Walking Lake Pepin - The Walk Talk

Lake City Marina Group Walk, Warm and Steamy

7/7/2025

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It was a warm and steamy evening for the July 2nd Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) group walk around the Lake City Marina.
History records that the inner harbor and point were acquired by the city in 1913. In 1933 the city received a public works grant to build docks and widen the north entrance to the harbor. In August 1934 Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the dedication of the new harbor.
The outer harbor was constructed in 1984 with the addition of 300 boat slips.
Most of the WLP group walked out onto the 900 foot breakwater along the outer harbor enjoying a great view of Lake Pepin.
Heading back to Ohuta Park the group took a break finding some shade and a slight breeze
at the deck behind the Marina office that faces the entrance to the inner harbor
For many of the group this was their first time enjoying the Marina deck and pledged to come back to watch the boats coming and in and out of the harbor and enjoy a southern view of Lake Pepin.
The group walked along the inner harbor returning to Ohuta Park shelter for a snack, water and conversation.
WLP Group Walk next week, Wednesday July 9, is at Schlagenhaft’s Season's Harvest Farm. The group will carpool, meeting at 6:15 at the front parking lot of Bluffview School.
All are welcome. Bring a friend.
Follow walkinglakepepin.com and Facebook for updates. Questions? Email; [email protected].

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June 30th, 2025

6/30/2025

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'Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakepepin.com), a 10-week community walking program, is promoting the American Heart Association’s (AHA) campaign. “Walk More, Stress Less”, this summer.
As reported by the, AHA, (shttps://www2.heart.org/site/DocServer/549153453?docID=18922) stress is a fact of life and exercise is extremely beneficial in managing the stresses of daily life.
Chronic stress not only takes a toll on mental health but also can affect the heart, digestion, sleep and memory. Walking and all forms of physical activity are all helpful in reducing stress and maintaining good health.
Walking Lake Pepin continues to schedule weekly group walks that all community members are invited to join.
Last week walks were cancelled due to weather. A Lake City Marina Walk is re-scheduled for Wednesday, July 2nd at 6:30m, meet up at the Ohuta park pavilion.
The folowing week's group walk will be Wednesday July 9th. The group will walk at Season’s Harvest farm. The group will meet at the front parking lot at Bluffview Elementary at 6:15 to carpool out to the farm.
Check Walking Lake Pepin Facebook page or walkinglakepepin.com for any changes due to weather. Email [email protected] with any questions.

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Colvill Park Walk was a Spectacle.

6/22/2025

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Wednesday, June 18, The Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) group walk explored Colvill Park in Red Wing, MN.
Colvill Park was named after Colonel William Colvill who led the 1st Minnesota Volunteer infantry in the Battle of Gettysburg. He was Minnesota Attorney General from 1866 to 1868, served in the Minnesota of House of Representatives and the first man from Goodhue County to volunteer when the civil war broke out.
The weather cooperated last week and many of the WLP participants who had never been to the park enjoyed the view of the Mississippi river, the giant cottonwood trees and the well-groomed green space on the 1-mile walking trail.
The Park is the home to the Red Wing Water Park, a universal play park, a marina, the Discovery garden, many picnic shelters and the Courtyard event center that can be rented for events.
It was quite the "spectacle" as you can see from the photo as the walkers posed by “The Spectacles” art sculpture.
The Lions Club, well known for its eyeglasses recycling program, donated the
sculpture entitled 'Spectacles' to the City on June 25th 2017 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the organization's founding.
Next Wednesday June 25 at 6:30 the WLP group will meet at the new pavilion at Ohuta Park and take a stroll along the Marina and out onto the outer harbor breakwater.
Come join us. All are welcome.
There will be no WLP group walk on Wednesday July 2 due to the 4th of July holiday.
For more information on WLP see the website, walkinglakepepin.com, the WLP Facebook page and weekly updates in the Lake City Graphic.

