Peek'n Peak Adventure

I am a new member of COSE, the Council of Smaller Enterprises, an affiliate of Greater Cleveland Partnership. Earlier this month I attended the COSE Small Business Conference held at the IX Convention Center, where I met Carol More, representing the Peek'n Peak Resort and Conference Center. She is in the planning stage for a Women's Retreat to be held at Peek'n Peak, and invited me to attend the resort's first Brew and Wine Festival. She thought Art Experiences would be a wonderful addition to her retreat, and she wanted me to see the facility.

The two tickets came in the mail and I asked a new acquaintance by the name of Chris, if he would like to attend, and he said he would. He also agreed to my suggestion to camp near the resort rather than drive back to Cleveland at 8:00 PM after sampling wine and beer for five hours.

Enough preliminaries!

With car loaded almost to the gills with a large tent, five sleeping bags and a comforter (snow was predicted), firewood, sleeping mats, folding chairs, a small carpet (to prevent the chair legs from punching holes in the tent floor), a TV table, a lantern and personal gear, we set off East on US 90, in a steady rain. A detour in Erie led us to a Bob Evans for soup, and then we saw some of rural PA as we made our way around the detour to the next entrance to I-90.

I called the campground to say we were on our way. They forgot we were coming! ...but finally agreed it was OK to camp. We arrived, paid the fee, and made camp in weather that had slowed to just a mist and then sun while we set up, then resumed to wind, rain and snow. We smiled. Camping was meant to be.

Off to Peek'n Peak! The voice on the phone at the campground when I had called two weeks before, had said that Peek'n Peak was "ten miles away down the road."

Never make assumptions! To me that meant straight, with no turns. Ha!

We went straight into Findley Lake, NY, expecting to see signs for the resort. At the other side of the hamlet, with still no signs, we returned to ask directions. "Straight up the road ... You'll see a big sign."

So, off we went. ...And went. ... And went. ... Until we came to the village of Sherman, eight miles away. A call to Peek'n Peak. We had to go back to Findley Lake and take a left, then go FIVE miles.

Just outside Findley Lake we saw a small green sign with a left arrow, and off we went for ... SIX miles. The road came to a crossroads and became dirt. Yeah, a dirt road. No resort. Another call. We needed to go back to 'downtown' Findley Lake and take a left onto Route 426 South. Another return over same territory. But...

The scenery had been amazing on Bailey Hill Road. Lots of hills (!!!) and farms, and Fall-tinted leaves in shades of yellow, pink, red, and gold. The CD "Prophecy" was wonderful accompaniment for a drive in the country.

Off we went to find Rte 426 S and to take two or three more turns to get to the resort.

"At the end of this road" clearly was a generalization, not driving directions!

Are you wondering about the small green sign at the entrance to Bailey Hill Road? It was a crooked arrow, going FIRST STRAIGHT, THEN left.

Observation.

Paying attention.

There is this program called Art Experiences that might help me with that...

Hey! Mistakes happen (for a purpose.) We toured the beautiful country around Findley Lake and made two contributions to the ultimate result for what the day was all about.

The Festival was in full swing when we arrived, with hundreds of people packed into the tent to get out of the rain. We made contact with Carol, then went off on our own for a tour of the Inn.

Wow. Just seeing the woodwork in the former Reed Mansion is worth a trip to Peek'n Peak. The mansion, formerly located in Erie, PA, was purchased by Peek'n Peak, dismantled, and reassembled as part of the Inn. The ambience is of quiet luxury and elegance.

Quote from the handout we received on our self-guided tour, describing one of the reconstructed rooms:

The ebony-dyed English oak woodwork, hand carved panels and leaded glass windows with shutters were imported and reconstructed by the original Reeds from a three-hundred-year-old German castle, making this room over four-hundred years old.

After the tour of the Inn, we spent most of our time in the snack bar listening to the Bluegrass Band. They were great! We headed out after they quit for the night, but first we got directions from a PKNPK security guard.

First rule of traveling: Know the name and route number of the road where you left all your belongings in a tent.

After two miles in the wrong direction, a call to the campground set us to rights, and we arrived ... to find our tent in tatters. We were prepared for SNOW, not WIND!

Seeing by headlights and fighting tremendous wind and ferocious gusts, we finally stuffed everything into the car and headed back towards Cleveland, laughing in wonder. After all, camping out at the end of October HAD been billed as an adventure!!!

What was it also? A very big lesson in Team Building. I had just met Chris three weeks before. We worked together to solve the problems that were placed before us one after the other and had a great time with the whole experience. The Kris N Chris Adventure Team! Thanks, Chris for pitching in with cold fingers, damp socks, and a howling wind.

Art Experiences for Team Building also presents challenges that are different and fun, but without the cold fingers, wet socks, and howling wind!

©2006 Kristen S. Boyesen