Mountain View Blog

While one might think that we get bored in the Winter living on Lake Superior where the landscape slowly becomes a frozen tundra from Christmas through…who knows (but really just through March or so), nothing could be further from the truth.

We are very blessed to live a lifestyle that permits change as often as the seasons.  As our tourist season winds down by November or so (if you are looking for somewhere remote with cool temps and no people, but still the comforts of home, no time beats November).  By then our fall maintenance is in full swing.  We try to have everything wrapped up so that we have time for family come the Thanksgiving holiday.

December brings all sorts of holiday festivities just like the majority of people.  The Christmas play, advent, gifts, community Christmas Dinner and making sure we are prepared for winter.  For the last several years, the Porcupine Mountains Ski Hill has opened in mid-January.  This year, the ski hill management changed hands.  The Hill is now being operated by the Gogebic Community College Ski Area Management (SAM) program.  The change brought a new enthusiasm as the SAM team began during the fall color season giving chairlift rides to the top of the mountain.  What a glorious view!  For those who are not skiers this was a time to get a glimpse of the majestic views the winter folks have always known.  The hill was well groomed and the staff very excited about being part of the Porkies.

Skiing and snowmobiling runs from December 1 through March 31 depending on weather and conditions.  This is typically the time we work on items for the Gallery.  Although not much chainsawing can be done, fusing glass, dying silk, and working on knit and crochet projects keep our hands busy.  You know what is said about idle hands!  While most of the work is for the Gallery we have to make time for some family exceptions.  This year we have a new niece and these pieces were done for her.

Rick has been busy with new nightlight designs that are amazing!  Be sure to stop in the Gallery to check them out. And there is always the moving of snow!  This pic is for all the Cabin 101 lovers – there is no going there in the winter!

As the Lenten season approaches we have the Easter production and spring cleaning.  As the snows melt we are busy preparing the cabins for the arrival of our long-standing guests and those whom we have not yet met.  We endeavor to have the property much like a present all wrapped up with a big bow for your arrival!  And this may surprise you, but it seems to take us longer to do things each year…it couldn’t be that we aren’t as quick anymore… Also, it is time to get back to the Blog – The View from Here – And once again I will be answering questions, so if you have a question you would like us to address, be sure to visit us on Facebook and ask away.  You will also be able to keep up with the latest photos.

So, what was that about being bored?  Not a chance!  And as far as we are concerned it beats that desk job any day!  Can’t wait to see you…

Just a quick update.  It is now February 3 and guess what?  We have not been disappointed.  We now have tons of snow!  The snowmobile trails are open and being groomed.  The Porcupine Mountains Sports Complex has opened and the skiing is amazing!  People are commenting that “the ski hill is in better shape than it has been in many years!”  The hill is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  For more info visit them at www.porkiesfun.com.

Lake Superior is now beginning to freeze farther and farther.  What a sight from the cabin windows!  The snowshoe hikes are a big hit.  Exploring the back country on fresh powder is a time for quiet reflection.  And Snowburst – Winter Carnival 2013, www.facebook.com/snowburst2013, is really developing.  We are very excited about the day’s events.  There will be activities for children all day long.  Crafts, carnival games, face painting, and more.  The Snowshoe Fun Run will begin at 10:30am EST and groups from 2 to 92 will be able to participate in the fun.  Guided snowshoe hike at 1:00 pm EST and a Wheelbarrow Race at 1:30 pm EST.  The Giant Slalom Race will be held 3:00 pm EST.  Be sure to register early!  Skiers and boarders welcome!  The Awards Presentation will follow the Race!

Food will be available and there will be a spaghetti dinner from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm EST. The evening will end with a Torch Light Parade and Fireworks over the Mountain!  Nothing compares to the contrast of the jet black sky, the pure white powder and the array of colorful fireworks!

Be sure to plan to join us!

Well here we are.  January 11, 2013 and still waiting for snow!  Can anyone believe that?  I have to say it is wonderful to still be able to watch the waves crashing onto the shore.  But, it is not so wonderful for those snow enthusiasts who are anxious to hit the slopes and trails.  But here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we have learned to make the best of every situation.  There is something to be said for having a few moments to watch Lake Superior turn from churning waters to the stillness of ice.  Some long to watch the grass grow, while others long to watch the ice freeze.  But the respite is short!

Throughout the months of January and February guided snowshoe hikes are being offered at 1:00 pm on Saturdays at the Porcupine Mountains Winter Sports Complex and there are lantern lit trails in the evening from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  We do actually have some snow, just not what we are accustomed to.

