Just got back from a week on the sandy beaches of Maui with my wife. Being around all that water without a fishing pole in my hand lead to a few stray thoughts about my time there vs similar time spent on Leech Lake. Of course a couple of Pina Colatas didn’t hurt the thought process either.
My obsevations follow. Please keep in mind that one week at a location does not include sufficient data points to make significant conclusions.
Travel time. Leech is a 5 hour drive while Maui is 12 hours of flights from hell plus layovers. Also airlines are making seats and aisles narrower to accomodate more passengers per trip while my body is doing the opposite. My jumbo jet backside fits just fine in my 4-wheel drive Ford truck.
Advantage-Leech
Cost. I could spend 4-6 weeks on Leech for the cost of one week on Maui.
Advantage-Leech
Beach bunnies vs deck muffins. A borderline subject for this forum but I will put our gals up against any in the world. “The northern girls, with the way they kiss, keep their boyfriends warm at night.” Also, I was lucky enough to have one marry me and am proud of it. But, Maui has more quantity and I would guess they have more of Daddy’s or Sugar Daddy’s money. Same goes for stud muffins depending on the gender preference. Although I wasn’t impressed with the surfer dudes.
Adavantage-Maui
Facilities. Plenty of Satelites along the beach but there is nothing to compare to taking a hot cup of coffee out to a wooden 2-holer at 6:00 A.M. in 40 degree weather and solving the world’s problems, along with your own.
Advantage-Leech
Luau vs pig roast. Went to a fancy Luau with a world class fire sword champion, hula girls, Mai Tais, and a pig roasted in palm leaves for $70 a piece. Obviously these people have not been to a real pig roast done in a modified fuel oil tank with gallons of Lienies, northern girls and cherry bombs.
Advantage-Leech
Mudhens. You may think this is strange but I have seen mudhens where ever I have gone and are now looking for them in my travels. I have seen them in Paris, London, Franfurt, Prague, New Amsterdam, Acupolco, Mazitlon, and all over the U.S. and Canada. Maybe it was the wrong time of year but I couldn’t find one on Maui. They did have those darn fish eating cormorants though, or at least a cousin of theirs.
Advantage-Leech
Trees. Rain forests are neat but I couldn’t see tracking deer through them, especially with the tarantulas that live there. Besides, it doesn’t hurt as much to get hit in the head with a pine cone as it would with a coconut.
Advantage-Leech
Walk on water? Never in the ocean but we can all do it on Leech in January.
Advantage-Leech
Sunset. Sunset over the ocean was one of the selling points of Maui. To me they were diluted by the mist of the sea and were fuzzy (maybe the Pina Colatas?), To me, seeing a crisp sunset over the ice on Leech (or any other lake) is like heaven on earth.
Advantage-Leech
I have more, even some favoring Maui (mahi mahi is great tasting fish), but this post is too long already.
Bottom line, I’m glad I live in the North, maybe because I was born here and don’t know any different or maybe because with all its faults, it is still a great place to live. Don’t get me wrong, I would recommend a week or two on Maui anytime, but we are looking for a place to retire and haven’t found a better one yet.
Please forgive the musings of a guy with jet lag but I just felt the urge. Anyone agree with me?
And to think that all this time I thought I was all alone in those deliberation tactics!