jello Museum in LeRoy, NY. (They’ve got a jello brick road that leads up to the building. So cool!) And I’ve dragged Peter down to my level when it comes to planning trips – he now regularly checks Roadside America for any “oddities” that correspond with our planned routes. An even better bonus with the Spam Museum – it’s less than 2 hours away from where we live!

When you first arrive at the Spam Museum, you are greeted by a Spambassador who gives you information about the exhibits and the museum. Another perk – it is absolutely free to visit!

There is a wider range of exhibits than you might expect. There are exhibits that give you the history of Hormel Foods, how Spam was developed, the role that it featured in feeding soldiers during WWII, and what Hormel and Spam are doing today!

There’s a fun exhibit where you can work the assembly line and race a friend to “fill” cans of Spam.

One of the most interesting exhibits was the World Market where you learn about the wide variety of Spam flavors found all over the world and the way different people have embraced this crazy food!

If you find yourself in Southern Minnesota, I would say that the Spam Museum is an absolute must-see! You can find more information at www.spam.com/museum

Throwback Thursday: Minnesota Vikings Game

On our Minnesota professional sports bucket list we started with a Twins game, then followed it up with a Minnesota Vikings game in October. To make it even cooler, it was the prime time Thursday night game!

My first in person NFL game was in Denver last year, and Peter has been to games in Buffalo, so this would be our first experience going to an indoor stadium.

While the public transport system is not as extensive as it is in other cities, we were still able to benefit from driving up to a Park N Ride and taking a train right to the stadium. Anything to avoid the hassle of parking!

It’s hard to not be impressed with the architecture of the stadium, built to evoke the idea of a Viking ship.

I happen to be a massive NFL fan. While my team is the Buffalo Bills, I love the sport in general. I couldn’t stop geeking out when I saw the setup for the Thursday Night Football crew. When we got to our seats, they had a promo for the crowd to put a purple filter on their phone lights for “Lights On” during the pregame activities.

One of the most interesting elements of the game was getting to see both Case Keenum and Adrian Peterson return to Minneapolis and how the crowd responded. Both of them got lots of cheers and support from the crowd. I think it could be argued that at that point in the season, many of the fans around us felt more positive about Keenum than their current QB Kirk Cousins. After living in Denver, where Keenum was thoroughly disliked, it was a fascinating moment to watch.

One of the best parts of the evening – learning when the “SKOL!” chant is used and getting to see the giant drum and horn. The atmosphere when the fans get going is absolutely electric. And when it comes to loud environments, I had no idea that an indoor stadium would be *that* loud – I should have brought ear protection!

The game itself wasn’t the most thrilling, but considering the Vikings were playing the Redskins, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been! The Vikings won 19-9 and we enjoyed our taste of Minnesota culture!

Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche

Just like in Colorado, we’re attempting to visit all* of the professional sports teams in Minnesota.

*Not professional soccer. Been there, did that, not enough of a completionist to do it again. It’s so confusing without the TV commentary.

We’ve been to a Twins game, a Vikings game (which you’ll get in a Throwback Thursday post later this week), and most recently – Minnesota Wild, the state’s men’s hockey team.

We went to a few Colorado Avalanche games in Denver, so we jumped at the opportunity to see the Avs, even though we’d be cheering for the Wild. Or mildly supporting them.

As with any sport other than football or baseball, we checked in on the status of the teams before going to the game. Turns out, the Wild are having a down year while the Avs are pushing for the playoffs. That made it even more tempting to wear our Colorado gear.

Nevertheless, we showed up early while wearing Minnesota gear to the Xcel Energy Center, eager to see what a hockey game in the “State of Hockey” is like.

Turns out, it’s a weird dynamic when the team isn’t doing well.

There were more people there than we expected, but they cheered for a Vikings player in attendance more than they cheered when the team was announced. I don’t blame them – the season must have been a disappointment – but it was an unusual experience.

The atmosphere of the game improved after the 1st period which makes sense, considering no one scored in the first. Unlike the few Avs games we had been to, the crowd really got into the game when fights broke out, to the point where the DJ was playing “You gotta fight, for your right, to party” over a montage of hockey fight clips. I know that’s the joke – “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out”.

All in all, we enjoyed the experience. Close parking, good food choices even in the nosebleed seats, and we knew going into the game that we’d be happy with whoever won!

Candlelight Walk at Myre-Big Island

I’m back to blogging because we’re back to adventuring! It will take me a little while to get caught up, but I’m looking forward to sharing some of the sites we’ve seen in the new year here in Minnesota!

To wrap up our Valentine’s Day week of celebrations (because Peter loves to go over the top), we drove south for a candlelight walk at one of Minnesota’s many state parks: Myre-Big Island State Park in Albert Lea.

We hadn’t been to this park before and coming after dark didn’t give us much of an impression. Part of the walk did take us by the water and we’re guessing it’s a really lovely walk during the summer. I think we’ll put a daytime visit on the remainder of our MN bucket list.

Once we arrived at the park, we drove out to the Big Island where we were directed to park, then follow the candles for the walk. Some of the candles were in ice containers which looked absolutely stunning.

The walk itself was a little more tricky than anticipated – we could understand why so many people were using snowshoes or skies! It felt a little like hiking at the Great Sand Dunes. Eventually when we got closer to the walk the path evened out and gave our knees a break.

