I eased right into island life in Wrangell, AK. The themes this week: peace, solitude, and some interesting wildlife. Later in the week, I encounter people and enjoy the company.

Best camping find – A view campsite with a huge shelter- maybe 15 x 15 feet. Underneath the shelter, a large picnic table where I offloaded gear during a rainstorm. The site does not really have a tent space, but with stuff out of the car, I can set up a cushy sleeping area in the car. I have my large, expensive pillow (which I almost left at the motel in Prince George, BC), which I use like a sleeping pad. It cushions the ridges in the driver’s seat to make a comfy sleeping surface. I use my two small travel pillows to soften the door handle and center console. Really, this makes for an incredibly comfortable little nest.  I am completely dry and, with my light blocking curtains, quite warm. Tango is next to me in the driver’s seat with his own little nest. I like the trade-off. I can be out in the rain but under the shelter, making coffee, cooking meals and lounging in my chair. I have a perfect spot overlooking the snowy mountain peaks and the channel. 

Best weather phenomenon – Soft rain, which falls in tiny drops. Gentle, steady, alluring. Most notable, without wind, the rain falls straight and my gear in the shelter does not get soaked from the side.

Official Plant of Alaska Trip 2018: Skunk Cabbage. The giant yellow flower buds burst out of the muddy or marshy crevices and open into a beautiful, waxy flower. They grow close to the ground and are a contrast to the towering conifers all around. 

Best book: “Origins”, by Dan Brown. I loved the “DaVinci Code”, and I read the book and watched the movie numerous times. I would watch it again. Again. Again. I was so intrigued by the possibility that DaVinci’s painting “The Last Supper” had a female disciple next to Jesus, I went to Milan to see the painting and judge for myself. A few years later, I went to Paris to finally see the Louvre. In Origins, Professor Langdon is involved in another religious conspiracy/art museum/mystery created by a futurist genius. Quite a few scenes occur in the Guggenheim – Bilbao art museum in Barcelona, Spain. Brown captures my imagination so fully that now I am obsessed with visiting the Guggenheim-Bilboa. And I will go. I don’t know when, yet, but Barcelona is now on the bucket list, moving quickly towards the top. Time to find an economical way to get there and to start saving my pennies for that trip.

Best Quiet Moments: I have mentioned that I came to Wrangell first because of John Muir’s book, “Travel in Alaska”. He spent time here exploring and he also captured my imagination. For this trip, I have a book called “Meditations of John Muir”, which is a group of little snippets from his writings. He was a famous naturalist, but also an extremely spiritual person. The book is my devotional for this section of my trip.

Best Food Discovery: It is lunchtime and I am craving cereal. I have some Kashi but no almond milk. I That causes me to wonder if someone makes powdered almond milk, like powdered regular milk. I used to carry that but I can no longer drink milk without a violent reaction. I make a note to find powdered almond milk then a light goes on in my brain. I have powdered peanut butter that I use in oatmeal. Why not make “milk” out of the powdered peanut butter. Almond milk, rice milk, why not peanut milk?  I place 2 T of high protein, low-fat peanut butter powder in a cup, add water, then stir. Add cereal. Wow! Nutritious peanut butter cereal. I love peanut butter. Tango does too and he got to lap up the milk left after I ate the cereal. Everyone was happy at lunchtime that day.

Best clothing item: My rain slicker! I have written about finding the aging rain slicker on the free table in Deming. I managed to clean it up and recently rotated it to the top of the clothing duffle pile. It keeps me perfectly dry as I roam around the campground in the soft, steady rain. It waits in the shelter when I hang out in the car. I would like a rain hat but in the meantime the hood on the jacket does fine. I just don’t like the way the hood blocks out the sound. I feel the need to be aware of my surroundings at all times and having sound muffled under the hood makes me feel vulnerable. On the lookout for a rain hat, whatever that might be. Something dorky looking, no doubt.

Best wildlife moment: hearing a whale “blow” as it came near the surface.

Best Tango moment: Tango was not too aggressive when he met Munchkin, my neighbor’s dog. He was ready for company, too.

Crazy high price of the week: One Rubbermaid round food container (large), $16.00