How many checkpoints did you stop at this year?

Check Point MN 2016-17 is completed.  Walker on beautiful Leech Lake was honored to be one of the ten different locations for this year’s Check Point MN.

The checkpoints this year were:

Artist’ Point, Grand Marais

Old Central School, Grand Rapids

Mount Ski Gull, Nisswa

Otto the Otter, Fergus Falls

Prince Mural, Chanhassen

Silver Lake Park, Rochester

Alexander Ramsey Parks, Redwood Falls

Baudette Depot, Lake of the Woods

The Shops at West End, St. Louis Park

Walker Bay Lighthouse, Leech Lake

The stats have grown since last year.  This year there were over 3000 total check in compared to last year at 2642.  Registered users were over 5,000 with 871 new registered participants this year.

My husband and I started out strong this year.  This was going to be our year to get all the checkpoints.  Obviously, we decided to start with our hometown lighthouse.  We picked one of the coldest nights to go to the checkpoint with some friends and take a selfie.  (Selfie?  That is a whole other story)

We were so excited to get our first one on the site and started planning our weekends around the points.  Otto, the Otter was in Fergus Falls and he was our next stop. Our son lives there so this should be easy.  Once again, we ran through the Minnesota winter winds to take our sorta selfie in front of the otter.  The next weekend we headed to Nisswa to find Mount Ski Gull.  The day started out sunny and by the time we curved our way to the checkpoint the wind started blowing and the snow falling and once again we found ourselves trying to operate the phone and take a picture while the wind was working hard to blow us down the ski hill.

We then headed toward the cities to get a couple of points there, Prince Mural and the Shops at West End.  BUT of course, the weather dropped below zero, I mean WAY below zero.  I am sorry to admit that we chickened out and did not get these pictures.  Does this mean we are not real Minnesotans?

Meanwhile, our friends were traveling and sending us pictures of each and every check Point.  They actually made it to all 10 sports.  This is their second year to make all ten.  The year before he won a snowmobile doing the check points.  As the pictures were dinging my phone I had to admit they were much better at braving the weather and deserved to win.  We admitted defeat and declared them the best Checkpoint MN participants.

I am excited for Check Point MN 2017-18 and am determined that we are going to do better.  I am challenging you to pick up as many check points as possible next winter.  Let’s all start exploring our great state of Minnesota.

Explore MN does a great job putting together this event and I encourage you all to check out the pictures of everyone who made a stop in Walker to take their selfie by our checkpoint.