Kayaking at Bde Maka Ska
Mon, Jul 13, 2026, 9:30am
Our July 13 "hike" is a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles led by Bev Moe and Barb Friedman. Last summer was our first time for this kayaking event and it was a huge hit.
We will meet at Wheel Fun Rentals, located at the northeast corner of Bde Maka Ska, near the concessions building, for a two hour kayaking tour of Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake. Please arrive at 3000 E. Bde Maka Ska Pkwy by 9:10 so we can get on the water by 9:30.
If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals rents both single and double kayaks at $15 and $25 an hour, respectively. Canoe rentals are also available. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
This event is perfect for beginner kayakers. Kayaks are very stable. We will go under the Lake Street bridge to Lake of the Isles, and if time permits, we will cross the channel into Cedar Lake and through the tunnel to Brownie Lake as well.
There is plenty of parking nearby on a Monday morning, on the boulevard around the lake and on 31st street (a short block walk away from the rental place}. We will meet at 9:10 so we can get on the lake by 9:30. Afterwards, let's sit by the lake with our lunch; either bring your own or purchase at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen at the nearby concessions building.
In case of rain the event will be postponed until July 20.
Contact Bev Moe with questions the event.
Upcoming Events
Nanette leads a trail of two cities hike.
10:30 a.m. check in; 10:45 boarding; cruise from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Join UMRA friends and colleagues for a summer cruise and lunch aboard the Paradise Destiny II on beautiful Lake Minnetonka. Paul Maravelas, sailor, historian, and author of The History of Big Island, Lake Minnetonka will join us to share stories from 200+ years of lake-dwellers. Come early or stay after the cruise to explore Excelsior, a charming small town on the big lake.
Ticket price includes lunch: chef's sandwich, garden salad, fruit, chips, and cookies. Coffee, iced tea, and lemonade are complimentary and there will be a cash bar for other beverages. A vegetarian sandwich can be selected during registration.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss the debut novel Buckeye by Patrick Ryan when it meets via Zoom at 2 pm. on Friday, August 21.
You are invited to join the discussion of The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents 1773-1783 by Joseph J. Ellis.
The theme for September is "Monuments."
Bev leads a Lake of the Isles hike with Isles Bun & Coffee afterwards.
.
Critical issues facing detained immigrants and their families will be discussed.
UMRA’s September Living Well Workshop will feature Carol Bradford, MD, MS, FACS, interim dean of the University of Minnesota Medical School and interim executive vice president for Health Affairs. She is an internationally recognized cancer surgeon-scientist who also brings considerable leadership and administrative experience.
A 1978 short story collection by American author John Cheever.
Professor Arun Saldanha, the featured speaker for the first luncheon forum of UMRA’s 2026–27 program year, will examine how tourism has evolved in an era shaped by pandemics, climate concerns, and changing global realities; and encourage us to think about what it means to be thoughtful, responsible, and curious travelers.
The architecture in Iceland is as spare as the culture -- honest and simple.
Michelle Trudeau-Spanjers leads the hike at William O'Brien State Park.
Topics include longevity, distributions, long term care, Social Security, and comprehensive planning.
The theme for October is "Hands."
UMRA’s second “Campus Conversation” with a University leader will offer UMRA members an exclusive opportunity to meet with John Morris, president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation. The focus of the conversation will be the role of the foundation and its relationship to retirees.
Jon C leads the hike at Nerstrand Big Woods with lunch afterwards.
.
Discuss long term care options with Fred Andersen.
Bob & Jean Hall and Andy Whitman, participants.