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Our first summer season is winding down

Now that the Labor day weekend has come and gone, we're experiencing a change in season here on Lake Vallecito.  The weather is getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to thin out and change color.

We've lived through our first busy summer season and feel that we've done quite well renting out our cabins with the help of Airbnb.  We're not going to be millionaires but what a blast it's been getting the Views of Vallecito http://viewsofvallecito.com/ business up and running.  And, I get to do it with people that I love, in a beautiful part of the world.  Initiating this business has spawned additional ideas revolving around Airbnb.  I'm looking forward to attending the annual Airbnb event for hosts in LA in November to fuel the flames of my imagination.

In addition to the lodge and the six cabins that we rented out on the lake, I've had the opportunity to do a major remodel on a 7th cabin--a log cabin.

It'll be where I lay my head when I'm in CO and I'll rent it out on Airbnb when I'm not.  Also, I was able to buy my mom a home about 5 miles north of the lodge which she will live in full time once she sells her house in TX.  We've all fully appreciated the cool, crisp weather, the majestic mountains and the ever-changing views of the lake.  I've just about talked my mom into putting her home on Airbnb to drive more potential customers to it and to earn her some income so that she can spend time here in the mountains rather than having to keep it constantly clean.  If anyone is looking for a lovely home in Livingston, TX overlooking Lake Livingston, check out her home on http://www.har.com/460-oak-crest-dr/sale_35804149.

Catching up after a long absence

I've been so busy working on the property on the lake that I've been remiss in posting to my blog.

As you know, I took a year off work in order to travel the US in my RV exploring intentional communities.  Together with my brother, we decided to form our own intentional community near Durango, CO on an old, defunct property with a lodge and 7 cabins.  The goal was to escape the Houston heat in an attempt to create a different life for ourselves in the mountains.

While the house/lodge is winter worthy, the cabins are not so our goal is to fix up and rent the cabins out from Memorial Day to Labor Day and then hunker down in the winter--probably looking for other work to augment our meager bank accounts.

After much discussion, we decided to call the property the Views of Vallecito.  My partners, Kent and Lydia sold their house in Houston and together with their daughter Hannah and her boyfriend Isaac, joined me in mid February to begin some major remodeling.

While I was able to tackle a few minor projects before they arrived, we've gotten a tremendous amount done with everyone pitching in but especially with Kent's contractor capabilities.

Together we own a two story house with a basement.  It has 3 bedrooms and 1 full bath.  The basement offers a very rustic potty.  In addition to the house which we call the lodge, we also own 7 cabins--4 on a lower ridge and 3 on an upper ridge---all on about 1 acre of property overlooking one of the largest lakes in Colorado--Lake Vallecito.

We agreed that Kent and Lydia would own the cabins on the lower ridge and I would own the cabins on the upper ridge and we'd share the house.  That way, they can do what they want with their 4 cabins and I can do what I want with my 3.

One of my cabins is an old log home.  The first time I saw it, I thought I would be doing everyone a favor by tearing it down.  And of course with my interest in tiny houses, it could be easily replaced.  Unfortunately the regulations created by the Planning department in LaPlata County didn't coincide with my wishes so I've decided to give it a facelift.

I've hired a local father/son construction company to help with the endeavor and I've been pleased with the result.  I've uploaded photos of the remodel to date on FB at ViewsofVallecito for those who would like to see them.  It's taking longer than I'd like but they're doing good work and I'm realizing time is viewed a bit differently here in the mountains as well as access to consistent mobile service and internet.  We didn't realize this was the price we were going to have to pay in exchange for this lovely place to live but we're finding ways around the challenges.

We've found most of the neighbors in this small community to be gracious, kind and helpful.  Many are lodge owners like us and they've mentored and helped us along in our first year endeavor.

View of sun setting over the lake from the lodge.

Settling in

Voted the best small town library in the US in 2014, the Pine River Library in Bayfield has become my "go to" place for Internet.  It's become my home away from home.  I can reserve a small room when I need privacy or as I am doing now, prop up my feet on the ottoman in the comfy chair in front of the fireplace and update my blog.

Chill'n at the local library

Coffee is free and the staff are friendly.  Reid is with me this week so early Monday morning we drove here so he could participate in his daily video conference calls while I joined the 6 other women and one Labrador retriever for a hour long Yoga/Pilate's class.

The library is like the community center.  They offer classic movies to the community on Monday nights, technology classes on Tuesdays, etc.  They have a new media room for residents to record their life histories.  I want to enhance my Excel capabilities so I have a one on one with the tech guy next Tues.

I also want to experiment with their newly purchased media equipment as I continue my interest in the use of video for learning.   One thing I became more comfortable with while on my RV adventure was video recording myself.  After the first few recordings, I dropped most of my harsh self criticism and just kept recording.  I learned to accept myself whether I had makeup on or not, whether my hair was sticking out or not, whether I sounded intelligent or not.  I highly recommend it as a self development opportunity as well as a way to chronicle a unique experience for later reflection and potential sharing of your experiences with others.

