Monday, the Fourth of July

It's been the quietest 4th in memory. No parades, no fireworks, Uncle Clem ain't got drunk and shot at no one. Life's much slower here "off grid". Lots of time to reflect, to get to know yourself. To realize that today's the third, hey?

I thought time was standing still for a stint earlier today. Then I realized there's no batteries in the clock on the wall.

My lower lip leaks. Every time I take a drink of coffee the last drop rolls down the side of the cup.

Jon and Jodie stopped by earlier to see how I was doing. She made a chocolate cake so it was my lunch. That brings daily calorie intake to double digits! She said she was going to make some pasta tonight. She is very nice and I hope she's not insulted when I pick the onions out of my spaghetti sauce. There are still some things I can't enjoy, grid or no grid, and onions are one of them.

I think I'll walk out to the outhouse soon. Not that I need to, but it stopped raining and I'd hate to waste the opportunity.

I did go for a walk earlier. There is a path through the trees (just wide enough for an adult male bear) that goes a short distance to a very scenic overlook at the side of a cliff. Nice view, long way down.

I wish I had a vehicle. Jon and Jodi have both told me about Telegraph Rd. (where the cabin sits). The village of Telegraph sits 120 kilometers or so down, at the end of a well maintained but dead ended road. It used to be a Hudson Bay trading post. Back in the 1860's and 1870's it was the site of the Stikine and Cassiar Gold Rushes. In 1866 the Russian-American Telegraph line to the Yukon ran up the creek, thus the name. The road is said to be one of the most scenic in the area with steep 20% grades, twists and turns and breathtaking views of large canyons. Jodie says it should be one of Canada's top ten places to visit, despite (or maybe because of) its remoteness. Believe it or not there is a restaurant and rooms for rent at Telegraph, so you can take your time and spend the night.

Jon and Jodi have been so helpful trying to get me out of my current challenges. Jon drove me back in to town last night (Sunday) trying to locate a cure for what ails me. We went by Charlie's shop, then Turtle Tire, then tried to pick up a cell signal while standing at just the right spot at "the college", which is a few buildings with a sign out front that Jon tells me no one is ever there. Then we tried calling AAA on the only pay phone left in Dease Lake. Made it as far as getting put on hold forever. Then he drove me out to a campground to look for Chuck, then back in to town so I could pick up a box of Triscuits and an Ice Tea for dinner. On the way back out of town Jon spotted a gathering of vehicles at a meeting hall and rode slowly by, spotting Charlie's truck, then stopped. Charlie was still "celebrating" Canada Day, hey, so he agreed to come pick up my bike on Tuesday morning, first thing.

Well, room service just came (aka Jon) with some spaghetti with moose meat on it, and another slice of cake for dessert. There goes my diet!

Spaghetti with moose meat! That green thing in the middle isn't an onion, it's celery, which is okay. That's my story and I'm stick in' to it!

Some might call this a salad, but because it has no lettuce and is instead made from shaved carrots and raisins, I'm calling it carrot cake, and I'm calling it good!

Another slice of chocolate cake! It's good to know that you can still get yummy junk food, even when you're off the grid!

So as the sun starts to enter its last 12 hours of daylight, I bid you adieu. I have to set an alarm so as to be packed and ready to go when Charlie comes to pick up the bike