Farewell
SUP Minneapolis…Thank You and so long
Hello SUPer’s, Family, and Friends;
As we are coming up the 2019 season we want to start off by saying THANK YOU!! The reason we are thanking you all is because after enjoying the past 6 years on the water and being able to show so many families, children, yogi’s, bachelorettes, birthday celebrations and everyone in between a fun time, it’s time to paddle off into the sunset on our own while saying goodbye.
While we still plan to host the Aquatennial Skyline Race and help people with personal lessons we will not be renting boards or running SUP Yoga daily this summer.
From starting the SUP Calhoun in our early 20’s and now moving into our early 30’s we have realized that in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, paddle boarding has reached its mark as becoming a widely recognized activity. As more and more people are buying their own boards and thriving off of the freedom to explore all of the lakes our beautiful state has to offer, we are closing the rental and daily operations of what was once SUP Calhoun, but now SUP Minneapolis, after 6 long years.
We grew up on the water and thankfully we always loved Minneapolis and the lakes so we never left (even though everyone always thought we should lol). We wanted to show people that what the ocean provided for the coastal states, we could bring to our hometown and that paddling was going to be something that so many would come to enjoy and love for years to come. We achieved this goal and so much more than we ever envisioned although this is a mixed feeling day for us knowing that the season is right around the corner and we wont be able to accomplish other goals we have always wanted like a Kids Camp. We wanted to show the younger generation something that didn’t involve electronics, we wanted to show them the way WE grew up, the reason we still play in the water ourselves and be able to call them Groms of the North. We wanted to open their eyes to nature in a different way, we wanted to show them how to treat our lakes and nature and how to properly take care of it…maybe some day in a different way…So thank you to all the families who did bring their children out, we hope for some of them to pursue the love of the water they way that we experienced it!
Though we have enjoyed putting on the many different activities such as Sunset & Sunrise SUPyoga sessions, July 4th parties, working along side Corporations like Lulu Lemon, Red bull, Target, Best Buy, Lagunitas, 612 Brewery, and so many local Minneapolis companies. It just seems like the right time to end many of the services we offer.
Robbie has followed his dream and got his masters in education and is now a full time ESL teacher and varsity coach for Volleyball and Track. Now he will always have his summers free now to enjoy the water himself with his amazing girlfriend Leah right by his side and explore many of the lakes this state and beyond have to offer. He has always wanted to take a full summer and paddle all of the lakes in MN (btw its somewhere close to 11,217) so good luck my friend and thank you for shaping minds of generations to come!
Tommy has taken on a few different ventures in life, but the biggest is continuing to travel the world and hopefully making his way to the always sunny Australia by the end of the year for a new beginning and adventure. His love for Fitness, Health, and Wellness with this sport and activity will never fade, but we wish you great luck and the safest of travels in your endeavors!
The biggest of THANKS to:
Idol Surf Co for providing us with amazing boards over the past few years , Ryan Taylor for all of your amazing photography, Peru Alvarado for your design work, Pirate Coast Paddle Co for your friendship, support and always helpful suggestions, Evan Lawrence for helping organize this sport in all the creative ways you did through big group paddles and outings, Johnny O’Hara for showing us that age doesn’t define who you are, Zane Schweitzer for ALL of your inspiration and kind words over the years starting with our first BOP in 2014, Danny Ching for the Fitness inspiration that started Tommy’s true passions and creative twist to this sport, and Kia Lenny for showing us that we can look at life and watch from the sidelines or tackle the biggest waves and obstacles that come our way. And finally to our parents who could have thought we were just some beach bums, but saw a totally different potential in us that we were trying to show others.
But most importantly THANK YOU to all of YOU fine people of Minnesota! Without you we would have never grown ourselves through every roadblock that came our way in wanting to show you the love for this sport we have and overcoming it all!
So as we say goodbye and when the sun goes down, and the lakes are still and washing to the bay, we hope that you’ll always remember us when you go out to paddle as the guys who were always there by the beach having fun and living life fully.
Mahalo,
The SUP Cal Crew
(Robbie Brink and Tommy Miller)