*Travel Journal, Day One

Sunday, noon: Checked weather. Monday and Tuesday should be relatively clear in northern Wisconsin, but cold. Low tonight of 32. I think I'll play solitaire some more.

Sunday, 1:30 pm: Decided to go up north. Must pack. Need layers.

Sunday, 2:00 pm: Will get camping equipment out of storage and stop at WalMart for Diet Pepsi and foodstuff.

Sunday, 3:00 pm: On the road. Should be there by 9:00. 10 at latest.

Sunday, 5:00 pm: Shouldn't have gotten large Sonic Orange Cream Slush.

Sunday, 7:00 pm: Hmm. I wonder why I can never get a digital signal in the Twin Cities?

Sunday, 8:00 pm: Stupid f***ing cell phone! Stupid northern Minnesota, without enough cell towers!

Sunday, 8:30 pm: There's the casino...I should stop just for a minute. No! No stopping! Especially at the casino!

Sunday, 9:15 pm: Stupid f***ing road construction! Now how am I supposed to get to Minong? Good thing I stopped for gas in Hinckley. I'm so smart.

Sunday, 10:00 pm: None of this looks familiar. At least the suicidal deer don't seem to be out in droves tonight.

Sunday, 10:30 pm: County Road T? Now is that north or south of County Road Y? I don't remember, but I'm taking it anyway.

Sunday, 11:45 pm: Aaaah, made it. Thank goodness the outhouse wasn't locked. I'll set up camp as close as possible to the bathroom, since there's no one else here. And since I don't want to run into any bears in the middle of the night. Since I'm all alone. All. Alone.

Monday, 12:00 am: Hmm. I've never heard the woods so quiet before. No loons, no whippoorwills, no frogs, no nothing.

Monday, 12:45 am: That flashing light is really annoying. How am I supposed to sleep with that in my eyes? Stupid wind, blowing the trees in front of the moon like that.

Monday, 1:00 am: Wait a minute. There's no wind. That's the northern lights! Pretty! I've never seen them so well up here before. They're like wispy, white ghosts jumping up into the sky above me. Amazing. Good thing there's no cell signal out here, or I'd be calling people and pissing them off.

Monday, 1:30 am: Damn, it's cold up here. No wonder I don't hear any birds. And the bears are probably still hibernating. I should probably get back in the tent and cover up. I need to sleep. But look at those lights!

Monday, 3:30 am: Seriously, though. Must. Sleep.

Posted by Jennifer at May 18, 2005 11:43 AM

Tweet