Another Sunday is here
Trip Start
Jul 12, 2010
1
42
74
Trip End
Sep 24, 2010
Where I stayed
Centennial Campground
Soldotna, Alaska
Sunday, August 22, 2010
After lunch we went to the Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. When we got there, the video had just started based on "Alone in the Wilderness." I think I mentioned it once before when someone told us about it. It is the story of Dick Proenneke building a cabin in the wilderness using only basic hand tools. It was in the late 60's and he then lived there for 30 years, until he was in his 80's. The cabin site has been given to the Alaska State Parks and is across the bay from here. Some of the video is the original footage he had taken of himself so he could share it with others. We're hoping to see the entire video sometime.
After the video we looked around at the displays and then hiked the Centennial Trail in the Refuge. We met some people at a lookout by the lake that are with a caravan group of Airstream Campers. They remembered when the Airstream group had their national rally in Bismarck and there was a huge hailstorm. The people still call the dings that you get from hail "Bismarcks!"
I spent awhile today researching again the possibility of going to Glacier Bay National Park. I had tried previously getting reservations online at the lodge since we can't take the motorhome there. It is only accessible by ferry or air. I called today and was pleased to learn that there was a room with a view available for 3 nights right after Porter and Anthony go back which would be great timing for us. My next challenge was to continue trying to figure out how to get there. Again, as with Kodiak Island, I was sure there must be a ferry that goes there that is reasonably priced even though it takes several hours. I finally made a couple phone calls thinking I just wasn't finding what I wanted online. However, I was disappointed to learn that it requires flying from Anchorage to Juneau, then getting from Juneau to Gustavus on a ferry and then from Gustavus to the Lodge on another ferry. When the transportation alone went over $1,000 I decided to check into the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park instead. We will see Prince William Sound and more glaciers when we go to Whittier next week again so I don't think we need to invest that much time and moneyin getting to Glacier Bay. It was appealling but we can drive to Wrangell-St. Elias on our way to Valdez and I'm sure we'll love it.
We had some of Wayne's king salmon for dinner tonight. I sprinkled it with a "Made in Alaska" spice blend of thyme, sage, oregano, curry powder, basil, dillweed, and tarragon and baked it in the oven. Let me assure you that these spices were not all grown here I'm sure, just that the mixture was concocted and bottled by someone in Alaska. Also put some baked potatoes in the oven and made some coleslaw to go with it. The salmon was very moist and very tasty. I give it a "10." We'll enjoy having fish at least once a week.
I talked to Anthony & Porter this evening. Porter is very excited about their upcoming trip and says he is going to be "inspired" when he comes to Alaska. I think he will be, much like I have been. We in ND like our wide open spaces and sense of adventure....Alaskans more so!
Wayne is planning to fish for silver salmon here on the Kenai River tomorrow. I think it's going to be a nice day so I will find a book and a lawn chair and wait to get a picture of him landing one!
