The lodge itself was built in 1935, and while the main building burned down and was rebuilt in 1955 (with a beautiful open design, with lots of glass, which I am glad I don't have to take care of...) the cabins are still vintage 1930's. The lodge has a rich history, which the current owners are happy to share with you, of Percy Faith staying there and playing the grand piano that used to be located in the hall, or Edgar Bergen and his daughter Candice spending time there.
Amy and Nathan are an absolute delight, and clearly have a passion for what they are doing. The epicenter of the lodge is the little bar that greets you when you walk in through the screen door, which cheerfully acknowledges your arrival. Mike and I shared stories with them over glasses of wine and bottles of locally brewed beer, and they are full of tips on places to dine and thnigs to do in the area.
The lodge is full of things to occupy yourself, and since there are no phones in the rooms or cabins (or cell phone coverage) they have a charming phone available for guest use in a cozy corner of the lodge. At first the remoteness of it all, and the lack of communication with the outside world seemed a bit daunting, but I quickly let that go and reveled in the peace and quiet.
It was a hot, sticky night when we arrived, and as Amy showed us to the room we had reserved in the lodge she quickly offered the room next door, which had 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and a full kitchen and living room. Obviously, it was far more room than just the two of us needed, but since one of the bedrooms had the only air conditioner in the whole resort, we quickly took them up on the trade (being city wimps...) Such wonderful hosts!
They suggested several dinner spots, we ended up driving to the Garmisch Inn near Cable, which was a perfect choice. A lovely view of the lake and the setting sun, delicious meals of steak and salmon, and an impromptu fireworks display not far from the Inn made for a perfect evening.
Back at the Lodge, the grounds are lush with native plants, and the hummingbird feeders are alive with activity throughout the day. Those little buggers are so busy Amy has to refill the feeders twice a day. Nathan regaled us of bear sitings in the yard (one year he counted 39) but none of them came to visit during our stay.
The lodge is located at the end of a winding road, and the minute your drive in you instantly feel calmer. With inclement weather on Sunday, we took advantage of our living room and spent the day reading and snacking, and I even got some knitting done.
As the sun made it's way to the west, we headed in to Hayward for some pizza and beer at Coops (clearly a major hangout for the town) and found a spot to watch the fireworks. Those Wisconsites really love their fireworks, and we were the happy recipients of the fun.
Monday morning we packed up, knowing it was time to head back to the real world. We had an incredible breakfast at the tiny Spider Lake Cafe, then headed in to Hayward for the weekly Flea Market.
Eighty vendors are housed inside and outside of the community sports center, I found a wonderful old sewing basket full of notions, an antique thermos (it had a cork for the top!) and a stack of old recipe cards. Mike was clearly not having as much fun as I was, so we stopped at the Red Shed Antique store (where we had scored some fun finds on a previous trip), then headed out of town.
Winding our way through the rural back roads of Wisconsin (to avoid some of the post holiday traffic), we breathed deeply and enjoyed our last hours in a beautiful state. I would not be a bit surprised if someday you are addressing Christmas cards to us at our home there.
I feel relaxed just reading it. Thanks for sharing your fun with us. Gorgeous photos!
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