Is it possible that I have been on the road this long?! Indeed. The theme this week has been hunkering down in the face of nasty weather – rain, then cold, then cold and windy. Yet, all is oddly quiet and peaceful for me and Tango. Here are this week’s award winners:

Best gadget: Mr. Heater (Portable Buddy model). OMG. Temps dipped to nearly freezing at night. The first night I toughed it out in the pup tent. The next day I put up the mansion and dug out the heater. I don’t use the heater all night but it sure helps using for a half hour after I roll into the sleeping bag.

Best new morning routine: Run outside, feed Tango, make coffee, run back to the tent, and start Mr. Heater. Our morning walk has to wait until I warm up now.

Best camp food: Rotisserie chicken, not the usual but a nice, big, juicy rotisserie breast that lasted for days. The best of the best: homemade cream of chicken soup with dumplings (Bisquick)

Best sneak preview: when I drove 60 miles north to Omak, WA and saw the mountain grandeur that lies just ahead.

Nostalgic moment: I texted a friend in Deming, NM. A bunch of like-minded souls were sitting around in t-shirts, enjoying a bonfire. I started to feel lonely then remembered the important thing about that scene: that I have something nice to go home to and that warmed me up.

Craziest Tango moments: Tango’s primary job, the one for which he earns his keep, is to alert me to danger by emitting a bark or yelp.  During daylight hours he excels. For example, Lady Turkey who visits us at the campsite will cause him to growl. The woodpecker insanely trying to drill into the metal shelter elicits a “yip” at 5 AM. He even barks at the elderly guy with a flowing beard who camps at the other end of our row.  However, at night, he is less proficient. In fact, he snores now, and during the night those snores sound like the things he is supposed to warn me about. The first night up here he sounded like a bear. Then, a moose. He has an entire repertoire of ghastly noises. He scares me half to deeath on those nights. 

Best clothing item: My Baffin Booties have performed beautifully. As I mentioned when I first ordered them, the booties are marketed as “sleeping bags” for your feet. During this recent cold spell when I needed something besides my wool socks, I pulled out the booties. Perfect over the socks. I dread a night with cold feet. No matter if my head or hands are cold. My feet must be warm, and the Baffin Booties are the best at that job.

Best outing: Another trip to the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center when few other people were around. I had one of the smart people who answer your questions all to myself. He told me endless stories about the dam and the terrain around here. I saw photos of the Columbia River here before the dam and learned about how water goes over the hill into a reservoir that stores irrigation water. It turns out, he doesn’t have an “off-button” so I could only extricate myself by running to the bathroom. Fun time, though on a cold day.

Best new friends: I have breakfast at Patsy’s Diner (formally Flo’s Diner) every other day. On those days I feed Tango and we jump into the car. I dash into Patsy’s and sit at my usual spot, a booth near an electric outlet. Then I fire up the computer and let it connect to Patsy’s Wi-Fi. Patsy herself brings my coffee and we chat. Her daughter is the cook and sometimes she comes over with my breakfast-always something different. They don’t know anything about me, who I am and why I am here every other day. We just chat and laugh, usually about Patsy’s grumpy, impolite 5-year old granddaughter who sometimes roams around the cafe torturing the customers. No problem, I assure her.

Best weather news: this week I will experience temps in the 60s and maybe even 70 degrees! Night temps will be around 40–what a heat wave. Wrangell, Alaska, my first stop on the Alaska Marine Highway, is in the 50s during the day and high 30s at night. That is about what I have had here and I am ready for it. Besides, the north is overall on a warming trend. Tango and I learned, though, that we can take anything mother nature throws at us. At least so far!

Biggest disappointment: I called Sirius and I learned that I won’t be able to pick up the satellite radio signal in AK. I just installed my new car cradle on the dash; afterward, I wondered about service up there. I called. Nope. Unless, I want to stream the signal over the Internet. I learned a few months ago that I won’t have Internet since Verizon and the others have limited service up there. Small, regional companies provide service up but not in many of the areas where I will be!

Next: later in the week I will break camp (about 10 days total here) and head north again, into Canada. First I will stop in Omak to have Alice’s oil changed, renew prescriptions, and pick up mail.