Yurt Always Welcome at Bradley Vineyards

Yurts are really cool. They originally were used as nomadic homes, quickly framed and draped in pelts and furs for warmth and protection from the elements. Ours is much more permanent and modern than some out there, and I'd like to tell you why you should come see/stay in ours.

First of all, there is the whole bucket list phenomenon. If you haven't stayed in a Yurt, the experience alone is worth it. We have ours set up to be a comfortable home, with awesome beds, linens, plumbing, hot water, kitchen and barbecue grill. However unlike most modern homes, there is no TV or internet. Before launching on Airbnb, we contemplated adding those features, but decided that in the modern world, disconnecting might be more of a favor to our guests. 

Today, people sit and stare at their phones and tablets all day and well into the night - a terrible practice for getting good rest. There are lots of studies revealing the benefits of reconnecting with nature and rising/falling with the sun to sync up biological clocks, and that's what we've aimed to provide for our guests. The only entertainment we feature are:

• Beautiful landscapes and sunsets
• Sounds and views of wildlife
• Cornhole boards and bags
• Horseshoes
• Campfire pit with roasting sticks and s'mores fixins
• Wine (duh)
• Assorted board games and puzzles
• Record player and classic vinyl collection

Our thought was that if we received complaints about the lack of technology, we could add it. Thankfully, our guests have been mostly grateful for the break. We get a lot of feedback thanking us for making them put their phones down to listen to music and talk to one another. We've had some people bring wireless hotspots if they have work they need to stay connected to, but mostly people focus on being present - and that's what we hoped would happen. 

I've used Airbnb several times myself when traveling, and my favorite places are those set up to be 'self-driven' - meaning just show up, move in and call us if you need anything. My least favorite stays have been with overly enthusiastic hosts - no knock on them or their generosity - I just don't always feel like sharing space/meals/drinks with my hosts. I like feeling like I have a private home waiting for me - which is how I set up our operation. The morning of your arrival, you receive check-in instructions, offering you the option of coming early to taste wines. If you're not able to make it by 5pm, we leave bottles with prices and descriptions out for you to pick your own. The level of interaction you have with us is completely up to you. Some people come to the winery and tour/taste/chat for hours, some just stay in the yurt and come and go without a word. Both are just fine!

Okay, this is a blog, not a novel. My last note is that we recently became 'Superhosts' on Airbnb. This badge is awarded to hosts with outstanding reviews, response time and lack of cancellations. I'm really proud of this milestone, and hope that it only attracts more and more quality people to our little town. 

Thank Yurt for reading!

Tyler

#WhereIsElkton?

The single most-asked question at wine festivals and events is, "Where is Elkton?" So I thought it would be handy to have a blog post that answers that question. I have also embraced a hashtag another local business owner (Randi Jo Fabrications) created. 

I'll start off by showing precisely where Elkton is on a map:

The gold-colored line that runs north/south is Interstate-5. As you can see, Elkton is not on I-5. This is one of the main reasons even native Oregonians often don't know where Elkton is located. In fact, it appears that the pin is smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. That's because it kind of is, which is why Elkton is so cool.

Travel Oregon has the state divided into 7 distinct regions: (1) Greater Portland, (2) Mt. Hood/The Gorge, (3) Central Oregon, (4) Eastern Oregon, (5) Southern Oregon, (6) Oregon Coast, and (7) Willamette Valley. If you were to mark those divisions on this map, Elkton would fall almost precisely on the joint of (5), (6) and (7). The climate in Elkton is much more similar to that of the Willamette Valley and Oregon Coast, (rainy, cool temps, foggy); Southern Oregon tends to be more arid and hot than Elkton. This is why Elkton, Oregon is it's own distinct American Viticulture Area - technically, we are in Southern Oregon, but we're growing grapes that thrive in cool climate regions.

Now there are some people who do in fact know where Elkton is. At least 95-99.5% of these people know it because they passed through on the way to the coast (the remaining .5-5% either knew someone from Elkton, or has family here). It's true, we are halfway between I-5 and the Oregon Coast on Highway 38, and a lot of ATV riders and dunes enthusiasts pass through town. Recently I had a customer share with me that Hwy 38 is her favorite coastal connection. The reasons she listed were: (1) It's very scenic (2) There are lots of passing lanes and (3) There are no major mountain passes or twisty-turny roads. Now if you aren't familiar with all the coastal connection highways of Oregon, (first of all shame on you) this customer really nailed it on the head. The passing lane situation in particular is a huge win because of all the RVs, Trailers and semis that take these routes. So for future travel planning, if you are hopping over to the coast from I-5 be sure to go via Hwy 38.

Until #whereiselkton is trending on Twitter, or some site posts 'Oregon's 10 Best Routes to the Oregon Coast,' I imagine us Elktonites will continue to answer the question to Oregonians and tourists alike. But not to you. You are one of the elite few who can now boast, "I knew about Elkton before Elkton was a thing."

And you can take that to the bank.

Tyler