Alaska Calling

Sometimes Shocky appears in my dreams waving it‘s fluffy paw while sitting on a shoulder of a faceless man. Every time I wake up after having this always-the-same-dream I end up typing „Denali National Park“ in google map trying to find the place Shocky was resting. I guess I just need to know that there is no hotel popping up in this sacred place where I buried a piece of my heart in a shape of Alaskan Squirrel in a year 2009.
It‘s quite a story to tell about meeting Shocky for the first time. I remember resting on the shore of Nenana river after a long Savage River hike in Denali National Park when a bunch of pine cones started to attack me. Honestly, I thought I was hallucinating after 7 hours spent on a trail yelling „Hey Bear!“ every ten seconds. For those who have never been in a place teeming with bears I‘d like to justify my yelling - you must inform all the bears in the area about your being in their territory as they get really sensitive about the uninvited. Trust me, an annoyed bear is what I‘d never recommend you to meet. I would also never recommend you to get in a way of an angry Alaskan squirrel, as it hurts like hell to be hit in a head by a pine cone. That‘s right, Shocky was having a terrible day living it‘s squirrely life and I happened to be a perfect target to vent its anger on.
My next date with Shocky was probably the most romantic one I have ever had. I was sitting on a small hill somehere outside Savage River Loop Trial enjoying the colors of trees and bushes getting ready for the night. I am still not sure if it was the colors I‘ve never dreamed of seeing or the wilderness itself, but the only thing I wanted sitting out there was somebody to share this moment with. Shocky appeared the second I opened my last can of Pepsi. I offered Shocky a sip and to my surprise Shocky was up for a drink as well (if you can consider licking a can drinking). So here we both were enjoying the evening and an unhealthy drink. It was the moment I felt a part of the wilderness. It was a moment I felt powerful.
The last moment I had with Shocky was the evening all the lights went off in the campsite. Shocky‘s body was found stuck in the electric wires. I am still not sure if the reason Shocky commited suicide was because of my leaving Denali National Park or because Shocky had some other things going on in it‘s life, however I will always miss our moments.