Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

Steve’s fishing today (guided King Salmon trip) and I was going to go off exploring with Sedona, but instead decided to download and resize photos I’ve taken over the last couple of days. He’s fishing again tomorrow, and I may take the opportunity to do a little walking with Sedona in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge - which our campground is adjacent to.

The drive from Fairbanks to Palmer (our first stop) passed quickly. We made good time, and made the usual stops along the way to stretch our legs, walk Sedona, and enjoy a lunch break. I love pulling a camper behind us, as it’s nice to have a bathroom at our disposal, as well as a fully stocked refrigerator with food, snacks and drinks. This makes it possible to pull off anywhere we please, even if there are no facilities available.

We camped at Homestead RV Park in Palmer. The campground was kept impeccably, and had a lovely view of the mountains and valley. There was also a walking trail nearby (about a mile in length), which took us through some wooded areas, along paths lined with wildflowers, and near the railroad tracks. The walk itself was lovely - the mosquitoes were not. I neglected to put on my Eau de Deet before going off walking, and I suffered for it.

We were exhausted from the drive from Fairbanks, and slept late the next morning. We both woke with aching backs, however. Getting used to sleeping in a queen size bed again was a bit comical - with elbows and knees knocking into each other, and fighting over blankets. We have grown very accustomed to having a lot more space in our king at home! We’d forgotten how hard the mattress in the camper is, despite the feather bed topper. We slept fitfully at first, but then sheer exhaustion kicked in and we slept soundly. We didn’t wake until nearly 10am, and check out was at 11am!

Although we had a fairly long drive ahead of us, with the long hours of daylight, there was no reason to hurry. Our first stop was at the Turnagain Pass rest stop - a beautiful area with sweeping views of the mountains and wide open tundra. Every time I stop here, I have to take a panoramic photograph, as the scenery is best enjoyed when you can see it as you would through your own eyes. (The pano above is 1000 pixels wide)

We took Sedona for a walk, and of course she had to make a beeline for the snow piles still left from winter. She sure knows how to cool herself off when she overheats from wearing her thick fur coat.

We spent about 40 minutes there, playing ball with Sedona, taking photos, and then eating lunch.

Before leaving the rest stop, Steve told me he wasn’t going to be making any more stops before getting to Soldotna. I knew I was going to want to stop for photos at Summit Lake and then again at Tern Lake, so I decided to take Sedona in my car for company.

When I arrived at the next campground (Klondike RV Park), Steve was checking in. He told me he had only been there about 15 minutes, so even with several stops, I made good time catching up with him.

Klondike RV Park is immaculate - as in SUPER immaculate. It’s the cleanest RV park we’ve ever stayed at. AAA rated them a 9 out of 10, and the only reason they got a 9, was because they don’t have public restrooms. They have showers (very clean) and laundry facilities, but no bathrooms. Needless to say, there’s no tent camping here, and if you don’t have a functioning bathroom in your camper, you might want to go elsewhere!

The owner is a bit anal - and I suppose this trait is necessary to run such a tight ship. He gave orders as to how to park our rig - overriding my instructions to Steve on how far to back up, etc. I had to bite my tongue a time or two; I’ve been guiding Steve in parking the camper (and very well, thank you!) for 6 years and I don’t need any assistance. I later watched him do the same thing with other folks, so I didn’t take it personally. It’s his RV Park; he’s got the right to do as he pleases - but it’s a good thing I wasn’t in a travel-weary snippy mood! With all that being said, I couldn’t ask for a cleaner park. And his wife is a sweetheart. (Oh, and there’s WiFi here, which is how I’m updating)

Here are photos I took along the drive from Palmer to Soldotna:

Yesterday morning, we slept late too. It must be the cool overnight temps here. It dips into the 40s and 50s and it’s a bit chilly in the camper. We can literally feel the place warm up as the sun gets higher in the sky. Then we throw open all the windows and the door and let the cool breeze blow through.

The weather has been fabulous, with sunshine and highs in the 60s. We couldn’t ask for more pleasant weather and I hope it sticks around while Michele is visiting.

After having breakfast at Sal’s Klondike Diner (the wait staff was fabulous and friendly, but the food - particularly the hash browns - was a bit too greasy for our liking), Steve and I drove up to Captain Cook State Recreation Area. Captain Cook Rec Area is 25 miles north of the city of Kenai.

The drive was beautiful, and the purple lupine were blooming profusely along the way. In some areas the purple and yellow (dandelions) went on for as far as the eye could see. It was simply gorgeous!

We visited several areas in the park, and stopped at Stormy Lake so Steve could toss in a fishing line. He read that there were pike in the lake, but had no luck fishing from the bank. I busied myself taking photos and watching a family with many kids swimming and paddling around in inflatable canoes and on rafts. Despite the fact that it was only in the mid 60s - and I’m sure the water was freezing - the kids were having a blast.

We checked out the campgrounds in the park, and the picnic areas. Eventually we came to the end of the road, where we parked the car and walked down to the Cook Inlet beach.

Several families were down on the beach too - walking on the silty sand, playing on some of the huge rocks along the shore, even building castles with the muddy sand. One little boy was so covered with mud and dirt, that a cloud of dust came off of him with every step he took. Steve and I nicknamed him “Pigpen”, after the Charlie Brown character.

A thick fog rolled in off the inlet, enveloping people in the distance until they were obscured from view. It seemed fitting that Steve and I had just watched the movie “The Mist” (Stephen King) the night before. The fog was a little spooky in the way in which it covered things over so completely, and then thinned and dissipated. It brought very cool air with it, and I wished I had brought my sweatshirt with me.

All in all, it was a fantastic day of scenic driving, sunshine, and exploring new areas. On the way back to the campground, we drove through Old Town Kenai so I could snap a few photos. When we got back to the camper, we opted for a light dinner of salad, chased by a few glasses of wine. We were in bed early, as Steve had to get up at 4:15am this morning to make his fishing trip.

He should be home anytime, and I hope he caught himself a big salmon. He’s been looking forward to fishing for so long, and is booked with Steve McClure - a well known and respected Masterguide. He is booked with them again tomorrow. Hopefully, there’ll be two fish to show for these two trips.

Here are some photos I took at Captain Cook Rec Area, and in Old Town Kenai:

We leave Soldotna on Friday morning and will be driving back up the road to Cooper Landing. Steve plans to fish the Russian River while we’re camped up there, but he’s also going to drive back down here on the 24th to fish the Kenai again. I’ll be leaving Cooper Landing that same day to drive to Anchorage to pick up Michele. I look forward to a change of scenery and exploring more of Cooper Landing. The landscape there is stunning.

Today is the 12th anniversary of my father’s death. I thought about him when I woke up this morning. I’m not feeling too down today; I just miss him a heck of a lot. He would have loved Alaska, and I’m really sorry that he never had the opportunity to see such a spectacular place. But then again, perhaps he’s with me as I see it.

Until next time…