January 30 - Resort Adventures

January 30, 2019

Day 30 - 335 Days to go

30 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost on the Lake (Sumatra/Colombia blend)

The other day I mentioned a little about our tackle shop and getting some distribution accounts with various tackle suppliers. Among others is the Trout Magnet products. The pic to the right is just a small sample of the large variety of what's available. Every fisherman has their favorites that they are fanatical about and we have a dozen or so guys that stop in at the tackle shop that are die-hard Trout Magnet fans. Of course each has the specific colors that they personally think are the best. Personally, I think the color has some to do with it, but then some of it has to do with how much confidence the fisherman has in it. (That's not very scientific I know, but that's how it seems)

The big news of the day today is the cold weather but I think we dodged a bullet here in SW Missouri. Last week, weather people were predicting near zero temps by now but by last night everything seemed to have gotten adjusted up to only about 15 degrees which is 15 better than zero. Even the pond (pool) did not have a skim of ice on it. While it's improving, today will still not climb above freezing so today is an arbitrary office day. The picture to the left will be what my view looks like most of the day today. 

We are now 30 days away from March 1 (my unofficial start of Spring) Yes, we are open all year but March 1st seems to be when things start breaking free of Winter's grip. Flowers are blooming by then, people have gotten serious about fishing again. If cold weather returns, it's generally a feeble, half hearted attempt at irritating us more than anything else. 

“I didn't say no because between safety and adventure I choose adventure.”

― Craig Ferguson

Cross Timbers Cabins

Rainbow Haven Resort

Branson Treehouse Adventures

January 29 - Resort Adventures

January 29, 2019

Day 29 - 336 Days to go

31 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost up the Creek (Colombian - medium roast)

Black Bear Cabins View from Cabin 6 toward the house

I don't know what it was but I was awake at 2am this morning. At 5am, I decided to get out of bed and get some office work done. I have no doubt I'll feel like crashing around 10am, but if that happens, so be it!. Today will be a big day at the Black Bear Cabins. I think we will get a step closer to opening one of them back up. These cabins have been lacking an identity since we got them back in 2012. We really bought them for the big pool that was there and, at the time, it would eventually add eight more cabins to the group. Shortly after that was when we started formulating the plan for the Treehouse resort. We had two cabins converted to nightly resort rentals then put it all on hold until the treehouses got going. Then again we started on it by preparing the cabin on the right (Cabin 7) for renovation when the Rainbow Haven Resort purchase happened. We've had a couple of buyers attempt to take the project on but I don't think either had the "Resort Adventure" enough to jump into an 8 unit property and stick with it. So, now we are back to developing plans for it again. 

Cross Timbers Cabin 1 after rehab

As we continue to make plans for Project X and looking at a larger Resort property on Table Rock Lake, we are certainly open to selling the Black Bear Cabin property. With a house, seven cabins and a large pool, it's not something to be considered lightly. It needs TLC almost everywhere but in reality, it's not in as bad of shape as the Cross Timbers property was when we started on it. Cross Timbers now has very high guest appeal but was a full, two summer project. Black Bear Cabins would be the same only with eight units. You would really need to be ready for the Adventure. but the price would leave plenty of equity on the table for a new owner.

“Some adventures require nothing more than a willing heart and the ability to trip over the cracks in the world.”



Cross Timbers Cabins - Call: 417-234-4394
Rainbow Haven Resort - Call: 417-234-4394

Branson Treehouse Adventures - Call: 417-338-2500

January 28 - Resort Adventures

January 28, 2019

Day 28 - 337 Days to go

32 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Woods (Costa Rica/Colombia)

Today was one of those days when the alarm clock was actually deployed for a purpose. The day included some early morning scheduling calls, then picking up supplies for the Black Bear Cabins, then racing off to Ozark to meet realtors to list the house. So 7am was the starting bell and things didn't slow down all day. While we were out, we got the calls from people wanting their LP tanks filled. Leave it to us being gone and the threat of cold weather to bring everyone out for LP. They were all gracious enough to wait until we got home to take care of them. The coldest weather of the season is supposed to hit in a day or so. I think it's certainly going to be cold but maybe not the sub-zero like they had predicted last week. 

