IOU January Meeting...

Meeting Notes - 1/16/06

IOU's First Birthday was formed a little over one year ago. Happy Birthday!

Born: 1/16/05

Parents: Sara Hollerich, Mike Coonan, and Stacey Seiloff

Weight: Prefer not to say ;-)

Lenght: Hopefully the tradition will continue for many years to come.

The January 16th meeting was held at Hard Back Cafe in the West Des Moines Public Library at 7:00 pm.

Note about meeting times: We have enjoyed the hospitality of the Hard Back Cafe, and we encourage people to purchase something at the coffee shop. We would like to start our meetings promptly at 7pm, so please arrive a bit early to order your food or drink. Thanks to everyone who came early this month!

Happy Birthday, IOU!: IOU is one year old! In our first year, we held 26 events/trips, 12 meetings, and have 145 people on our email list. All of our event and trip reports can be found on our blog, http://www.iowaoutdoorunlimited.blogspot.com/.

2006 Membership Dues: We are collecting $10 membership dues for 2006. Paid members will receive our 2005 yearbook on CD. Also, this year you must be a paid member to go on IOU-sponsored overnight trips.

Next Meeting: 7:00 pm, February 20, 2006 at Hard Back Cafe in the West Des Moines Public Library. The WDM Library is at 4000 Mills Civic Pkwy.

Topics for Next Meeting: We will have a year-end report for 2005. In preparation for our spring and summer event planning at our March meeting, please bring ideas for events to the February meeting. We will need to know applicable details such as who is chairing the event, contact information, event dates, registration dates, number of people required or limited to, estimate of costs, etc. Please email details in advance to iowaoutdoorunlimited@yahoo.com.

Trip and Event Reports

IOU Skiing at Seven Oaks... On January 14, several IOU members, including some first-time skiers, went downhill skiing at Seven Oaks in Boone and had a great day. The weather was nice, and we were able to get the affordable group rate on lift tickets.
Presentations

Backroads Trip to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks... Gina Elkin gave a presentation on her 6-day trip in October to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in Utah. The trip was coordinated through an outfitting company called Backroads Trips. Gina had fabulous photos to share and highly recommended Backroads for solo travelers and people who like a little luxury with their outdoors adventures. (Hotels, meals, and massages! were included in the trip.)

Upcoming IOU Events and other opportunities

IOU Skiing at 7-Oaks: Jan. 28th. Anyone interested in a trip to 7-Oaks on Jan. 28th please contact iowaoutdoorunlimited@yahoo.com and we will try to get group rates again. $18 for lift ticket and about $12 for ski rentals.

IOU Skiing at Afton Alps... Feb. 3-5. Melissa Ritter is going skiing at Afton Alps near Minneapolis with a group of friends. They have room in their van for 2 more people to join them. The costs would be: van ($36), lift ticket ($34), and rental ($19). That does not include a hotel room. Contact Melissa at iamsmelly79@yahoo.com if you are interested in going for the whole weekend or joining the group for part of the weekend.

IOU Skiing at Mount Kato... Feb. 3-5. Sara Hollerich is planning a skiing trip to Mount Kato near Mankato, Minnesota. There is room for 6 IOU members to stay at Sara's mother's house. If more than 6 people are interested in going, we will have to look into getting hotel rooms. The costs would be: lift ticket ($25) and rental ($18-$25). Contact Sara at iowaoutdoorunlimited@yahoo.com if you are interested.

IOU Skiing at Keystone... Feb. 9-12. This trip is full with 16 members going. For several people, this will be their first IOU trip, so we all hope they have fun!

IOU Dodgeball at Skate North... Sundays 6:00 – 8:00 pm, starting at the end of February. Scott Murphy is looking to put together a team of 6. Registration is $25 per person. The league goes for about 6 weeks. Contact Scott at smootermuff@yahoo.com for more information or to sign up.

IOU Cross-country skiing in Wisconsin... TBD in March. Emily Vaughn is looking into a cross-country skiing trip to northern Wisconsin. Details will be coming later.

IOU Volleyball... May 7. Scott Murphy would like to know if anyone is interested in playing in a volleyball tournament at the Asian Heritage Festival. Contact Scott at smootermuff@yahoo.com if you are interested.

IOU Camping, Climbing, etc. at Devils Lake... June 2-4. IOU will be taking another trip to Devils Lake State Park in Wisconsin. Devils Lake offers many outdoors activities including camping, climbing, hiking, and paddling. Details will be coming later.

IOU Biking in RAGBRAI... July 23-29. Lee Hill has researched the possibility of having an IOU RAGBRAI team. We will need to decide at our February meeting whether to pursue it, so team members can register for the lottery by the end of February. We will apply for a week-long pass (although some people may only be able to bike a few days). The team size is unlimited, but we would need at least one support-vehicle driver at all times during the week. Team members can expect to bike at least 50 miles per day. The cost will be approximately $90 per person. Contact Lee at lee.hill@att.net if you are interested.