Overall, it was a lovely experience. The candles were beautiful and it was a warmer evening than it had been in a while – all the way up to the high 20s! It’s amazing how conditioned I’ve become to the temperatures here – anywhere around freezing starts to feel balmy!

For more information on Myre-Big Island State Park, you can visit their website here.

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular!

Continuing the theme of “Katie loves all things fall” – Peter made sure to be on the lookout for a chance to see some jack-o-lanterns, and we got it at the Minnesota Zoo! We’ve had a few experiences in Denver visiting “pumpkin night” events, so we were excited to see what Minnesota had to offer!

The tickets are sold with a specific entrance time, and we arrived shortly after our opened up. It was a quick walk deeper into the park before we could start to spot any pumpkins. What we realized on the way out – that whole distance we walked through is designed for long lines! We’re not exactly sure why there wasn’t a line when we arrived, because there was a huge one when we left. Full credit to Peter for picking the best time to go!

The theme of the evening was “All Around The World”, so the pumpkins were grouped based on their location. In addition to the impressive number of “typical jack-o-lanterns” each location featured intricately carved pumpkins depicting animals or figures from that area.

A little bit of research into the event revealed that the pumpkin trail has about 5,000 illuminated pumpkins on display, Since the display goes for about a month, carvers take the time to re-carve the pumpkins, going through approximately 20,000 during the event!

There isn’t much else to say on the experience of the event, other than you should make a point to check it out next year if you live in the Twin Cities region! Enjoy the rest of our photos!

Can you spot Carmen Sandiego in the above picture? She and Waldo were hidden throughout the exhibit!

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

In Colorado, we had a bucket list of visiting every site run by the National Park Service – parks, historic sites, monuments, recreation areas, all of it! We still have that goal for Minnesota, but we’re also excited about visiting many of the state parks. Minnesota has an extensive and affordable state park system – 67 parks plus more trails and recreation areas. We won’t be trying to visit all of those but we did purchase an annual pass so we can see how many we do visit.

The closest state park to us is Nerstrand Big Woods. It is one of the last remaining parts of the Big Woods that once covered Minnesota before logging companies cleared the state. It feels like a pocket of forest when you drive through farmland to arrive there. Upon arrival, it felt very much like Upstate NY where Peter and I grew up. While it wasn’t intentional we did get to go during peak fall colors season, making the hike even more enjoyable!

We set out to do a short 1.2 mile loop to Hidden Falls – a small but beautiful waterfall in the park. Turns out my navigating is less than great and we ended up hiking 2.5 miles! The trail included beautiful fall leaves, a moderate workout, and a lovely wildflower patch at the end of the loop – we can’t wait to go back in the spring to see those flowers in bloom!

I think that Nerstrand will quickly become one of our favorite places to hike – as long as the Minnesota weather permits!

For more information on the park, you can visit their website.

Corgi Races? You Betcha!

Sometimes, adventures just fall in your lap.

I (Katie) was listening to the local sports radio station when an ad for Canterbury Park came on. I almost changed the channel when I heard that there would be a “Battle of the Breeds” – racing featuring Bulldogs, Bassets, Dachshunds, and Corgis!

Obviously, we had to go.

As we prepared for the event, I quickly realized that all those corgi racing videos that have gone viral on the internet were filmed in Canterbury Park! They do lots of these races and we were catching the last one of the season. The top 12 dogs in each breed would compete to be one of 3 representing their breed in the final race.

When we arrived, we discovered that horse races would be running as normal, with the dog races in between. We don’t gamble and don’t know a single thing about horse racing, so it quickly became a day of going inside to eat food, then coming back out to get ourselves in the best possible seats for the dog races!

The first doggie race featured basset hounds! They move faster than we expected. The best part was the slow-mo replay of the winning basset – the ears were rotating!

The owners of the bulldogs all had giant tennis balls (about the size of volleyballs) to try to motivate them to get to the finish line. Frank the Tank was the winner, but they were not as fast as one might think.

A few horse races later, it was the turn of the dachshunds! And it was stunning to see how fast they can run! Those are some highly motivated dogs!

Finally, the most anticipated race – the corgi race! 12 adorable corgis battling it out to represent the breed! The first thing I noticed – they were LOUD! All the other dogs had been so quiet as they got lined up, but the corgis made their presence known. And once they got running, they were practically flying! I know some folks think with the short legs that corgis wouldn’t be very athletic, but the herding genes are strong!

During the next break for horse races, I spotted one of the corgis who had just won the race. I was getting ready to simply take a picture, when the owner offered that I could hold him! Holding Mishka was one of the coolest experiences, especially because I’m usually too introverted to even speak to another corgi owner when I see them in public.

Finally, the day ended with the last “Bark in the Park” – the Battle of the Breeds! After watching the initial races, I was feeling pretty confident in the corgis, though the dachshunds looked formidable. Once again, the three corgis were louder than the other nine dogs combined! It must have been a sign of pent up energy – on the initial call, the corgis swept the race! (Upon further review, it looked like corgis took 1st and 2nd with a bulldog taking 3rd, but what do cameras know?)

All in all, it was a blast getting to watch the corgis race! It is an experience not to be missed!