Community

[speeder]

With so many threads over the years about bad neighbors, I thought I'd share a story about good ones. As I've mentioned previously on this forum, I've been hanging out at our family cabin in northern Wisconsin since the pandemic hit the U.S. back in March. I basically ran up here because of my compromised immune system, my chances in Los Angeles weren't looking good at the start of this thing. I figured that I'd be bored but safe.

I never spent much time here over the years since I live in CA. It was my mom and stepdad's summer home and they built it 30 years ago, both have passed away in the last 2 years and now it belongs to my brother but sits empty most of the time. He will not get here at all this year due to travel restrictions, (he's overseas).

Anyhow...the boredom thing hasn't really worked out. In fact, I have not been bored for one minute since I've been here. There are plenty of small maintenance jobs to do plus I towed my Airstream trailer here and bought an Airstream RV since I got here, both need a little attention. I also dragged one motorcycle with me and bought another since I got here...have to stay busy, you know.

None of these rolling stock items are close to new, so all need attention. Today, I finally got around to changing the steering gearbox on my '99 Ford F-250, (tow vehicle and all-around workhorse). I've had it for years and it sat unused for months at a time in L.A., now it's my cross-country DD. I'd been putting it off because it's a slight bear of a job and I did not want to run into any snags and be car-less up here, it's pretty remote.

We have only one close neighbor, my mom built a similar log cabin next door for some friends and they sold it to the current owners, the Wongs. They are dream neighbors, a young couple w two cute kids who have also been living here full time since the pandemic hit. They have a pontoon and a fishing boat and are on the lake all the time. Very chill, very nice people. It's all about the peace and quiet up here, so bad neighbors would really suck. At first, I kept to myself in my cabin, totally socially isolating. When the weather turned nice, I met them down on the dock and now we hang out all the time, sitting in our boats on the lake talking, etc.

I've had the new gearbox sitting in my trailer for a month and today I dug into it. The job was actually going smoothly and looking like it would be done in one day when my phone rang. My neighbors had gone out picking wild berries about 20 miles away and their car would not start. Mom/dad/2 kids and the dog, stranded and I cannot even begin to tell you how remote of a place they were. It's crazy beautiful and wild up here, there is a bald eagle nest across the lake on land my brother owns, a loon family on the lake, bears and deer everywhere, raccoons, every type of bird in North America, etc.

Did I mention that my truck was in pieces on the ground? Any other day of the year and this little rescue would be a turn-key operation. So I called our next closest neighbor and other best friend up here, Eric. He lives a 5 minute walk away, if I take the shortcut through the woods. Eric is the Police Chief of the nearest small town and was my elderly parents' best friend, he really stepped-up and helped them a lot in the final years. His teenaged sons put our dock in and take it out every year, watch over the place like a hawk when it's empty, (most of the time except this year), that sort of thing. Eric is also a car guy and has many vehicles and always down to help in all situations. I call him and he's driving somewhere but I explain the situation, asked if he had a vehicle I could borrow to go help the other neighbors, (we are all friends). He says of course, walk over and grab my F-150, the keys are in it.

I get his truck and my jumper cables and head towards the pin on the map the stranded friends sent me. It's really far but a cool area I hadn't explored yet so an adventure. All state or county land, just soft dirt roads through pristine forest. Where they broke down, there was a stream w trout in it. A fishing hole like you've never seen, unless you live somewhere like this. Thousands of acres that anyone can use, hunt and fish on, even chop wood w a permit, apparently.

These friends have a nicer/newer car in Minneapolis but their cabin car is a 10 year-old Jeep Cherokee w high miles and a 5.7 hemi. We could not get it to run w a jump, (it just started and died), so we left it there until tomorrow and I got them home. We packed 3 adults, 2 small boys in car seats and their large, 3-legged dog into the older F-150 that is only an extended cab. It was cozy, lol.