While Reid is in virtual meetings today, I've decided to continue viewing the Quickbooks video training I purchased as a way to keep track of income and expenses for the new business venture that Kent and I will be starting very soon.  Kent and Lydia closed on their house last Friday and along with their daughter Hannah, they are caravan-ing their way here.  I'm really looking forward to having them here so that we can move forward, faster with renovations and spend time with 3 of my favorite people.

I've completed the minor renovations to the bedroom that I'll call mine---that is, I've caulked to fill in gaps and painted to cover old laminate paneling and weatherized the windows and added curtains.  I painted the floor the brown paper bag color used in the den and found a lovely carpet to add warmth and bring it all together.  I'm still sleeping on a mattress on the floor but that will have to do until I have my belongings stored in Houston moved up here.  I've been waiting on the outcome of Reid's custody suit before making the decision as to where my belongings should go....or stay.

I told the owners of Pine River Lodge across the street from me (sisters---Debbie and Donna) that I'd like to volunteer to help them clean their cabins if they'd let me so I can see how they do it.  One night I dropped by to pick up a package they collected for me while I was away and Donna asked if I wanted to help that night.  Even though I was tired and hadn't eaten all day, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity.  There was just one cabin to clean and I think it's one of their nicer ones plus the person who stayed there only stayed one night so it wasn't very dirty.  Even though I've been cleaning up after myself for years, I did pick up some great tips for cleaning efficiently and effectively.  One recommendation that Donna made was to turn on all the light when you walk in so you can see the dirt.  Also, they don't stock their cabins with a bunch of extra supplies like paper towels, coffee, coffee filters, etc.  I envisioned personalized soaps, and trying to think of everything but realize it can become quite expensive if we're not careful.  Better to start simply at first and see how it goes.  I think Kent and Lydia will agree with that.  Right now our cabins would definitely be considered budget, summer cabins.  I still love Lydia's suggested tag line for the property--We're Not Tents!

One of the locals is teaching yoga on Wed mornings at my place.  So far, it's only been me and two other women but I'm happy to be able to offer the space and I'm glad that I don't HAVE to drive anywhere if I don't want to.  It's been a great way to get to know my neighbors and to get some exercise.  One of my fellow yoga students told me of all the work she's done to try to get the internet situation corrected on the lake.

In addition to that, she mentioned the challenge she's had with some of the local folks who don't want Vallecito to grow.  She mentioned a couple that I should meet at the local watering hole called the Hideaway.  She said they were very progressive about growing their business and bringing in more fun activities towards that goal.  When I visited Karen and Rob at the Hideaway it reminded me of the old sitcom--Cheers where everyone knows your name.  It wasn't the dark, smokey, dingy saloon I was expecting.  I ordered a beer and some wings and talked to Karen and Rob about opportunities to partner....I met their Schnoodle, their cook (who recently broke his collarbone snowboarding at Purgatory) along with his mom who was helping with his convalescence.  In addition, I met the local hair stylist, Robin, who has a salon attached to the Hideaway along with one of her customers who has the spiky do I like so much.  I definitely need to give Robin a try to avoid that long trip to Taos where I got my last cut.

While the Hideaway attracts motorcycles with their live bands, many of the local lodge owners don't want that sort of clientele.  Karen said they had planned to have a live band for New Year's Eve but the band---a duo in their fifties couldn't find a place to stay in the area for one night.  Most lodges seem to require a 3 night minimum.  So, I'm re-evaluating my thinking about things after meeting and talking with them.  If a professional couple drives up from Durango or Farmington, NM on their bike to hear live music, I'd like to be able to offer them a comfortable, clean, affordable (and beautiful) place to stay for a night.  Karen and Rob even mentioned the idea of a shuttle between their place and ours for safety.  We'll see how this development progresses.

In other news, the sisters across the street invited me for a day trip to Farmington, NM (1 hour south of Durango) which I enjoyed tremendously.  They are full of great ideas and years and years of experience in the lodging business that they're very generous to share with me.  Since this is the slowest time of year, they have more time to take these kind of excursions and I'm glad they let me tag along.

On another note, one of my yoga mates said she runs on the east side of the lake so one day after painting the walls in my bedroom and while the sun was still out, I bundled up and headed that way to check out the conditions for walking---since that's what I prefer.  Lydia bought me some Yak trax for traction on ice for my shoes so I strapped those on.  The road had snow on it but it was relatively clear.  Late in the afternoon, I pulled the Liberty over to park it and got out for a brisk walk.  It was rather desolate and I saw what looked like bear paw tracks in the snow.  It occurred to me that I don't really know what to do if confronted with a bear and might need to keep the walk short until I learned more.  I had visions of Leonardo DiCaprio's new movie (the Revenant) where he's mauled by a bear and he drug himself 200 miles for help.

Locals told me later it was probably not a bear but may have been a mountain lion.  Add that to my list of creatures to learn more about before my next remote walk in the snow.

