Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
The Moment of Inspiration in Salt Lake City
Last June I had the opportunity to attend the Outdoor Show in Salt Lake City. I had recently taken on new categories at work, so I traveled there to meet vendors and learn more about the industry. The highlight for me was an inspiring keynote by Sunny Stroeer about her cross-country ski trip across Alaska. I knew then that I wanted to be a The Cairn Project Trailblazer, a program where participants create outdoor challenges to raise funds for scholarships that help girls access transformative outdoor experiences. I just wasn’t sure if I was up to the caliber of challenge required to inspire others.
I love being outside, but I’m not outdoorsy. I love exercising, but I’m not athletic. I seek adventure, but avoid discomfort. I like to set goals, but I don’t aspire to do intense things like ski across Alaska, run marathons, or climb mountains. I enjoyed a sunrise hike in Salt Lake City, but I took a Lyft back to my hotel.
Turning Inspiration into a Plan – Celebrating Minnesota’s 10,000 Lakes
When I arrived back home to Minnesota, I was determined to figure out a Trailblazer idea. I thought about a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters, but it didn’t feel right. (It also brought to mind swarms of mosquitos and sweaty portages). Then one evening I was on a bike ride with my son around Vadnais Lake, feeling so alive and free. Inspiration struck. I love lakes – whether it’s riding or walking around them, kayaking or swimming in them, or even skiing on them when they’re frozen. I live in the land of 10,000 lakes, so I pledged to experience just a small (but still impressive) percentage.
Seeking Serenity in Northern Minnesota (Lakes 3 & 4)
I kicked off my trailblazer campaign, the 50 Lake Challenge, late last summer. My goal is enjoyment and connection to nature. I don’t need to conquer lakes by fully crossing them – I just need to experience them in some way. On a trip to northern Minnesota, I enjoyed a windy day on Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River with my dear friend, Amy. I also valued my time hydro-biking, swimming and paddle boarding with my family on Boot Lake.
Continuing Close to Home – Summer Paddling in the Twin Cities Metro (Lakes 6 – 12)
After my trip, I focused on exploring lakes by kayak around my home in the Twin Cities metro area. I learned quickly that the serene lakes I experienced on vacation are different from some of the larger lakes with motor boat traffic, surrounded by houses. I decided to seek out smaller lakes without boat traffic, with an unexpected highlight at Lake 7: Hyland Lake in Bloomington, near Mall of America and MSP airport.
Fall: When the Wind Picks Up, the Water Gets Rough (Lakes 13 & 14)
As summer turned to fall, the wind picked up. Kayaking in the wind is a new experience, less peaceful, but also invigorating. On an especially windy lake, I reflected that the wind always feels stronger when you’re paddling into it than when it’s at your back. The same is true for many challenges in life. When we’re facing them, they feel daunting and impossible. After we’ve moved through them, they don’t seem nearly as powerful.
Winter: When the Lakes Freeze (Lake 15)
This winter brought challenges of its own. I had visions of exploring lakes around the metro with cross country skis, whether directly on the lake or the surrounding trails. Shortly after Christmas, the Twin Cities got 8+ inches of snow, so I was able to ski several days. I only logged my 15th lake – beautiful Sucker Lake, home to 40+ swans in the winter. The winter ahead felt promising.
A Different Kind of Ice
Unfortunately, that was the end of our significant snowfall. January brought frigid temperatures, but almost no snow. Ski trails deteriorated and became too icy to enjoy.
But, much more than the lack of snow, winter in Minnesota was marked by a different kind of ICE this year, Immigration & Customs Enforcement. The Twin Cities Metro Surge brought over 3000 armed, masked agents to our otherwise peaceful state.
It’s hard to put into words the terror this caused, but the fear and the trauma are very real. Workers were abducted at restaurants, construction sites, and factories. Parents were kidnapped in school parking lots and bus stops after dropping their kids off, or were followed home and kidnapped there, sometimes along with their kids.
The community responded, and people joined together to support their neighbors. People protested, documented abductions, donated food and essentials, patrolled schools, and gave rides. Thousands of kids stopped going to school (over 7000 in St Paul alone). The fear and threat of ICE wasn’t only for undocumented immigrants, but anyone who had black or brown skin. As the resistance grew, tensions escalated. Two American citizens, Renee Macklin Good & Alex Pretti, were killed while documenting ICE. The MN National Guard was prepared, and there were threats of invoking the Insurrection Act and sending federal military forces.
Sometimes being “a trail” instead of “a highway” just means showing up for your community.
The uncertainty and fear reminded me of the early days of the Covid pandemic. Anytime I left the house, I felt heightened awareness, wondering where danger may be lying ahead. But it wasn’t the same. Covid-19 was a virus that didn’t discriminate. Metro Surge was a choice made by leaders and carried out by people. People chose to act with cruelty and violence.
Another stark difference was that being outside was no longer the safest option. The pandemic brought people to parks and nature because it was safer than being inside with crowds. Metro Surge brought thousands of people into hiding. Venturing out to get groceries or even take out the trash felt dangerous, much less getting out to explore nature.
As a white person living in the suburbs, I acknowledge that I have much more privilege than many others in my community. My actions in response to the ICE surge were choices I was able to make. I chose not to focus on exploring new lakes and spent my energy finding ways to support my community. I couldn’t fathom trying to raise money for outdoor scholarships when so many people in my community could not afford food, rent, supplies or legal fees.
Spring – a time of Hope
As it happens every year, spring brings hope. More than 2000 ICE agents have left Minnesota, and people are cautiously hopeful that peace will be restored here. We have to continue to support each other as traumas and economic hardship slowly heal. I hope those living in fear will feel free again, free to live their lives, feel joy and explore nature. I hope outdoor scholarships funded by the Trailblazer program will benefit girls that endured being forced into hiding. The sun will shine again, and freedom will be restored.
I still have 34 lakes to explore, and I’m excited for the upcoming paddle season. I appreciate my community in a new way and hope my 50-lake challenge inspires others.
I’ll end this post with more wisdom from Dr Martin Luther King Jr: The time is always right to do what is right.
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Kate Noffke
Kate is a Minnesota-based Quality Engineer, mom of two (plus a golden retriever), and a joyful advocate for inclusive outdoor recreation. She’s pledging to kayak or cross country ski on 50 of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes – and maybe even take a cold plunge or two – with a goal of raising at least $20 per lake. Kate enjoys reading, group fitness classes, and e-biking, but her true happy place is outside and moving, especially on the water. For her, this challenge is a way to prioritize wellness, reconnect with friends, and most importantly have fun!