Making lemonade out of lemons on a fun “cancelled” paddle

Clearly some of us do not check email messages frequently enough. Given the smoky conditions in the area due to many wildfires, the chances for the Rollins Lake Forward Stroke Clinic were iffy. Chris had said he would let us know around noon if the paddle was off. I checked email at 1:00 and there …

Paddling Voyageurs National Park by Gary Moon

I’m writing from a sweet little campground in northern Minnesota, on the shore of Rainy Lake. On the opposite shore, about three miles away, is Canada. I’m here to paddle my kayak in Voyageurs National Park, where I had worked in the mid 80s. As I anticipated, kayaking in Voyageurs is amazing, with the vast …

Camp Cookin’ with Diana and Lani

At our June meeting, Camp Cookin’, we shared some ideas for equipment and gadgets that make camping and cooking at camp fun and easy. We also talked about some special ways of camp cooking including Dutch oven meals. Here are some recipes that various members of SNCKC have found successful for camp cooking. Enjoy! Lani …

Exploring McArthur Burney SP on Wheels by Gary Moon

Thursday morning on June 10 at McArthur Burney State Park, I didn’t automatically itch for paddling, finally decided instead to “go exploring” on wheels. As a backpacking guide and wilderness canoeist, and with an addiction to road trips, It’s always been vital for me to understand the geography of where I am. But except for …

Burney Falls Camping Trip

It's been way too long since we last visited beautiful McArthur Burney Falls State Park. Lots of excitement with the wind on Lake Britton with extremely challenging paddling conditions. We started with nine paddlers and lost three along the way. Back at the campground, the club game Pétanque seemed mild by comparison. Linda and the …

The Annual Picnic and Return of Pétanque

Joy to the world!  After cancelling the picnic along with just about everything else in 2020, normalcy returned as the gang – all vaccinated - gathered once again at Gateway Park for our May picnic. Organizers Joe and Diana ensured the always highly competitive Pétanque tournament – aka the game of boules – would be …

Volunteering – a vital part of our club’s sustainability

“Every organization is only as strong as the people involved making it work.” Members who serve on the club’s board and committees give freely of their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to the great benefit of the membership. We thank all the volunteer members who have done their part over the years to ensure the long-term …

Campfires on Club Camping Trips

One thing is sure on our camping trips… there will be a campfire after dinner. Our campfire-meister seldom misses a camping trip, so we are assured of a smoke-free fire on almost all our trips. His fire-laying technique is incomparable, and rumored to have been learned when he was an Eagle Scout. Thank you, Joe! …

Après Kayak at The Wheelhouse

We loaded up the boats after a great paddling day and then agreed a pit stop was in order at the best watering hole for après everything. After relaxing over a cold beverage and one slice of homemade strawberry rhubarb pie, Joe suggested we play a short game of Pétanque… which he just happened to …