20 Summers of Memories

Bogie's Buzzard Bay Lodge began as a nightly mental exercise of "what ifs". Meant to preoccupy my mind neutralizing the days stress helping sleep come quickly. What it turned into could more easily be describe as a midlife crisis. It became the recurring dream about a sizable itch that needed scratching. A lifelong desire to own, and somehow share, a little piece of heaven in the Minnesota far north. Since my early 20's I had been spent a lot of time traveling and dragging anyone I could to this pristine area of the world. It starting in the boundary waters and expanded to Voyageur's National Park. It ultimately led to building Bogie's Buzzard Bay Lodge on beautiful Lake Vermillion.

My wife Nancy use to say it would make her nervous when I would come up with these big ideas, worrying that someday I would act on one. Well at 49 years old I did, coming to her first to explain my latest and greatest idea. It was a simple plan that included purchasing a 20 acre plot of land in the wilderness. Land that was only accessible by boating six and a half miles by water. Oh, and because there could never be a road built to it, we would have to build a barge. And, did I mention we would be building a cabin without electricity, plumping or even a path cut to the top of the hill where it would set. After all that I finished with this promise, "If... after three years you don't like what we've built, I'll sell it!"

That was February of 1999 and twenty years later I’m still amazed that she didn’t say no! All I can say is, thank you Nancy, for trusted me! The rest is history!

This year we are celebrateing the memories of 20 summers. All those great memories evolve around a guest list that numbers close to 250 visitors. We have always stayed true to the original thought of sharing with others. As the photo says, "a cabin's worth can only be measured in memories".

To further that thought, we’d like to introduce a great new part of the Buzzard Bay legacy, its own website – www.bogiesbuzzardbaylodge.com. The goal is to journal 20 summers of wonderful memories, recreating and embellishing the old stories and adding new ones as we go. All of them will be available and enjoyed through this site's blog and illustrated with photo albums and videos. Don’t be surprised if some include your notes from the visitor logbook. We would have nothing to share without all of you. Thanks for being there!

Other things you will find on www.bogiesbuzzardbaylodge.com is a 2018 Calendar of events. For those joining us this year you can sign up through the website and find out pretty much anything you want about BOGIE’S Buzzard Bay Lodge, Lake Vermillion, regional attractions, local web cams, local weather, fishing reports and more. It’s on your phone or Computer. Enjoy and hopefully, we’ll see you soon. Bogie!