It’s pretty cool to be able to set up at the State Park beach. The beauty of the Great Lakes changes daily, if not hourly and the people stopping by to see what this sauna thing is all about make for a truly enjoyable day.
Although we are located adjacent to a very busy street on one side of the sauna the other side couldn’t be more different as there is a vast expanse of nothing but water, sky and shoreline views. As the seasons progress into the colder months less beach goers are usually present and it is mainly people going for brisk walks; however, since the arrival of MI Sauna the beach is becoming more alive in the colder months.
Our sauna experience embraces cycling between the heat and the cold. People often ask how much time should be spent in each heating and cooling sessions? Well, the most simple answer is that you stay in till you are hot and stay in the cool down portion until you are cold… then repeat. We usually recommend doing 3 rounds of hot and cold, at that point most people have reached a pretty relaxed state and can handle the hot and cold a little longer.
What I find interesting is the reactions from passerby’s when people exit the sauna and proceed to the lake for a cold swim. Imagine bundling up in your winter coat with gloves, hat and scarf to go outside for a walk in the cold then looking over and seeing someone in a bathing suit submersing into frigid lake water. It’s that look people give one another, usually while laughing and then the double take that I am getting used to seeing and it always makes me smile. Really, it isn’t something that is often seen here (much more common in the Nordic countries) and the shock value is up there.
It is a great feeling to be able to help people embrace the outdoors in all seasons and to help share my love for the whole sauna experience. With that, I will be working to get the blog going on a regular basis so as to share more of our take on the Finnish-American sauna culture.
We looking forward to seeing you soon