2024

Cancelled so that interested members may watch the vice presidential debates.

Online via Zoom

Join Mandy as she describes what it was like going on guided hiking trips in two National Parks this year. She’ll discuss why she chose a guide, the pro’s and con’s of guided trips, and if she’ll do it again!

Online via Zoom

A program all about the MN Rovers, with a slide show featuring the amazing activities that our members coordinate. Come check out our favorite pictures, hear about our wide variety of outdoor adventures as well as the many ways you can participate: join a trip, learn or teach new skills, help with conservation and trail clearing, and other fun events. You’ll also have an opportunity to visit with Rovers afterwards about your favorite way to play outside.

Cancelled so that interested members may watch the presidential debates.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

No presentation – come to the Gear Swap! Twice a year the Minnesota Rovers host a gear swap at one of the regular Tuesday night meetings. Anyone who has any type of gear that they are no longer using can bring it to the swap and either sell it outright or make a trade with someone else. The gear is in good shape, and usually, the owners have simply chosen to upgrade or no longer have a need for that particular piece of equipment. It is a great way to get your hands on some gear if you just want to try it out without having to make a huge investment in brand new equipment.

Note: If you are a seller, you may want to start setting up before 7:00 p.m. Some buyers come before 7:00 to start shopping early.

P.S. Tell your outdoor friends about this great opportunity to buy gear they need OR sell gear they no longer need!

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Join Joan McKearnan for a walk through the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom, just south of the Como Park Picnic Area, and discuss ways to enjoy nature. We will walk through prairie and wooded habitats to look for flowers, fungi, insects and birds. We will practice using i-Naturalist, Merlin and other identification apps.

Joan McKearnan is a recently retired community college instructor in biology and has a Phd in wildlife ecology. She has taught all three Master Naturalist biome classes She can frequently be seen walking her dog in the Como Park neighborhood.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Have you wondered how people actually GET stuff to all of our fun activities? Bikes, canoes or kayaks, all that stuff for the weekend, themselves? And, yeah, you have a vague idea that the Equipment Locker has tie-downs for that kayak you’d love to borrow, but would you like to learn a bit more about how they actually work?????

This is an opportunity for members to show how they transport their stuff. We need folks to show off how they get their stuff from their house to their cool outdoor destination. Bike racks (cartop, hitch, back of the car), kayak/canoe racks (Hullivators, racks on the top of the car, etc.), carriers for all of that stuff (car-top, hitch-mounted). Do you use a folding bike or an inflatable kayak? Have you converted your van into a cool travel van?

Please let Stacey know at [email protected] if you are willing to present and what you would be showing off. As in the past, we’d just plan to move from car to car and let people talk for a few minutes.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Tanner will share fundamental skills for getting outdoors to appreciate mushrooms in our region. He will also bring fresh and preserved mushrooms featuring the most common ones found in our region and those sought after for foraging. Tanner will provide additional resources to learn more about the hobby and concrete steps for how you too can get out there and enjoy the world of mushrooms! Tanner encourages you to come prepared with questions and a readiness to get your hands on some mushrooms! He will leave plenty of time for questions, sample handling, and audience participation.

No Rovers meeting – enjoy National Night Out with your neighbors!

In person at Como Park in St. Paul — West Picnic Grounds – west of Estabrook Drive & Midway Parkway (we meet near the bathroom building).

After riding regular road bikes for over 6o years, Doug purchased an electric bike (e-bike) in early 2024. In this talk, Doug will share the research he did on e-bikes and his experience using them. The presentation will explore types, costs, benefits, drawbacks, and regulations of these increasingly popular vehicles. Rover members are encouraged to bring their own e-bikes to the meeting if they use one.