Once I got them home, I went to return Eric's truck but he told me to just keep it until we get things sorted-out and he gave me a huge tow strap and advised me that we could totally get away w towing it home since it's all dirt roads and one county road. Tomorrow we will go back w my scanner and the tow strap and get it home one way or another, then figure out if I can fix it or tow it to a shop in one of the neighboring towns.

So now I have my F-250 on jack stands, an F-150 and two Airstreams plus a MC in my driveway here. I'm starting to look like a local, lol. I'll get some pictures tomorrow and turn this into a repair thread.

[speeder]

Ok, that was a long post.

On Friday, I'm out on the lake, chilling in my recently acquired fishing boat, (like I said, almost a local), talking to the same neighbors when we see a group of people on a pontoon boat that has lost power. A man is paddling it from the front platform. I offer to tow them back home and they accept.

Boat looks familiar. I ask, "is that John and Debbie's boat?" It is. "I'm Debbie's cousin"

"Are you Denis?"

"I am."

These were my cousin's house guests using their cabin and boat for the weekend. Turns out that my cousin gave them my number in case they needed anything up here. I wound up getting their boat started for them and they were grateful. These were kind of fancy people from NY, a major art museum director and family but they could not have been nicer or more friendly. It's just the way it is up here, the "vibe" if you will. It's also a really small world up here, if you hadn't already got that.

Share your good neighbor/community stories if you've got them.

[LWJ]

Fantastic!

My neighbors are the best. We have soup parties - bring a bowl and a side dish. Mostly hosted by the non-drinking neighbors. And we have happy hours. Hosted by the drinkers.

My family has vacationed with at least three neighbors and invited more.

I really don't care for my house. Been here 15 years and thought about moving often. But, the neighbors??? Wow. They are the best.

[ckelly78z]

A completely different world, and thought process than SoCal L.A. ! Much slower pace of life.

[KFC911]

That is so cool Denis! After reading your posts all these years about living in LA, I figured you'd be a fish out of water in a rural paradise. And it sounds awesome ...

[oldE]

Good on yeh, Denis!
That's the way it works in a rural community. Neighbour needs help: you help, knowing if the shoe was on the other foot, they would do whatever was needed.
Of course there are exceptions.

Best
Les

[onewhippedpuppy]

Sounds like you are living my version of heaven Denis, enjoy! Try any Spotted Cow yet?

We are avid boaters, and often go stay at VRBOs at large regional lakes in the Ozarks. I notice the same thing there, not only the slower pace of life but how friendly and helpful people are. I think most people are fundamentally good, but many are in miserable situations that make them into miserable people. It’s hard to be miserable when you’re in a beautiful place enjoying the outdoors. All of your cares just drift away....

[Otter74]

Denis, those were nice stories - thanks for sharing them. I really love that sense of community.

[Danimal16]

Denis,

It is a very different place than SoCal. We visited our extended family last spring. Portage County and Milwaukee. The village my Dad grew up in, Amherst is a great place. It is Tomorrow River Country.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Otter74

Denis, those were nice stories - thanks for sharing them. I really love that sense of community.

I agree. Good stuff.

Pretty much the same here. We have one clinker on the farm across the "Neck" as my little peninsula is called. Pretty good batting average

Not a big deal but my back-up generator has been having issues, older diesel I bought used for powering tools, stays on one of my small trailers in the barn.

With Isaias coming, I started doing preps yesterday and the d gen is struggling. Since I have a basement and I expect a lot of rain and loss of power for a day or two, I went out and bought a new gas powered gen to back up the Honda powered gen I own. One plugs into the house and powers the sumps, etc., but I like auxiliary sumps directly powered from the 2nd gen when it really rains.

I really like redundancy. For big storms I also have a PTO powered gen. I know, but a week without power is a lot.

So I called my closest neighbors son to have him help me unload the new gen. He was here in about two minutes and it took just a second to accomplish the task.

