A lazy day
Sometimes you need a lazy day.
In this case, 'lazy' means waking up at 10:30 in the Walmart parking lot with a screaming bladder. (At home I'd have gone twice already.) Going inside for the bathroom and some more stomach acid pills. I drive in for lunch, find a place with wifi. Write a blog post. The pizza buffet is $16? I'll have a personal pizza please. Canada is expensive!
I wander the town a bit. Check out the used bookstore. Not as exciting as Anchorage, but I develop a plan for my future. What is my real, true dream? I want to run a used bookstore in a small town, maybe an hour from a metropolitan center. Maybe Portland. And the back room of the bookstore is a theatre. That I run. Yes, this is my dream. Any ladies wanna join with me on this?
Today's plan is just to drive to Watson Lake. Land of the friendly German visitor center helper. After that we turn south on an unfamiliar, very rural route. Tomorrow. Cell tower? Wifi? Don't count on it.
It's a short drive - 5 hours - and the Allison Janney book isn't as good as I'd hoped. She reads too fast (thanks to Marty for stopping me from that sin on Senseless) and its abridged, which I hate. I finish it, though. And I mediate as I drive. And I listen to the end of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close- one of the 10 best books I've ever read. Read it. Now.
I get into Watson Lake later than I mean to. The visitor center is closed. I catch some wifi at the Rec center, get dinner at THE diner (grumpy waitresses... Why, Canada, why?) and head to the $12 campground I'd planned for.
There is NO ONE THERE. Totally deserted. I can pay my money and stay, but... I don't think I can handle being this alone and this dark. I just don't. I leave, aware that I'm kind of pathetic.
In town there's an RV campground. It's $30 but has a shower! Run by a friendly Scotsman! And I'm not the only isolated person for 20 miles. Plus wifi! It's really the right choice.
So here I am. Clean, content. I've got my camp chair out and I'm looking up at the starry sky. Still haven't seen the northern lights . Still hoping. I've had some rum. I won't be responsible for this post in the morning....
I love you all! Serrrrrrioussssly.
Pick up notes:
1) I glossed over the AWESOME breakfast Caitlin and I had in Anchorage. Mama something, near the airport. Amazing biscuits and gravy. And we just happened across it.... Caitlin- do you remember the name?
2) Crossing into Canada from Alaska, the border guard asked:
Do you have any alcohol?
Part of a bottle of rum in a mason jar in the back.
Ok. Do you have any guns?
No.
Any weapons?
No.
Any guns, knives, blunt instruments?
Um, no.
How do you intend to defend yourself?
....my wits?
Ok. Do you have any produce...
Really?
Goodnight, friends!
Labels: abandoned campground, Allison Janney, expensive pizza buffet, friendly Scotsman, northern lights, screaming bladder, Watson Lake