Bill's Bountiful Blog
May I keep you posted on my thoughts, ideas, observations, and silliness?. Am I serious? Is it relevant?. Does anyone care? Probably not much.
But in today's age of everyone has something to say, why not me? And who can blame me for jumping into to the pool? For speaking up For laying it out?
"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." - Thomas Wiley, Journalist
Allison & Chase Discover Family Skiing at White Pass!
By Wendy Thomas
Published: 08/06/24
Topics: Dog Friendly, Family, Interview, Mount Rainier WA, Packwood WA, Things To Do, Vacation
Comments: 0
Allison, who works in inventory management, and Chase, who is active-duty military, are currently stationed in Port Orchard, Washington. They wanted to take a skiing vacation within Washington State. Theirs was a full house, with Allison, Chase, their two kids, two friends, and their dog, Magnolia.
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Packwood Properties: What made you choose Packwood and Cowlitz Manor House?
Allison: Chase is an avid skier, and we wanted to take a ski vacation to someplace new. We’d never been there, but he wanted to try the White Pass area, and the house looked beautiful and the location seemed to be amazing. Plus, it had a hot tub.
Packwood Properties: Did you use the hot tub at all?
Allison: Oh yes. The kids took skiing lessons, so after spending a day skiing, it was great. We used the gas fire pit upstairs as well, especially when the power went out!
Packwood Properties: Oh no! Sorry about that. I hope that turned out to be okay in the end?
Allison: It was. Packwood Properties kept us up to date about when the power would come back on. We had the gas stove inside and the gas fire pit outside, so we were fine until the power came back to the street in the evening.
Packwood Properties: What was your favorite thing about the house?
Allison: We loved the front porch facing the river. We spent most of our time there. And, of course, the hot tub after skiing. We used the fire pit quite a bit. Especially with the power out! We liked how close it was to the White Pass Skiing Area, only a half hour drive. The house was big enough for all six people plus Magnolia to spread out. It was beautiful. Just like the pictures showed.
Packwood Properties: I hope we’ll be able to host you again in the future.
Allison: It was one of the better Airbnbs we’ve stayed in. We will definitely stay here again, if available!
Author: Wendy Thomas – Cowlitz Manor House, Cowlitz Manor House
Blog #: 0977 – 08/06/24
Outdoor Preschool Director Finds Classic Cabin
By Wendy Thomas
Published: 02/26/24
Topics: AirBnB, Cooking, Crystal Mountain, Interview, Mount Rainier WA, Vacation
Comments: 0
Justin, the director of an outdoor preschool in Denver, stayed true to his likes when he and friends booked a trip to Mount Rainier. They wanted to be able to hang out together and ski, coming together from their homes across the United States.
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Crystal Cabins: What made you choose Lindgren Haus and the Mount Rainier area?
Justin: The price was hard to beat for the weekend. It was an awesome location and had classic cabin kind of vibe. We wanted to go skiing at Crystal Mountain. That was the biggest driver of where we stayed. I’d been to Seattle a bunch of times, but never up to Crystal Mountain before.
Crystal Cabins: Did you and your friends enjoy the cabin?
Justin: It was great for hanging out with friends. It had a nice layout and everything was provided.
Crystal Cabins: Were the amenities ok? What you were expecting?
Justin: We were surprised by a TV and DVD player. We hadn’t realized that they would be there. We hooked up our Switch to the TV. The kitchen was well stocked and we were excited we didn’t need to bring in anything. Soap and towels were already there. That was great for those of us who flew in.
Crystal Cabins: Was your favorite part of the trip the skiing?
Justin: That was definitely part of it. It was phenomenal skiing. But all of us hanging out in the cabin at night was the best part.
Crystal Cabins: You skied and you stayed at the cabin. Sounds both fun and relaxing. Did you feel you had a good trip?
Justin: Yeah, we got everything we wanted and more out of it. It was an awesome stay. If we can get everyone together again, we’d like to come back.
Author: Wendy Thomas – Editor, Lindgren Haus
Blog #: 0979 – 02/26/24
Yuka's First Trip to Hi-Tide Resort
By Wendy Thomas
Published: 01/25/24
Topics: Aberdeen Washington, Dog Friendly, Hi-Tide Resort, Interview, Moclips Beach WA, Ocean Shores WA, Vacation
Comments: 2
For 33 years, Michael Muller, from Edmonds, worked for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. So naturally, when he wants to take a weekend away, he heads out to the coast.