I asked him if he knew anyone that wanted the old d gen, explained that it wasn't running well.

He called a friend of his who wanted it and knows how to work on diesels - VOTEC kid, bright young man.

"How much?"

Put it in your truck, it's his.

So off it went 15 minutes ago. Ten years of use and I paid $250 for it. This happens all the time. Once you get inside the community circle of trust all is well.

[Mike Andrew]

Denis;
Where in N. WI are you?
I have a place near Minong and it is very much like you describe in terms of wildlife and also neighbors. I certainly appreciate the offered or requested help when needed and am always willing to help my neighbors. A far different world that suburban Chicago that reminds me of my childhood when everybody knew everybody on the block and the facing blocks.
Only downside for me is the freaking ticks. Just finished treatment for Lyme, again Summer has lots of pests in the northwoods - ticks, skeeters, gnats, biting flies but that's why we have DEET and permethrin.
Glad you are enjoying the tranquility.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Denis;
Where in N. WI are you?
I have a place near Minong and it is very much like you describe in terms of wildlife and also neighbors. I certainly appreciate the offered or requested help when needed and am always willing to help my neighbors. A far different world that suburban Chicago that reminds me of my childhood when everybody knew everybody on the block and the facing blocks.
Only downside for me is the freaking ticks. Just finished treatment for Lyme, again Summer has lots of pests in the northwoods - ticks, skeeters, gnats, biting flies but that's why we have DEET and permethrin.
Glad you are enjoying the tranquility.

Mike, I'm 7 miles from Minong. The neighbor who lent me the truck is CoP in Minong! Please reach out if you're up here. And yes, the bugs are for real up here. All part of the amazing nature, though!

[pavulon]

It's Leinenkugel country!

[Baz]

Good stuff, Denis.....my folks always preached The Golden Rule and then in my generation we call it Karma.

All boils down to the same thing.

Thanks for the posts and thread! Good luck with the repairs. I'm working on my Silverado's brake lines again today. This time the back ones. It never ends....

[Mike Andrew]

Denis,
Probably not back there until mid September due to injury to the wife and being needed here. How long are you staying?
What lake are you on? Lots of great lakes in Washburn County to fish and always a float down the Namekagon River to enjoy some total wilderness.

[Hard-Deck]

Denis, great post! Your tale is one of pure American values, and the best of human nature. We have a couple of cabins on a compound in the PNW. In 54 days, I start my retirement leave, and we are headed there to isolate as well. I have motorcycles, Porsche, Jeep, good well water, plenty of food. We lack the beautiful lake setting however; can’t have it all, ha! The following attached recent article has us thinking that we’ll be hunkered down for a while. But it’ll be a happy while. https://apple.news/A2QTjtgbBS0iwzGiQXQSdPw

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Denis,
Probably not back there until mid September due to injury to the wife and being needed here. How long are you staying?
What lake are you on? Lots of great lakes in Washburn County to fish and always a float down the Namekagon River to enjoy some total wilderness.

I’ll send you a PM w more specifics and my phone#. I may still be here in September, just taking it one month at a time right now. This is god’s country up here for sure...my mom bought and sold a lot of land in Washburn County.

[KFC911]

I dare ya to spend the whole winter up there and still call it "god's country" .

[Mahler9th]

Envy expressed. Grew up in MKE and we took a family trip to Spooner back in the 70's-- fishing and so on. We did not have much money so such a trip was a big deal.

We had converted from bamboo poles with string to rods and reels not too long before (Zebco 202 to Mitchell 300 was the progression).

Leinenkugel... oh yeah. I was too young to enjoy that in my only trip up there in the 70's, but of course that later became a special treat when back in WI for summers during college and grad school.

Never liked the bugs... but the fishing and the air and the quiet and the scenery...

Envy expressed.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by KC911

I dare ya to spend the whole winter up there and still call it "god's country" .

Have done 21 in a row so far. It's not Canada cold but it's close enough.