Eureka!

I figured it out, all by my grown-up self no less. Some of you may know that I've been somewhat in the market for a new (to me) house or condo. I've been searching websites, listings, driving neighborhoods and working with a realtor trying to find just the right one. As a government employee, I make a lot of money, so that's not an issue (your sarcasm alarm should be pinging like crazy right now). Even with the market being somewhat recessed/depressed, prices are still higher than I can generally afford. This has brought me some frustration and disappointment.

Another source of frustration and disappointment has been my inability the last couple summers to get on a lake and do some serious skiing. I fancy myself an above-average slalom skier and in my (less mature and responsible) past have actually passed on jobs to allow myself more time on a lake. This summer, I intend to do whatever it takes to get some skiing in, even if it means standing on the dock with my ski bumming a ride. Incidentally, if you either have, or know someone who has, a boat and are willing to let a semi-cool guy who's probably a better skier than you on the boat, I'd sure be appreciative.

Being the creative-minded bachelor I am, and possessing a penchant for doing things my own way, I have discovered what is surely the ultimate bachelor pad - a houseboat! Paying less than $20,000 for the boat and about $200 for power and water as well as slip fees at the Great Salt Lake Marina, I'm coming out ahead of where I am with rent. And, I'd have the coolest bachelor pad ever. It's the best of both worlds - I get a house and I get a boat!

Who else do you know has a view of the sunset over the lake, while sitting on the lake? Who else do you know can pull up a chair on their back porch, and while watching said sunset can drop a line in the water and do some fishing? I don't actually know if there are any fish in the Great Salt Lake, I probably wouldn't catch one if there were...but that's never stopped me from trying before. Who else do you know can be rocked gently to sleep by soft waves? I don't know anybody like that, and chances are you don't either.


While the up-sides are apparent, there are also a couple downsides about living on a boat on the Great Salt Lake. Apparently there are brine flies, mosquitoes and orb weaver spiders in great abundance. There's also the fact that I'd have running water six months out of the year and the rest of the time I'd have to bucket it to my boat so I could fill my fresh-water reserve tanks (how long would it take to fill an 80 gallon tank using a 5 gallon transporter bucket?).

Maybe the houseboat idea isn't the best idea I've ever had. If the marina were closer to town and I lived in a warmer climate, I would battle the bugs and inconveniences and jump at the idea. For now I guess I'll just have to stick with the traditional, boring house or condo idea. How...normal.

Besides, when was the last time you saw someone skiing behind a houseboat on the Great Salt Lake?