July 23, 2012                      Day 45/60                            Johnson’s Crossing to Nugget City/Northern Beaver Post

The boys joined the grandparents for cinnamon buns for breakfast. I am trying to watch what I eat so I had cereal. I managed to get a picture of Rick in his “beekeeper” outfit as he disconnected us. I heard chirping from a nearby tree and found an empty nest and sound coming from a hole in the tree a little smaller than a tennis ball. I think it may have been a baby Arctic squirrel. I couldn’t see inside and didn’t want to disturb it too much. However, I took a picture.

The drive on the Al Can was pretty uneventful up until lunch. We passed pretty rivers and lakes. I saw an Arctic hare cross the road, a couple of squirrels tangling with each other in the highway (if their mother knew they were playing in the street, there would be trouble), and lots of ravens 9some of them hanging out in the road too).  We stopped for lunch at a non-descript gravel pullout with bear-proof trash cans. The Milepost claimed there was a trail to the river but we were on a bluff above the river, a meadow was encroaching on the slow-moving river, and it looked buggy. We didn’t even look for the trailhead.

Not long after hitting the road again, I saw a three-colored black bear walking in the grass on the left side of the road. We didn’t have time to get a picture but it looked like it had a bad bleach job on the top half of its body, brown in the middle band, and a black underbelly.

A little while later, Mom radios that there is a black bear leaning against the guardrail. We are going too fast to stop in time for a picture but we see a huge bear sitting upright with its back against the post of the guardrail. Mom’s theory is that we may have missed the cub she was nursing. I think she was winded from climbing up a steep hill and sat to enjoy the view and rest a bit before moving on. We will never know and didn’t get the award winning photo to put in a caption contest either.

No rain today. Actually, I forgot to mention that there was no rain yesterday either. It is great for the views, but it is getting hot. By 2 Pm, it was already in the 80s. We were faced with stopping early but having at least electrical (and therefore, A/C) and water but no sewer or continuing on for another 90 minutes and having no amenities for the night. We opted to stop early. There is nothing here, but we have cool air. This is good for all of us, but especially Rick who is not feeling well. It may be too many nights with poor sleep due to my coughing and now my snoring. I have to say in my defense that I am not usually a snorer. It could be the strange bed and the cough I am getting over. I plan to try Breathe Right Strips as soon as I can locate some. There is no guest room to banish myself to. However, I am willing to consider the sofa.

The boys and I ate a simple dinner alone, leaving Rick to have cereal when he woke from his rest. Mom and Mike have been in their trailer since we finished checking email in the Wi-Fi spot and looking around the store. The boys are enjoying unlimited (but without Internet) electronics and I am reading a book. I finished one already on this trip and hope to get through another this week. I have had little time to read for pleasure this past school year and am way behind on books.

We have no phone service so, of course, sometime during the day when we did, I got a voicemail. Now I can’t check it and it is driving me crazy. I hope it is someone who doesn’t realize I am not back yet, someone offering me a job and willing to wait a day or two for my answer, or other good news.

July 19, 2012                       Day 41/60                            Valdez, AK

Today was our bonus day in Valdez. We got to sleep in and see whatever we didn’t see. Mike wanted to work on his blog so he stayed behind while the rest of us went to see a lake fed by the Valdez Glacier. Our first clue should have been that it wasn’t even mentioned in the Milepost. However, it was in the Valdez Visitors’ Guide. The “lake” was not very big and milky brown. The “icebergs in the lake” were not very big and lacked the gorgeous blue hues associated with icebergs. The guide was correct that you can’t see the Valdez Glacier from the accessible part of the lake, you can see two other glaciers, and there was someone leading kayak trips. We didn’t stay long and if you are ever in Valdez, you can feel comfortable skipping this attraction.

Our next stop was the “Second Time Around” thrift store benefiting local people in need. Rick found a pair of Cabela’s shoes for fishing when Dominic borrows his galoshes. Luca found a book he had already read but wanted to reread. And we got a cardboard scratching post for our kitties. Probably could have skipped this too.

I wanted to see if we could drive to the entry of the port/arm. No you can’t but we saw the more affluent neighborhood with some lovely homes.

We picked up Mike for lunch at The Fat Mermaid. The boys and I split a pizza, Mom and Mike each had a burger and Rick had fish and chips. It was ok. From here, Mike and Rick went to arrange for the salmon to be shipped to Millbrae. The boys got on the computer or read. Mom and I read. When the guys returned, Mike wanted to catch some fish to send to Dina, my stepsister. Rick agreed to help and off they went. The rest of us agreed to meet them out there later in hopes of seeing the bear again.

When we arrived in the fishing area, there was a large electronic sign warning of bears in the area and telling you to stay in your car when they are present. There were a handful of cars and some people fishing. People were not taking the sign seriously. Rick and Mike had caught 10 fish. We left them to get cleaned and arrange for processing. We drove to the end of the road to see what we could see. Primitive, dry camping locations lined the road. People were cooking and camping in tents not overly concerned about being in bear territory.

We did see some interesting behavior by the Stellar Sea Lions. A group of about 12-16 (hard to say because some kept diving) were gathered in a circle in the water just off shore. They were perpendicular with their heads out of the water. Every few minutes a large male would vocalize. Sometimes two would get face to face and vocalize. At one point the group split in two, but then they regrouped. As the tide went out, they moved the group twice. We looked to see if there was a killer whale but didn’t see any. We Googled but couldn’t find out anything about this behavior.

We parked toward what we thought was the beginning of the parking area near the fishery. Rick didn’t go with Mike so he set up the spotting scope. We sat forever watching for the bear, enjoying the sea mammals, looking for lost lures, and people watching. It was becoming quite a circus with families and photographers standing along the shore. As it got closer to 6:30 more cars started arriving and some parked in front of us but moved on when nothing was happening. However, a rented RV came and parked blocking our view of the road. Mom and Mike decided to go back to the trailer to start dinner. Rick and I eventually got tired of swatting away mosquitoes and biting flies and listening to a vapid young lady from the Coast Guard holding court for the tourists while wearing a strapless sundress and sipping a beer.

The one highlight for me was a river otter that made and appearance on the small jetty near the fishery. It climbed up on the rocks and rolled around in the bushes before returning to the water and swimming away. I love otters and I was so happy to see a river otter and sea otters in the same day.

The boys and I ate leftovers as we were not interested in fish. After a late dinner, Mike took the boys for soft serve ice cream. I think they will really miss the convenience of having ice cream across the street.

July 20, 2012                       Day 42/60                            Valdez to Slana, AK

We hated to say good-bye to the beauty of Valdez but we had to move on. We made the drive out much faster than the drive in. We stopped briefly at the railroad tunnel dug by hand but never used. We didn’t make any stops for the view on the steep climb out of the Keystone Canyon. The right lane was more like 2/3 of a lane so Rick had to really pay attention.

We stopped at Mirror Lake for a view of the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains. We could see most of them but the peaks were in clouds. The lake did not provide a mirror image as weather conditions while beautiful were not right.

We had lunch at a new place in Copper Center. Copper Center is really just a few houses clustered in what used to be a bigger town. There are many falling down cabins and abandoned properties in the area. The Klutina River runs through here and people were catching red/sockeye salmon. Mike seemed tempted but our freezers are full. The original lodge burned down earlier this year so they built the new restaurant quickly to fill the void. Mom and I split an excellent pulled pork sandwich. From here Mom, the boys and I took a walk toward where she thought there was an ice cream place. Mike and Rick went for the trailers and met us on the loop road. No ice cream to be found. Almost back to the highway, Dominic remembered that he left his retainer on the table in a plastic glass. We went back for it and it was near the top of the trash bin. Lucky for us a little rinse is all it needed.