We are also fully aware of Mother Nature never letting us down and always providing that glittering white powder at some point.   February is shaping up to be a very busy month!  Telefest will begin on February 8, Free Fishing Weekend will be February 16 & 17 and Snowburst – Winter Carnival 2013 will be February 16.  Plan to spend your weekends in the Porkies throughout the month of February!

If you are not looking for snow and think you would rather be heading to Florida right about now, you are certainly not alone.  However, I have to tell you that if you have not experienced the winter in the U.P. as Lake Superior freezes you have not yet experienced true silence.  And if you have not seen the winter sky you haven’t encountered the true brilliance of our cosmos.  The winter star-filled sky is one of my favorite sights and it just cannot be captured in a photograph.

People often wonder if we get bored living out in the “middle of nowhere” all year, especially in the winter.  But after nine years, I can answer with an emphatic –  NO!  It is the time of year we work on the items for the Gallery, get caught up on paperwork, and reconnect with friends and family we lose touch with during the busyness of the year.

Winter is also a time of reflection and planning.  Each year this is the time we work on various improvements at MVL.  Our goal is to always provide superior lodging and service to each and every one of our guests.  And it is with our guests in mind that we strive to enhance every aspect of the property and add the little special touches to show how much our guests mean to us.

This is also the time of year that the cabins go quickly.  So we always encourage making reservations as early as possible!  And we encourage you to follow the Blog, but also follow us on Facebook!  You will find more up-to-date information by checking in at www.facebook.com/mtnviewlodges.  We look forward to seeing you in your season of choice!

So, it is time to get back to the projects at hand.  We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Why did you choose to do this and do you like what you do?

These are two questions that come up quite often.   Many feel that this is their dream and are curious about how we like it now that we have made the jump from dream to reality.

In short, we love it!  That being said, it is a lot of work!  There are pros and cons to every career.  We are very blessed to be able to do what we have chosen to do.  And the pros far outweigh the cons.  I will begin with those things that make the “job” most difficult.

• Instead of one home to maintain, we have twelve.  Twelve to paint, furnish, repair plumbing & electrical, etc.  You get the idea.
• We are tied to the property 24/7 for at least six months out of the year with no days off.  Maybe a dinner out, but no days off.  If we need to be sick, it has to be planned for “off season”.
• You may be thinking; “Wow, this should be a pro, only working six months of the year!”  However, it is in the other seven months that all the maintenance, updates, renovations, and major repairs take place.  From new tile to paint, from roofing to replacement of water heaters/furnace, etc.
• Yard work, landscaping, outside maintenance, etc. are continuous on the property.  And don’t forget removing up to 300 inches of snow each winter!
• We just can’t please all of the people all of the time.

The benefits:

• We meet the coolest people!
• We see people at their best – Vacation!  Most are very friendly, very happy to be away from home, very happy to have found this little slice of heaven that we discovered many years ago, very appreciative of all the work that goes into running the property and very happy to be watching the sunset over Lake Superior.  (If you have not yet seen the sun set over Lake Superior at the Porcupine Mountains, you will be awed when you make your trip to the U.P.)
• We are our own boss, sort of.  It is always are guests that we aim to please, but we do get to make all the final decisions (ok, this could be a con alsoJ)
• As I mentioned in an earlier writing, we used to vacation at Mountain View Lodges.  Now we live where we vacationed, one of the most beautiful parts of the country in all four seasons!  Three miles from the ski hill, one mile from the entrance to the Porkies, and we are surrounded by the Ottawa National Forest.
• We are blessed to live in a true wilderness area where the trees and wildlife far outnumber the people.  No smog or pollution, including light pollution.  Our skies are black and our stars are bright.  We even bear witness to the Northern Lights.
• We live on Lake Superior!
• We have had the opportunity to visit many beautiful locations, learn the good and the bad from other lodging properties and spend some time really living in our off season.  If you would like to read more about our trips, you can visit: http://varechatravels.blogspot.com and http://2011traveladventures.blogspot.com.
• We homeschool our youngest daughter, Karsten, who is now 15.  Our lifestyle has enabled our family to travel together to see many parts of our beautiful country while enriching her education.

So, do we like what we do?  YES!  Why do we do it?  We love meeting everyone that chooses to stay at Mountain View Lodges and we enjoy being out of the rat race.

So, how did you make it work?

Many people over the years have asked this question along with others such as; “Did you just leave your jobs?”, “Did you work in the hotel industry before you did this?”, “Weren’t you scared?”, “How did you know what to do?”

Let me start by saying that hindsight is 20/20.  As we look back over the twist and turns of our lives, we can see how we were led to just this place.  What started as a pipe dream on our honeymoon almost 30 years ago became a reality at just the appointed time.

