Bliss in Elkhart Lake

I don't have any visuals to share, my work experience this week is completely kinesthetic.

Most of the time, we get to stay in moderately decent hotels while doing archaeology fieldwork away from home. Sometimes we're stuck with a dive, other times there's hot waffles and maybe a waterslide. It's up to the hotel if they choose to accept the rate for State employees, which is somewhat reduced from their standard rate. Lucky for me, Plymouth, Wisconsin's Baymont Inn, a traditional stand-by for my co-workers, decided they don't want to accept the State rate anymore. This initially pissed me off, because it's a decent hotel and we've literally patroned them for months on end during the past 5 years. Lucky again, a co-worker knew of an absolutely incredible establishment less that 7 miles from our project area at the Wade House in Greenbush. No way would I ever normally be able to afford accommodation like the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake. I am having an A-MAY-ZING week!

Although we have to dig endless shovel tests in rocky clay loam (tearing up my back and shoulder!), I get to recover in the evening with one of two saunas. I cannot rave enough about saunas, they're one of my big loves and something I don't get to experience enough. Why haven't more Americans realized the benefit of a sauna? My sore, laboring muscles LOVE sweating out all the tension from yielding a shovel and hiking through marsh grass all day long. The girls and I tried out some yoga moves in the gigantic sauna this evening, and I can't even explain how good it felt.

On the walk to and from the sauna is Osthoff's private beach. It's definitely still summer here, and it's so warm and lovely to lay in a beach chair and stare off meditatively over the beautiful Elkhart Lake. Tonight the sky and lake were a rosey pink during the sunset. It makes me so happy to be in Wisconsin at this moment.

And if that's not being spoiled enough, I have the most beautiful bathroom I've ever seen! The whirlpool bath is so giant, I float. My shoulder tendinitis feels manageable with whirlpool jets pummeling at it. With my lemon/sage foot scrub and clay ionic mask, I don't need to drop $135 at the hotel's spa... not that I could afford to anyways. I feel good.

Oh, and there's food here. If I feel like blowing the bank tomorrow night, I'll try Lola's on the Lake, the resort's 3-star restaurant featuring local and organic cuisine. Last night we had Otto's, touted as casual, but definitely sheeshy, and definitely tasty. I may have picked a bad week for my semi-annual detox attempt (wheat-free, dairy-free, alcohol-free, caffeine-free, sugar-free, processed-free, red meat-free), but at least there's plenty to choose from with the local organic produce on the menus.

If you want to just RELAX, I recommend this place -- especially if you get a discount!