First of all, you should know what a yurt is. A Yurt is a portable, bent-dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia as their home (ref, Wikipedia). To the general ‘roughing it’ public, they are vacation rentals that take the place of cabins as a rustic and unique alternative to camping/housing.
For a while, Tharon and I thought we might buy a plot of land and live in one as more of a permanent home. They are a sustainable alternative, have a great look, and in general are affordable to maintain. We’ve transferred this elsewhere but still enjoy staying in them when we’re able. Here are a few favorite yurts that we’ve traveled to – Muskegon State Park (Winter Sports Complex), Sky Ridge Yurts, & Waterloo-Green Lake Yurt. Wherever you travel to, I’d suggest looking into Yurt Accommodations, they’re awesome!
Okay so now that you know a little bit of our vacation history & love for yurt livin’, here’s how the Engagement really began. Before traveling to see our families, our 2014 Christmas would first take place as a romantic getaway to the Green Lake Yurt within Waterloo Recreation Area in Chelsea, MI. We had been planning the trip for a while and could not wait for the solitude this vacation would allow us to have before continuing the hustle & bustle of the Holiday season.
Our Yurt Vacation finally made it here and as I waited patiently throughout the work day, I knew this would be an unforgettable weekend. By the time Tharon got home, I was completely ready with ALL the gear you could imagine. Tharon insisted that we should pack light due to the possibility of having to hike in but I ignored it due to the girly excitement of packing. After loading up & driving approximately 2 hours, we made it to Waterloo Recreation Area. That is when I knew I should have listened to him about packing light. It was a one-mile hike into the yurt because the gate was closed during this time of year and it was freezing! I loaded my arms up as much as they could hold and kept a positive attitude (until about half a mile in). My arms hurt, the chihuahuas were leading us in all sort of directions, and I knew we had to make this trek at least once more so I was getting antsy for warmth and relaxation. Once we finally made it to the yurt, Tharon insisted that I opened the door but couldn’t due to the amount of things I was carrying. We were both a little crabby but we had finally gotten to the yurt so we knew everything would get better at that point.
As a team, Tharon unlocked the door and I officially opened the door. The yurt was decorated so much nicer than I ever imagined it could be and was so excited to sit down. Unloading the weight from my arms felt so good but before I could sit he said, ‘Hey Mary?’ Once I turned around, everything hit me all at once. Tharon was kneeling and asking me to marry him!! I of course said yes and couldn’t believe how much work he had to have done throughout the day. He had the whole day off and had already been to the yurt once that day to set up. Once the lights were on, I could tell these decorations weren’t from the Department of Natural Resources, that’s for sure! That’s also how he knew about the gate being closed but couldn’t give away the detail of knowing for sure. Overall, it was a gorgeous set up and completely above and beyond what I had ever imagined him doing. It was a PERFECT weekend and is now the top Yurtcation we’ve ever taken!!
