Whoever heard of an urban cabin? One would prove to be an ideal getaway.

In the 1960s, my parents owned a lakeshore cabin in the beautiful Park Rapids area. As a teen, I enjoyed every moment catching fish, hunting, water skiing and just hanging out in the woods. It was a long four-hour drive from our home in Minneapolis, but it was all worth it once we finally got there on Friday evening. Sunday afternoon arrived way too soon for our trip home. The wildlife was wonderful — the deer, loons, ducks, and all the little creatures in the woods.

Fast forward to the 1970s when my wife and I owned the cabin. With some new freeways, the previous four-hour drive was now closer to three and a half. It was still a substantial drive on a Friday night. It certainly seemed like more and more people were doing the same thing we were. Preparing for the drive to the cabin took on a new meaning.

In the 1980s we sold the cabin and bought a lakeshore, seasonal cabin in the Prior Lake area — a mere 25-minute drive from home. During our children's school years, the short drive to the cabin was wonderful. It was easy, when necessary, to go just for the day. Our kids could bring friends and still get home that evening for babysitting jobs or school activities.

At that time, there were several seasonal cabins on the lake. Most of those cabins have now given way to large beautiful homes. Surrounded by these homes, our cabin remains as one of the very few.

The short drive has made our cabin available for large family gatherings and frequent visits from our children and grandchildren. The grandchildren are able to enjoy most of the same activities that I did as a child. They catch fish, water ski and just hang out in the woods (we have a small woods on our property). And, the wildlife is still wonderful. We also have some very competitive croquet, bocce ball and badminton games.

And so, the urban cabin, and its picture-perfect sunsets, remain a wonderful hideout and escape from the daily routine.

Bob Wandberg, Minneapolis