#LastHurrah

 [ To add to the nostalgia factor of this post,  play "Good Riddance" or "Friends Forever". Don't be shy, I know you all have them in your iTunes. ]

My days of checking in gleeful tourists for their "full-day sea caves adventure" and nights of drinking local microbrews to Lake Superior's stunning sunsets has officially come to an end. 

The last week was spent having our last hurrahs, packing-up and saying our goodbyes. It was a bittersweet moment as we definitely made the most of our experience, but by the end a lot of us, mostly the guides, were getting worn out with working so much and dealing with our less than ideal living quarters. Don't let my balcony photo fool you, while outside was gorgeous, there is a reason why you've never seen photos from the inside. I think there'd be a unanimous vote that it was probably breaking soooo many codes.

Nonetheless, getting to experience Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands made it all worth it. 

Here's to the trips made, skills learned, goodies consumed, the people watching, wildlife spotting, meteor showers, birthday celebrating, dinners shared, street fights witnessed, spontaneous dips in the lake, games in the park, gin and tonics, weather watching, lightning storms, jamming on the deck, girl talks, live music, surviving captian dave's, star gazing and best of all

....

 getting to know all these cool cats. 

It was a summer of some great and interesting experiences that I will always remember. 

Cheers!

#Fallplans

Oh hey there July, can you ever not be a jerk and go by so quickly? 

How is there only a few days left of of this month? 

Honestly though, right now I'm finding it hard to really care all that much with some highly anticipated autumn plans coming up. Don't get me wrong, my summer in Bayfield is easily one of the best decisions I've made and a super amazing experience I never imagined having.

bbbuuuuuuuuttt...

knowing there is this guy on the way it's hard to focus on anything else. Towards the end of September I get to drive to Chicago O'Hare Airport, spend way too much on coffee and probably pace manically in front of the arrivals board as I wait to greet him into the U.S.

I have been planning a pretty epic road-trip route complete with the best of the Midwest & Rocky Mountains. I think I'd be lost without roadtrippers.com and my Lonely Planet Guide. It will be his first time ever coming to the States so of course I'm planning hardcore to make it awesome, but nothing too crazy.

So far I'm thinking fireworks, shooting ranges and meals consisting of hot dogs and s'mores. 

Yup.
That should do.
Only 2 more months!

Cheers! 

#BayfieldLately

 

This first week of July has finally brought a slew of sunshine, tourists and heat. We went from wearing wool hats and coats in June to being hot, sweat messes this week with temps climbing easily into the 90's (35c), which is unbearable for the average Wisconsinite. I'm lucky to have years spent in Australia adapting to smoldering heat to the point where I actually enjoy a nice, sweat-induced nap in the sun. It's even more enjoyable now that I have a cold-as-ice, freshwater lake at my disposal. 

This nice weather came at a very convient time with the 4th of July and the prime, tourist weekend here. Work has been super busy with all available trips filling up and luckily we haven't had the weather drama like we had in June. Working in the office of a kayak outfitter is making me incredibly good at reading radars. 

The job also has connections to really cool peeps who have brilliant ideas and traditions such as paddling out into the lake, rafting our kayaks together and watching the fireworks light up directly in front of us. In the distance we could also clearly see the Madeline Island, Ashland and Red Cliff shows going off. It was easily the best 4th of July festivities I have taken part in so far. 

This week the annual Raceweek in Bayfield was held. What I believe to be, hundreds of sailboats added to the already gorgeous backdrop of Lake Superior and it's 21 islands. There have also been nightly concerts in the park and on the rooftop bar across the street from us, providing some good entertainment and people watching opportunities. 

The residents are also giving a big hallelujah as the main street construction in town has finally finished enabling myself and the rest of the town to sleep in past 7AM. I can now walk to my favorite shops without tripping over all the mounds of dirt and rope. Always a plus. 

So basically that's what I've been up to so far this month. 

I'd say it's been pretty neat. 

Cheers! 

#WelcomeToBayfield

I conquered the five-hour drive from Green Bay to Bayfield five days ago now and since then I've been kept pretty busy with office training, meeting the crew, bonding with my fellow boarding housemates and admiring Lake Superior on land and kayak. 

Spring has really just begun here, so it's been chilly with storms floating through everyday. With that, I haven't gone out to check out the local hubs too much, not that there's much to cover, but it is definitely a photogenic little town. I may have forgotten to bring a few things, but I'm glad my collection of cameras was not one of them. 

Now that the sun is finally shining I am going get out of this overpriced coffeeshop (one of the only places  in town with reliable internet) to bask myself in all its glory!

Cheers! 

#packingmybags #again

Upon my return to Wisconsin in March I had full intention to spend awhile at home, and in a way I kind of, sort of still am, only now I am actually going to be spending all of summer five hours away.

That's still close enough to be considered home, right? 

I just very recently have accepted a position in the tiniest of towns in Northwestern Wisconsin working in the office of a kayak tour company that paddles around the apostole islands of Lake Superior. 

 (taken on a trip in February paddling Lake Taupo in New Zealand)

This is awesome for many reasons, 

I get to use the heck out those kayaks whenevah I want, which you know will be pretty much anytime I'm not working.

It's a full-time position, decent pay, with discount accommodation in a boarding house with fellow workmates.  Basically a summer getting to know a bunch of fun, cool people. 

It's also in a tiny, secluded town where I don't think I'll even have much opportunity to spend the money I will be making. Can we say saving up for the next international expedition? I think we can.

(From September in Cairns)

Mind you I tend to over-fantasize, but I still think it'll be pretty 'effing awesome and I can't contain my excitement!

Cheers!