During this challenging time of change for our nation and for our national parks, Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore wants to shine a bright light – a lighthouse beacon if you will – on this very special place and on the people dedicated to protecting the national lakeshore for future generations. That’s the goal of our series entitled “Love our Lakeshore.” (You can tell us why you Love Our Lakeshore by filling out our simple form at this link.)

In this report Friends board member Neil Howk sits down with Bayfield business community members Ali Erickson and Aidan Lee, owners of Trek & Trail, to explore the importance of relationship between the lakeshore and the local community, as an economic engine and as a special place worthy of our attention and protection.

Neil: Ok, I’m going to get my recorder going…

(Theo coos in the background)

Neil: You’ll have to spell that for me Theo…

(laughter)

Neil: Let’s start with telling me your names and the name of your business.

Aiden: My name is Aidan Lee.

Ali: And I’m Ali Erickson.

Aidan: We own Trek and Trail. This will be our second season as owners.

Neil: Why did you get involved with Trek and Trail?

Aidan: We started as guides back in 2016/2015ish. We worked for the previous owners Rob, Lynn, and Scott. We fell in love with the place. We fell in love with the work. Even then we sort of knew that it was something that we might come back to, but we left the area for a few years. When we had the chance to move back to the area and pursue ownership, we kind of dropped it all to do that.

Neil: What was it that you loved about the business?

Aidan: It was just fun, you know. The crew was always tight knit. It was really fun to be a part of the team doing something that felt meaningful, connecting with the guests. I think that the lake is a character in our lives, always. The lake makes every day different, as a guide. So, you feel like you’ve got a handle on things and then it’s going to throw you a curveball, the next time you’re back out there. So, that’s always been part of it for me.

Ali: Yeah, I would second that. The work itself feels fun, and there’s a lot of variety with the work. Then to become business owners means being able to share that with other people and connecting other people with that special feeling, that special place. And that feels like really meaningful work.

Aidan: For me as a guide, I experienced a lot of personal growth through doing this work. Now we like taking people out and doing the trips and connecting them with the place, that’s a part of it, but just as big a part of it is giving our staff the similar growth opportunities…and maybe our son too!

Neil: What would you say that having a thriving Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with all its visitors means to your business?

Aidan:I think I’ll give one example. I was on a really difficult four-day trip and we’d just been getting hammered with bad weather, and people were unable to go all the places they wanted to go because of the weather. I was a really young guide and feeling kind of stressed. I remember that we had the opportunity to paddle to Raspberry Island. We were at Oak Site 6 staring out at Devils (Island) and the people were really hoping we would get to Devils, but it wasn’t in the cards.

We had the good fortune to get to Raspberry Island and (ranger) Fred (Schlichting) was there and just gave us a knockout tour (of the lighthouse). And I remember that being a huge turning point for the group and for me personally on that trip. It injected some life back into the trip, through his colorful storytelling. On a more personal level, I think he probably picked up on me needing a boost. That support is just one example of how a thriving park with those resources available to people helps make their experience enjoyable but also safer.

Neil: How important do you think the summer season is to your business?

(laughter)

Aidan: We operate May 23 through September 14th. We’re not open outside of that, so…

Neil: OK… So, what do you love the most about Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and why?

Ali: To me, I can break the lakeshore down into different parts. One part is the geography of it, and the environment, and the variety of the area. So much of the park is water based, which is kind of a rare thing, I feel like these days, to go visit a park that is all about the water. That’s really special to me…all the environments that are created by the water, like the beaches, and lagoons, and river mouths and things like that.

Kayaks on the shore – Trek & Trail photo

The National Park Service is walking that fine line making sure that it is open to people, people are able to come view it, people are able to come appreciate it, but we are preserving that beauty and that wilderness. It’s not getting vandalized, it’s not getting overcrowded. I really appreciate that. I think that’s one of the things that make it (the lakeshore) really special.

Neil: With all the changes that are happening in the federal government, what is your hope for the future of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the staff that operate the park?

Aidan: I don’t know where to begin.

Ali: Well, we are reliant on the national lakeshore. Our business exists because of this preserved place. If these lands were private or if they were not maintained…if there wasn’t an entity that was keeping this place as preserved as it is, then our business would fall flat because we wouldn’t have the resources to continue to do what we are doing. Or we wouldn’t have access to them.

Aidan: I formulated a thought here too. Kind of going back to the last question, I think one of the things that the park helps preserve is the history and the stories of the people who have called this place home over time. People who are stationed at the lighthouses or at Meyers Beach, all these people who can help interpret the park and give it that depth and richness, it seems like that’s what we’re going to be stripped of if staffing cuts continue. I think we’ll lose some of the three dimensionality of the park that we have come to enjoy and that give it such meaning to everyone who comes to visit.

Neil: OK. Thanks for your time Aidan, Ali, and oh yes, Theo too! We’re glad to hear Theo’s input.