Afton St. Park-A Packin' and A Shoppin'

“More to come, just wanted to get this scheduled.

Midwest Mountaineering -- at http://www.midwestmtn.com/ -- has its Outdoor Adventure sales event coming up April 27 to the 29.

Speakers are yet to be named, but the Expo website is: http://www.outdooradventureexpo.com/200704/Index.html

We will plan to camp at Afton State Park, Hastings. (Right by Afton Alps ski resort, lol, hopefully no snow in late April!)

The park:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/afton/index.html

I'm thinking at this point we could just reserve a few adjacent, individual campsites. Will look at the number who want to go. There are a couple group campsites, too.

The plan can be pretty flexible as far as if we go to the store together or individually... or plan to hike/backpack as a group.

More details to come.”

“Lizs is such a girl. ;-)”

“ooh, I do love that expo...got my WM Summerlite there 20% off last year...attended every day so drove back and forth...if the weather doesn't suck (it POURED last year) Afton would be fun even tho the driving distance is about the same....
last edited: 1/29/07 10:46:22 AM”

“Wow! packing and shopping in one trip: heaven.
You know I always put myself in as a maybe this far out from the date, you never know what will come up later.

Lizs always plans great trips.

Let's get the geocache list for the area too.”

“I just went to the store for the first time last Friday. Very impressive!!!

Also visited REI at Bloomington and the super-sized Gander Mountain in Woodbury. Dryfoot was the guide on an "outdoors stores in the Twin Cities" tour (amidst the annual MN Newspaper Association awards and convention Friday, and his daughter's dance team competition Saturday). We didn't quite have time to hit them all. Probably a GOOD THING!!! lol

Mata, I'm guessing Afton is around half an hour to 40 minutes from MM. I'll have to look at my maps and see. :-)”

“yep...same driving time as it is from here to MM...what's really cool is the speaker program they have at MM...many of the speakers are the same ones that show up at Canoecopia...

Liz, I AM disappointed that you didn't check out the new REI in Maple Grove...I wanted a report on it, dammit!”

“LOL, mata, it was not MY tour.

OK, I have more info, gleaned from an ad for the event in the Sportster newsletter publication (which is for a bunch of Twin Cities area xc ski clubs)

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE EXPO at
Midwest Mountaineering, 309 Cedar Avenue S., Minneapolis

HOURS:
Friday, April 27, 4-9 p.m.
Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, April 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

FEATURING:
-The world's largest canoe and kayak auction
-"Radical Reels" Film Festival
-Canoe and kayake on-water demo
-Colin Angus, the first person to circumnavigate the world by foot, bicycle and row boat
-Cliff Jacobson, camping tips
-Gary and Joanie McGuffin, paddling the Great Lakes
-Mark Wilford and Scott Backes, climbing
AND MUCH MORE

PLUS -- EVERYTHING ON SALE!!!”