UpNorthica

Dude, drop what you’re doing. Cancel all your evening plans (as if you have anything important on a Thursday night.)

There are two great outdoorsy films showing tonight in Minneapolis. Both are at cool venues. Both offer Super Extra Bonus incentives to attend. Your challenge will be picking which one to see. That’s right, they overlap (life’s just full of tough decisions.)

Skiing in the Shadow of Ghenghis Khan will introduce you to an ancient culture that literally skis, to live. Lakes: A Love Affair will bring you back to Minnesota to explore our own culture that lives to be ‘on the lake.’

Here, you click on through for trailers and synopses; I’ll get in the line for some Junior Mints…

Skiing in the Shadow of Ghenghis Khan
A fascinating documentary about a skiing culture deep in the mountains of northwestern China. Still making and using their own skis as they have for thousands of years, the people of the Altai Mountains share their ways with filmmaker Nils Larsen. [Don't be thrown by the differing titles in the above clip.]

The showing kicks off Midwest Mountaineering’s Outdoor Expo. It’s FREE, and you can take advantage of all the weekend’s special sale prices before everyone else.
7pm, Expedition Room. Directions here.

Lakes: A Love Affair
Do you like lakes? I like lakes. And so does Kerry McNally. Marveling at how very much Minnesotans’ lives revolve around the water, the former Discovery Channel personality set out to “see as much of Minnesota’s lakes in one summer as possible.” Locations filmed include Lake Superior and the BW.

Better still, you’ll have a chance to really spread the Like. Purchase a DVD at the showing, and they’ll donate $5 from the sale, to the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
6-7:30pm, Ivy Hotel. Directions here.