IOU Paddling in Boundary Waters... Aug. 6-12. Mike Coonan has picked at entry point (#30) and a general route for the Boundary Waters trip. He will be applying for 2 entry permits this month. The trip will be limited to 18 people and 8 watercraft. Trip details and sign up will be coming later.

Other Opportunities

Master Naturalist Program at Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge... Jan. 29, Feb. 26, and March 26. Noon to five each day. Teachers can earn continuing education credits or masters credits from Drake. Ranger Sara will be teaching! Visit http://www.tallgrass.org/masternat.html for details.

Poker Run at Jester Park... Jan. 29, 1:00-4:00 pm. Kick-off Polk County Conservation’s 50th Anniversary in 2006 by participating in a Poker Run at the Jester Park Golf Course. The public is invited to walk, run, or cross-country ski throughout the Jester Park Golf Course as part of a family-friendly Poker Run. Skis and snowshoes available for use onsite. Participants can either enjoy a 3.5 mile long route or 1.2 mile short route. Along the route, playing cards will be distributed and prizes will be awarded hourly to the top hands. Hot chocolate and refreshments can be enjoyed in the Clubhouse. Pre-registration is recommended, but not required by calling 515-323-5300. This event is free.

Melissa Ritter is looking for volunteers for this event. The volunteers would need to be available from 12:15-4:15 p.m. The volunteers would be marking people's cards at stations along the trail route. You would have a deck of cards and would just need to mark what card was drawn on the person's card. Melissa needs approximately 6 volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Melissa at mritter@co.polk.ia.us.

Central Iowa Paddlers - Season Planning Meeting... Jan. 29, 2:00-5:00 pmWhere: 688 Polk Boulevard, Des MoinesBring: Salad, bread or dessert and your favorite beverage.Bring your ideas for paddling trips and other events in 2006 (show off your favorite stream or join a friend and co-chair an event). Dave Kraemer and Lynn Aldridge will serve as emcees to assist our planning effort. We will eat at 2:30 p.m. and begin the planning meeting around 3:30 p.m. Questions? Call Robin Fortney at 515-277-1763 if you need directions.

Cross-Country Skiing with the Sierra Club at Maplelag Resort... Feb. 2-5. Escape the winter doldrums February 2-5, 2006, with a weekend of cross-country skiing on over 25 miles of groomed trails at this beautiful resort near Detroit Lakes, voted No. 1 in North America. The ski trails provide routes of varying length and difficulty (from beginner to advanced), winding through forests, wetlands, and along lake shores on the edge of the northern wilderness. You can also brush up on your ski skills with a personalized lesson, or enjoy snow shoeing, ice skating, kick-sledding, or take a brisk plunge through the ice hole in the lake.

Two departure options: Leave Thursday morning and arrive at Maplelag in the late afternoon, or leave Thursday evening (with a motel stay in the Twin Cities area Thursday night) and arrive at Maplelag Friday noon. Leave Sunday after lunch and arrive home Sunday evening. You may carpool if you wish. The $276 fee ($109-139 for children) includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals (Friday afternoon through Sunday lunch). You can add an additional night Thursday with three additional meals for $80 more ($25-$35 for children). There is a 10% additional discount for families. Cross-country ski and snowshoe rental, ski waxing service, ski lessons, massages, and babysitting available for additional charges. Space is limited to 16 and is open to both Sierra Club members and non-members. $75 deposit required and should be paid by ASAP. Skill level: None required. Difficulty level: Moderate to strenuous. Contact Doug at 515-277-1263 or aupperle_douglas@email.com to sign up. Go to http://www.maplelag.com/ for more information.


Iowa Women in Natural Resources Conference... Feb. 9-10, Guthrie Center. The pre-registration deadline is Jan. 31. Contact Deb Howe at deb.howe@hotmail.com for more information.

Iowa PaddleSport Expo... Feb. 10-12. If you are in the market for used or new paddling gear, this is a good opportunity.

Sandhill Crane Watching through Madison County Conservation Board... March 11-12. The MCCB is organizing a bus trip to central Nebraska to view the sandhill crane migration.
Cost: $130 plus food. The $130 fee covers transportation, admission prices, hotel room, blind rental, and handling fees. You will be responsible for the purchase of meals.
How to Register: Contact the MCCB at 462-3536 for a registration packet. Reservations will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Payment will be due at time of registration.
Registration Deadline: February 3rd, 2006
Want to Know More? Attend an informational meeting at 7:00 p.m. on January 19th at the Pammel Park Nature Center. Learn more about the trip and reserve your spot! Or call the MCCB at 515-462-3536.

"Wild Edibles" Workshop through Polk County Conservation Board... TBD in April. This is a popular workshop about how to live off the land. Space is limited. Details will be coming later.