“Did you just leave your jobs?”  The simple answer is yes.  “Did you ever work in the hotel industry before?”  The simple answer is no.  I have worked from a very young age for both my grandfather and dad.  Work was never a place you “went”, it was just life you chose to lead. Rick worked from High School on and supported himself from the time he was seventeen.  Both of us have lived with the philosophy my grandmother and mother always taught, “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get it done”, whining is simply not allowed.

In the years when my children were young, I worked many different odd jobs that allowed for me to be home with them and still help make ends meet.  Most of these jobs were customer service and/or sales based.   Working the family business and other part time endeavors enhanced the skills I use today in operating Mountain View Lodges.

After Rick and I got married, we relocated from Illinois to Colorado and then on to Indiana.  Each of these moves bolstered the risk-taker in each of us.  Our move to Indiana placed us in the apartment industry for a time.  Leasing apartments and hosting events helped develop skill sets we use today.  Rick worked his way from the bottom at each job, everything from stocking shelves to selling the stock.  His hobbies included gardening and landscaping.  He has an eye for detail. This is noticeable in his photography, chainsaw carvings, each cabin and the Mountain View Lodges’ grounds.   I am more of a “big picture” person.  I believe that if I can think “it”, “it” can be done!  Our strengths complement one another.

While Rick’s dream was to own a lodging property, mine was more to operate my own business.  The same year we found out that Mountain View Lodges was for sale, I had been planning to open an art studio in Indiana.  In fact, the Business Plan was written and I was looking for the space.  That Business Plan was quickly revamped and became the plan for Mountain View Lodges…all in the appointed time.  The timing did not belong to us.  We had just purchased our home two years earlier.  I had looked for the “perfect” house for nine years!  We had planned to live there for the long-haul, raise the kids, plenty of space for grandchildren, good location and room for all our artistic undertakings.  My mom lived with us at least part of the year after my dad passed away in 2000. This would be a huge change for all of us.   Much thought and prayer went into our decision.

Once the decision to move forward was made, it was time to seek financing.  We filled out piles of paperwork, submitted our Business Plan, and put our house up for sale.  We had made the offer contingent upon the sale of our home.  It all began in October of 2003. We expected it to take up to five years for the house to sell and the loan to be approved.

Imagine our shock when the bank came to us with loan approval without the sale of our home!  What??  They felt it was best for us to move up and begin with the ensuing spring/summer season.  So, this was it.  We were moving North.

We have all heard that “timing is everything”, the key is to be in tune with where we are being led at any given time.  Take the risk!  That is what makes life an adventure!

Did you always want to own a resort?

This is a trick question.  I believe that everyone has a pipe dream, one of those dreams that couldn’t possibly happen to “me”.   Owning a resort was one of our “pipe dreams”.

While honeymooning in the Rocky Mountain National Park area we stayed at a resort that was for sale, the dream begins.  Would we like to do something like this?  Could we do something like this?  Could we walk away from our jobs, home, etc. for a totally different life?  How would we ever get the money?  As years passed, the dream kept popping back up.  We even had plans to purchase a hotel we liked near Boyne Falls, Michigan.  We took the records provided by the owners to our accountant and he promptly informed us that the business would not carry the loan.  We walked away.

Then it happened again.  While vacationing at Mountain View Lodges we found out the property was for sale and the wheels began to turn. Was this an answer to our unspoken desires?  Could this be our calling?  Now we had been married almost twenty years.  But this time the “pipe dream” seemed more within reach than ever before.  The same questions edged their way in and we tried more diligently to answer them.

Would we like to do something like this?  We both thought it would a profession we would enjoy.  We both like meeting and working with people.  What a great opportunity to meet people from all walks of like and from all over the world!  To spend our days helping to make our guests much needed respites from the world memorable, what could be better?  So, the answer was Yes!

Could we do something like this?  It would be a bit of a learning curve, but we felt we could handle it.  What we didn’t know we would learn with on-the-job training.

Could we walk away from our jobs, friends, family, church, home, etc. for a totally different life?   This one was a bit tougher to answer.  We had just purchased the house we were going to live in for the “rest of our lives”.  It took nine years to find the perfect house.  We had committed to making updates and changes as soon as we moved in; after all, we were planning to be there forever!  Rick’s job was going well.  After years of struggling, he had finally made it to the “top”.  My job was steady and it allowed me the flexibility I needed to not only work but also care for the children.  We had good friends and family nearby along with a supportive church family, we had our dream house, steady and secure employment, could we give all that up for a “pipe dream”?  As you already know, the answer was Yes.

Why?  One, it was our dream.  If we didn’t do it now, when?  Two, while it was great to have everything just the way we wanted, what was left?  It was time for a new chapter, time for a new challenge, time to take a risk!

How would we get the money?  This question will be answered in the next blog.  Until then, go for your dreams – take the risks!