Outdoorsmen - Boulder Junction
- Thread starter Cirrus
- Start date
pclark
Well-known member
You hit the nail on the head. It was busy summer up in Manitowish for people that had 2nd homes up there. They were up all Spring and into the Fall with their kids. Some even enrolled their kids in the Vilas County school system which saw double digit increases in enrollment.
We are moving up next year and leaving the Southern WI behind but that was our plan all along to get away from it.
We are moving up next year and leaving the Southern WI behind but that was our plan all along to get away from it.
I was told 100 student increase in Vilas during Fall enrollment. That’s unheard of in Vilas 10 head increase was a celebration in the past mostly shrinking for past 20 years. Summer residents stayed on or upgraded to bigger lake homes decided to leave the urban and city pandemic areas. It will be interesting to see if the migration is temporary , shrinks or expands. Now saying life should be back to normal by summer lots of vaccines to go around. I suspect some will hate the Northwoods, some will love it others take it or leave it. Imo more will come back than stay simply more jobs south. Time will tell.
pclark
Well-known member
Places would go up for sale last summer in Manitowish and be gone in 1 day at full price or higher. I do think that the people that bought up here are sick of what they are seeing in the cities with regard to violence and "Defund the Police" movements. It has driven up property values outside the populated suburbs so the existing housing market remains strong as people want to distance themselves from the Protests, the mall shootings, etc. Just look at how many police officers took early retirement or just said screw it, its not worth putting your life on the line for these radicals. The northern part of the state is for a certain type of person which is OK with me.
As long as they have a decent internet connection, a lot of people will work from home and never have to return to an office as we used to know it. It saves the companies money in rent and maybe even a company car expense. If the kids are ok with it, all is dandy, but if the kids get bored, they might have to make a decision. If you can afford any kind of home on a lake in Vilas, you probably can afford a smaller home somewhere else.
Sold our place in late April to the 2nd person through....in south central Vilas, small lake, but only 6 miles from Eagle River. They were from Chicago. The price the realtor had us list for, I thought was crazy, but damned if we didn't get it. Actually took more hassle to sell the place in southern Waukesha Cty.
I love it up here. Air is so clean and fresh, and NO DAMN WIND. I never figured that one. 80% of the days have had winds less than 5 MPH, predominantly westerly. When winds turn E, we know somethings coming. In southern Waukesha Cty. it was always howling winds, just a blast to try flying a small plane in. Landings are a hair raising adventure. I hope I never have to go back, but at 80+, anything's possible.
I love it up here. Air is so clean and fresh, and NO DAMN WIND. I never figured that one. 80% of the days have had winds less than 5 MPH, predominantly westerly. When winds turn E, we know somethings coming. In southern Waukesha Cty. it was always howling winds, just a blast to try flying a small plane in. Landings are a hair raising adventure. I hope I never have to go back, but at 80+, anything's possible.
You’re right about the wind here in southern WI. I live high on the bank of Buena Lake face east west and the easterlies off lake MI in Winter and Spring will bite your nose. Then we get these 50mph wind storms with lows passing thru or fronts as normal occurrences. I had forgotten about the Hawk but knew it well from past years. You have yet to witness storms of November always a thrill in Vilas can’t even hear outside so much wind roaring thru the forest trees. Also the swings in temperature in a snow covered March are amazing 10-15 below high of 40 inversion at night and right back to -15. Seems crazy but with time becomes just another day.
snowbum
Member
I own property in Vilas County and received a letter form the Health Department asking me not to visit my second home this spring. With aging demographics in Vilas and Onieda County. and limited health care options, they didn't want people from out of the area to potentially put stress on "the system".
pclark
Well-known member
We also received the same letter. I threw it in the trash. Like any of these mandates they are not laws, just suggestions. They really can't enforce any of them legally until it is mandated through the courts as an actual law. I understand what they were trying to do but if you think anyone who pays taxes for a property is not going to use it because of a letter like that it's not reality. It was actually the other way around by us in Manitowish Waters, more people escaped to their vacation homes to get away from the cities. Did they bring COVID with them, yes, in some cases, but overall cases remain low in Vilas County, 1,476 since it was tracked, 21 deaths so far, Population of Vilas is 22,402 people. Death rate of about 0.0937%. Don't want to see any deaths but what they don't say is what those deaths in people involved such as underlying conditions. I did not hear of any healthy people dieing yet from our area of COVID. Also remember that 99.5% or something like recover, I can speak for that as both my wife and I have had COVID. I recovered in 3 weeks, my wife ended up in ICU for 7 days and is still recovering, almost back to normal. I'll stop now because the conversation has played been played out too many times this year already.
pclark, thoughts and prayers for your wife's fast and full recovery.
pclark
Well-known member
Thank you Euphoric, She was on oxygen for the week in hospital and received Remdisiver, expensive 5 day IV treatment. Being home has helped her a lot because you just can't get any rest in a hospital. It was also awkward because I could not go see her and we had to rely on her calling me when the doctor came to visit but it all worked out. When it gets in your lungs and becomes COVID Pneumonia thats when it becomes a real problem and she is pretty healthy. I see why people with existing conditions really have to be careful. All good and we will seeing our Daughter and family for Christmas.
snowbum
Member
I still went to my cabin, took everything i needed and never ventured out. Got a lot of wood cut/split, hyfax changed, clutches gone through, carbides.......etc. Oddly enough the bars had full parking lots??
pclark
Well-known member
I just had this conversation with my neighbor who is 70 and he and his wife have basically been in their own lockdown since this started so they won't contract COVID. We always spend about a week snowmobiling from our place in MW. Asked him how he felt about stopping for lunch like we normally do during our ride and he kind of waited for my response. I knew he didn't want to stop so I said we could just take lunch with us and stop on the trail and then eat all of our meals at the cabin which he was very agreeable to. Everyone is different but he is my riding buddy and has been for 26 years so I'll respect his wishes. I would stop but it doesn't mean that much to me. On the flip side it is sad that this is what it has become for the business, especially during normally lean times up north anyway. I don't agree with how its being handled for this reason, We have tried everything and nothing has worked in containing it, why ruin peoples lives/businesses for that. Let people handle it the way they want but let people run their business and earn a living, its all they want to do.
Of course. Nothing gets between cheeseheads and alcohol.
WorkHardPlayHrd
Active member
My local bar the other day I looked at license plates in the parking lot. 11 from WI, 8 from Minnesota, and 6 from (drumroll please), Illinois. Looks like there's lots of people who like alcohol.