Visiting Moclips for the first time, he came to Hi-Tide Resort in October 2023, hoping to avoid the crowds but still have the great weather the coast can provide.
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Hi-Tide: What brought you out to the coast?
Michael: I wanted to visit with friends in the area. I saw Hi-Tide was there, and I could bring my Husky/Malamute mix, Yuka. I was debating about going to Lake Cushman or the coast, and I decided I wanted to get Yuka out to the ocean.
Hi-Tide: What did you do while you stayed with us?
Michael: We did a lot of exploring of the area. We also enjoyed the solitude and quiet of the beach. Yuka was a busybody on the dunes. At night, I loved looking up at the stars and I could see the crabbers with their lights on way out in the water. The weather was perfect, since it was the tail end of summer and it was still warm.
Hi-Tide: Were you upset there was no razor clamming during your visit?
Michael: No. It’s hard to keep track of Yuka and dig for clams at the same time. I talked to other people at the resort about it and liked that there was a cleaning station right there for people to use. Not many places have that.
Razor clams are one of my favorites, though. I stopped at Duffy’s in Aberdeen on my way out to the coast. They were some of the best razor clams I’ve had.
Hi-Tide: What was the best part about your stay?
Michael: On our first day there I discovered that Yuka would not go up the stairs. I had to carry her the few tries we went up those stairs. I called the front desk and Jerry there was able to get us moved to a ground floor unit within an hour of my phone call.
Hi-Tide: Would you come back to Hi-Tide?
Michael: Absolutely! I’d like to come back at about the same time of year later this year. I’d like to take my daughter and granddaughter, and Yuka’s littermate Kavic.
Author: Wendy Thomas – Hi-Tide Resort, Hi-Tide Resort
Blog #: 0973 – 01/25/24
Eloise Rocks Out at Hi-Tide Resort
By Wm. May
Published: 07/10/23
Topics: Art, Fishing, Hi-Tide Resort, Photography, Vacation
Comments: 0
No one knows exactly how it all got started. Maybe it is a myth.
The dreamy story goes like this. Long ago a young guest brought along a painting set to the beach.
The plan was to create a Vincent Van Gogh worthy painting of the sundown just as the mythical magical but very real great green flash that winks when the sun disappears completely. And just for a second.
Her name was not recorded at the time, but for now we have come to call her "Eloise". There is no record of whether she successfully caught and depicted the momentous moment. But it is something that can be frequently be seen year round from the condos at Hi-Tide.
After wandering the beach, exploring the Moclips River and digging a full limit of Razor Clams , Eloise decided to use her leftover paint to leave a message and art on a small round river rock.
The portrait of her dog, who had accompanied her to HI-Tide, included the dog's name "Picasso" and these lovely words, "I love it here. I will be back."
She placed the rock gently into a flower bed just outside the entrance to the resort office. What happened next started slowly but has grown to become a must-do activity for visitors from all over the world.
Travelers journey to Moclips Beach, staying at our lovely Hi-Tide Resort , and enjoying the very same peace and quiet and stunning beauty of the North Beaches of Washington State.
Some stay for just a few days. Others stay for a week or two or longer. But before they leave, they can ask for paint and a brush with directions were to find a suitable rock on which to paint their message for posterity.
Today, the gardens of HI-Tide Resort are filled with painted rocks and messages of love and life. Better yet, most visitors return year after year. To paint a new rock or to touch-up those which have graced the gardens for decades.
You are invited to make your own memory here and rock out at Hi-Tide.
Author: Wm. May – Rock Out at Hi-Tide Resort, Hi-Tide Resort
Blog #: 0940 – 07/10/23Sponsor: Hi-Tide Resort – You can't get any closer to the beach than this. comfy, cozy, modern condos at Hi-Tide-Resort on Moclips Beach WA State. – Hi-Tide-Resort.com
Oh Canada - Lodging Newsletter June 30, 2023
By Wm, May
Published: 06/30/23
Topics: Education, Hotels, Housekeeping, Inns, Lodging Newsletter, Reputation, Vacation
Comments: 0
"Management by wandering around" explains a style of business administration which involves managers wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through the workplace to check with employees, equipment, or on the status of ongoing work.
There may be no other industry as appropriate for MBWA than travel and lodging.