We saw a few trumpeter swans on an otherwise uneventful drive to Slana. Our campground is run by a lady who is also a sculptor (but I don’t see any of her work) and used to raise Affenpinscher dogs (don’t see any of the dogs either). We are her only guests. It is quiet and buggy here. It is also hot. As this is only a one night stop, we didn’t want to unhitch the car. All of this discouraged us from exploring the area.

July 21, 2012                       Day 43/60                            Slana, AK to Destruction Bay, YT

Remember the Seinfeld episode where George wanted to pitch the television executives a show about nothing? That was our day. We got up. Rick unhooked us while covered head to toe to avoid being eaten alive by mosquitoes and biting flies. I still wish I had gotten a picture of that. He looked a little like a bee keeper.

We drove the Tok Cutoff to Tok where we got gas. We saw nothing because there was a mysterious haze over everything. We found out much farther down the road from a construction worker that there is a fire in Russia or Scandinavia and the Artic wind patterns caused the smoke to collect here. If you believe him, it must be one heck of a fire. We have no connection to outside news so I have no idea.

We did see a few Trumpeter swans but not well. We connected up with the Al Can highway again outside Tok and took it past the Canadian border. There were no issues at the border and no interesting people watching.

We stopped for gas at a little place at the side of the highway. The couple has been selling gas and collectibles here since 1969. They are pretty old now and so are most of the collectibles. They were very nice but their place looked like it belonged on “Hoarders.” I couldn’t even see the kitchen counter. Mike took a leap of faith and bought a cinnamon bun she claimed to have made that morning. She looked like she was having trouble standing. Her husband could hardly walk but insisted on pumping the gas. They looked happy to have someone to talk to. We didn’t buy any of the rock and mineral collectibles.

He did give us one good piece of advice about not stopping to camp up the highway where we were thinking of stopping to dry camp. He said it is the weekend and many of the local First nation people like to get drunk and steal things like gas cans from campers. So even though we were very tired of the ups and downs of the frost heaves in the road (picture a kiddie roller coaster at the fair) and dodging the potholes and sitting so long our tail bones ached, we drove on. Just when we couldn’t take it anymore, we stopped for gas at Destruction Bay on Kluane Lake. The gas station had electrical hook ups for only $12 Canadian. They also have a restaurant that lets adults order off the Kids Menu. Sold! We’ve stayed at funkier places.

July 22, 2012                       Day 44/60                            Destruction Bay to Johnson’s Crossing, YT

There was much to do in the morning to get ready to leave. The bugs were not as bad, I think, because there was a strong breeze. Once we unplugged and raised the stabilizers, we set off to drive around Kluane Lake. The frost heaves weren’t as bad as yesterday but the breeze was causing white caps on the lake. The views were pleasant but not as spectacular as previous days. We didn’t stop in Haines Junction but headed back toward Whitehorse and the Alcan Highway. The road was better through here.

We saw a grizzly/brown bear cross the road in front of Mom and Mike. Mike said the bear seemed to be “road aware.” When they had stopped the trailer about 300 yards away, the bear crossed to the other side and began browsing and foraging for food there. I tried to get a few pictures but we were too far away when it crossed the road and then it was in the bushes. Also, I had to fight off mosquitoes while trying to take the pictures through the open window.  Still, it was nice to see some wild life.

Even though the road was better, there were still gravel sections here and there. It was in one of these gravel sections that a car passing in the opposite direction was going too fast. Over 6500 miles into the trip and we finally got not 1 but 2 windshield dings. They aren’t big but we want to have them repaired so they don’t spread. We didn’t find anyone open in Whitehorse today (Sunday) so we will have to wait for another big town.

We stopped for lunch near the Wal-Mart and hoped to get some groceries. Alas, it was not a Super Wal-Mart so we only got part of our lists. No fruits or veggies for us.

From Whitehorse, we headed to Carcross. We had visited here last year when our cruise ship docked in Skagway. The boys were looking forward to seeing it again. The road here was way better than the road to Destruction Bay. We stopped at an overlook to admire Emerald Lake. It is also called Rainbow Lake. This was our turnaround point on last year’s tour. It is not a big lake but a nice size. What is impressive is its gorgeous green colors. The blue-green light waves reflect off the white sediment, marl, of the lake bottom. The marl is made up of tiny fragments of decomposed shell mixed with clay. Whatever the cause, it was beautiful on this bright sunny day.

Just down the road, we stopped at the Carcross Desert. Yes, you read that right. The world’s smallest desert is right here in the Yukon. Here the boys climbed on the dunes of sandy lake-bottom material left behind by a large glacial lake. We had stopped here briefly a year ago, but this time they headed up to the top of one of the highest dunes. It was a good work out. I think they took one step forward and slipped back two. I don’t know how they made it up to the top. Rick and I waited near the bottom of the huge dune.

We were thinking of camping at a small campground near the town of Carcross but a sign on the door said, “Closed until further notice.” There were a few people dry camping here anyway, but we had just dry camped last night and it was only 4:30 so we headed to the Visitors’ Center in Carcross to get our Yukon Passport stamped and see what they could tell us about camping. They didn’t have any local recommendations but said we could get water from the town supply. Instead, we decided to get ice cream and shop at the General Store. Mom met a young lady from Veracruz, Mexico who had set up a table of jewelry made from rocks and crystals she found. She also draws/makes her own silver wire. She is trying to earn enough money to go to the Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson, AZ next February. She sure is a long way from Mexico.

We took Tagish Road back to the Alcan Highway. It was a good road with some pretty lakes (not mentioned in this section of the Milepost). We crossed a bridge with a fishing platform and got some curious looks from the First Nations people that bordered on unfriendly.

We got to Johnson’s Crossing just as the campground office was closing. We seemed to be the only campers. However, the small rooms attached to the café seemed to be occupied. She cautioned us not to stray too far as brown bears have been seen in the area. A man came in to warn the owners that some men in a van were driving around stealing anything of value left out at local properties. We secured all our belongings before having dinner together in the big trailer. I thought a couple of motorcyclists came in to tent camp, but maybe they didn’t stay. I didn’t see them when we came back to our trailer.

Mom and the boys are looking forward to some “world famous” cinnamon buns for breakfast from the café.

 

July 16, 2012                       Day 38/60                            Anchorage to Kenny Lake, AK

Today is Luca’s 11^th birthday. I hope when he looks back at this birthday he remembers the wonderful opportunity he had to travel with two of his grandparents and Rick, Dominic, and I and that he appreciates this special gift. I never had that opportunity with my grandparents and never felt the bond I see developing between my boys and their grandparents. The closest I think I came was baking with my Grandma Fern (paternal). Luca got to talk by cell to Grandpa Dick and Nana and got an email from Rick’s parents. Isn’t technology wonderful?

Today I had to call USAA Insurance to start the accident claim for Rick’s car so we got a late start. It was not a fun way to start my day. The adjuster hinted that the car may be totaled (it is after all a 1998 and the air bags deployed – not cheap to replace).

It rained all night so we had a bit of a lake outside the trailer this morning and clouds and rain/drizzle accompanied us on the Glenn Highway and a little bit onto the Richardson Highway. We stopped to see the Matanuska Glacier. It is huge! It is 27 miles long and averages 2 miles across. It is 4 miles wide at its terminus. It is fully visible from the road and a little rest stop so we decided against the interpretive trail.

Had it been a clear day we would have been treated to fantastic views of the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains. They are part of the largest unit in the National Park system. It is 13.2 acres of wild lands and 9.7 million acres of designated wilderness.  It includes the Chugach, Wrangell, St. Elias, and Alaska mountain ranges. It is the greatest collection of peaks over 16,000 feet but we will never know for sure because we couldn’t see the peaks most of the time. They hid behind clouds or barely peeked out here and there. The park also contains the largest collection of glaciers on the continent. Yep, couldn’t see most of these either. We did get a glimpse at the Matanuska (see above) and the Nelchina Glacier (from a pull out where we stopped for lunch).

