Up North Dec 30 - Jan 3rd

Dale and I headed Up North by ourselves on Wednesday morning, December 30th. We were anticipating a large group of family and friends to arrive on New Years Eve, but we wanted to go a day early to check on both cabins and get in some great riding.

We arrived around noon and decided to get into our gear and check out the trail. The air was cold and in the single digits, but the trails were wonderful. It isn’t every holiday season that we have enough snow to ride, but this holiday season looked to be a winter wonderland. Several of the larger lakes were yet unmarked (and unsafe), but we did not seem to find a lack of fresh snow.

We headed down Bearskin Trail and over to Lake Tomahawk. We stopped at Smiley’s and talked to the owner about the trails, the holiday festivities, and what the weather would be doing over the next several days. We returned home at around 6:00 p.m. and popped a pizza in the oven for supper. We were in bed early that evening as we anticipated a few up and coming late nights.

The next morning we arose and began checking in with our guests. The Stearns and Lawson families were due to arrive in the afternoon by 3:00 p.m. Our sons, Drew and Chad, along with their friends Bryce Stearns and Kyle Dornink were expected to arrive late that evening.

We took a quick trip to Wal-Mart in Minocqua and to the Trigg’s Grocery Store for more snacks. When we returned I did a bit of cleaning in cabin 1 and went down to cabin 2 to check on the cleanliness. Our last guests had left it spotless as usual.

It was after 3:00 on New Years Eve and there was still no arrival of The Stearns and Lawson’s. When I called them, I found out that the Stearns had had a flat tire on their snowmobile trailer. This was delaying their arrival by about an hour. When the crew finally arrived at 4:30 p.m. we said our pleasantries and then suited up for a ride. By the time everyone geared up, got gas, and was really ready it was after 6:00 p.m. We headed down towards The Edge to eat. However, we had not made reservations and with their wonderful fare there was not a table available and a long waiting list. So we had one for the road, suited up, and rode back to The Watering Hole. They were able to seat us right away and we ordered our typical fajitas, burritos, and nachos. Mmmmmm. Some of the group decided to stay and await the arrival of our sons Drew and Chad. Some of us decided to head back to the cabin and get a good night’s sleep. Yes, that is how we celebrate New Years up North.


The next morning when we arose, Dale was already up and making eggs, pancakes, bacon, and toast for the entire crew; all eleven of us. Breakfast is big for us before we strike out on the trails. We can last quite a while with something in our stomachs and the bar stops don’t get to be quite so expensive. We geared up around 10:00 and sent the boys in the direction of Lac Du Flambeau. The grown ups headed North towards St. Germain and Sayner. The air was still a very cold -10 degrees, but the trails were freshly groomed and beautiful.

We met up with our sons in Lake Tomahawk and threw back a few specialty drinks at Smiley’s. From there we headed back, but the trail was not as smooth as the day before. It was a very long and rough ride back to the cabin. Some of the guys stopped for a drink at Whitman’s Bar. Most of us, however, decided to return to the cabin. There was a pot of chili and a pot of taco soup waiting for us there and the wonderful aroma hit us all as soon as we opened the door. We were (or at least I was) ravenous. There is nothing like the fresh air to stimulate your appetite. Well the young guys must have had fun too, because as soon as Steve Lawson went to bed, they were up to their practical jokes. Imagine Steve’s face when he arose the next morning to find his snowmobile parked on TOP of the picnic table.

The next day we had another big breakfast. This time, the ladies decided to head for Minocqua to shop and then head out towards the Casino. The men all rode together and headed out west to the Willow Flowage area. It was good to split up as we married couples were all starting to get on each other’s nerves (of course that never happens at home).

We all met up at the cabin. The ladies expected to go out to eat, but it was obvious that the men were not going anywhere. Several late nights, many miles of trails, and a bit of the spirits had finally caught up to all of them. We didn’t even play a board game (Lori Stearns always brings a new board game so that the families can compete against each other. Not this year!)

So that was the extent of our New Years celebration in the Northwood’s. We always enjoy our time on the trails and socializing with our friends. Maybe you can enjoy some of the same memories if you book a stay at our Minocqua cabins.