June 29, 2000
 

We are doing just great and are looking forward to continuing our adventure through Alaska.
We hope you enjoy the following log of our experiences since we last wrote you.

We arrived in Homer (population 4,400) on June 11th. Homer is a small maritime community on the shores of Kachemak Bay at the southwest end of the Kenai Peninsula where the Cook Inlet meets the Gulf of Alaska. The backbone of the Kenai Peninsula is the Kenai Mountain Range, which separates the lowlands and hills from the Gulf of Alaska and cradles the 1,000 square mile Harding Ice field, a trackless inland ocean of 3 million year old ice. Until the 1950's you could only access this area by boat, but now the Sterling Highway paves (note from John, this is strictly dependent on your perspective of the word "pave".  Actually, the road is pretty good except the first eight miles which is being rebuilt.  It is 10 mph road for several miles, at least in late June)  the way. Homer has a natural jetty called "The Spit" (approx. 4 to 5 miles long). The Spit is a hub of activity mostly centered around commercial and sport fishing. The boat harbor appears to be modern and well maintained. There is also a deep water dock for international freighters. A local write-up reports that there are plans to rebuild the main dock to accommodate cruise ships and state ferries.

The main draw to this area is the abundance and size of halibut and salmon. Halibut can exceed 300 pounds. We made an early decision not to fish for halibut, due to the size and the fact that we would not have enough freezer space to store it. Fishing derbies are held each summer and big money can be won. For example, the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby awards more than $100,000 in prize money. At the Chamber they had a picture of a man that caught a huge halibut on a charter, but could not clam the $23,000 prize because he did not buy a derby ticket. There are about five other derbies for less money, with four of them supporting salmon fishing.

We are trying our luck at a place called The Fishing Hole. It is a lagoon off of the main bay and is quite large. Salmon fingerlings are kept in pens floating in the Fishing Hole. Their captivity imprints the saltwater that will attract them back to The Hole as their home area. People are closely spaced around this lagoon trying to catch Kings. In some areas they are shoulder to shoulder. Yes, lines do get tangled, but everyone appears to be in good humor and they enjoy talking to each other..
People fishing at "The Hole" are from all walks of life and nationalities and that makes it all the more fun. When an angler hooks a salmon people start bringing in their lines to open a path for the person to walk with the fish down the bank. It is a thrill to watch someone land one. The salmon are quite large and they put up quite a fight. I hope we get to find out from personal experience.

We are camped at the Oceanview RV Park, which is located just above the Kachemak Bay. We have a spectacular view of the snow capped Kenai Mountains. As all other beaches in Alaska, the one just below our park is black further enhancing and partially framing the beautiful clear blue waters. Our view of the sky, mountains, water and beach looks as though it is a watercolor ever changing based on the shifting of clouds and sunlight. We have seen many bald eagles soaring over the water just below the park. What a fantastic sight.

We took a drive up the East End Road that takes you 20+ miles along the bay as you gradually gain elevation. Three glaciers are easily visible and the view of the snow capped mountains back to The Spit is just gorgeous. We saw some great log houses along the way and we saw a female moose in a persons yard. On the way back we took a three mile drive on Kachemak Drive which leads you next to the bay via a dirt road. We saw a female moose and her calf grazing just a little way from the road. The little one was so cute and he or she stayed close to mom.

There is a sizable Russian population here and it is fun to hear them speak Russian among themselves. When they talk to each other it sounds like they are raising their voices, but when they speak English their voices are not elevated at all. We talked to a Russian at The Fishing Hole and enjoyed our conversation. Some of the Russian women and their young daughters wear long dresses.

On June 14th at approximately 7:03 PM we felt another tremor. This one made the motor home move, but not bad enough or long enough to upset us. One of the ladies that runs an Internet access business here told us that they had a 6.4 on the Richter Scale not too long ago and they really felt that one, but no one was injured and none of the buildings suffered any damage.

We have found a neighborhood restaurant in every small town where the locals gather. There is always a  lot of laughter and chatter going on, along with plentiful home cooked food and deserts being offered. You can tell by their conversations that they are very much interested in each others lives and there is an obvious affection among them. Children are given a great deal of attention and enjoy the patrons. That special restaurant in Homer is the Duncan House. It has all the same wonderful qualities and contains interesting antiques throughout the building. We have been their many times over the past week. Two other restaurants in Homer come close to this atmosphere and they are the Smith Family Restaurant and the Sourdough Bakery and Cafe.

While at the campground we made very close friends with our neighbor's dog, Ivan. When I walked around the RV one day I came face to face with a huge dog about the size of a female black bear with the eyes of a wolf. I stopped dead in my tracks and called for John, since I am scared of large dogs. Well, we found out that he was a big baby and very much wanted attention. His owner told us that he is part Malamute and Wolf and that he is three and one half years old.
Ivan became a good friend and we enjoyed playing with him several times a day. At least we got our pet fix while we were there.