We left the Richardson Highway to check out a possible camping/fishing stop for our return from Valdez along the Klutina River. The woman there said people are catching salmon so we might stop there on our way back. What I saw of the camp wasn’t very well maintained. The people who camp there are more interested in the fishing and the river than in amenities.

Not far down the highway, we turned onto the Edgerton Highway. It isn’t really much of a highway by California standards. It is really more of a sometimes maintained, sometimes gravel, mostly two-lane road. About 7 miles down the road, we reach our destination. We are staying at the Kenny Lake Mercantile and RV Park. For the record, there is no sign of a lake here. I think there is one on the map.  When asked about fishing, the lady in registration told us about lakes and rivers about 20 miles away. I’m not complaining. There are only two RV parks on this road and this one is full so I am glad to have a spot. I just wonder what happened to the lake in Kenny Lake.

When Mike and I registered we were told that someone who hadn’t paid for today hadn’t left yet so they only had one spot with electricity for us. Mike let us have it since they have a generator. The people who were supposed to have left didn’t return until 9:30 PM, dumped trash on the ground and left without paying for the extra day. That is really not cool.

After we dropped our trailers, we jumped in the Suburban and drove several miles down the road to Chitina (pronounced “chit na”).  Chitina was a supply town in the early 1900s for the copper industry here. It supplied both the copper mine and the railroad. It had 100s of residents when Anchorage still had only a few tents. Then the mine closed in 1938. Chitina became a ghost town. A few people are trying to preserve the town but it is really struggling.

Our first stop was really down a gravel road beyond Chitina – the Copper River dip-net fishery. In this area, Alaska residents use fish wheels and dip nets to bring in large amounts (they hope) of salmon. This area is only open to state residents. We drove out onto the river flats to see the fish wheels. These are mostly home-made contraptions that float on the river. They have large metal baskets that turn on a wheel in the river current. Salmon are scooped up by these wheels and put into a side catch area. Locals remove the salmon and fillet them right on the beach tossing the skeletons with heads and tails aside. The place smelled awful. There were only two bald eagles hanging around and a few gulls. We saw one couple working their wheel. The woman was using an ulu to clean the fish.

Back in Chitina, we stopped at the hotel so the other adults could have a beer. We meant to have snacks and eat back at the trailers but the menu was inviting (and pricey).I had the potato bacon soup and split the lasagna and fries with Mike. Rick had a yak burger. It tastes like slightly-gamey beef. Luca’s birthday dinner was fries and some very garlicky garlic bread. Mike started talking to the owner about the Blintzes on the menu and he comped us a blueberry blintz for Luca’s birthday. We were all too stuffed to eat it there and took it to go.

We stopped at a few possible fishing locations on the way back to the trailer. One Mile Lake (so named because it is 1 mile from Chitina) was too shallow. Two Mile Lake was ok, but Three Mile Lake was perfect. The rock cliffs go straight down into the water on one side. There is a good size turn out to park and the water was clear. Small trout were jumping out of the water to get the bugs just above the water surface. The guys decided they might come back here tomorrow.

We also stopped at Liberty Falls. These were not big but very picturesque falls. They cascade down from a slightly wide top with small trees on rock outcroppings. The initial fall is hidden behind a large rock in the center of the river. The water falls behind the rock and splits into two forks that cascade to either side of the large rock. The water is beautifully clear. There are tent platforms, two small back in sites and two pit restrooms. There is a well but quality is not guaranteed. Beautiful little spot.

We didn’t wee many animals today. Luca thinks he saw a couple of Dall sheep near Sheep Mountain (they like the rock to replenish their calcium, yuck). Some of the others saw a moose cow and calf near Chitina but by the time I back up they were gone. We saw the bald eagles too full to fly at the fish wheels. We spied a trumpeter swan on the river nearly hidden by the reeds and down a private drive.

Grandma bought the boys milkshakes from the diner at the campground. We all ate chocolate cake for Luca’s birthday.

July 17, 2012                       Day 39/60                            Kenny Lake to Valdez, AK

Mike, Rick, and Luca left at 8 AM to go fishing at Three Mile Lake. They caught 18 trout but had to throw them all back since they were so small. Still they all had a good time.

Today’s drive was absolutely the most beautiful. It didn’t rain so we were able to see the gorgeous St. Elias, Wrangell, and Chugach Mountains. The rugged peaks contrasted with the bright white of unmelted snow. Snow that does not melt during the year but is not a glacier is called firn. You can use that in your next Scrabble game. For once the sky was mostly blue creating a wonderful backdrop for the black and white drama of the mountains. Even the glacial rivers and lakes looked bluer today.

I am not a wordsmith and feel unequal to the task of describing the fantastic beauty of the mountains and scenery.  Each turn in the highway revealed an even greater beauty than the one we just saw.

We stopped at Worthington Glacier. Sadly, it had receded a lot since my parents’ last visit when it was just outside the Visitors’ Center, now closed perhaps due to budget cuts. Mom walked out to the viewing platform and the rest of us headed to the base/terminus of the glacier (clearly visible from the platform) along the unmaintained, use at your own risk trail. The trail was clearly worn until it reached the braided creeks that led from the glacier. Here it was clear that everyone crossed the small creeks wherever they liked/were able. Once on the other side, Mike and I wandered up the steeper cliff of sedimentary rock to the glacier. Rick and the boys opted to stay on the opposite side and scramble along a shale hillside. We all met up at the glacier. Rick and the boys stepped onto the slick glacier for a picture as did Mike. I was far too afraid of falling on my bad wrist and stayed on terra firma.

On the way back to the parking area, we took a different path that led past some cairns (rock piles placed by other travelers intended to mark their presence there as well as hope for a safe journey). Dominic built one that looked like the mascot from the last Winter Olympics. We took pictures. Then we took pictures in front of the milky waterfall leading off the side of the glacier. It was a nice stop.

From here, the highway winds up through Thompson Pass (2,771 feet), one of the snowiest places in the world. One season they got over 900 feet of snow! The mountains are gorgeous. We came around a corner and found ourselves surrounded by mountains with snowy peaks. They stretched as far as we could see in every direction, seemingly without end, like a fun house mirror. We wound down through Keystone Canyon. We stopped for a quick picture at Bridal Veil Falls and its neighbor Horsetail Falls.

Once through the canyon, more glaciated mountains surrounded the valley that ended at the water at Port Valdez which leads to Prince William Sound. We were delighted to see that our campground was right across from the small boat harbor and walking distance to many other shops.

It is hard to believe that the 93-mile trip took us a little more than four hours. Our stop at the glacier accounted for maybe an hour. The rest of the time were little stops here and there to admire and appreciate the views (and record them for all time on multiple cameras and cell phones).

After a quick dinner, we headed over to Dayville Road.  This road leads to a fish hatchery and wonderful fishing and wildlife viewing in the 13-mile-long estuary at the head of Valdez Arm. We saw several bald eagles and finally some water mammals. We watched sea otters on their backs eating heartily from freshly caught salmon while fending off the annoying sea gulls eager to steal a treat. We saw huge Stellar sea lions rise up out of the water nearly breaching triumphantly with big salmon which they shook violently before swallowing in a single gulp. The fish were so thick at the shoreline it seemed as if you could walk on them or at the very least reach out and grab them (not allowed, by the way).

Mike and Rick were eager to get some fishing so they took the Suburban and went to get gear and the truck in case some of us wanted to leave. No way, the wildlife was more interesting to watch than anything else we could be doing.

