July 22 - 26: Kenai Peninsula and East on Glenn Highway

Wednesday, July 22, 2015: Captain Cook Recreation Area to Homer

Woke to cloudy skies here at the end of the road in the northwest corner of the Kenai Peninsula. I took a short walk out to the beach, but the snowy mountains across the inlet are barely visible. 

We drove south on the Kenai Spur Road without stopping at the various scenic viewpoints due to the weather back into the town of Kenai. The visitor center had great photos of the coastline mapping project, displays of native peoples, glaciers and wildlife.

It started to rain, so instead of walking around the old town of Kenai that was originally a native settlement and then a Russian trading village, we drove through the area, snapping a few photos of the Russian Orthodox church and chapel.  

We continued south on the Sterling Highway in the rain to the northern edge of Homer where we got a campground for the night.  

Thursday, July 23, 2015: Homer

Woke to partly cloudy skies, but the weather is supposed to improve over the next couple of days. We drove down to Homer spit and got a campsite next to a tiny inlet called the Fishing Hole. It has a small outlet to Katchemak Bay and the incoming tide brings in the silver salmon. We enjoyed watching the fisherfolk catching multiple good-sized salmon. Homer is known as the halibut capital because of the fishing charters that head out to the ocean to do deep sea fishing for halibut. We decided to forego a fishing trip – cold and windy on the water.  

The "Fishing Hole"

Homer spit extending into the Bay.  Our campsite is down on the last bulge.

We drove a scenic road atop a bluff overlooking the bay, the small airport (one runway) and Homer spit with views across the bay to a glacier and mountains. While there, we watched a float plane land on a lake – ok, a float plane trip needs to be added to the bucket list.  Seems like for each item I cross off, I add two!  

Fish Processors...

We checked out a few shops near the campground, enjoyed our snacks outside next to the Fishing Hole and when the tide came in, it brought a couple of harbor seals that served as our entertainment.  

RV to permanent home conversion  on Homer spit

Homer, Halibut Fishing Capitol

Seagulls everywhere

Inside one of the shops for when folks bugged them about weather forecasts

Homer loves their flowers and they need their rubber boots.  Outside one of the shops

The famous Salty Dawg Saloon

Some of the dollar bills attached to the ceiling and walls of the Salty Dawg

Small boat harbor in Homer

Two seals in the Fishing Hole

Friday, July 24, 2015: Homer to Ninilchik

Saying goodbye to Homer

Woke to beautiful clear skies and fisherfolk already leaving with strings of salmon. After breakfast, we packed up the RV, stopped at a medical clinic so I could get a prescription for a urinary tract infection, and headed back north on the Sterling Highway. Now that the weather is clear, we can enjoy the many viewpoints we passed on the way down when it was raining. Across the inlet are three volcanic mountains, one of which last spewed tons of ash in 2009, closing Anchorage airport for days. It is still wisping bits of steam, but the ground was quiet...

Wispy clouds are actually steam venting from the volcano

We decided to check out a state park on the Inlet near Anchor Point. We drove to the boat launch area and got a parking spot overlooking the beach. We watched the unique way they launch and pull out boats here – with tractors! We also were treated to three majestic bald eagles who decided to just hang out on the beach for a while. A great afternoon with binoculars and cameras.

Tractor in water waiting for boat coming in

We drove through the tiny old village of Ninilchik, where a pretty Russian Orthodox sits high on a bluff overlooking the village and Cook's Inlet. We got a campsite in the 'new' Ninikchik where I was able to catch up on laundry.

Saturday, July 25, 2015: Ninilchik to Eagle River

Woke to sunny skies in the 60's. After a nice breakfast, we packed up and continued north and east on the Sterling Highway to Soldotna. We had skipped doing much in Soldotna when we passed through here a few days before due to the rain. We stopped at the visitor center, but pretty much everything was closed in town because they were celebrating “Progress Days,” with a parade and food vendors and barbecues. The place was now double packed for the celebration and the salmon fisherfolk were still everywhere in the Kenai River. We continued on east across the Kenai peninsula and back north on the Seward Highway to Anchorage where we picked up a pizza and got a campsite 12 miles north of town in a very nice state park.

Sunday, July 26, 2015: Eagle River to Glacier View

Happy Birthday to me! Again. Jeeze, they seem to be coming faster all the time. It rained all night and is forecast to rain all day. We had a nice breakfast and I got to open my birthday present – Jack had an emerald replaced in my grandmother's diamond and emerald dinner ring.  With all the gems intact and freshly cleaned, it came out beautiful.  Great birthday present, Jack!

We got on the road mid-morning and found a place where we could both get haircuts and then a quick stop for a few groceries.

Driving east on the Glenn Highway, we took a detour to check out Hatcher Pass at just under 4,000 feet. Not super high, but still above tree line with unique alpine tundra and interesting colors of vegetation and rocks, enhanced by the cloudy day.

Hiking trail snaking up the mountain

Fields of Fireweed

Found a campsite at a lodge in the mountains with views of Matanuska Glacier with a very nice restaurant to celebrate my birthday.