I can only imagine the thoughts going through my
mother-in-law’s mind when I told her that we were interested in buying a lodge.
I wanted to quit my job in Anchorage, move to the bush of Alaska and run a
wilderness lodge…with her daughter and 2 grand babies. Well, I never actually
had THAT conversation with her, but man she must think I’m nuts.
Leaving the security of a good 8 to 5 job after seven years
is definitely not on a lot of people’s to-do list, but I just always felt like I
was meant to do something different.
Not something to make me feel superior to others, or to say
HA, I’m more adventurous than these people in cubicles. I just always feel more
alive in the mountains, surrounded by wildlife and nature. Not to mention being
with my wife and daughters more, and running my own business.
I think millions of people feel the same way, like if given
the chance to be your own boss and be outdoors more, would you take it? Well I
was given that chance and I chose to say yes! So someday in the next couple years we will leave the city
life and start to transfer our lives to the lodge full time.
In the meantime Joe & Bonnie are holding down the fort.
(Which is code for hosting all the guests, and doing all the work out there 365
days a year.)
Giving up some absolutes to venture into the unknown is deep
in my DNA. Alyssa and I had many talks about the next stage in life. For most young married couples the next thing
on the check list would be a nice house.
Something close to
town, but maybe in a quiet neighborhood with a quick route home from the
commute.
Close to playgrounds,
and church.
The dog, and the white
picket fence.
And we talked about all of these things, but the only thing
missing for us in all of this was
–where is the adventure?-
Now, granted, I
didn’t just jump at the first opportunity to ditch a great job and try some
random self-employed venture. This was a
calculated risk after many prayers and discussions with my wife. And the fact
that this lodge was already being operated by great friends helped. We didn’t have to start from square one. The
lodge has been hosting folks from all over the world since about 1994.
We just bought the lodge and took over operation right where
Mike and Pam left off. Like literally immediately took over operation. The day
after Mike and Pam moved from the lodge with their last load of personal items
loaded in their float plane we had guests from France fly in.
Taking my
girls away from grandparents, cousins, and friends was part of the “risk” in
our minds. That is something that hurts a bit to think about. You have to fly to get to the lodge so it’s
kind of like moving to another state. My wife and I do think raising our kids
at the lodge will make for a great childhood. We will homeschool them through
great programs that the state of Alaska offers.
They will have each other, have two dogs to play with, Uncle Joe and
Aunt Bonnie close by, lakefront property, and lots of time with mom and dad.
So as we become self-employed I will hold on to what
retirement I have banked up, but for now I will trade my 401k for 365 days a
year with my family.
This is my “American dream”.
More time with my wife/best friend, and with my daughters while they are
still young. To actually be with them and teach them as they grow and not just
see them for about 2 hours a night after my commute is over. That is something
which I will never get another chance.
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