2026

Online via Zoom

Remember your first or most memorable trip? How did it excite, inspire or teach you something? Tonight, join your fellow Rovers in sharing that joy or impact.

Plan on spending up to 5 minutes conveying the Where, When, How (and maybe Why!) of your experience. A few photos to illustrate your trip would be great, but not required.

Please sign up to speak on this form: https://forms.gle/memorabletripssignup

This will be an evening of many trips down Memory Trails, Roads, Rivers, Mountains…   : )

Presented by Rovers members.

Online via Zoom

What once seemed like an ambitious and far-fetched goal to clear the Powwow Trail has become a reality, thanks to the vision and perseverance of dedicated volunteers working in partnership with the US Forest Service.

Today, hikers are able to backpack the trail in three days, and some have even completed the thirty-mile journey in a single day. However, the work is ongoing, as storms continue to bring down new tangles of dead trees each year, presenting new challenges for trail maintenance.

Attendees will gain insight into the value of volunteering in the Superior National Forest, the positive impact of these efforts on preserving historic hiking trails, and practical information about how to experience the Powwow Trail themselves.

Presented by Martin K.

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

There are lots of choices in bicycles these days. Let’s educate each other on this broadening two-wheeled market. Regardless of whether you’re a new, or seasoned bicyclist, bring your bike to Como and share why you chose the bike you ride, how well it meets your expectations, and what’s been your best adventure on it.

If you wish to talk about your bike, here’s a guide to information you can share:

o Why you purchased this type of bike, this particular brand, and model
o What you like best about its fit or performance
o What about your bike has not met expectations
o What modifications have happened, or are planned
o What is the best trip you’ve taken on your bike
o Your assessment of your bike shop’s sales and service efforts

Please keep your “presentation” to a maximum of 5 minutes. : )

If you have a bike, bring it! If you don’t have a bike, be sure to attend and learn something about all the types of bikes that are out there!

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Come learn how to travel and camp safely in bear county. You’ll learn about the basics of black bear foods, foraging in bear country, recreating outdoors in bear country, bear encounters, bear spray, and how to coexist with these remarkable critters. 

Presented by: Dr. Andy T.

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Join us after the presentation to socialize at Gabe’s Bar & Kitchen. 991 Lexington Pkwy N, St Paul, MN 55103. Just off Energy Park Drive.

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Come and prepare a favorite backcountry dessert 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’re looking for a number of entries, and we hope you’ll consider entering. All entrants will receive something for participating.

If you want to participate as one of our cooks, email the Presentations Committee ([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).
We need taste testers! Bring your plates/bowls and utensils to sample the offerings and vote for your favorite. But we really need cooks!

Presented by: YOU! And YOU! And YOU!!!!!

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Join us after the presentation to socialize at Gabe’s Bar & Kitchen. 991 Lexington Pkwy N, St Paul, MN 55103. Just off Energy Park Drive.

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

How do you navigate in the outdoors? Tonight’s meeting will be an opportunity to share your favorite technology with the Rovers community. Come prepared to give a mini-primer about the pluses and minuses of the tech you use.

If you want to talk about YOUR favorite device (and we hope lots of people participate!), please write to [email protected] and let us know which one you’ll discuss.

Presented by: YOU! And YOU! And YOU!!!!!

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Join us after the presentation to socialize at Gabe’s Bar & Kitchen. 991 Lexington Pkwy N, St Paul, MN 55103. Just off Energy Park Drive.

7:00p.m. — 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 enjoy the sight of bluebirds and chickadees in your backyard and other places? Learn how to provide nesting opportunities for these wonderful birds.

Presented by Barry S.

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Rovers are movers — hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, skiing, skating, climbing — and your moving Rover body deserves a bit of recuperation after a morning on your bike, an afternoon on the trail, or a day in your kayak. So tonight we will try out some exercises to rejuvenate muscles tired out from repeating the same actions for hours and hopefully refresh the whole body for your next adventure.
Bring a fitness or yoga mat.

Presented by Sherry S.

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

You will learn the primary lichen forms and major features needed for identification. Basic lichen biology and their role in the environment will also be covered. There will be plenty of time for questions and resources available for further learning, and Tanner will give you hands on time with lichens letting you learn about them intuitively. Come and learn more about these easily missed beauties!

Presented by Tanner B.

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Rob and others will demonstrate various ways to load various boats (canoes & kayaks) onto your vehicle safely and securely.
We’ll cover different systems (roof racks, J-hooks, Hullinator lift systems etc.) and teach a few basic knots that are simple and applicable in mount anything to anything.
There will be sections of rope handy to use to practice the knots you learn.

IF YOU HAVE A UNIQUE BOAT LOADING SYSTEM PLEASE LOAD YOUR BOAT ON YOUR VEHICLE AND BRING IT ALONG if you’re willing to demo your system to others. Past demos of this sort have proven that just a handful of people learning at each system is more effective so folks can learn the system that best suits their own boat & vehicle.

Presented by Rob C.

7:00p.m. — In person at Como Park in St. Paul – West Picnic Grounds, near the SE corner of the parking lot (near the restroom building).

Learn the very basic steps to planning a BWCA trip from someone who has done it but still muddles through the process. The hope is to inspire some Rovers to post a BWCA trip in 2026. Rob will have several BWCA maps to aid the process and is COUNTING ON PARTICIPATION, suggestions, etc…from veteran BWCAers.

Presented by Rob C.

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!