Project X Update: Nothing to update. The whole thing is in the hands of the bank and we are waiting their decision. 

I wish there was more interesting news today but it's just been one of those busy days without much to show for it once it's done. So..... I'll talk coffee. Our Base Camp Premium Coffee is roasted locally from beans shipped here from all around the world. We've selected a handful of varieties that we like and occasionally order in special roasts or blends to try out. right now we keep five roast or blends in stock all the time. We have one flavored coffee (Highlander Grogg) that we plan to stock continually plus a decaf version of our Guatemala (Lost on the Trail) coffee. Finally, we keep some seasonal flavors that come and go depending on the time of year. They are all $6.95 plus tax for 8oz bag and can be shipped anywhere with an additional shipping charge. 


“May your adventures bring you closer together, even if they take you far away from home.”

January 27 - Resort Adventures - Week 4 In The Books

January 27, 2019

Day 27 - 338 Days to go

33 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Highlander Grogg (Bold with a hint of Butterscotch and Rum flavors...… Makes you want to talk like a Pirate) 

Another week is in the books at the Resorts. I read a Facebook posting early this morning from some local fishermen that said how "Spring Fever" was getting the best of them and how they needed to get on the lake.  I'm not sure if they are beginners, novice, intermediates, advanced or experts. Because about the same time of their posting, I had some fishermen banging on the door to the tackle shop wanting to load up on supplies before hitting the lake. I'd classify that group as "Fanatical".  Personally, I would rate myself somewhere in the "Fair Weather" category of fishermen. Fair Weather happens to be a rating of the kind of weather rather than the skill of the fisherman. So I would refer to myself as a "Fair Weather Novice" fisherman. Meaning, "not too bad, but only on nice days". Unlike the people who have been calling this weekend to book rooms, cabins and boats. All of the reservations I took yesterday and today so far have been for February and March. Most of them are repeat guests, so I know for a fact that they'll be out on the water whether it's rain or shine or snow!

Roostertails Ready to Go

While in the tackle shop this morning picking up a little to help avoid a repeat of the "Ruby Incident" from yesterday, I noted how colorful one section of the shop was. The Roostertail section. My Roostertail selection is bigger than most but almost insignificant when compared to everything they have to offer. The display alone has about $1,000 worth of their various products in a large assortment of colors and styles. Even that is small compared to the Roostertail storage area that has probably five times that much just sitting on shelves ready for the tackle shop as supplies are depleted. 

Roostertails in Waiting

Fishing tackle is a big business and no matter how much you think you are carrying, just visit a Bass Pro sometime and you will realize that you are basically a "Beginner" trying to be a "Novice" at that too. Last year we decided to increase the fishing tackle assortment in the shop. More importantly, we attempted to establish a distribution company to help increase the assortment of trout tackle to the area. Most of the suppliers stock products for a variety of fish species and limit the number of products available for trout fishing. We successfully landed eight accounts (including Roostertail) in 2018 and will try to add to that  in 2019. The whole point of the effort is to increase availability of a larger variety of Trout fishing tackle for the area. We can now sell these products at wholesale price to other tackle shops and resorts in the area. 

As the temperature climbed to about 55 today, I shall be out on a ladder fiddling with some electrical work that needs done at the Black Bear Cabins. If you see this posting by evening, you'll know that I returned safely. 

“Life never gives us what we want at the moment that we consider appropriate. Adventures do occur, but not punctually.”

January 26 - Resort Adventures

January 26, 2019

Day 26 - 339 Days to go

34 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost on the Trail

Ruby the Robot (Shelley's Roomba)

When it's into the waning days of January and nothing much is happening and it's cold and adventure is scarce, you take it wherever you can get it. In this case, the adventure happened early this morning while I was out picking up supplies from the lumber yard. I might add that it was not my adventure and not even Shelley's. It was Shelley's new Christmas gift "Ruby" ("The Robot" as Shelley refers to it..... or "her") Ruby, still learning the ins and outs of navigating a Resort home, office, tackle shop and warehouse, stumbled into, or I suppose, rolled into one of the many tackle storage areas in the house and found herself hopelessly tangled up and fighting with a spool of fishing line. I would imagine that it would have been the human equivalent of wrestling with an anaconda. The fight lasted a short time before the fishing line prevailed and Ruby had worked herself into a stall. Shelley came to the rescue when silence filled the house. Ruby was not complaining, she was simply sitting there idle, bound by 6lb test. I thought it was odd that 6lb would actually render a robot useless. I figured it would take at least 10lb or 12lb to do the job. Nevertheless, once free of the line, Ruby continued on as if nothing had happened and it was all just part of the hazards of being employed at a resort. I know exactly how she feels sometimes. I guess we'll know by tomorrow morning if the whole experience was too traumatic for her if she decides to not show up for work tomorrow!

