TSF Treks North (Traverse City Lodging)
March 20, 2025
This May I'll be heading up to the Traverse City, Michigan area to caddy for the summer and fall season. I'm excited to spend my days in the sun and explore Northern Michigan. Additionally, I am in search of a roof over my head and/or a field to dwell.
As someone who is fairly nomadic, I have experienced a variety of living situations. Here are the top ones that come to mind.
South Carolina (Spring 2022)
My friends and I just wrapped up our winter break golf trip in Pinehurst. We hoped to escape the Ohio cold and catch a few good days of weather. However, we entered into cold storm. 5 of us played 54 holes of golf in 30 degree weather while the following day at Tobacco Road happened to be snowed out. The Bengals also started their Super Bowl run that weekend.
While my friends made their way back to Ohio for the spring semester, I made my way over to South Carolina. I had a factory internship lined up in Greenville. Along the way I received the first text from my host - her father had just passed away.
Ok so not only am I renting a room in a massage therapists home/office, but now her father has just passed away.
Expecting a downtrodden scene, I was reserved walking up to the side door as I made my way past her cluster of chickens. Upon walking in, it was anything but downtrodden. There was certainly humility in the role that death plays, but it was an overall uplifting spirit. Linda, my host, was there with two of her siblings as they shared great stories from the 90 years their father had lived. After some laughter and reminiscing, Linda poured 4 tequila shots, we toasted and said "Salud!" and I began to unpack my belongings.
Truthfully, I thought that was the full extent of the mourning experience without considering there was an entire funeral process ready to happen. Linda has a pretty tight knit family as she once lived in a house of 13 in the Asheville, NC area. Her entire family and their pets began filing into her home and the Greenville area one by one. Every night for the next couple weeks it seemed as if I was meeting a new dog and trying a new soup. Death isn't something I'm accustom to being around, so it was cool to have spunky twist.
Wisconsin (Summer 2022)
Early June 2022 I made my way up to town with a population of 2000 - Nekoosa, Wisconsin.
I was interning at the Sand Valley Golf Resort. The idea of working on great golf courses and then being able to play immediately after was very exciting. Upon arriving to the employee kitchen/living space, there was only one key left in the corner basket. It had my name on it. I was the last intern to arrive.
I made my way to my room in the employee housing village. As I opened my door, I was greeted by my roommate who was also an OSU student from Ohio! Together, we shared a concrete room of 15 x 15 feet. We shared a connecting bathroom with the pair of brothers in the connecting room.
At the time there were 3 courses with 2 in construction. Each course had a different start time because of a majority of them shared the same equipment barn. I worked at the par 3 course, The Sand Box, while my roommate was on one of the new builds, The Lido. The Box reported to the barn at 4:45 am while the The Lido didn't have to start until 6:30 am! The late start time paired well with The Lido Crews desire to get after it.
Taco Tuesday started a routine 4 day bender. Each night he would creep into the slab, at times cause minor ruckus, and proceed to snore. Hours later, the 4 am alarm would strike and I would tip toe around the room getting ready for the day. By the time Saturday rolled around, the Lido crew would be out of juice and use the half work day as a resting day. However, by the time Saturday rolled around I was either wandering Madison, WI or hammocking in the woods.
I joined them a time or two. They were a good time.
The Mojave Desert (Summer 2023)
Erik, Arthur, and Wonderhussy (of Wonderhussy Adventures) picked me up at the Las Vegas sign before driving into Charleston View. Charleston View is the unofficial name of the aggregate of off grid settlements in the Mojave Desert. Mt Charleston, the 14er outside of Vegas, is in view.
Arthur showed me around the 2 acre property. He told me how we get water, how to use the straw bale bathroom, and the complex process of washing our clothes. Then he took me to the broken down RV, which is where I would be staying.
Upon entering, there was a futon and kitchenette no longer in service. Down the mini hallway, there were two very narrow beds with about a foot of space in between. Arthur slept in one bed and let me know that Aldo, the Italian formerly living at Tranqvillium, slept in the other. I opted for the futon towards the front of the RV.
Every time I laid down - sand poofed out of it. The first few days I smacked the futon prior to sleeping to de-sand it. It was comfortable and the sun served as an alarm clock, typically waking me up shortly after it rose.
Prior to sleeping, I would hang out outside and gaze up at the unfiltered Milky Way. This made me want to sleep outside opposed to inside the RV. One night I tried the hammock near the work station, but that hung too low.
Then I realized, "Hey could I just sleep on top of the RV?" I grabbed the thin camping pad from an inside cabinet along with two sleeping pads. I brought them up the ladder one by one to the roof of the vehicle. Then I grabbed a few cinderblocks to serve as a barrier.
I did this a few nights each week. It was unbelievable how untouched the sky was. Countless shooting stars emerged and evaporated in the sky. Planes flew into and out of Vegas. It was such an amazing background to let my mind run free.
Florida (Winter 2023-2024)
The first month I stayed in Florida I rented a room in an airbnb. People moved in an of it each week. First, there was a snow bird from New York. Then there was a local couple. Two women came to participate in a diving competition. Then a passionate man stayed and attended a Tony Robbins event. He woke me up most mornings screaming his affirmations in the backyard. Lastly there were two middle eastern folk that did not speak much English.
I only booked this airbnb from Thanksgiving to Christmas time. I figured that I would bump into someone that had an open room for after the holidays. That did not happen.
I was back in Ohio around Christmas time, not knowing where I would stay upon flying into Florida the next day. After surfing a platform called Furnished Finders, I reached out to one posting with an open room. A lady named Kim responded in less than 5 minutes and I hopped on a call with her.
Kim stayed in a townhouse and rented rooms to golfers and nurses in Jupiter, Florida. I made my way there after flying into Miami. Upon arriving at Kim's place I learned there was another golfer living there that went to Ohio State and was from Ohio, just like in Wisconsin!
Kim's place was nice and she had a Shar Pei named Junior. It was in a townhome complex that had a nature trail connected. It was also 10 minutes from Juno Beach, which became my favorite spot in the area.
Traverse City (May 2025 - October 2025)
I'll be caddying in Williamsburg this spring/summer. I am open to just about any living environment as I'm a firm believer that variety is the spice of life.
Skills that may be of use: Wood Fire Pizza Chef, Basic Woodworking Knowledge, Fort Lift Certified
If you, or anyone you know, in the TC area may entertain a conversation - please reach out to [thesunsetfrontier@gmail.com](mailto:thesunsetfrontier@gmail.com) or @thesunsetfrontier on instagram.
Cheers,
Sam