Don't You Forget About Me

So,

I've been trying to cultivate the ability to sleep in unlikely settings. I figure it's an important life skill for someone who plans to visit exotic and strange locations in his life time.

Despite Spencer's stress over our sleeping arrangements this weekend, we did not spend any money on accommodations. Instead I slept in the passenger seat of my car, in a hotel bath tub and in the grass by the river in Dawson City.

But perhaps the strangest place I chose to pass out? Apparently I lost consciousness standing propped against a piano at the front of the Midnight Sun bar while being serenaded at karaoke.

(Spencer described the moment as reminiscent of Weekend at Bernie's, my sunglassed face expressionless while I swayed drunkenly.)

Jono was in town to cover the Yukon River Quest, so we spent Canada Day in the park by the river waiting for the racers to get into town. We partied with Justine and Jason, got introduced to some new people, and even met up with my friends Daina and Amy.

I also found time to lose $300 at poker at Diamond Tooth Gerties. (I won $700 in 2008, so I figure I'm still up...right?...Right?)

I seriously want to quit everything else in my life and just move to Dawson forever. It's like going back in time to a dusty Gold Rush town in the mountains. The sun literally never goes down.

Dawson is my favorite place on Earth.

Gemma was pretty frustrated with the trio of us by the end of the weekend, but she had her fair share of fun on top of her babysitting duties. We met up with her friend Connor, who's working at the Westmark Hotel.

I also fell in love with a waitress named Darby who gave me free shots and chatted with me about gender politics. (Random.) I hope to track her down when we head back up to Dawson for the music festival in two weeks.

It occurred to me recently that I have been exclusively uploading drinking pictures for the last month or so, which may lead some to believe I'm not accomplishing anything else while in the Great White North.

However, I would like to set the record straight: I also hiked up the Dome this weekend, an hour and a half feat that left me so disgustingly sweaty I have opted not to include any photos of the trek.

(At one point I contemplated curling up mid-mountain and crying from exhaustion. Maybe I need to work on my fitness...)

But this did make me feel slightly better about my current reckless and debaucherous lifestyle.

I also kissed a German dude named Gabriel on the lips during an ill-executed game of "Spin the Can". I was hoping to kiss one of the beautiful girls at the table, but fate was not on my side.

In the words of Jonathan Russell: "This is so good I don't even like it."

Will!!