On June 20th we left Homer for the Soldotna/Kenai area. They are two separate towns just 8 miles apart with a combined population of almost 13,000. Soldotna and Kenai are about 148 miles and 140 miles respectively by road from Anchorage, but only 30 miles by air. Airstrips are almost everywhere you look. It is common to see small airplanes parked in peoples yards and on some roads you are warned of planes taxing on or crossing the road. It is logical that since this area is only 30 miles from Anchorage by air that individuals could live here and work in Anchorage. I would imagine that some of the flights are coming in from Anchorage and/or Fairbanks for the world renown fishing opportunities. (another note from John, Alaskans are prolific flyers.  One out of every 60 residents has a pilot's license)

While we were driving toward this area on the Sterling Highway we passed our friends the Holders headed for Homer. We have kept in touch with the Holders via E-mail and knew they were heading in the direction we had just left, but since we had been in Homer for 9 days we thought we would check out a few more communities in the direction we have to travel back toward Anchorage. We passed a moose and two calves on the side of the road just south of Soldotna.

We arrived at the Edgewater RV Park in Soldotna. We chose this campground because it is the only Coast to Coast membership park in Alaska and it only costs $6.00 per day. We paid for two days only to find out that it never did quiet down during that time. Since we needed to move anyway to a boondocking location for Amateur Radio Field Day, we decided to start searching for one. Thursday morning, June 22nd, we drove down Funny River Road that parallels the Kenai River and found the Swiftwater Campground/Airport Property. The owner, Troy, has 80 acres that he homesteaded in the fifties and invites people to dry camp there as long as they like. He only has three rules: don't block his air strip, generators can't run before 7 AM and not after
9 PM and clean up the site. John talked to Troy quite a while and found him to be very friendly. He told us to stay as long as we liked. Troy also has a Discovery motor home that he just loves and another home in Arizona. This is a perfect location for field day. We have trees in back and on two sides. John hung a dipole for 20, 15 and 10 meters.

We met folks from the Moose Head Amateur Club at the Kenai Airport on Saturday morning for breakfast. I must tell you about Susan and Bill Hatch. Bill is a librarian in Kenai. Susan is a teacher, but is currently on leave from that profession so that she can devote her time to Habitat for Humanity as the Executive Director in the Kenai. Both she and Bill were teachers for three years in the bush on the Pribilof Islands, which is north of the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea. They said they enjoyed those three years the most. The children they taught were just wonderful and life on the islands was peaceful and fun. They have been foster parents and are currently sponsoring a teenager from Czechoslovakia.  They have a home overlooking the Cook Inlet and a direct view of  Mt Redoubt, in which is only 15 miles from the inlet. They have an old Victorian home in Fredricksberg, Virginia and a home in north Captiva that they can only get to by boat. They are best friends and a joy to be with.

After breakfast we followed them to their field day site, which happened to be located at the mouth of the Kenai River with a view of Mt Redoubt. It is without a doubt the most beautiful location I have ever been to for an amateur radio gathering. John and the guys set up the antennas and tower while I took pictures and then we left so that John could operate field day from his own station in Alaska, which is something he has always wanted to do.

John had a great time operating field day (Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th). Other operators were so excited when they found out that John was in Alaska. His final contact was one where the guy needed Alaska for his last section. Some even asked  " Are you really in Alaska?". They were really funny. He also worked a guy that needed Alaska to complete all fifty states. It was everything John wanted it to be and even though propagation was bad most of the time, he made 105 contacts. After field day we met the Holders, our traveling companions, for lunch. We had not seen them for two weeks and Tommy, their 10 year old son, had grown taller in that short time. It is always great to see them.

We saw a moose on the side of the road when we were driving to town. This past winter 194 moose were killed by vehicles. We were told that the total is usually a little over 300 killed every winter and when you hit one there is no doubt at all that it was a moose. I just can't imagine the condition of the vehicle after such an accident and how the people might have faired.

On Monday, the 26th, John played golf with Bill Hatch at the Kenai Golf Course. Before they reached the second hole it had been reported that a brown bear was chasing a moose and its calf at that very hole. They did not see them, but they did see Ptarmigans and some chicks on the course.  A young fella that John was playing with had just secured a teaching job on an island in the Bering Sea. He found out about the opportunity at a job fair in the lower 48 states. There is no running water. They get their water from rain water held in cisterns. His salary starts at $40,000 per year. His housing is chosen for him. After he does duty on the island, he will have the experience he needs for his resume and can land a job inland if he so desires. They had a really good time and John bought a souvenir golf ball from the pro shop.
 

I needed some sewing items, so I went to JoAnn Fabrics in Soldotna. It is without a doubt one of the best stocked fabric and notions stores I have ever been to and the prices were very reasonable.