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Hok si la Park: First WLP group walk of the season

6/15/2025

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The Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) weekly group walk on June 11 was cancelled due to weather. The WLP group did not let weather stop them on Thursday, June 12, as the group walked at Hok si la Park the next evening,
The group walked the southern hiking loop that led to the memorial bench for Frank Lupton a WLP organizer and outdoor educator who passed away in 2021.
The group made the traditional pause at the bench for a photo and recited Frank’s unforgettable phrase; “The sun is shining. The birds are singing. It’s a great day to be alive.” A great motto to apply to the WLP theme this year, “Walk More, Stress Less”.
As the group continued on the far end of the walking trail they searched for and found the large eagle’s nest that has returned to the large cottonwood tree beyond the trail. No eaglets were seen but a large adult eagle was seen flying nearby.
On June 18 the WLP group walk was scheduled to be at Colville Park in Red Wing. Story and photo in next week’s Graphic.
On June 25th the WLP walkers will meet at Ohuta Park at the new pavilion at 6:30 and walk to the marina and out along the breakwater of the outer harbor and back to Ohuta Park.
All Lake City residents are invited to the walk with the group at 6:30 on Wednesday June 25.
To find out more about Walking Lake Pepin check out the WLP webpage at walkinglakepepin.com or the Walking Lake Pepin Facebook page and follow the WLP group in the Lake City Graphic.

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Wednesday, June 11, WLP Group Walk at Hok-si-la Park

6/2/2025

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June 8th is the start date for the 18th season of Walking Lake Pepin (WLP). The goal for this Lake City summer community walking/fitness event is for participants to establish or renew a regular walking program or other exercise routine to improve their health and fitness.
All community members are invited to sign up online (walkinglakepepin.com), at Treats and Treasures on Washington Street or Anytime Fitness on 7th Street to make a commitment for regular physical activity over the 10-week event. Log sheets to record minutes and miles of walking are online and at the sign-up locations.
This year’s walking slogan is “Walk More, Stress Less” promoting the American Heart Associations “Healthy for Good” campaign. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness
Chronic stress whether at work or home can increase risk for raising blood pressure and can lead to anxiety, depression and heart disease. Walking and being physically active is one of the best ways to combat stress.
Starting Wednesday June 11, WLP participants will meet up for the first WLP group walk of the season at Hok-si-la Park. Anyone who wants to join can meet at the Park Office at 6:30 pm and walk the trail loops. Fun Fact, there is a new eagle’s nest on the south loop to check out.
After the walk, marshmallows will be roasted, and S’mores will be shared at one of the campsites.
For complete information about walking Lake Pepin go to the website; walkinglakepepin.com. Check the Graphic weekly and the WLP Facebook page for updates and what’s next for WLP.

Photo: 2024 WLP Group walkers at Hok-si-la Park.

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Walking Lake Pepin 2025: Walk More! Stress Less!

5/2/2025

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Plan to join the Walking Lake Pepin group this summer to improve your fitness level, reduce your stress and make new friends. All are welcome. See HOME and SIGN UP pages for details

Wacouta Group Walk 2023

Ohuta Park
Group Walk 2022

Catholic Workers Farm
Group Walk 2024

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Twin Cities Volkssport Walking club visits Lake City

10/2/2024

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Members of the Walk-n-Lunch Twins Cities Volkssport walking club visited Lake City on Tuesday Oct 1. They took a 5 K walk in Hok-si-la Park and on the River Walk enjoying a peaceful walk in the park and a beautiful view of Lake Pepin along the River Walk. They met for lunch at Kelly's Lake House to cap off their time in LC.
AVA (American Volkssport Association, https://ava.org/ ) is an national group that promotes and organizes noncompetitive fitness activities that encourage lifelong fun, fitness and friendship for all ages and abilities. There are 3 walking clubs in MN who plan group walks in the cities and outstate MN. Check out their website. All are welcome to join.
Lake City has a 5K and 10 K sanctioned walking routes in town. The routes includes Hok-si-la Park and the River Walk. Lake City will be listed on their website inviting club members to come to LC for a seasonal walk.

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Season Ends for Walking Lake Pepin

8/22/2024

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Thanks for a great summer of WLP!!!!!!!!!!
Walking Lake Pepin will be back in June 2025, and all are encouraged to keep “ Walking….It’s Good for the Soul!”