While they were gone, Luca needed a restroom and we were told there was one in the far parking lot. I sent the boys off as buddies to find it. Only a few minutes later, Luca came running toward me along the shore path yelling, “Grizzly, Mom, Grizzly!” So much went through my mind in a short time – where is Dominic, why are you running, you aren’t supposed to run, grizzlies see that as prey, can I still get a picture….Dominic was fine. The grizzlies were gone. I didn’t get a picture. The boys saw the sow bear with three of her four cubs. She was crossing the road with a fish in her mouth and scrambled up a cliff out of view.

The guys returned and fished for a few hours until about 9 PM when the fish stopped running in great numbers.  Together they caught 10 pink salmon. Luca and Rick each caught 2. Dominic worked on his technique but doesn’t seem to enjoy fishing as much, didn’t catch any, and soon stopped to enjoy the wildlife. The guys were all excited. They took their catch to a local business to get it cut, sealed, frozen and held for later shipment. The ten fish together weighed 47 lbs.!

We celebrated a wonderful day with soft serve ice cream from the place across the street from our trailers and the rest of the chocolate cake.

July 18, 2012                       Day 40/60                            Valdez, AK

Today was about fishing. While Mike and Rick prepared to go fishing, Mom and I took the boys to an everything shop to look around. It was part thrift/consignment store, part general store with new items from shoes to baby homemade baby blankets to Alaska souvenirs. Mom bought a hat to keep warm at the fishing spot and Luca found a book.

By the time we were done, the men were eager to get a good fishing spot for high tide. High tide wasn’t for 3 hours but they were excited. Mike, Rick, and Luca headed out Dayville Road while Mom, Dominic and I explored the small boat harbor and adjacent shops. This didn’t take long. I fed Dominic a good lunch so he would be all set to fish. He hadn’t had much luck with the salmon yesterday and Rick really wanted him to catch one.

There were only about 3 other cars in the fishing area when we arrived. I guess everyone comes in the evening in hopes of seeing the bears. Mom and I went for a walk down by the fishery to see the fish weir. The weir is put in place during the spawning season to limit the number of fish who get into the fish ladder to return to the fishery/hatchery to spawn. They produce so many fish here that it would be impossible to keep up with the numbers if they were all allowed in to spawn. Mom wondered if some of them spawn on the rocks along the shoreline anyway once they don’t make it through the weir.

The concrete path to the viewing area had bear prints in it. Some bear must have walked through the not-quite-dry concrete.

Mom and I watched the wildlife in the estuary. However, the seals, sea lions and otters stayed farther out this time since the salmon were not running in great numbers yet. Even so, the guys quickly caught their limit. Luca got fish-slapped while helping to net them. The men decided to fillet these themselves to save a little money. The small boat harbor has a public fish table area where anyone can clean fish. I went back to the trailer to get grocery bags for the fillets and a Ziploc for tonight’s dinner. Rick said several tourists stopped by to watch and talk. 

We had an early dinner so that we could get back over to Dayville Drive at low tide to look for some lures that got lost on snags earlier. Once we arrived at the fishing spot, the guys set about looking for lures. They had lost 3 but found 5! Mom, the boys and I headed over to the fishery to see if the grizzly had come by yet. We got what we thought would be good viewing seats near a concrete k-rail. A couple who had been here all week said the grizzly usually crossed the road near the k-rail to fish in the area nearer the weir.  Tonight she actually crossed much farther down the road and we almost missed her. She and her 4 cubs we feeding on a section we couldn’t see from the bridge. We didn’t want to get to close in case she decided to head back to the road. We saw a large group of people on the rocky shore taking pictures. The couple we talked to described the crowds on previous days. They cheered when the sow caught a fish, approached the area where she was fishing with a small dog, blocked her way with their cars to get a picture….That is not cool! We waited on the sidewalk near the hatchery buildings but not near an opening so that she would not come out where we were. Law and common sense says to stay 300 yards away from bears. We were rewarded for our patience when the sow and her cubs crossed right in front of us. It wasn’t quite 300 yards but she didn’t seem bothered by our small group. It was very exciting to see the bears.

The guys had left the cooler at the processing plant and Mike having caught his limit again headed back to get it. Rick worked with Dominic and Luca to help them catch some fish. Dominic ended up catching 3 salmon and felt pretty good about fishing again. Luca also caught 3 but one was small so they threw it back. By this time, Mike returned and snagged another for our limit. This time the guys dropped all the fish off to be processed. We now have 3 orders in their freezer and will split them in two for shipment home.

I headed out to Safeway for milk and supplies. We also had to exchange the fish shipping box that Mike bought earlier. The boats had just come in for the night so the place was pretty busy. I returned the small box and while I shopped the lines died down so there was no waiting once I was ready.

We decided to stay another day in Valdez. It is so beautiful here. We won’t fish but just hike, enjoy the scenery, and maybe even see the bears again.

Yay!

July 13, 2012                       Day 35/60                            Seward to Anchorage, AK

On today’s drive we retraced our route along the Seward Highway around Turnagain Arm and back to Anchorage. The mountains in Seward were “peaking” out from behind the clouds giving us gorgeous dramatic glimpses. Though it didn’t rain, the clouds were obscuring the views for most of the drive. We did stop at a beautiful meadow of purple lupines with a braided river and scraggly peaks in the background. Rick and I just had to stop for a few pictures of the mountains reflecting in Kenai Lake.

When we got to Turnagain Arm, the tide was out making for a very different scene than when we drove it previously. First of all, the clouds hid most of the mountain vistas. The tides here can change by 30 feet. Most of the Arm looked like tidal mud flats and the guide books warn about dangerous quicksand in the Arm. Imagine the surprise of the first people to navigate this by boat. Maybe they headed in on a nice full tide thinking they would find a river or beach at the other end. Then the tides change and their boat is stuck in the mud. So they jump out thinking they will give it a tug to the deeper water. Now they are in quicksand. Yikes. So glad we are driving safely around it.

I did see about 6 Dall sheep on the side of the highway in a little valley next to the road but we were traveling too fast to see them well or get a picture. Just another moment to remember. Dominic also saw a cow moose on the side of the freeway as we entered Anchorage.

We arrived in Anchorage at our previous campground at lunch time but we want to get to the Native hospital before the gift shop closes at 2. This gift shop carries items made by local indigenous people and the gift shop only keep s 20% of the purchase price. I found a couple of gifts and Dominic picked up a trinket for himself. Mom and Mike bought a mask from a Native lady who was sitting in the shop with her items. Currently, the shop allows them to sell their own items from this table and keep 100% of the purchase. She said her 88 year old mother made the mask from caribou hide and assorted furs.

Off to a late lunch at the Falafel King. As I mentioned earlier, this is a Middle Eastern restaurant run by a couple from Mike’s home town. Ok, restaurant is too big a term. It is a kitchen with a counter and maybe seating for 8 inside. There were already 4 people when we got there. Immediately, Mike and Aviva start speaking Hebrew so I miss some of what is happening. It turns out that the other customers are also from Haifa. The cook/owner is all by herself and she handles the kitchen with authority. She is going to make it her way and fresh and you can just wait. We ordered falafel plate for Rick and the boys and I split a grilled chicken plate (diced breast of chicken with cabbage, onions, and tomatoes all grilled with turmeric and other secrets) and schnitzel (pounded and breaded chicken breast boiled in oil) and a side of home cut fresh fries. It was all delicious and the boys were both good about trying new items. The pita bread was freshly made and fluffy too. The portions were huge.  It is an awesome place to eat and I highly recommend it. Tell her Mike from Haifa sent you.

After lunch we headed over to the Base Exchange and commissary. The boys and I found great shoe/boot bargains. Rick and Mike got haircuts. We got some groceries. It was mostly mundane stuff. Once we were back at the trailer, no one was hungry. I put off dinner until 8 PM and we just ate leftovers and pasta. We all stayed up too late. It was after 11 when we got the lights out.

