Today I am writing to you from the back of the large, bald one’s car. She is not here, yet somehow the car is moving. Allow me to start from the beginning.
After THE INCIDENT last Wednesday Michele and I quickly settled into a new, healthier balance of power. Our friendship was fully re-established by the end of the day and most importantly, I think that we both learned something new. Emerging from the conflict with clearer lines of communication, we moved forward in our journey with a newfound appreciation for one another.
Later that evening, after metaphorically and physically navigating an unexpectedly rough road, we arrived at our final destination with plenty of sunlight to spare.
Upon arrival, I found our new accommodations to be a bit unusual as it was built entirely out of wood and had no kitchen sink for me to drink out of. As matter of fact, it had no running water whatsoever. I worried how the large bald one was going to survive and attempted to offer some of my own water, by swatting over my water bowl multiple times. She did not take me up on my offer.
Later that night it became quite cold. We huddled together for warmth and eventually fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.
We remained in the strange, little house until Friday morning when I was swept back into the car. Friday night was spent at a generic roadside motel. To be honest, I found the entire sequence of events to be utterly boring. We can do better.
Saturday night the next curveball came. After a relatively short drive, Michele parked the car in a large, tightly packed parking lot. She unloaded all of our stuff, but then she left me in the car. Alone.
At first, I was in shock that she would do anything without my company, but then reality started to sink in. I am finally going to get some much-needed me-time! As my loyal readers already know, I love my large, bald unconditionally, but if I am being honest, sometimes I just want to be alone. It looks like that time has finally come.
I started the evening by thoroughly exploring the vehicle. This is the first time that I’ve been able to explore unabated and I discovered all sorts of new nooks and crannies and even a few pieces of forgotten food underneath Michele’s seat!
As I started to settle in for my evening nap, something strange happened. The car started to move. I look around for the large, bald one but she was nowhere to be seen. How is the possible, I wondered aloud.
I moved to a different window to confirm what was happening. This is when I realized it. The car was not moving. The Whole Parking Lot was moving.
What did Michele get us into now?
MICHELE’S ADDENDUM: Wednesday night we traveled to the little-known town of Polebridge, MT. This a small, fully off-grid community located just 2 miles from the northern entrance to Glacier National Park. Upon arrival, a helpful Airbnb host checked us into a small cabin. The showers were located outdoors and running water had to be accessed through the guest entrance into the host’s house. This was slightly more rugged than I had planned, but my excitement for visiting Glacier National Park overshadowed my initial disappointment. Despite the small propane heater, the cabin became surprisingly cold. Luckily I had my winter sleeping bag handy and Cal and I were able to stay warm.
Over the next two days, we made the drive to Bellingham, WA. Upon arrival at the Bellingham Ferry Station, the real journey begins. We wait patiently to load onto the car deck of the ferry to Alaska. Cal will be voyaging in the car, while I have modest accommodations on the boat.
Everything up until now has been in preparation for this moment.