Spring is Here

Last year we had ice on Clearwater Lake right up to just a couple days before fishing opener. This year we are already ice free! The best part of this news is that I will be able to get out and paddle in April.

Enjoy this picture that we snapped last week as the ice turned black and began to break away from the docks.

2012 Sportshow Season

Last year just before we closed on the purchase of the lodge we decided that we should do a couple of sport shows. I went to Madison where Ben Trace and some friends were nice enough to meet me and help with the show. I was nervous and excited for the show. While I had worked a couple of shows before never had I done it where the consequences were ultimately my responsibility. Then I went on a couple weeks later and tried the Minneapolis Show. This time it was just me. I found myself somewhat unprepared since my knowledge of the History of the Lodge and the area was less than I desired but both shows were good experiences. Neither Show filled all of our vacancies but we decided that they were worthwhile. This year we have decided to attend 6 shows. The first show is in Des Moine, where I just finished day two of the show. Then onto Chicago from January 26-29. Then La Crosse from February 9-12 and Duluth from February 15-19. From March 9-11 I will be back in Madison and finishing up in Minneapolis from March 28-April 1. This time I feel much better prepared and am very excited to meet new people and hopefully be successful at conveying to them what makes Clearwater Lodge so special. One of the new things that I have this year, is a new display!

Summer is winding down

Labor Day weekend is upon us and as intense as the summer was at times it is still somewhat surprising to realize that fall is coming and things are slowing down.  What a summer it has been.  We had a week straight of 90 degree weather, we had one day where we got 7 inches of rain, we had a windstorm that dropped 12 trees on the property(one hit the transport van), we redid the store, built a shower house, redid the bunkhouse, put a couple of new kitchens in, remodeled a couple of bathrooms, restored suite B back to rental status, built a new dock, installed new water lines, put a new roof on the shop, bought new 4 stroke motors for the boats and so much more.  Whew, no wonder we are tired. So many people have been asking us how the first summer went.  Such a simple question, but not a simple answer.  The only reasonable response I can come up with is that we learned so much.  The long days added up and we are tired.  But the satisfaction of doing what we love and meeting so many great people really feels good. 

One of the best parts of the summer was Tuesday nights.  Every Tuesday Harriett Boostrom Taus would come over to the lodge and tell stories about her parents(Charlie and Petra Boostrom) and about growing up in the Lodge.  It was amazing.  Harriett was born in 1928 and lived for 17 years in the lodge.  Her story telling ability is excellent and the stories bring so much life to the lodge. 

One of my favorite stories is about why her parents picked Clearwater Lake as the place to build the resort. Charlie found Clearwater Lake while living with the Indians and began to guide trips on Clearwater as early as 1912. In 1913 when he and Petra married he took her to Clearwater to see this lake, supposedly he told her that someday he wanted to own land there. Charlie and Petra were of the opinion that the view down the lake at the Palisades is the best view on the Gunflint Trail. Early in 1915 they were able to purchase a cabin on the lake and Clearwater Lake Lodge, the very first lodge on the Gunflint Trail, was officially started. Over the years he added a lodge, several cabins and outbuildings and we feel so privileged to have a small piece of history. One thing for sure, we are in agreement with Charlie and Petra that the view looking down the lake is the best on the Gunflint Trail!

More Summer Projects

 This summer has been a summer full of projects.  One of the projects we did was redoing the bunkhouse.  Our bunkhouse is one of the older original buildings on the property.  It was originally used by a logging company.  The logging company did a deal with Charlie and Petra Boostrom so that they didn't have to pay rent in exchange for the building when they were done with it.  But it was in need of serious work.  So we gutted it, built 3 new bunk rooms and a new shower house.  Here is Mike working on what would later become a bunk.

For the stalls in the shower houses and the lumber for the bunks we used blow down lumber.  People have been very positive about the new bunk house rooms and love that there are now 6 showers and 6 toilets for use. 

We were running short on space for boats on the main dock.  So we built a new floating dock.  This took a bit longer than we anticipated but was really needed. 

Here is the new dock, we will be putting tires and cleats on both sides.  Now things aren't as congested and the boats don't have to be tied up so close that they bang into each other.