July 14, 2012                       Day 36/60                            Anchorage, AK

Our plan today was to go to an outdoor market that is somewhat like our own Art and Wine Festival. The Milepost says it has over 300 booths and 30 of them are food stalls. I am still searching for native Alaskan gifts for loved ones so I was really looking forward to this market.

First, we took care of some phone calls lining up our next cat sitter. Cousin Karen from Cleveland and her husband Dave (no alliteration) must head back for Karen’s son’s birthday. While calling Karen to check that she had indeed heard from our next sitter, we got some bad news about Rick’s car. They had our permission to use it while in Millbrae and had taken it to the Winchester House in San Jose. On their return, someone ran a light and hit them. . I should start by telling you that everyone is ok and that really is the important thing. There is a police report but no one was given a summons/ticket as there were no independent witnesses. We are waiting for an email from Karen and Dave so that we can contact our insurance company before we leave Anchorage. I am so glad everyone is ok but this is really a negative intrusion into our vacation. Don’t you hate how life does that to you sometimes?

Nothing to be done until we get the email so off we go to the market. There are many stalls but a lot of the stuff is just like you would find at the Art and Wine Festival and not specific to Alaska. However, there were some stalls with nice Alaska items. I was glad to see that I got a better price and quality on the items I bought at the hospital. Rick found some knives for himself and the boys. My mom found a beautiful glass plate. All I got was some shelf-stable smoked salmon for my dad and his wife. Nothing spoke to me. Nothing was just right. Sure there were things my loved ones might like, but they didn’t say ALASKA. Not literally because there were plenty of things that said, “ALASKA.” There were mugs, t-shirts, and souvenirs of all types. But they weren’t what I wanted for my loved ones. You can all thank me later for not getting your child the carved wooden frog that croaks realistically when a wooden stick is rubbed on its back. Sure it is cool the first 50 times. After that, kind of annoying.

Time for lunch: The boys had cinnamon buns (not world famous, not as big as their heads, but pretty good). Rick had a buffalo brat and I had a reindeer dog with grilled onions. For dessert, I had Alaskan fry bread. In case you aren’t aware, my mom’s second husband was a professor of Native American Studies at Cal State Fullerton. I spent part of my childhood going to various Native American gatherings. I developed a fondness for Navajo Fry Bread. Who wouldn’t love dough flattened like an individual pizza and fried in hot oil before being covered in powdered sugar? Of course, you can have savory fry bread too. It makes good tacos. As I mentioned earlier, the Navajo people are related to native Alaskans and the fry bread was just like I remembered it. I let the boys have generous bites too.

The market was close to the Ship Creek Salmon Viewing area so we gave it a try. Someone forgot to tell the salmon as it was devoid of fish again. Nothing new at the Ulu factory either. Mike and Rick found a tangle of fish line and hooks which they cut the hooks out of, so it was not for nothing.

Back at the trailer, Rick found a few fishing spots to try so he and Mike took the boys for another try. I stayed behind to do laundry and make beds, which is not easy in the trailer. I also got to read, relax, and even nap a little.

The guys didn’t catch any fish. They all ate more salmon for dinner.  And it rained. I am trying to remember the last time we had a day without at least a little rain. Can’t.

July 15, 2012                       Day 37                   Anchorage, AK

Today it rained….again. The area outside the trailer was starting to look like a small lake. The water sandals I had put outside safely tucked under the trailer to dry were nearly underwater. It was a good day for indoor activities.

We went back to the Anchorage Museum to see the floors we didn’t get to last week. Again, it was nice to get in free using the reciprocal agreement program with Coyote Point. On the second floor, there were wonderful native artifacts including clothing, weapons, tools, etc. There were video panels showing the oral histories of the various native groups. I could have sat there all day listening to the people tell the stories told to them by their elders, their memories, their hopes for the future….

The third floor had some very strange art that none of us are sophisticated enough to understand. There was a video loop of snow falling on a palm tree and corner of a building in Rome. There was a video loop of someone obscured by darkness of winter opening and closing the lid of a dumpster. It made an eerie creaky sound. There were examples of modern and print media too. We didn’t see anything that made us say, “Now that is art.”

On the fourth floor, we saw gorgeous black and white photos of the Alaskan mountains taken over the years by _________Washburn. He was a pioneer in the exploration of Alaska and worked in many mountainous areas of the United States to preserve the wonders of our country. His wife Barbara was the first woman to summit Mt. McKinley with his support.  He used to take his photos while hanging out of a small airplane. His images were dramatic and balanced.

We had to spend a little time back in the Imaginarium area but this time there were a lot more families with small children and it was hard to get time at the various stations. I enjoyed watching Rick teach the other parents and kids a technique for making big bubbles. The kids oohed and aahed. We heard later from Mike that they had a python out in the other room but we missed it.

After a quick lunch, the DiMaios headed off to the water park once again. Again no waivers. Rick and I joined the boys in the water this time. After a float around the lazy river, Rick and I lined up for the orange slide. While waiting we watched people’s techniques so as to plan our approach for maximum speed and enjoyment. The girl in front of Rick sat up and that seemed to slow her to a crawl at times. It was certainly better to lie down. It seemed better to fully launch yourself from the start. Rick went first and while he slowed at some of the sections, he had a good ride. I was up next. With my bad wrist, I was not able to launch myself down the slide. As a result, I slowed to a near stop at some sections of the slide. I was forced to sit up so I could use my hand to push myself to the next section. Oh the embarrassment.

The boys were certain they didn’t want to go down the Master Blaster (MB) slide this time. Rick really wanted to go and two people are required for the slide. Although I was worried about hurting my wrist, I, too, wanted to try the slide at least once. We stood on-line to get a two-person tube and climbed up the stairs. A few words about the 50 stairs – they are tall steps, each rise was much higher than the average step in any home; they are steep, far steeper than any steps, anywhere; and there are 50 of them. I had just gone up them in order to “enjoy” the orange slide. I was a little out of breath and my knee was clicking when I reached the top, very glad indeed that Rick had carried the tube.

There was no line for the MB. Rick placed our tube in the water behind the guardrail. The boys had warned us to keep our butts up in the tube to avoid slamming them into the slide when we landed after the jumps. Easier said than done when I realized that I would be in front with Rick’s muscular legs thrown over my shoulders pushing me down into the tube. My plan to hold on mostly with my good left hand also went out the window on the first downhill section. In order to keep my butt up in the tube and not fly off the tube, I was forced to hold on with both hands. After the first steep downhill, a blast of water propelled us over another rise and we flew down another hill into darkness and curves in an enclosed section. There may have been one more jump and then the final jump out the bottom of the tube. It was exhilarating! We loved it. Sadly, I couldn’t risk hurting my wrist, so I had to be satisfied with the one trip on the slide.  Too bad for Rick as it is a two-person slide and neither boy seemed to want to go. It is not like he could go with a stranger, not with the whole “legs over the shoulders” thing. At least at ski resorts, there is a system for handling “singles.” Here, no such luck.

I spent the rest of the time floating around the lazy river with only one side trip to the wave pool (so-so) and the hot tub (HOT). Along the lazy river, there are a few waterfalls that blast water directly down on those floating by. These are not gentle waterfalls. They pound you with water. They were fun a few times, but you want to know they are coming and prepare for the onslaught of water. Except for these waterfalls and the numerous kids enjoying the water park, I could have floated head first on my back around the lazy river all day. I liked the quiet swishing sound of the water and the patterns of the roof as I floated by underneath (except for the extra-large fan, that made me dizzy). I had to settle for using a large inner tube. I sat on top for a while but that got too cold. I got in the middle of the tube and threw my upper body over the tube. This worked for a bit until my shoulders ached from the angle. The key was to change it up from time to time.

As with last time, Luca seemed happy to go down the orange slide and around the lazy river. When we told Dominic that we would be getting in the water this time, he said, “No offense, but I can’t be seen hanging around with my parents.” I get it. He’s a teen. Therefore, I was very happy he decided to try the Master Blaster with Rick. He liked it enough to go many more times with Rick. Everyone was happy.

