Only in Minnesota can a
person find themselves bundled in a sweatshirt and rain jacket, coming in from
the lake with numb fingers and toes during the fourth of July. And only in Minnesota will you see the
spirit of a sportsman who finds joy in that kind of weather during the fourth
of July, because “It brings out the big fish!” In a part of the country where
it can be 80 degrees one day and 40 the next, you need to be ready for
anything. When you are a resort in
that part of the country, you need to be versatile, with a nice beach one
moment, and a warm fire the next. It doesn’t hurt to have your own Marina, a
mini golf course that would challenge Tigers Woods, and a beautiful Lodge with
hand scooped ice cream, hot lattés, and a full restaurant. All of which is
encompassed in the woods and spaced out in such a way that you feel like there
isn’t another person for miles. Well, welcome to Elbow Lake Lodge.
By the time we arrived at our destination, it was late in the evening and the light of the day was disappearing faster than usual due to the cloudy, wet day. Of the eight lakeside cabins available for booking at ELL, our cabin was the first building upon entering the property, Creekside. It was hard to tell what lay ahead on the road, as the tree coverage was thick and the road had a bit of a turn to it, but all that really mattered was that there were five small children packed in the vehicle that desperately needed to stretch their legs. We pulled into our private parking spot behind the cabin and released the children to the warm, dry environment within. As Neil and I began the daunting task of unloading the stuff (five children require a lot of stuff) and making “home” take shape within our new surroundings, the kids explored every spot open to them, calling dibs on who would sleep where. The adventure had begun and the excitement was brimming from those little faces. It didn’t take long before we were hearing comments like, “this is awesome”, “Can we live here?”, “Is this where we get to stay?” I knew, without yet doing my own exploring, that our cabin was a hit.
I had just finished putting bags in designated sleeping areas and unpacking the food when Neil came back from the Lodge after checking us in. He had been to ELL before, and spent a little extra time kibitzing with the staff. By this time it was dark. I could see the lake just off the front of the deck, and knew that the morning would come with a spectacular view. Neil walked our babysitter down to the Lodge, where she had her own suite for the duration of our stay, and we all settled down for the night, anxious with anticipation of all that the morning would bring.
The new day dawned, and
it looked like it would be just like the day before; wet, gray and cold.
Regardless, I was right about the view. Just beyond the deck was Elbow Lake; 1600 acres, 60 feet deep, but with
a number of islands and irregular shoreline, making it a captivating sight. It
wasn’t yet nine o’clock in the morning, but the three older children had
already made friends from down the road, and were begging to go to the Lodge. I
donned my sweatshirt, and we headed out to the path, expecting a bit of a walk. I couldn’t believe it when I stepped off the deck onto the path and discovered
a cabin right beside ours, and another cabin beside that one, and another
beside that, and then the Lodge a mere one hundred yards from us. Each cabin was nestled in the trees in
such a way that it was completely secluded and private.
It was easy to see why the kids were anxious to get to the Lodge. It was skillfully organized with the center of the lodge being the hub, where the coffee bar, ice cream, gift shop and check in area are. The far end on the right had all of the activity, including the ping pong table, pool table, and the special kids’ area in the far corner. (As a mother of five, I love finding foresight that understands children.) The far left end was the restaurant. This was the meeting place; the gathering place. I was impressed with how it was all set up to bring people together. Moms and Dads could sit and visit with a cup of coffee and the kids could play and be kids conveniently within view. Above the main floor of the Lodge is where the guest suites are located. Our babysitter was staying in “The Eagles Nest,” a studio apartment with a log king bed, her own kitchen, fireplace and another incredible view of the lake.
The tour continued as my two oldest boys grabbed me by the hand and walked me out past the Lodge and over to the mini golf area. This was no ordinary mini golf! I decided to play this mini course the same way I play a regular course, without keeping score. It was much more fun for me that way. Then we embarked upon the most anticipated part of the trip for Neil and the kids… fishing. The weather was ripe for it. Each time we came back, we carried stringers of fish and big smiles. The biggest smile, however, came with the biggest fish. Just a few miles away from ELL is Lake Vermilion, known for its monster muskies. We were privileged to see a 35 pound, 57 inch, could eat a small child in one bite, musky, brought to ELL because they had a freezer big enough to store it. My husband now has a new vision, and an arsenal of musky lures to make it happen.
We fully enjoyed our
week, which included swimming and playing in the sandy shoreline just in front
of our cabin. We were able to have
friends over for dinner one night and Neil shared his fish frying tips with
Lee, (ELL’s do it all, keep it all running, go to guy) as Lee sat with us and
enjoyed the catch. The kids
discovered a very friendly chipmunk who lived under our deck. Chip, as he is
now known, would come eat bread crumbs right out of their hand. When the
chipmunk wasn’t around, the resort puppies would be more than willing to have a
scratch behind the ear or a pat on the head. (Hallie and Callie are two very
big Newfoundland’s, Gentle Giants). The weather wasn’t ideal, but it really
didn’t matter. “We were living the dream”, as my oldest boy would say.
It has been well over a month since we have returned home from our trip, and just today my four year old daughter described our cabin perfectly, asking when we could back. And Isaiah, who is planning his eighth birthday has informed me that I need to make sure I call Lee to let him know that he is invited. We brought home more than great memories. We came home with new friends, new appreciation for each other, and a new destination place for the future.
Elbow Lake Lodge is owned by Elbow Lake Investors, who bought the resort from Stan and Joyce Pasannanti in 1995. Dan and Laurie Ashbach, the primary investors, understand and appreciate the joy found when people come together, especially family. Dan and Laurie share the business responsibilities with their children, Chris, Leslie and Brett, and their families. In addition, Lee Byram came on board in July of 2008, bringing a renewed strength and vibrancy to the daily responsibilities that were difficult to manage from the Ashbachs’ homes in the twin cities area. Before coming to the resort, Lee worked 17 years in youth ministry. He and Chris met at the church in Cook, where Lee served. Whether it is a family vacation, a wedding, a corporate retreat, or an event such as a marriage encounter seminar, Elbow Lake Lodge is ready to host your get-together. If it’s a wedding Lee can even serve as the minister!
Once you experience the resort, you just might like to stay year after year, which is why ELL offers hassle free investment opportunities as well. The ownership and management are constantly looking ahead with new ideas, including some that venture out of the box. They will work to make an environment that will bless you abundantly. We were able to experience that blessing, and are looking forward to going back.
