DAY 136

July 29, 1999

Jeremy and I slept in until after 10:00 am.   Wow this was nice sleeping in a bed with pillows!  Since I left Whitehorse for Dawson City, it has been the ground or my tent, and using my jacket as a pillow.

I could tell Gord just got up too when we met him at about 10:30.  I gave him a few copies and told him that I will mail him the rest of Dawson City photos.  We talked for a little while, and then Jeremy and I had to get on the road for our long drive back to Dawson City.  As we were leaving we said our good-byes, shook hands, and as we were walking out Gord had said something like "friends for life".  It is so nice to meet so many "like-minded" people.  And "real" people such as Gord.

Driving back to Dawson City, Jeremy and I continued with a lot more talking about everything, and I feel as if we have really gotten to know each other very well.  He invited me to Maine anytime, and I invited him to visit me wherever I happen to be.   On the way back, the truck hit a bird and both of us immediately felt really bad about it.  I could feel the life being sucked from and animal as it slammed the window post right in front of me.  A large chunk of speeding metal stole the life of a beautiful creature.

Entering back into Dawson City, both of us immediately said "we're home".   Dawson City has become like home to both of us, with good friends and lots of great times here.  Jeremy drove by the Paradise North Coffeehouse to drop me off prior to parking his truck near the "crack shack".  My mind was already putting me at the wooden table with my "bottomless" cup of coffee and finishing my photo sorting.  But that thought was shattered by a sign that said "closed until Monday for kitchen remodeling".  That sucked!  My favorite hangout is closed!  I even wanted to get one of those "Donairs",  those are excellent! 

Back at the "Crack shack", Andrew and I played a game of chess.  There is a chessboard that was drawn on the floor by a red marker, and the chess pieces are small pieces of paper that had figures drawn on them.  It was a close game and I was clearly in the lead and could've won, mostly due to a few screw-ups Andrew made, not as much my skill.  But Andrew started singing and all kinds of stuff to distract me and I ended up losing somehow.  He really kicked in his thinking and clobbered me at the end. 

During the game, I remember Jessie had said "Anyone have some socks I can borrow?   I've had these on for seven days and they're starting to stick to my feet."   Well that sums up the summer Dawson City people.  The girls grow hair on their legs and underarms, everyone lives out of tents, people bathe by swimming in the Yukon river and occasionally pay to use the quarter shower if at all.  No one really stinks just natural body odors that you really don't notice since everyone sort of blends together.  It is just a group of natural, organic type of people having fun in the Yukon.  But unfortunate for Jessie, he had everything stolen from his tent.   Even in Paradise, there are still things like that happening.  Jessie is a very kind young man.  He is always so quiet but never has a negative thing to say.   Just hangs out with everyone and enjoys the moment.  It is too bad something like that had to happen to him.

Afterwards, Jared, Jeremy, Andrew, and I went to the Pit to play pool and drink beer.   After the first pitcher and a third of the way through the second, I was ready to call it a night.  I left and said goodbye, then made my way back to my home (my tent).

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