We didn’t last 4 hours this time, only 3. It was still worth it. We ate dinner at the Falafel King again. Mike had phoned in the order and got there a few minutes ahead of us to reserve the tables. It is not a big place. Aviva and Mike chatted with the lady in Hebrew. Her son came in to help cook. His wife had a baby last night so I was amazed he was there. Such is the way in family businesses. The owner told personal stories in Hebrew which Mike and Aviva later translated. I was glad to get the abridged version. They were very personal, too much information stories.

From here, we said good-bye to Aviva. She was headed to the airport for her flight to Dallas and on to Miami. She would not arrive until 11:30 AM or something.

We got groceries. We had to go to two stores just to find nonfat milk. The local Safeway didn’t have any nonfat milk. I expect this in little towns with little stores far from the main hubs of commerce. This was a big store in Anchorage. We also picked up a chocolate birthday cake for Luca who will be 11 tomorrow.

Seward, AK

July 11, 2012                       Day 33/60                            Soldotna to Seward, AK

As it turns out, the guys did not catch anything on their guided trip on the Kenai River. Ok, that isn’t strictly true. This is the way I heard it….Luca and rick had been tangling their lines the whole trip so it was not surprising that it happened again on the last cast of the trip. As they untangled their lines, Rick’s line fell below the water line. When he pulled it up, there was a small rainbow trout on the hook! I can only imagine the looks on their faces to see this fish so effortlessly caught after a whole afternoon of fishing for salmon. Rick decided to throw the guy back.

Today was a short drive day, only about 100 miles. We took the Sterling Highway to the Seward Highway. The weather started out ok but soon turned dark and rainy. We didn’t see much on the drive but an occasional view of the glacier blue Kenai River or lake. We stopped at Tern Lake at the junction of the highways in hopes of seeing some wildlife but only saw some gulls and artic terns.

When we checked into the Air Force Campground in Seward, we heard that people were catching red salmon over “across the bay.” Well, that is all Rick and Mike needed to hear. After lunch, they headed out to see what they could catch. The rest of us went to the Alaska Sea Life Center. It is a nice small aquarium but also has rehabilitating animals and rescued animals that can’t be released. It is located on Resurrection bay but it was too cold and rainy to stand outside to admire the view or look for belugas or sea otters. They have three indoor/outdoor areas – 1 for birds like puffins and ducks, 1 for sea lions, and 1 for harbor seals. The birds were very tame and not at all concerned that we were in their enclosure. There wasn’t even a divider to keep the birds and guests separate. There was an aquarium employee to make sure we all interacted appropriately though. One of the sea lions posed very nicely with an over the shoulder glance followed by a very full yawn. This I caught on film.

After the center, we went a few blocks over to a small shopping block (could have been “old town”). We went in and out of several of the shops designed to separate the cruise ship passengers from their money. There wasn’t a cruise ship in town so we did our best to support the local economy. Without the crowds form the cruise, the shop people were very attentive.

Rick and Mike returned home empty handed again. They were undeterred, however, and were eager to return at high tide when the fish were said to be in high quantity. So after Rick’s delicious chicken dinner, they headed back out to try again. They left just before 7 PM for the 8 PM high tide. We didn’t hear or see them until 10:30 when they arrived back at the trailers. Rick had caught 2 salmon! One was probably a silver salmon and the other may have been a chum (dog) salmon. Even though the boys were already in their pjs, they wanted to watch Rick clean the huge fish. They put rain gear on over the pjs and headed out. They returned too quickly as the fish station building in camp was closed for the night. Mike drove Rick back down to the beach to clean the fish. It was a late night for all with the excitement and added noise of Rick getting ready for bed. Then I didn’t sleep well due to my cough. Rick probably didn’t either. There is just nowhere to go with a noisy cough in a 26 foot trailer. (Yes, I took a cough suppressant, propped myself on every pillow I could find, hydrated, and did all the other things Kaiser’s website recommends.)

Rick and Mike plan to head out for the morning high tide at 9 AM (well, get there at 8 for the high tide at 9). The rest of us are sleeping in a bit.

July 12, 2012                                       Day 34/60                            Seward, AK

Mike and Rick left about 8 AM for more fishing. While they were gone, we slept in and had a leisurely morning. About 10 AM, we decided to walk over to the Army RV Park across the street to check out their gift shop. It wasn’t much so we headed back to the trailer. When we got there, Rick and Mike had returned each having caught a good sized red salmon. They each had a big smile on their faces. It was nice to see. They cleaned these in the fish house. We were all so happy that they finally had caught something.

After lunch we went to Exit Glacier. It was a long walk out to the edge of the glacier with some ups and downs in the trail. I was worried about my mom as her knees have really been bothering her. Mike helped her along and she was determined to go all the way to the edge. Beginning on the road in to the glacier, there were signs displaying a year (1869, for example) showing the glacier’s location in that year. There were pretty little flowers all along the trail too. We couldn’t touch the glacier itself but we could see the gorgeous blue coloring in some places. On the rocks on the trail we could see where the glacier had scraped the rocks. Far away on the hillside we saw a black bear.

After the hike we went to the harbor area in search of snacks and sea otters. We found snacks for everyone, expensive tourist shops, but not otters. A group had just come in from a fishing trip and their catch was hung up for the obligatory photo op. Other tourist stopped to check out the catch (us included). The next thing you know a guy is proposing to his girl in front of the fish they caught. She said yes. Not being a fan of fish or fishing myself, I had a hard time seeing the romance in this, but she seemed very happy.

Rick made some of the salmon for dinner. The boys and I had leftovers. Then Mike and Rick went for one last fishing attempt in Seward. They returned empty-handed. Everyone enjoyed nice, long, hot showers in the camp shower facility.

Maybe it was the hike, or the shower, or the medicine is finally working. Whatever it was, I finally got a good night sleep. No coughing. Felt awesome.

Up to Day 32

July 6, 2012                         Day 28/60                            Anchorage, AK

I didn’t get a chance to blog about yesterday so this will be a two-fer.

Yesterday was a non-tourist day. We did our shopping. Ok, it wasn’t exactly normal. We did our shopping at the BX/PX on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Usually, the base pricing is much better than what you would spend if you bought the same item “on the economy.” This was not the case here. Milk was actually cheaper at the local Fred Meyer or Walgreen’s.

After lunch in our separate trailers, we went to see “Brave” at the local theater. This was a very nice new stadium, deluxe-style theater. The seats slightly reclined and the balcony was much higher than in our local theaters. It was so comfy that, you guessed it, I fell asleep and missed a crucial part of the movie. See just like at home. What I saw of the movie, I enjoyed. Good film for the whole family – all 3 generations.

It was only about 4 when the movie got out so we decided to see a few sights. First, we drove to the Earthquake Park. In the 1960s, Alaska had a huge (9+) earthquake. Mike was stationed here but left right before the quake. Earthquake Park shows how the earthquake impacted the local area. The ground is 30 feet higher on one side of the fault line. The trees have grown up now so it is harder to see the dramatic cliff but the area was beautiful. We could see the mud flats on the Cook’s Inlet. The mosquitos were out and biting so we didn’t linger.

After several wrong turns, we found our way to the Ships Creek Salmon viewing area. One problem, there weren’t any fish. We ducked into the Ulu factory gift shop and bought a few things. Not a single ulu though. Ulus are special curved-blade knives.

Today we went back to tourist mode. Rick and I took the boys to Thunderbird Falls in an area called Eagle River just out of town (technically it is still in the municipality of Anchorage). We took a 2 mile round trip hike to see Thunderbird Falls. It was not a strenuous hike but not completely flat either. There were also the mosquitos to deal with. It was a pretty waterfall but we decided not to take the creek trail.