I do wonder though if she made a digital note of where the dreaded lair of the fishing tackle is located...….. I sure would if I were her!

"Like most adventures, you don’t know you’re having one until you’re right in the middle of it.” 
                            (Just ask Ruby)

January 25 - Resort Adventures

January 25, 2019

Day 25 - 340 Days to go

35 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Butter Rum (mmmmm good)

This morning I woke to ice on the pond. Not the lake, but the pond...…. The pond is how we describe the pool during the off season. Since it's not being currently treated as a pool would be. It looks a little bit like a pond! NOT TO WORRY though, by the end of April, we will have it sparkling blue again. Like our friend Ray used to say. "It sparkles like diamonds". The lake seldom gets ice and only around the edges when it does. It had a nice layer of fog floating downstream with it this morning. We are expecting warmer weather for the weekend and then cold again most of next week. I don't particularly like it and really dislike working in it. BUT.... this time of year is the best for catching the bigger Brown Trout out in the lake. It never fails that several people will bring in 10 pound plus Brown Trout during January, February and March. 

I think I finally got all of the business plan stuff and projections in on the Project X. For now it will be out of my hands and up to the bank. I mentioned that it has to do with food and entertainment. Since yesterday, I received several scripts and conceptual ideas for the entertainment part. That's been fun looking through them. 

Today's Adventure Quote:

“Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.”

― Danny Kaye 

Get out there and LIVE your adventure!

January 24 - Resort Adventures

January 24, 2019

Day 24 - 341 Days to go

36 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost on the Lake (Sumatra/Colombia blend)

I forgot to mention that I met with a young fishing guide yesterday that grew up in this area and has been guiding for several years. He's just about the only guide I know that does business on the lower half of Lake Taneycomo where several of our resorts are located. He also holds the world record for Striper caught from a kayak. He offers his guide services in various lakes near here but his home is in Forsyth, just a couple miles from our Rockaway Resorts and he grew up fishing this part of Lake Taneycomo. He's my "go to" guy for getting fishermen into the fish. He fishes all species in the area, however people tend to call on him for Trout, Bass and Crappies.

Today will be another day at trying to wrap up loose ends on the Project X. The final pieces are coming together and we are near the point where it will be entirely up to the bank and how well we prepared the business plan. Hopefully we will have an announcement soon. 

January 23 - Resort Adventures - Including my BIG Resort Secret.... That Everyone Already Knows!

January 23, 2019

Day 23 - 342 Days to go

37 Days until March 1

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Dark (Colombian Extra Dark Roast)

Little Green House

On to my BIG Resort Business SECRET...….

Everybody knows this "Secret" or Tactic" or "Strategy"....

At least you do if you've ever played Monopoly...…… The Secret.....

Buy little green houses and then trade them in for a big red hotel.

It sounds ridiculously simple, but it's really the truth. We've been accumulating little green resorts and are getting ready to trade them in for a Big Red Resort. (so to speak) I actually kind of laughed when I thought of it yesterday. It happened as we were listing the Cross Timbers Cabins property and ironically I also received an email notice of another larger resort with a convenience store business connected to it earlier that morning. I thought to myself, "This is no different than playing Monopoly" In some ways, even the money is fake. Purchasing real estate is like that. Yes, it really does take real money but since it's mostly done through banks and title companies, It feels like fake money.

Our afternoon continued with more activity on the Project X. I believe it is coming to a head over the next few days. Today was mostly trying to iron out discrepancies in budgets. Another area that feels like fake money when dealing it. If only things went in reality the way we project them on paper!

“Until you step into the unknown, you don’t know what you’re made of.”
― Roy T. Bennett 

A Friend of The Adventure