Come out to support the Romp to Stomp Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Snowshoe 5k on Jan 28 at the Chaska Arboretum. Snowshoes will be available if you don’t own your own. All are welcome. Link to my Nordic Walk This Way team page.
Where to Nordic Walk or Walk Indoors in the South Metro of the Twin Cities:
Schools: Prior Lake Community Education is offering FREE Indoor Nordic Walking at Hidden Oaks Middle School starting Tues Jan 10, 2012. Come Nordic Walk anytime between 6:30 – 8pm Thursdays too. These free walks are held indoors on their carpeted hallways thru March. If your rubber tips are in rough shape, I’ll have new ones on hand. If you are new to Nordic Walking, I’ll be offering a class on three different dates Jan 10, 12 or 17 from 6:30 – 7:45pm. Please register here. Fee.
District 196: Dakota Hills Middle School Eagan, Rosemount Middle School, Apple Valley Middle School. Mon – Thurs 6:30 – 9:30pm, Sat 9 – 12. $12 per session. 29 left this session as of 12/12 and then Feb – May session will begin.
Malls: Eden Prairie and Burnsville(2nd floor) Enter any main door. And don’t forget about the Mall of America (3rd and 4th floors are best). Park on West Ramp if coming before stores open. If you are going to use your NWing poles, then walk before the mall opens, but you can walk without poles anytime at any mall.
If you like to be part of a walking group, try the Mall Stars at the Mall of America.
Fitness Centers: Eagan Community Center has an indoor rubberized track that you can NW on. They happen to also have a 62+ Nordic Walking Club on Weds @ 10:30 for a nominal fee and they have poles available for your use of you are 62+. If you have your own poles, all ages are welcome for a small fee of $2.00 / $5.00wk / $20mos. No public walking M-F 4pm-7pm, otherwise hours are: M-F 5:45am – 9:45pm Sat 8-8 Sun 10-8
Dakotah Sport and Fitness Rubberized Track M-F 5am-11pm Sat/Sun 6am – 11pm. Members only. 5:45am Thurs. Run/Walk For Life. SilverSneakers Programming offered.
Click on the tab above to take a look at the new Snowshoe page. Snowshoeing is becoming popular here in Minnesota. Just take a look at the inventory that some of the local sporting goods merchants are carrying and you’ll too think “what is this all about?”. For starters, it is easy to do, much like Nordic Walking 
is easy, yet it is so beneficial for your overall fitness. My advice to you is to rent some snowshoes first and give it a try and then hustle over to your local merchant to purchase them. If we have an abundance of snow this year, stores will sell out once again. They make great holiday gifts too.
I’ll go first: I like it for many reasons, so I’ll highlight my favorites…….overall toning, upright posture, outdoor activity & it’s something I can do with others which has spouted some nice friendships along the way! 
Please add your comments. Thank you!
The woods have been my favorite place to Nordic Walk and now I have a great reason to continue to do so. I just came across an article in Experience Life Oct ’11 magazine, titled “Boost Immunity” where a study in Japan concluded that men who walked in the woods had a 50% increase in natural killer cells. These cells are one of the main components of the immune system the article stated and that they play a central role in fighting tumors and viruses. Greg Seaman, also writes about The Healing Powers of a Walk in the Woods. Click on pic to view larger.
I can conclude that I do feel better, alive, and ready for the world after a walk in the woods. At times I could say I’d rather go back into the woods than come out, but I realize that I can always come back for another walk. A recent wooded trail that I enjoyed was this one in the Sawtooth Mountain Range near Tofte MN called Oberg Loop. A must do walk. The views are fantastic and the woods take you away plus I may just live longer!
Come learn how to Nordic Walk for Free on Weds 10/19 @ 10:15 am and meet others that use their poles year round. How does that work? Eagan Community Center offers a Nordic Walking club (pg 6) year round because they have an alternative to outdoor walking 
with their rubberized indoor track, however don’t ignore their beautiful outdoor trails too. Cindy, Loudi, Linda and I will be there to fit you with poles and show you the Nordic Walking or Exerstrider technique so you too and enjoy all the benefits this exercise provides. Meet us downstairs at the main desk. Demo poles provided.
Our Nordic Walking group has been enjoying the evening walks thru the woods at Cleary Lake Park. We head out on the nature trail and make one to three loops around. We thanks 3 Rivers for having the lights on from sunset to 10 pm at the following parks.The cross-country ski trail lights are turned on after Labor Day to allow for fall hiking on the trails. Lighted trails are located at Cleary Lake, Hyland Lake, French and Elm Creek Park. Welcome to use the trails until enough snow to groom. Please note that dogs are not allowed on these trails.
This turned out to be so much fun that it just may be an annual event over at Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville….Crazy hats and all! We started walking shortly after 10am and
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
wrapped up about 11:20 and our chef was awaiting us with a ready to eat potluck picnic spread. Thanks Ken and thank you to everyone that brought something to share.Come join us at Ritter Farm Park in Lakeville on Saturday, September 17 for an untimed just for fun 5k. We will start the walk at 10am. Some hills. Bring friends. Please RSVP by 9/14 on TrailCalendar or drop me an email at nordicwalkthisway@gmail.com. Poles available to borrow if you don’t have your own. Poles not mandatory, but having fun is! Please bring water and a way to carry it during the event. If you don’t have a hip pack I do happen to sell them for $12. I’ll have some with. Families are welcome too. Potluck picnic to follow. Items remaining on the potluck list: Hotdog/brat buns, salads, chips, whatever else. Please bring your own beverage. Please park up next to the Ed Mako house which will be the upper gravel lot. We will have use of the bathrooms there. Please lock valuables in trunk before you arrive at park. Plan for a crazy fun time!
Today, Gail and I enjoyed an impromptu Nordic Walk this a.m. over at Ritter and we were so glad that we did because we saw hundreds of Monarchs. Maybe it was a recent hatch, (possibly the 4th generation) gearing up for their 2,500 mile journey to Mexico. We found
Photo by Rhea
ourselves stopping in wonderment at these beautiful butterflies and counted our blessings that we were there to witness it. I don’t know if they’ll be around Ritter Farm Park much longer, but it’s worth your time to go see. From what I researched, it seems like they’ll be in abundance thru Sep 10. Just park in the lower lot and head West to the what I call the Prairie area where you’ll spot fields of Goldenrod and yellow blooming flowers. To learn more about Monarchs click here. American Goldfinches were very active too. Come join me at Ritter on Sep 12 for a ‘Nordic Walk thru the Woods’. I wonder what we’ll see then. Register here.