We stopped at the Wal-Mart for some quick shopping. We didn’t find what we were looking for. Costco for lunch (ATM and gelato were so convenient).

Dominic and I went to look for a native art gift shop at the local hospital. All we found was a typical hospital gift shop. We later found out we were at the wrong hospital. We will have to go when we pass back through Anchorage.

The highlight of the day was the H2Oasis Water Park. It is an all indoor water park with slides, fountains, a wave pool, and a lazy river. It was not cheap so Rick and I had decided not to join the boys but watch them from the viewing deck.  We didn’t have to sign a waiver or anything. Just pay your money, stay on premises for any kid under 12, and you’re good to go. It looked like so much fun. I quickly regretted not bringing my suit along. The boys swam for over 4 hours! The water and air were a balmy 84 degrees. They both really liked the Body Slide and at least they tried the Master Blaster (way too intense). They made a few friends in the way that kids do - someone to talk to and slide with but never really sure of their names. We certainly got our money’s worth. We will try to go here again when we swing through town.

Mike’s sister, Aviva, flew in from Florida to join us for few days. I hadn’t seen her since before Luca was born. Tomorrow we are off to Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula.

July 7, 2012                         Day 29/60                            Anchorage to Soldotna, AK

Today had to be one of the prettiest drives I have ever done. We headed south and east out of Anchorage so that we could go around the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet. Huge mountains frosted here and there with snow or glaciers appeared to rise up out of the water.  Jagged peaks reached for the sky willing themselves to push up through the gathering clouds.

We stopped at Beluga Point to see if we could spot any. Rick with tremendous patience, eagle eyes developed over years of wildlife spotting and, oh yeah, a spotting scope was able to spot one. Luca may have been able to see it after Rick told him, but I never saw it. The water in this part is choppy in the center and we were even with the water making it very difficult to see the bobbing heads. They don’t have dorsal fins and don’t surface the same as other whales.

We saw a dall sheep sure-footedly making its way up the sheer cliff on the opposite side of the highway. We had time for a quick photo. The thermometer said 58 but the cold wind made it seem colder. Little did we know this was the beginning of the bad weather.

We turned off Seward Highway to head for Portage. There were many glaciers high in the mountains here. We didn’t stop to take photos thinking we would stop on the way back to the highway. We made a quick stop at the visitors’ center for bathrooms and photos with the iceberg (glacier calf) in the lake outside. It was so perfectly placed. We joked that it was placed there by someone wishing to promote tourism in the area. “See glacial blue icebergs right outside our doors.” We also saw a bald eagle soaring above the cliffs behind the center. I managed a few blurry pictures. By now the cold rain had started so we didn’t linger. Instead, we left the big trailer and disconnected our trailer. We all pile into our Suburban for a side trip to Whittier on Prince William Sound.

To get to Whittier, one has to go through a2.5 mile tunnel through the mountain. As tunnels go, it is unique in that it has only one lane so cars have to take turns going through. There is a published schedule for the direction. For example, cars will go from Portage to Whittier from 9 to 9:15 and from Whittier to Portage from 9:15 to 9:30. Oh, and they also share the tunnel with a train. I am not sure when the train runs through but no cars would be able to go at this time. I think they called the town Portage because this is where they would have to carry items over the mountain to Whittier. The tunnel made delivery by train possible.

We were excited to see an old friend when we arrived in Whittier. Last year we cruised to Alaska on the Sapphire Princess with Rick’s family. There she was at the dock in Whittier! We were flooded with fabulous memories of that trip and good times with family. According to Mom and Mike, the town has changed a little now that the cruise ships stop here. There are a few more places to shop and eat. The road is paved. Things like that. However, there are still large abandoned condo buildings that look like something out of cold was Russia or “Falling Skies.”

It is still raining so we decide not to explore but stop for lunch at China Sea. It has a buffet (which all the adults eat) and chicken nuggets for Luca. Dominic ate a huge bowl of Beef Chow Mein. We had a couple of booths with a few of the harbor. We hit a gift shop before heading back to the car and through the tunnel to get the trailers.

We couldn’t take any pictures on the way back to Seward Highway as the clouds had completely covered the tops of the mountains. We saw a bald eagle sitting majestically at the top of a dead tree. We came up on it so fast that I couldn’t get a picture.

We turned off Seward Highway and on to Sterling Highway (so appropriate for the beauty of the area and because my mom’s last name is Sterling, but actually named for the town of Sterling).On the way to Soldotna we passed gorgeous lakes and river. They were not the milky white of the glacier waters we saw in the Yukon. Now they were the familiar glacier blue that we had seen in Glacier National Park years ago. 

July 8, 2012                         Day 30/60                            Day Trip to Ninilchik and Homer

The DiMaios were a little slow to get going today which gave Mike time to consult the tide schedules. Good thing too because he found out that it would be low tide in Ninilchik today and then not again until the 17^th. So after a quick trip to the Visitors’ Center across the highway and the tackle shop right next to the campground, we headed to Ninilchik for clamming.

It was a beautiful drive on a two lane highway (still the Sterling). Not much wildlife but wildflowers and trees lined the road. We explored a few different sights looking for a clamming spot. We found an area near the harbor in Ninilchik that we liked but it was not negative tide yet so we went for lunch. There aren’t too many choices in the area. We briefly thought about supporting the senior center in town. They were having a BBQ “fun-raiser.” However, it was a small outside tent situation and not much for Luca. We settled on a small family diner and arrived as they were switching from their breakfast to lunch menu which is apparently a big deal for them as it took us a while to get served.

The ladies’ restroom had something I have never seen before and can’t understand. It was a single room with two side by side toilets with no divider. I can’t imagine how this came to be, why it came to be, or the usefulness of such a set up. Thinking back I should have asked the waitress.

After lunch we went back to the harbor and suited up for clamming. Mike and Rick have fishing waders that include boots and waterproof protectors up to the chest. The boys have waterproof pants and galoshes. Luca’s are a bit too big and Dominic’s are really Rick’s and about 3 sizes too big. I am wearing scout pants and rain boots. Clothing is very important as we are about to enter the tidal mud flats. It is goopy and sloppy and impossible to walk through. Mom and Aviva have shore duty for today’s adventure. Our goal is the elusive razor clam. You should know that I don’t eat any seafood of any kind and don’t like the smell, but it is about the experience.

Mike had done clamming here on a previous trip with friends and his grandsons, Chase and Blake. He took off to look for little air bubbles that indicate a clam is under the muck. The boys and I struggled to get through the mud that at times came within 3 inches of the top of my boots. Then as I tried to take a step, my foot would start to slide out of my boot. Visions of “Dirty Jobs” footage of Mike Rowe collapsing in muck as he goes clamming…. We eventually get to a more hard packed area and the boys head off to catch up with Mike. I wait for Rick who was last to gear up. Rick and I struggle through the mud toward Mike and the boys. However, now the boys are heading away from Mike and back towards us. Horrible timing. They need the restroom. Rick walks them back to land and the pit toilets at the parking area. (The muck made this a 20 minute process.) I eventually catch up with Mike who is now headed the other way on the beach. We walk together for a bit looking for the bubbles. Mike seems to be effortlessly gliding atop the muck. Before I can ask his secret, he is way ahead of me again. With each step I am sinking up to the middle of my boot and have to use put my finger through the loop of my boot to pull myself out. If I pull too hard, I have to twist my back in an effort not to fall into the mud. I looked like Elaine from “Seinfeld’ doing her funky dance.  And then, it starts to rain. Not a hard rain, but there are ominous clouds and there are at least 50 yards of clinging muck between me and the shore. Mike is now about ¼ mile down the beach and can’t hear me. I decided to head for shore.