Great managers must keep their fingers on every aspect of every dang little thing. Nothing can be taken for granted, everything must be inspected, schedules must be maintained and, no matter how diligent a company, some guests will want more than they pay for.
But you'll only know that if you talk to guests, staff, vendors, competitors and even the government. All this in hopes that changes can be detected to find opportunities or to avoid problems in the future.
That idea can be stretched to walking around other businesses too, so for a few weeks we have been wandering around British Columbia and Alberta, staying at or visiting great lodges, speaking to staff, and just watching their world go around.
It has been said that Canada and the US are countries born of common ancestors, separated by a common language. The differences in lodging management are subtle but noticeable.
Businesses cooperate together to promote their destination in ways that can seem lacking elsewhere. Employees seemed authorized to make good decisions.
This letter isn't to say that Canada has everything figured out. Turning on the television shows some of the same political skullduggery that exists in every country. People just don't agree on everything.
As we departed one lodge we saw the attractive young manager, who had taken time to talk on several occasions, walking around the property, policing the area, straightening things up.
Walking around Canada provides new insights we can use to make our business better every day.
====================================
The pace of change is accelerating. Here are some changes we noticed in Canada, specifically in the stunning mountain towns of Banff and Jasper.
TEXTILES: Each property had daily housekeeping an "option." Some said, "Call us if you want maid service or just towels." Or here is a $5 coupon for each day you don't ask for housekeeping.
COUPONS: The coupons were to their in-house restaurant. They save far more in cleaning labor than the cost of the food, probably $20.00 or more. And guests lined up early to cash in.
STAFFING: Half of the lodging and restaurant employees who served us were young Aussies. Companies recruit in Australia for seasonal staff. Young folks love the travel and come back year after year.
COSTS: Staffing in this way is not cheap, as employers pay for food and housing. At the incredible Columbia Ice Fields (www.BanffJasperCollection), where you can ride onto the glacier on giant wheeled vehicles, over 250 staff room in what they laughingly refer to as "The Ice Palace", but looks more like a very old college dorm stuffed with people.
WELCOME BOOKS: None of these pricey places had an in-house welcome book - but they all had gorgeous printed materials about all the other things they were anxious to sell you - boat trips, gondola rides, museum walks and, of course, their restaurants.
CUSTOMERS: Canada has a fast growing immigrant population and the diversity of travelers is everywhere. Many languages, styles of dress and behaviors. Some cultures travel in big family groups, while others dominate the ever present tour busses.
GENUINE: Every business wants every staff member to exude friendliness. Although there are dozens of restaurants in Banff alone, from fast food to fancy food, employees provide quick service without seeming to be hurried. This is management honoring their people.
HONOR CODE: Most businesses had famed "Codes of Honor" proclaiming how well they would treat you and including how well you must treat fellow customers and staff. We bumped into them in fancy hotels, low-cost restaurants, in bike shops, in museums and even in Starbucks.
GUEST TERMS: Having started as vacation rental owners, we have always felt that a clear set of terms was essential to foster good guest behavior. We have wondered if we ask too much, but then we seldom have a problem guest. Perhaps, we should call them the "Codes of Honor."
STRESS: Banff sees 4 million visitors a year and the small business core is alive with visitors. Jasper welcomes 2.5 million per year. Together this is a non-stop stream of inquisitive travelers who could overload a system, but there is little stress because both towns admit that tourism is what pays the bills. (And pays them well.)
In U.S. locations, there are always curmudgeons who want visitor income but would prefer that people stay away. American cities and counties who are chasing vacation rentals out of town are myopic.
Author: Wm, May, Vortex VIP
Blog #: 0960 – 06/30/23Sponsor: Vortex VIP – – VortexVIP.com
Oh No, Mount Rainier Has Disappeared
By William May
Published: 04/15/12
Topics: Mount Rainier WA, Vacation
Comments: 0
It is always there on the horizon when I drive to work - jutting majestically into the air. It's white year round, sometimes with a puff of clouds around the top, like a celestial halo.
But, this morning I looked and Mt. Rainier had simply disappeared. Gone.
Slamming on the brakes I pulled over and stared. How could our state's defining symbol of white mountains, green forests and sparkling beauty just vanish?
Thirty years ago the same thing kind of happened. It was a glorious sunny Sunday. We had heard rumors that Mount Saint Helens was rumbling. Some scientists said an eruption was imminent, but many others thought it was just another false alarm because the current inhabitants of the Northwest hadn't seen anything more than a puff of steam from any of our volcanos in living memory.