Back to the winter wonderland

After almost a month away, I drove a rental car (4wd) from Mora, NM (where I was visiting my friends at the Hummingbird community) back to the lake and arrived at home last night at about 5pm to this:

I think the house is in there somewhere

the back deck of the house (outside)

the back deck from inside

I had heard about all the snow that had fallen since I left on Dec 20th but the drive was fairly open until I approached Pagosa Springs where they had been hit hard.   I found that my bearings are screwed up with all the snow. I get nervous when the snow and ice begin to encroach from the sides making the road appear narrower and narrower.

Hwy 160 was clear between Pagosa Springs and Bayfield before I took my turn to head north 25 miles up to the lake....except for the beautiful blanket of snow that surrounded all of the landscape around me. A saw one little deer on the side of the road in the snow waiting to cross on Hwy 160. I was wondering why they don't hibernate like the bears. They have far less fur to keep them warm. It'd make my driving about a lot less stressful if they could just do that for me.

I drove the rental to the airport this morning to drop it off and to pick up my car that I parked there 3 weeks earlier. I brought my big red, snow shovel and needed it as you can see from this:

I started digging but my Liberty wouldn't budge. I got some help from two maintenance guys at the airport. Without their help, I'd probably still be there struggling. As it was, it took an hour to get the snow out of the way and off the car to make my way back home.  Those expensive all weather tires proved to be worth it.

I've decided that it's an interesting challenge dealing with the snow when I'm not in a hurry which I rarely am these days. I'm not sure that it would be so fascinating if I had to shovel snow every day to get to work by 8am for example.

Kent and Lydia have a contract on their house in Houston and plan to close on Jan 20^th. If all goes well, they should be able to make it up before Feb. We'll all be living in the house together for a while since it's the only structure that is winter worthy. They are so excited about coming up as am I.

The whole experience will be much more enjoyable with them.

I am thinking that one of us might want to keep a place somewhere in warmer weather in the event that we want a respite from the snow. We'll see how it goes as we're all in search of a simpler life.

Seasons Greetings

I had the opportunity to spend 10 days in Kona Hawaii with a lovely couple that I befriended very early in my intentional community exploration--Greg Sherwin and Chris Elkins.  They were on my first stop at Boulder Creek Co-Housing Community.  As you recall, they joined me for a week in my RV to attend the to the Co-Housing Conference in Durham, NC back in May.  We spent 10 lovely days together at the Kona Tiki Hotel and Reid got to join us for 5 of those days.

Kona Hawaii Dec 18th

Being from Houston, I rarely thought of a sunshine destination for vacation but am so glad I accepted their offer to join them.  The Kona Tiki is a small, mom and pop hotel right on the water.  There's no air conditioning but the weather was so nice that it wasn't necessary.  It was great to be able to re-connect with them and just kick back and enjoy life during what is normally a stressful season.

After that, I flew back to Durango, spent one night, unpacked and repacked and headed to DC to spend a week with Reid and his 3 youngest boys.  It was his Xmas gift to them.  His twins had never flown before so that was an adventure.  We rented an Airbnb and visited museums.  They spent one day traveling the metro out to the burbs for lunch with family while I took it easy around the rental unit.

Here's a photo of Reid and the boys on Xmas day:

The Tatge boys on Xmas day

and another of Reid and I:

Having fun on Xmas day in DC

The day after Xmas, we flew back to Houston where Kent picked me up and we drove to Lake Livingston to visit my mom for her birthday.  After an overnight stay there and some catching up, we drove back to Friendswood and I stayed with Kent and his family.  After all the trouble that goes with trying to sell your home, they got an offer and are expected to close in the next few weeks and join me at the lodge on Lake Vallecito.

I'm in Houston another week or so in an effort to get some annual Dr visits in before heading back to the cold north.  

Life is good and I'm looking forward to seeing what the new year brings as I continue my search of a simpler life.

I'm at the San Jose, CA airport waiting on Reid.  He's flying in from a weekend visit with his boys in Houston and I flew in from Durango this morning having gotten up at 3:30 am to do so.  His flight is a bit delayed so I thought I catch up on my blog in the land of the fast internet.

I've been on Lake Vallecito for almost 2 months now.  I've made some improvements but they're coming along slowly since I have more skill using a computer than a saw or hammer.

On my sabbatical, I wanted to visit intentional communities across the US and I did so traveling around in my tiny house/RV.  I like the model of living with like minded people sharing and leveraging resources rather than being wed to the idea that we all need our own stuff.

I know I need my own space but it doesn't have to be big.  I just want it to be cozy and warm and if it happens to be in a lovely place--all the better.

My RV provided that experience except staying in a lovely place required that I do so crammed in next to a bunch of other manufactured homes.  That wasn't what I was going for.

Given the fact that I live and breathe by my ability to connect with the world via my phone and the internet, I also found the places where I stayed didn't offer that.

None of the intentional communities that I visited appealed to me enough that I wanted to move to any one of them but all had a quality or two (or many) that I'd like to replicate.

I liked the Twin Oaks community in Virginia who had a huge shared clothes closet.  As a person who shops at consignment stores and recycles my clothes often, this had a real appeal to me.  Twin Oaks also requires communitarians to work 38 hours a week in the community in exchange for the opportunity to live there.

We might use some of their practices up on Lake Vallecito as we begin our own new community there.