Doug has been retired for five years after a 43 year career in K-12 education. He is now an active volunteer, including leading hikes for the Rovers. Doug’s bicycling adventures have taken him to France, Ireland, Czech Republic, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. He has also participated in week-long organized bike rides in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Minnesota. He is still not very good at fixing his own flat bike tires.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

(Rescheduled from 5/21/24. Original date was rained out.) Join us for a movement session to explore warm-ups and cool down options for avid and recreational cyclists. This session will focus on the strength, flexibility, and balance necessary to remain active and pain free to enjoy years of cycling. Wear comfortable clothing to move in and bring your questions and ideas to share.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Don’t let a flat tire leave you stranded on the road or trail. Get a hands-on opportunity to remove a bike wheel and tire, then prepare & apply an inner tube patch. (Glue, patches and sacrificial tubes will be provided!)

Time permitting, you’ll also learn about DIY bike lubrication, brake adjustment, and handlebar & seat adjustments to make you more comfortable and efficient.

Come participate—you’ll leave more attuned to your bicycle!

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Participate in our 2024 Backcountry Cook-Off and help other outdoor enthusiasts expand their backcountry cooking repertoire! Show off your “old reliable” or try an interesting new recipe before you take it out on the trail. Here are the guidelines: It’s day three of a wilderness backpacking or canoe/kayak camping trip. Recipes should be appropriate for the backcountry, take 20 minutes or less to prepare, and require only a single-burner stove. We’ll need lots of delicious entries, so we hope you’ll consider entering. The winning chef will receive a prize and bragging rights!

If you plan to enter, email Stacey at [email protected] with your name and title of what you will prepare (Easy-Peasy Nut and Fruit Couscous, Spaghetti with Dried Veggie Sauce, etc.).  Please bring everything you need (ingredients, stove, pots/pans, etc.). Water is available from the sinks in the nearby restrooms. Cooking will begin as soon as the meeting part of our night is concluded (around 7:20). Sampling and voting should start by about 7:40.

Tonight’s meeting and presentation have been CANCELLED due to the weather.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul — West Picnic Grounds – west of Estabrook Drive & Midway Parkway (we meet near the bathroom building).

The under rated warm-up and cool down options are easily incorporated right into your hikes and runs. This class will focus on the strength, flexibility, and balance necessary to remain active and pain free. Join us as we explore what’s right for you.

Following a career as a professional dancer, Rover Carol Schwarzkopf found her calling as an educator, wellness consultant, and nonprofit champion. She has a BFA from University of Utah/Salt Lake City, a Health & Wellness Certification from the Mayo College of Medicine and Science, Yoga Certifications, and years of study of the brain, motivation, fascial fitness, Pilates, resilient living, and the intersectionality of climate mitigation and social justice.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

You may think the Rovers Equipment Locker has only tents and sleeping bags, but we have much more than just that with an extensive gear inventory for all seasons. Join our presentation for a full reveal of the gear we have available for members to check out on your next posted trip.

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

If someone is injured in a trip in a remote area, would you know what to do? This presentation will be a short review of ways to be prepared in case something happens miles from civilization. Tom O’Neal (a Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness First Aid instructor) will be talking about how to think about first aid in remote settings, with a focus on ‘being prepared.’

In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Do you know how to use a map and compass? Are your skills rusty and you could stand to have a review? Jerry will be presenting a basic map and compass orienteering program. We will have a limited number of maps and compasses from the Equipment Locker. If you have your own map and/or compass, please bring them!

In person at Como Park in St. Paul — West Picnic Grounds – west of Estabrook Drive & Midway Parkway (we meet near the bathroom building).

No presentation – come to the Gear Swap! Twice a year the Minnesota Rovers host a gear swap at one of the regular Tuesday night meetings. Anyone who has any type of gear that they are no longer using can bring it to the swap and either sell it outright or make a trade with someone else. The gear is in good shape, and usually, the owners have simply chosen to upgrade or no longer have a need for that particular piece of equipment. It is a great way to get your hands on some gear if you just want to try it out without having to make a huge investment in brand new equipment.

Note: If you are a seller, you may want to start setting up before 7:00 p.m. Some buyers come before 7:00 to start shopping early. 😊

P.S. Tell your outdoor friends about this great opportunity to buy gear they need OR sell gear they no longer need!