As I flicked on the radio in the car, the announcer said, "This is it, This is the big one. Mount Saint Helens is blowing its' top." Even from 100 miles away, in downtown Seattle, a massive smoke plume was visible jutting a hundred thousand feet into the air.
A quick drive to the water tower on Seattle's Capital Hill, allowed me to climb up a hundred steps to the highest point in the city, and peak out the slender windows. The view was even more impressive. It looked like a fast flow smoke stack and yet it was a monstrous mountain and, due to scale, it was far bigger than anything a factory could create.
We have since forgotten the ash that covered many states and even blanketed Seattle and Portland, Oregon. We have forgotten the television coverage of massive destruction and loss of life. The heroic stories of volcanologists and local residents have faded.
And now, this very morning, the same thing seemed to be happening with Mount Rainier. Except this time there was no smoke, no steam and no rumbling. As with that day Mount Saint Helens erupted, the weather was clear, the skies were blue and yet - Mount Rainier was simply gone.
I flipped on the car radio, but this time there was no excited announcer with no mention at all. On the television, there was no announcements. And, in the newspaper, there was no story. On the internet, there was nothing. It seems the city, the state and the entire world had forgotten that Mount Rainier was ever there.
Native Americans revered the "Mount Tahoma" as the mountain that was God. To the first white settler's, the mountain was the beacon they first saw when traveling overland to the Northwest or when having arrived by ship. Its' presence was difficult to ignore as it dominated the landscape. They knew there were arriving when they first glimpsed at the monstrous mountain and its' glistening mantle of snow and ice.
So how, after all of these years, could Northwest occupants simply forget about Mount Rainier? Established as a national park in 1899, still 97% of the park remains in its natural state. For a century, traveling to the Mount Rainier area was the highlight of a summer vacation. Families came for extended stays and skiing its' slopes was a highly desirable getaway.
Crowds traveled first by horse and buggy, and later by automobile to see the wonders of nature. They swamped the campgrounds, crowded the roads to Paradise on the mountain's Southwest shoulder and to Sunrise on the Northeast. In early summer, massive fields of wildflowers took away the breath of visitors of all ages and all races. Some feel the hand of God here.
So, how had apathy caused Mount Rainier to disappear? Today, visitors flock to other Northwest destinations where they can run their ski boats, listen to loudly amplified music and stroll the streets of franchised stores. Professional advertising successfully entices families to visit freeway resorts complete with high priced meals, pricey gift shops and many man made waterfalls also known as water parks.
Visitors have somehow been convinced to find other places to have today's version of fun where activity outweighs nature. Or have they?
Although, the number of visitors to Mount Rainier has shrunk over the years, t the count is not altogether insignificant. And, the grandeur of the mountain, forest and rivers remains. Visitors who remember to find Mount Rainier are rewarded with the view of wildlife, flora, glaciers and magnificent old growth forests. In the grove of the patriarchs, massive trees stand mute and unassuming. The silence is deafening and stunning.
Villages and towns like Ashford, Enumclaw, Greenwater, Morton and Packwood have charming accommodations. You may not think that the city air is bad, until you arise early one morning, throw open your door and are overcome with the fresh smell of flowers and evergreen trees.
Unlike man made resorts, Mount Rainier is a bargain. Staying at a hotel, cottage, cabin or bed and breakfast can be a special experience. Dining can be rustic and astoundingly affordable. Park fees are low and you can set your own schedule to visit for a day, a weekend, week or even longer.
The children in your family will giggle in laughter visiting the snowy fields, romping in the meadows and wading in the streams. Everyone will enjoy re-discovering that Mount Rainier is still there, still pristine and still beckoning with beauty, enjoyment and relaxation. You can bring Mount Rainier back to life.
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To rediscover Mount Rainier visit www.VisitRainier.com and finding handy lodging at www.MountRainierVacationRentals.com sponsored by the Vacation Rental Association.
Author: William May, Plumbob Publishing
Blog #: 0209 – 04/15/12Sponsor: MountRainier.com – Every shop, restaurant, lodge and vacation rental around the entire mountain. Ashford, Packwood, Greenwater, Morton, Eatonville, Carbonado & Enumclaw. Book a stay instantly online.
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