Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghann Chernyak.
Hi Meghann, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As all good stories start, this is the story of a small-town North Dakota girl on the hunt for adventure in big-city Denver. As a college graduate from my dental hygiene program, one day, I decided to sell all of my things and move to Denver for an interview. My parents were less than excited. My mother was so nervous she made me call her every hour on the solo drive. I felt like I had made it in the world in an adult way. Thankfully, they gave me the job on the spot, or I would have had to make my retreat back to North Dakota with my tail between my legs.
I found my biggest adventure of all when I married, a big city boy, Dmitriy. Everyone who has ever been married knows that it is a compromise. So, compromise we did. After 10 years in the big city, I was getting the itch to go back to small-town living and be next to my side of the family. My husband eventually caved, and we moved to North Dakota with the compromise that we bought something in Colorado again… eventually. We had our fourth child together in North Dakota and were now feeling the need to reconnect our kids to the mountains. We looked for two years for the perfect property, waiting and waiting for the perfect fit for our now family of 6. Then we found it… everything we wanted, 3 spacious bedrooms, huge windows, mountain views, and most important of all that mountain magic.
Of course, finding the perfect second home happened at the worst possible time in our schedule. It was winter IN North Dakota. And, we were leaving for our family vacation that same week! We ended up putting a bid on the house sight unseen. It was a nerve-wracking experience.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The most notable struggle so far has been traveling from North Dakota to Bailey, Colorado in an Alberta Clipper to have our inspection. Ice, ice, and more ice and in a 2-year-old minivan packed with my 4 children and husband to boot. Our decreased speed, which hit as low as 35 mph in some areas on the highway, extended our 12-hour drive to 17 hours. My children and my nerves were done. It was a long and scary drive for everyone with snow blowing and very low visibility at times.
At one point in South Dakota, I thought the route we were on was too precarious. I tried to slow down and turn around in a driveway approach. That was a huge mistake. I ended up jack-knifed and spinning my wheels in the middle of a South Dakota Highway with an oncoming sedan. Thank goodness that person had some quick thinking and signaled to me with his blinker that he was going right. I went left and a very deadly situation was averted. I still have nightmares about it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Serendipity Springs Peaceful Mountain Retreat is a short-term vacation rental home and retreat space. My biggest focus for Serendipity Springs is to provide a home away from home for my guests and highlight the incredible entrepreneurs in our community. Serendipity Springs is a 3 bed/ 3 bath mountain vacation home conveniently located less than an hour from Denver International Airport, 20ish minutes from the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater, and near wedding venues; Conifer Ranch, Aspen Creek Amphitheater in Grant, and Deer Creek Valley Ranch in Bailey. We enjoy stunning views of Mt. Evans and Mt. Rosalie from our two front porches.
We have plans to expand a third entertainment area that will house an outside dining area and bonfire area in 2025. Hopefully, this area will add to the already existing 2 decks and give my guests even more pristine views. Providing travelers with information on our Facebook and other social media platforms about the Bailey/Conifer area is a passion project of mine. Our platforms often highlight hiking trails, State Parks, local festivals, entertainment venues, and local eats that shouldn’t be missed. I’m unique in that I connect communities. I’ve already partnered with local businesses Moonrise Coffee Roasters, Thunder Hoof Pottery, and Hostin’ and Toastin’ to collaborate and grow together.
This summer smaller retreat experiences are being launched. On the calendar, this month is Own Your Glow Spa hosting an overnight dream retreat. It allows the owner, Breanna, a Reiki II specialist, to delight her more distant clientele with the same services she can bring to the local community. We also have pregnancy retreats, yoga retreats, and wellness retreats already in the works. The sky is the limit. I can imagine couples’ retreats, art/ crafting retreats, and small business retreats held at Serendipity Springs. I’m excited to see what happens in the upcoming year.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My contact information for anyone interested in a retreat schedule or interested in hosting a retreat can reach me at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @serendipityspringspeacefulmtn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090761015763
Image Credits
Laura Studley