When I arrive, Rick and the boys have returned from the bathrooms. Mike is so far away that we can barely distinguish him from the other clammers. The boys decide not to go back out. We busied ourselves watching the many bald eagles on the beach (yes, right on the beach not 10 feet away!) eating fish carcasses left behind on the beach.

From here we headed further out the peninsula to Homer. Part of the town and harbor is built on a spit jutting out into the water. The best part was the beautiful view of the volcanoes on the Aleutian peninsula across the water.

On the drive back from the spit (this part reminded me of Santa Cruz’s pier full of little cottages offering trinkets and food to the tourists), we stopped at the Islands and Oceans Visitor Center. I got a few things from the gift shop. Our next stop was in Anchor Point – the furthest west highway point in the US. We failed to make a turn but that is ok because we saw a moose and her twin calves. They ran off before their Kodak moment.

When we finally made our way to the parking area, there wasn’t any indication that we had found our destination yet it had to be. We parked and walked down to the beach to see even more bald eagles feasting on dead fish parts. They were remarkably calm about having humans so close. By our estimate we saw more than 2 dozen bald eagles just today! On the cliff above the beach we noticed the sign we had been looking for and took our photos.

After we got back to the trailers, we had to clean off the mucky clothing. We used the outside shower to hose down the water proof items as best we could. The boys’ pants and sweatshirts went into the wash. Two loads later, I could still smell the low-tide smell. No one else can smell the odor. I felt like Lady Macbeth who couldn’t wash the blood out.

The whole day I had been dealing with a dry cough and I was exhausted from the day’s activities. Rick, Mike and Dominic headed off for some late fishing (9 PM, still light out). They didn’t catch anything but neither did any of the other fishermen there.  I didn’t sleep well and at 1:30 AM finally gave up and put a cough drop in. I slept until 6:40.

July 9, 2012                         Day 31/60                            Soldotna, AK

Today we went to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Center. It had a few displays and some information about the refuge which is just huge. Luca did a Junior Ranger type activity and was rewarded with a promotional button. In the parking area, Dominic spotted a snowshoe hare sitting very still nearby hoping we a) wouldn’t see it and b) were not a threat. I guess it determined we were not a threat as he hopped about to find some tasty grass.

We started out on a ¾ mile stroll to Headquarters Lake on the Keen-Eye Nature Trail. However, the trail head was not clearly marked so we actually took the ¼ mile Keen-Eye Wheelchair-Access Nature Trail past a relocated homestead cabin and opted to loop back on the other trail making a 1 mile walk. The lake was beautiful, but shallow (insert your joke here). Only small fish survive in the shallow lake so not many birds are attracted to the area. We did see a ptarmigan (Alaska’s wild chicken) on the path. The sun felt good on the dock of the lake but we pressed on. The return loop called the forest loop was not very interesting except that they had placed wood shavings on the path. We later learned that this was not just for the comfort of the hikers (providing a nice soft duff to walk upon) but also marks the official trail to discourage people from going astray and damaging the environment.

From here we drove to locate the guide’s house for tomorrow’s fishing expedition. It was only about 15 minutes away. Once we found it, we returned to the trailers for lunch. On the way back we stopped to pick up some “World Famous Cinnamon Buns.” The DiMaios had a quick lunch saving the buns for later. We wanted to get back to the Refuge for a Fitness Hike at Noon. We were told that it was really more of a nature hike on a 2.2 mile trail that would take about 1.5 hours. It turns out that it was really more of a concept under construction. There was a group from the local hospital (rehab, weight loss, not sure) with a leader advising them to take breaks as needed, etc. There was a group of Native women who like to participate in things at the Refuge. There was a lady who moved up here last winter form Roseville. There was also another family. Our guide looked to be about 14 but was in full ranger gear and we had talked to her on our earlier stop.

We stopped at a boot brush at the trail head to remove invasive species from our boots. I thought this was a great idea. Maybe on a larger scale with an informative sign this could be an Eagle project for some future scout. We knew from our earlier visit that the mosquitoes were plentiful so we sprayed and put on head nets. We were at the front of the group just behind the guide. She kept a good pace over the tree roots on the trail

(no wood shavings here) and the group spread out on the trail. She didn’t stop to talk often, but when she did, the guide usually had something to say about edible plants. She seemed knowledgeable but didn’t project her voice so that all could hear and didn’t stop for scat (of which there was plenty – mostly black bear), kill sites (saw a few on our earlier walk, probably hare and small bird), or dragon flies (which someone in the group stopped to photo as this was their first sighting, who doesn’t have dragon flies?). We stopped about half way to stretch (led by the hospital lady). This was interesting as we stopped in a very buggy area and only stretched our upper bodies even though our legs were doing most of the work. When we got to the fork leading down to the lake, we left the group and headed back to the parking area. We treated ourselves to mini-Blizzards at the DQ.

Back at the trailer, we waited for the others to get back from Mom’s nail appointment and trip to Fred Meyer. When they had returned, Rick, Mike, and Luca decided to go fishing. The rest of us would go in a separate car so we could enjoy the scenery and not stay the whole time. We headed out to Scout Lake but it was not what the guys were looking for since it was stocked illegally with Pike (a yucky eating fish, aren’t they all?) We checked out another site nearby but it was quite a walk to the river. Mike wanted to try lake fishing to make it easier for Luca who by now was no longer up for fishing. He jumped in the Suburban and Mike and Rick headed out to Siklak Lake. It was a long drive, beautiful spot, and no fish (this is really starting to be quite a trend). The rest of us explored Kenai Spur Road stopping at a Hobby Shop (nothing) and 2 thrift shops (nothing again) before returning to the trailers.

Rick had just called to say they would be back in about an hour when it started to rain really hard. Dominic was already in the big trailer so he stayed there for dinner and Luca, Rick, and I ate in ours. We finally got around to eating the cinnamon bun. I don’t know if it was World Famous, but it was good. I liked the cream cheese icing but it could use more cinnamon. Dominic joined us for his share of the bun and the boys watched a movie before bed.

July 10, 2012                       Day 32/60                            Day Trip to Kenai and Nikiski, AK

Today we woke to bright sunny skies but it was cold. The overnight low was supposed to be 37 degrees. It was about 44 when I woke after another night of coughing.

We went out Kenai Spur Road toward Kenai. The town is really spread out but has major retailers like Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Carl’s Jr. We go through town as our first stop is a beach with Agate that Mom had read about. It is a cold morning for beach combing but we bundle up and jump out on to the rocky beach adjacent to the Conoco plant. There is a tanker waiting to be fueled. The view of Mount Spurr across Cook Inlet is spectacular. Today there are clouds on some of the peaks, but Mount Spurr is in full view rising up from the flats on the Aleutian Peninsula.

It was too cold to stay long. After a brief drive into Nikiski we all voted to head back to Old Town Kenai, the site of the second permanent Russian settlement (1791) and an American Army fort (Fort Kenay, 1868). On the bluffs above the mouth of the Kenai River, we stopped for hot chocolates, coffees and a piece of apple pie in an old building. The lunch menu was tempting but pricey. The building had much of its original charm including very narrow steep stairs with no hand rail.  We took our refreshments in an enclosed sunroom. We viewed the Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church founded in 1846 but the current building dates to only 1896. We saw the St. Nicholas Chapel built in 1906 and named in honor of the priest and his assistant who distributed the first small pox vaccine in the area.

Then we headed back along the bridge by pass road along the Kenai River Flats to Kalifornsky Road (no, I didn’t make that up). Kalifornsky turns into Funny River Road at Sterling Highway. Our RV Park is at this intersection. After a quick lunch, all the guys head out for what we all hope will be a very successful fishing trip. We ladies headed to Fred Meyer to pick up a few supplies and gas up the Suburban. Once back at the trailer, I attempted to cover my grey roots using Nice and Easy. It was not a disaster but not an overwhelming success either. Next time, I will have to leave it on longer and buy more product.