We started a new routine. Bill, bless his heart, gets up early, has his coffee and makes no noise whatsoever as he checks the internet, gets caught up on the news in the world and enjoys his quiet time. He does not want to wake me up so our day doesn’t really start until I “rise and shine”. Then we are off! Our last night in Anchorage I suggested that he take his shower before I get up and he can start his outside jobs, washing the windshield and unhooking the water, sewer and electricity. (all that stuff he has to do) After his shower I would hop in and we would have everything ready to roll in record time. It worked like a charm so it may become our “new” way of getting up and going. We were on the road shortly after the wagon master who is always to lead the group.
So because of this new routine we were on the road early, I had the “Milepost” ready to make the most of anything worthwhile up ahead. Oh yes, did I mention, it’s still raining?? Still the scenery is magnificent!! Mountains, Mountains, Mountains, and now rivers and inlets into the Pacific Ocean. Kenai is a peninsula so there is water everywhere to add to the other beauty. We are told to stop at Beluga Point, a great photo op and a chance to see Beluga Whale. Do Beluga Whale hibernate? I’m thinking they might because there weren’t any out there and I was so cold I left Bill holding the camera and ran back into the motor home. So we made that stop. Chalk one up for us.
We always eat breakfast before we take off or have a granola bar with our coffee on the road. Bill thought it would be nice to stop out for breakfast, something most of the group does each day, but we had not on this trip. We did find a nice diner enroute that served a good breakfast. Bill ordered a three berry pancake (just one mind you). The pancake is supposed to cover a dinner plate, he was sure one would be enough. I was going to share my omelet with him as they are always too big. The waitress came out to tell us there was good news or bad depending on how you felt about it. But…..the pancake ended up bigger than the plate. Bill said that would be fine, just fold it over, no problem. They had to fold it in fourths to get it on the plate. He ate ½ for breakfast and the other half for a late lunch. Good breakfast stop.
The next stop was at the Kenai Peninsula Visitor Information Center. Picked up literature on the next few towns we would be entering and a brochure on the “Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. I was anxious to stop there for a look. Well, while I was looking at the “Milepost” I missed the sign and so did Bill. So, cross that one off the list!! After that there were several “gravel turnouts” for viewing and a few little shops or café’s but nothing noteworthy to stop for. So, off to the Campground at Beluga Lookout RV Park. We are really confusing the wagon masters by showing up so early to set up. LOL
THE FLOWERS HERE GROW VERY BIG. HANGING BASKETS ON THE RV OFFICE AND A LOT OF THE SHOPS ARE HUGE! BEAUTIFUL!
We walked around the park and down to the beach where there were people everywhere camping in tents and fishing in the Cook Inlet for salmon. Bill was especially amazed by this sight. We talked to some of the fisherman who explained that this is only for the Native Alaskans. It is a way for them to “subsidence” fish. As the salmon are swimming up river to spawn, the Natives are allowed to purchase a permit this one time a year to scoop them up in a huge net.
He said they had to purchase the permit at least a year in advance to reserve a spot, camping on the beach or driving onto it were extra fees. They stand side by side in the Kenai River with their nets and scoop them up. Many of them cut off their heads and gut them right on the beach. The man we took this picture of had caught 7 that day, from 8AM to 3:30PM. There was an area in our RV Park where some of them were cleaning and filleting the Salmon. It was quite a sight to see.
I did not want to stay out too long as again I was freezing! Back to the motor home for a quiet evening of cards, dinner, skype with the kids/grandkids, blogging, Band of Brothers and making plans for the next day in Kenai!
After a stop at Home Depot (who did not have what we were looking for) and the Lowes, we went to the Kenai Visitor Center to look around and take a “walking tour” of their old town.
Upside --- it had stopped raining, still cloudy and cool, but no rain. Downside --- it was the most pitiful tour I have ever taken. There were some old buildings (about 6) that were not open so we couldn’t go inside and some were actually privately owned and occupied. Good news, we had a nice walk outside. On to lunch. We were looking for a nice local pizza place, Ms Garmin (Bill calls her “Naggy”) directed us to 3 places which were no longer open for business or were carry outs only….we ended up at “Pizza Hut”, which was okay because we both like their pizza.
We needed to pick up something to share with the group for a “Snack” fellowship back at the camp. By this time it is absolutely pouring again. We headed to the closed in tent they had reserved, ate a little, visited a little and headed back to the RV….we decided we had seen all of Kenai we were going to see for the night.
Dinner in, some cards, and an episode of “Into the West”. Even though we had planned to do some hiking and stopping at areas where they “boasted” wildlife, we were happy to be safe, dry and warm in our “Home Away from Home”!
Next morning, only 88 miles to drive to Homer, Alaska. Here’s praying for the rain to abide for a while if only during the daylight hours. LOL. We may be expecting too much, I checked weather.com and it is showing rain for the next 10 days of our route. Oh well…..it is still amazing to be in Alaska!
No comments:
Post a Comment