Snoloha has been driven and defined primarily by myself and by lots of input from you…and what it (Snoloha) means to you.
The objective of the brand is escapism, enjoying all the seasons that Mother Nature throws at us, and combining the enjoyment into this melting pot of a lifestyle brand…thus creating a word (Snoloha), a logo (SnoFlake Palm Tree) and designs (Palm Tree Chair Lift, for example) that can’t really happen, but still make a ton of sense for those that appreciate the brand and what it stands for.
Yesterday I had one of my “Snoloha Moments”. And I realized that it’s been some time since I’ve shared one.
It was HOT and HUMID here in Traverse City, so I decided to cool off with some time on the water and quick stand up paddle board session. It was great…the Tall Ship Manitou was leaving her dock as I was passing under it, the NautiCat was out for an evening sail and the Grand Traverse Yacht Club’s Tuesday night Laser races were underway.
I paddle my way through the sailboat mooring field, along the shoreline to what I call “Hobie Cat Corner” and back to where I launched, across the street from the Maritime Heritage Alliance, where resting quietly are a handful of wooden sailboats.
That is when I came upon an older gentlemen preparing for an evening sail…aboard what I learned is the replica of an 1800’s Mackinac boat that was extremely popular in the northern Great Lakes (“like having a pickup truck in those days”, he informed me). It’s about 20 feet in length, has 2 masts and a jib sail…and is all wood. My mind immediately began to envision what it must have been like in those days navigating the open waters of Lake Michigan on such a small boat.
But then to my surprise he turned his attention to my paddle board and began a series of inquiries. He was just as interested in my paddle board as I was his old wooden boat. He seemed like an interesting old salt, the kind of guy you pass a bottle of rum with and just sit back and listen.
Eventually, I loaded up the Jeep and called it an evening.
I should mention also that while I was on the water, in the middle of summer, I could not help but think of the upcoming winter season and enjoying time on the snowboard instead.
THAT is Snoloha for me. It’s about the feeling I get. It’s about the enjoyment. It’s about the escapism from everyday life now and then. It’s about time on the water and the beach during the warmer months and then time on, and in, the snow in the the colder ones. It’s about being outside and simply enjoying life somewhere between the islands and the arctic.
For you, it may be different. And that’s okay. In fact…tell me what it is to you (there may be something in it for you!)
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