A walk and talk in and about the Jewel Nursery was the final gathering for Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakepepin.com) participants.
On Wednesday August 14, the WLP group walkers met up at Underwood Park on 10th and after Jim Schreck gave a talk about the history of how the Jewel Nursery started the walkers headed up Wabasha County 5 and then along the paved walkway the connects CTY 5 with the Jewel Development.
Jim has been doing research into the Jewel Nursery history for a video he plans to create and had lots of new stories to share.
Phineas Jewel was a physician who wanted a livelihood in the outdoors after serving in the Civil War. He traveled up the Mississippi River in search of the right place to start a nursery to grow trees and fruit to supply the new settlements that were being established. He found just that next to the bluffs in Lake City.
Phineas along with his brother-in-law J. M. Underwood started the nursery with 10 acres of land in 1868. By 1923 the nursery had grown to 1,500 acres with 200 employees and as many as 700 salesmen scattered throughout the country.
Jewel Nursery not only grew trees, shrubs, ornamental vines and plants but was also a self-sufficient industry with a saw mill to build its own shipping grates, it grew feed for the horses and cattle and had a dormitory to provide housing and meals for its workers.
At its peak the nursery grew millions of trees, hundreds of thousands of apple, plum and cherry trees and tens of thousands of ornamentals. It was the largest nursery in the Untied States and a leader in producing new varieties of trees and fruit.
The 1930’s depression brought the end of the Jewel Nursery. The nursery was sold to William Lindmeier in 1944 and was managed by his sister Agnes until 1996. Eight hundred acres of the original nursery was sold to developers who began building the Mississippi Jewel that we know today.
After the walk and talk a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks was held for those walkers who logged their miles and minutes over the 10 weeks of the walking challenge. Jen Befort and Terry Smith were the winners of the drawing. Door prizes were given away to those in attendance who had attended weekly group walks.
The WLP committee would like to thank Treats and Treasuer and Anytime Fitness for assisting with sign up walkers, Erica Swenson for the t-shirt design and printing and Jim and Anne Schreck for monetary support.
Special appreciation to Katie Himanga for providing historical content on two of the group walk, the Catholic Worker’s Farm for letting WLP walk their meadow, Flower Valley Orchard Flower Farm for giving us a tour of their beautiful farm and First Lutheran Church for sharing their Labyrinth with WLP.

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Labyrinth walking is "Good for the Soul"

8/12/2024

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Wednesday August 7th the Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakepepin.com) walkers had an opportunity to experience walking an 11-circuit medieval Labyrinth that was built in 2021 at First Lutheran Church, 100 Peace Ridge in Lake City.
A labyrinth is a spiral walking course, an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. Labyrinths have been used by many cultures throughout history

Labyrinths differ from mazes though the two are often confused.
Unlike a maze that can be confusing, trick the mind and disorienting, a labyrinth calms the mind and relaxes the body.

A labyrinth has a single, winding, unobstructed path from the outside to the center. Some believe it is a path that represents “the walk” that we take through life; many twists and turns but no dead ends.

A labyrinth is a powerful tool to help your mind and body relax. Recent research indicates that labyrinths have a positive effect on brainwave activity and neurological response. Therefore, the chance to release both mental and physical tension by walking a labyrinth is there for each individual.

For people who find it difficult to sit still and meditate a walk in a Labyrinth may be the perfect walking meditation that is the labyrinth experience.

On still another level, a labyrinth can be a mind-focusing tool to enhance one’s prayer life, healing and mental wellbeing.

The WLP participants walked in and out of the Labyrinth as a group and all felt it was “Good for the Soul”, which has been the theme for this summer’s WLP event.

Lake City community members are invited to walk the Labyrinth at First Lutheran Church during daylight hours.

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WLP walkers to experience Labyrinth Walk August 7

8/5/2024

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Wednesday, August 7, the WLP walkers will meet at 6:30 pm at First Lutheran Church Labyrinth, 100 Peace Ridge, (left off Hwy 61 cross from the Jewel entrance) to learn about and walk the 11 circuit Labyrinth that has been built on the church grounds.
Labyrinths are circular walking paths that have been found all over the world. Some of them being thousands of years old. Walking a Labyrinth provides an opportunity for quiet meditation, contemplation and prayer. This group walking experience will focus on this year’s WLP theme, “Walking....Is Good for the Soul.”
All community members are invited to attend. Watch Facebook (walkinglakepepin) and the Graphic for updates on the group walks. Questions? Contact Patty Svien 651-345-4383.

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I'm Patty Svien and I started Walking Lake Pepin as a part of my Graduate studies in 2008. This is the 13th year that our grassroots committee has promoted this event to raise awareness of the health benefits of walking. We hope you join us again this year or sign up for the first time and enjoy the beautiful surrounding of Lake City as you commit to Active Living and a healthy lifestyle.

The Walk Talk

Lake City Marina Group Walk, Warm and Steamy

June 30th, 2025

Colvill Park Walk was a Spectacle.

Hok si la Park: First WLP group walk of the season

Wednesday, June 11, WLP Group Walk at Hok-si-la Park

Walking Lake Pepin 2025: Walk More! Stress Less!

Twin Cities Volkssport Walking club visits Lake City

Season Ends for Walking Lake Pepin

Labyrinth walking is "Good for the Soul"

WLP walkers to experience Labyrinth Walk August 7

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