The 12 Adventures

There is a long list of things that Minnesotans find amusing that I have never attempted.  There are places I have yet to explore, and plenty of ways to get my feet dirty and test my youthful heart.  The adventure list may change as things don't always pan out as you plan ahead.  Spontaneity is welcomed in my attempt to free my spirit in a place that had once stole it.  But this is what I have in mind as I begin to conquer my challenge.  The list may get longer, or shorter, but this is what it is right now...

* Ice fishing.  More than half the state ice fishes in these brutal winters, claiming that those ice houses are warm and toasty, and that I am severely missing out.  I actually love to fish, so this is something I deem worth trying.

* Go to the Basilica Block Party.  I miss it every year.  I missed it this year.  But I should make it next summer...

* Tap dancing through the Mall of America.  And filming it.

* Rock climbing in Taylor's Falls.  I've hiked through it, but I've never braved the stones as dangerously as I would like.

* Canoeing/camping in the Boundary Waters.  I read about the Boundary Waters in an old National Geographic magazine many years ago.  If it can make it into National Geographic, it's worth exploring.

* Audition for a local play... or commercial...something...

*Catch a walleye.  The walleye is Minnesota's state fish.  You find it on every menu, at the state fair, and in most people's freezers.  I think I need to catch one.

* Go to Duluth.  Everyone goes to Duluth.  I've been there twice: once the first year we moved here, for my brother's hockey tournament, and all I remember is that it was sixty below zero; the second time being for a friend's wedding, and all I saw of Duluth was the hotel I went to for the wedding.

* Zombie Pub Crawl. Now, I've done this once before, but it was rather impromptu. I want to do it upright and make a real night out of it.

* "Hunting" for moose.  I don't actually want to kill a moose.  But I want to see one.  In the wild.  And I want to see a bear.  In the wild.  If I can take a picture of each, I'll be a happy woman.


* The Friend Trip:  This is a fantasy that may not come to fruition, but as my grand finale I dream a simple dream.  I want as many of my friends as possible to get together and go on a camping trip together.  It seems simple to those who have these annual extravaganzas, but I've never had one. It's not something I cry about, but I'd like to see it happen at least once in my lifetime.  I grew up with my parents having a circle of friends that we camped with every summer.  I have craved to have that same luxury ever since.  My life has been different though, where I have a broad network of friends who are all not necessarily friends with each other.  So this is going to be challenging.  Some friends are connected, and some are not.  I'm determined to make this happen. So watch out, Loved Ones. You're about to make new friends... (Thank goodness for Facebook...this is going to be easier than if this was 1998).