Our Staffers Winter Whereabouts!!

Our Staffers Winter Whereabouts!!

Staff's 2017 Holiday Card -- our biggest "KAC PACK" to date (both in quantity & quality)!

Staff’s Holiday Card — our biggest “KAC PACK” to date (both in quantity & quality), The Harbor misses them!

img_20170106_150432252

Buried, fortunately NOT alive… shop’s all closed up for the winter! (Yet, we do have KAC WINTER LODGING available for your winter adventurers!!

Assuming the snow has receded to a manageable amount, each year we open the shop and rev up the shuttle by Memorial Day weekend.  Our short, make-hay-while-the-sun-shines-season, then ebbs and flows with the winds, waves & weather, black flies, holidays and special events such as the annual, Labor Day weekend Copper Harbor Trails Festival. It’s typically in mid-October, following the Keweenaw’s spectacular color season, that we get the kayaks and bikes sold off or stored away for their long winter nap, and that KAC staffers scatter and drift away in the wake of the falling leaves….

While there are plenty of administrative and maintenance tasks to juggle throughout the entire year, which Sam and Shelby dutifully tend to, the bulk of our adventurous KAC Team heads off to lands both familiar and new, carrying on adventures appropriate to the season.

Here’s a sneak peek on what some of the ol’2016 team members have been up to!:

img_20161215_155352561-1

Ben Miller spent  ten days out west and visited four ski resorts. His favorite was Grand Targhee with over 24″ of fresh the two days he visited. Once back in the Keweenaw he as been plowing everyday and getting in as much snowmobiling and snowboarding as possible! He has also gone on many adventures with his son Brecken and three wolves.

 

20170114_155647_hdr

Ryan Boushee is spending his winter in Bemidji, MN living in a small cabin on the Mississippi River. He’s been enjoying time snowboarding, snowshoeing and fat biking. With plans to get up to the U.P. for some winter activities and catch up with friends, he’s also anxiously awaiting March for an road trip adventure to Arizona with the galfriend, Aubrie!

JJ Ferrington is back in Marquette working as Host Coordinator for the Noquemanon Trail Network. He is enjoying winter activities such as snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating and cross-country skiing.

JJ Ferrington is back in Marquette working as Host Coordinator for the Noquemanon Trail Network. He is enjoying winter activities such as snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating and cross-country skiing.

Emily Hinsa has been working at Mont Ripley and her free time practicing yoga (whenever she's not shoveling snow in Calumet, of course).

Emily Hinsa has been working at Mont Ripley and spends free time practicing yoga (whenever she’s not shoveling snow in Calumet, of course).

Lena Wilson has been living in Marquette teaching yoga classes and focusing on art and music. Cross country skiing has been almost a daily until a most award splitting of her ski occurred -a natural mystery. "Keeping it real in the Upper Peninsula", she's prepping for more time on the water with these fancy prescription sunglasses.

Lena Wilson has been living in Marquette teaching yoga classes and focusing on art and music. Cross country skiing has been almost a daily until a most mysterious and unnatural splitting of her ski occurred. “Keeping it real in the Upper Peninsula”, she’s prepping for more time on the water with these fancy prescription sunglasses.

image2-2

Liz Martin’s demanding day job as a speech therapist has been keeping her on her toes. And in every square inch of free time she’s been putting all her energy towards a beautiful dream house she’s been building hands-on! She’s one busy bee!

Dan Weirsgalla is working at Mount Ripley -- teaching an MTU snowboarding class and recently getting promoted to Rental & Tune Shop Supervisor!

Dan Wiersgalla is working at Mount Ripley — instructing an MTU snowboarding class and recently getting promoted to Rental & Tune Shop Supervisor!

img_20170110_123942882

Shelby’s been very domestic this winter, her hands full with the care-taking of Sam (see Sam’s update!), property management (including so much snow removal — though fortunately nothing compared to the parking lot pile she’s dwarfed by here!) and a multitude of do-it-yourself home projects! Very exciting.

img_20161101_084448923

Congrats to Sam and his TWO new hips! He simply wore out the old ones with so many adventurous miles…  Following a heavy schedule of physical therapy and recovery this winter, he’s on track to being back on the bike and in the boats come June. He’s been a fantastic sport about it all and is doing great!

 

 

 

 

2 Comments
  • Alan Condra
    Posted at 16:04h, 02 February

    Wow Sam! I saw you last winter during the sled dog event and noticed a hitch in your giddyup. Glad you took the fix and hope you are well on your way to full recovery!

    • Shelby Laubhan
      Posted at 16:09h, 02 February

      Thanks Alan for the well wishes! Thankfully, recovery couldn’t be going any better and I anticipate being back on the bike and in the kayaks come June. Giddy up! 😉