Today after work I'll be getting in my car and driving down Clearwater Road. Once I hit the Gunflint I'll take a left and head into town. Only this time I won't be going to town for the bank, the beach, Hughies scrumptious tacos, the library, cell-phone reception or even a quick stop at the Budget Store. I'll continue South on Hwy 61 and start the journey home where I will face the abrupt transition anyone must confront after an extended stay in the tranquility of the BWCA. Unless you live up here and exist to make the rest of the world envious. But for me it's back to school. Back to a city. Back to dreaded cell-phones and back to rent, traffic, sirens, cable television, et cetera, et cetera.
About 5 or 6 months ago I didn't have a clue what I would be doing over the summer. A long-shot application to Clearwater seemed to be my last play and hope was dwindling. When Lynn called and asked, "Do you still want to come work for us?", my outlook on the upcoming summer shifted from apathetic to excited, nervous and grateful for something new that would be stimulating.
Tori and I were talking about expectations the other night and what a let-down it is when they're not met. But with Clearwater my expectations were just off. Not set to high or too low. They were just off and I've never been so pleased about being wrong. What the heck did I know about what it would be like living on the Gunflint?
The summer began with a whirlwind of new experiences and learning new things. It ends with a reflection on those experiences and everything they did for me.
I have to thank Lynn, Peggy, and Mike so much. You can't ask for better people to work for and as owners of Clearwater you can tell they care about this place. They are passionate about making it a wonderful facillitator for people who want a great BW vacation. I really love how well they complement each other and fit together so well as administrators of the camp. Each owner has their own area of expertise and niche combining to cover everything a place like Clearwater requires. I'll miss Lynn and Peggy's banter and Mike's ever so subtle jokes he drops into a conversation as he walks by. No need to stick around for laughter. He knows what's up.
I'll miss the staff. The five people I saw almost everyday for the past three months. In a situation like this it's sort of an immersion relationship. You work with these people daily and then after work it's, "Hey wanna hang out?" Let's go through the crew.
Tori was the first one I met up here. I walked by as she was bleaching every surface of her trailer gloved and determined. Tori was the outdoors-loving, active, geologist from Winona State. She was always trying to get us out paddling or hiking and her persistence occasionally won out over our fatigue or general oafishness. Tori had a heavy load to bear being the only girl up here. I'm sure the overwhelming masculinity took its toll at times but she braved it out like a champ and I'm glad she did. Kudos to Tori. Thanks for putting up with us. We had a lot of fun times.
Scott and Matt, or "the boys" as they were often referred to, worked for Mike. They were the camp's drivers, canoe caretakers, maintenance men, and oddly enough the muscle. They worked together alot and Scott turned it into a custom to try and scare Matt or bug him whenever possible (all in good fun of course). This hobby of Scott's even rubbed off on Tori and I a little.
Scott was the always level-headed, multi-talented, NE guy with a whistle that may just pierce and eardrum. He often brought sanity and fankness back to conversations that had turned downright inane. One of his lasting contributions to Clearwater is his deck. He turned an old electrical wire spool into a table and built the deck around it. I really enjoyed seeing the construction progress and of course enjoying a good sit upon completion. Inspection is what I called it.
Matt was quickly labeled the "city boy" when he came up here, but what he lacked in ruggedness he made up for in perseverance and skills of adaptation. I hope he'll forgive me for saying this but his rapid-fire giggle that slips out when he really finds something funny was a consistent lift for myself and most likely everyone else. Matt was always someone you could talk to and he would lend a sympathetic ear. He's off to England for a semester where he'll study at the University of London. I wish the best for my two summer fishing partners.
I think everyone at Clearwater feels blessed by having Lily on the staff for the summer. I certainly do. She reminds you what determination really is. She is constantly teaching herself more and more English. She is not afraid to try something new (don't let the banana bread deter you Lily). The whole summer Lily was my co-cook for breakfast. She picked up more and more of the jobs and by the end of the summer she could just about do it all. If I didn't know any better I'd think she was after my job. Lily brightened everyones day with her smile, laughter, curiosity and out of place American slang (e.g. rampant use of "piece of cake"). This goes without saying but take good care of Dodo, Lily.
In no particular order Erik is the last member of the staff I've come to. Our fearless leader. The seasoned veteran with wisdom to empart to us all. His resemblance to Paul Bunyan only adds to his credibility as a Northwoodsman. The game at times for "us kids" was try not to get on his nerves. Although stern Erik was fair, and I enjoyed getting to know him over the summer. I think I most enjoyed making obscure pop-culture references and maybe by a half smile know that Erik acknowledged the joke however poor.
So those are the people I'm saying goodbye to. The people who were probably so immersed with Michael's presence it made them sick, but that's how it goes up here. Even if I were to feign boredom or tiredness of the Clearwater life I know I'll miss it all.
Lastly, if there are any Summer '09 Clearwater guests who are avid blog readers I'd like to thank everyone who passed through here and made the summer a mosaic of human interaction. It was so much fun meeting all the people coming from all over the country and every one looking for something different out here in this small corner of pure nature. All of them bound only by a destination.
So these are the memories I'll bear in mind when I'm winding my way along Clearwater Road, then down the Gunflint and South on 61. Goodbye Clearwater. I'll be back someday. Let's hope my expectations are yet again very, very off.
-Michael
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