Later in the afternoon Bill and Lois Nelson came over for a visit. Bill is a member of the HAM radio club here. They have lived in Alaska for the last 10 years and naturally had a good perspective on the changes that have occurred since they first settled. Lois told us that after you eliminate federal, state, native and borough land there is only ½ of 1% of land available for commercial and residential use and some of that is not buildable in its present state. In just the last ten years have stores like K-Mart, Fred Meyer, Safeway Grocery Store and McDonalds and Burger King have appeared. Bill and Lois are such nice people and we plan to contact them via E-mail from time to time. We hope to see them when we visit this area again.

We met the Holders for dinner at Klondike Sal's and gave each other hugs good bye, since we may not catch up with each other again until Fairbanks or even further along in our travels. Don and Liane are reading Alaska by Michener and another book called Journey (I think) about the gold rush. Liane shared some fascinating details from  the Alaska book. They are pretty sure they felt a tremor yesterday at their RV park and that did not make Don too happy. We still hope to meet in Tok at the end of the month for the journey back to the "Outside".

We have truly enjoyed Soldotna and the Kenai area. We know we want to come back to this area and spend some more time. The Kenai River is so beautiful. We have seen it from many different angles and from a variety of elevations and it is the most beautiful blue green color. It is very fast moving and the dark green spruce and other trees enhance the color even more. You can see three prominent volcanoes and one smaller one (Mt Spur erupted in 6/92) as you drive around and the snow capped mountains linking them look like a painting. The sky is clear and the air is the absolute freshest. The eagles are very large and plentiful. To see so many in flight with their impressive wingspan is such a treat.

The Tesoro Service Stations in Soldotna and other locations in Alaska are totally accommodating to RV'rs. They have fresh water, dump stations and propane. Other gas and diesel stations have followed suit. The Fred Meyer store in Soldotna has fresh water and a dump for RV's and welcomes overnight parking. We have found that dry camping in Alaska within a park environment is usually charged at $10 to $15 per day and a camping site with full hookups usually runs $16 to $25 per day (more common at $20 to $25).

Tomorrow, June 27th, we leave for Anchorage where we will pick up the bra for the Chevy Tracker at Long Chevrolet and then at 8 AM the 28th we have to be at the Fleetwood dealer for them to change the door lock on the Discovery.

As we were getting ready to leave for Anchorage, we were watching the news from Anchorage and one story got our attention. All they said was that there was a lot of police activity at Dimond Road and Old Seward and there would be more details at noon. It turns out that there was a robbery of a credit union just down the street from Long Chevrolet and Wal-Mart, which was the two places we were headed for. The robbers ended up speeding through the Long Chevrolet parking lot and crashing through their back fence. The police and  the Crisis Intervention Response Team (sharpshooters, chaplain etc.) responded immediately and the Alaska National Guard deployed a plane with infrared sensors within 10 minutes that detected the men in the woods through changes in temperature. It was all under control when we arrived, but the people at Long Chevrolet told us all about it. They said that bank robberies are attempted in Anchorage on a consistent basis, but the people are always caught.

Our drive back to Anchorage was such a pleasure. There is just as much snow and ice on the mountains as there was 18 days ago, with a few patches still close to the road. The section of road on the Sterling Highway that was so rough on our way down to the Kenai had much improved. Since they have a short window to repair and lay new roads, the road departments work two 10 hour shifts a day at times to complete their jobs, so progress can be seen pretty quickly.

We picked up our bra for the Tracker and John installed it. It looks great and it will protect the front end of the car. The Fleetwood dealer changed the lock and Fleetwood agreed to do it under warranty even though technically it was out of warranty. They didn't even hesitate and it is a $300 item. They had also ordered a bra for the Discovery, which we picked up and John installed. Not only does it look good, but it will protect the front end. We were going to buy both bras before we started out in January of this year, but never got around to it. When we were washing the Tracker the decorative dust cover on the wheel hub came off. We think it was broken when we had the tires rotated in Vancouver, Washington. Long Chevrolet in Anchorage did not have the part but they did have it in stock in Wasilla, which is where we were going anyway. Long Chevrolet replaced the $53 part under warranty.

We are in Wasilla for the second day to pick up our mail. We stopped  and purchased Michener's "Alaska" and "Journey" at a great book store. We also took the opportunity to see Mel Gibson's new movie Patriot, which was first rate. We would see it a second time. We will just buy the DVD when it is available.

By the way, we never caught any Salmon in the Kenai. We found out that it takes an average of 36 hours of casting to get just one and the most successful way is on a charter. We think we will take a charter during our next visit to Alaska. A two week fishing license is $50 and the 7 day King Salmon stamp is $30. You are only allowed to catch two Kings per day and a maximum of five for the season. Everyone needs to verify the restrictions when they buy their license, because it varies greatly and the rules are quite complicated. We did meet a gentleman at Wal-Mart that we had talked to before and he gave us some halibut filets.

We will be leaving this area tomorrow, June 30th and head for Denali and Fairbanks.

Camping fees for June   $455 or $15 per day

Fuel for The Rolling Home   $269.26

Much more later.........