Vacation Report

So I'm back from vacation, by contractual obligation, but no popular demand whatsoever.

Here's what I can report.

My wife, two kids, the in-laws, and I, spent three days at the state-owned Honey Creek Resort at Rathbun Lake near Moravia. That's just north of Mystic, a stone's throw from Iconium.

We visited the resort during its first summer of operation in 2009. Back then, the beach was unfinished, the boat ramp was incomplete, partial trails led to nowhere, the playground remained in boxes, etc. The place still had the feel of construction site. We saw lots of deficiencies, and lots of potential.

Well, I can now report that there is a beach, where I sat for a few hours next to a cooler of refreshing beverages and beneath an umbrella, which made the 90-plus-degree day bearable, my feet dangling in the lake. From the beach I could see the completed boat ramp in use. The nearby marina was busy. My kids played on the playground and spent many hours splashing at Buccaneer Bay, the indoor water park. Bikes tooled down completed trails.

We took a boat ride on Rathbun, piloted by a local kid who just graduated from high school and is headed for Auburn in the fall. It was a relaxing ride, except for almost hitting a buoy in the twilight. As I braced for impact, my cool-headed wife simply turned and called for a course correction just in time.

So the place is apparently finished, even though, curiously, there are still pages on the resport's online site that suggest it is not. It would seem pretty easy to do some editing and updating. You'd think a joint that spends $600,000 on marketing would have a web site that accurately promotes the resort.

I played 18 holes on "The Preserve," the resort's golf course. According to a state audit released in January, it's the one resort amenity that operated at a loss in 2010. And with that fiscal bogey, the whole resort reported a $46,000 loss. Much better than 2009, but still not great.

I golfed at a loss of several balls. Vanity precludes me from saying how many. You can ask me 12 times and I still won't say. The links-style course is well-kept, picturesque in spots and unforgiving everywhere for a guy who can't always hit straight. On several occasions, while searching the prairie flowers in vain, I noticed some very nice views of Rathbun Lake.  

My wife came along for the ride, but didn't golf. I was glad for the company, because swearing out loud with no one around just makes you look crazy.

All in all, we had a swell time. The kids want to go back. We'll see.

The resort is still pretty pricey. (Luckily, my in-laws are generous) But it was also fairly busy, especially on Friday/Saturday. The cabins were booked solid.

There's been talk of the state selling the place. That talk may gain traction under the new regime. But I think it's too soon to bail out. I think we'll know a lot more about its viability after a couple more years of operation. And if it's doing well, it's much more likely the state will find a buyer and get a decent price.

It's also too soon to judge the resort's economic impact on the area. It employs a lot of locals, very friendly, helpful locals, and likely generates some business for nearby stores. We, for instance, bought assorted provisions in Albia, Moravia and Centerville. But  Honey Creek has not yet sparked much new development in its proximity, at least none that I saw, as its planners hoped. The economy probably has something to do with that.

Maybe you too have been to Honey Creek recently. Share your thoughts.