Homer & Homer Spit

 Welcome to Homer & Homer Spit!   Perhaps my favorite site in Alaska so far...

 

Along the Spit, you can sit and meditate alongside driftwood, Kachemak Bay and the mountains.   

Or you can saunter or cycle on the trail that runs the length of the Spit or...

 Or you can simply amble along the Spit and visit the marina, dozens of shops, fishing charters, ice cream parlors and restaurants.   

But of all the options available, my favorite - no contest - was...

Hanging out with a group of local fishermen and gabbing with them as they went after the silver salmon.   This inlet was teeming with the fish; they were literally jumping out of the water, as if to mock the fishermen.

The temperature was in the mid-60's, the sun was warm and the locals were very friendly, so I sat, gabbed and watched for over an hour.   It was very peaceful and serene.   I didn't want to leave.   I thought - gee! - if I could stay here for a week, my doctor would have to treat me for hyPOtension rather than hyPERtension.

During that time only 2 fishermen were successful in landing any fish.   My new buddy to the right caught 2 fish...and he was the envy of the rest of the group. Way to go, Daniel!

Overall, Homer gave me another Perfect Day.   I've always enjoyed Homer.   And yet I'm leaving because....WHY????

Where's My Hat? Oh! Thank God!

Homer is on Kachemak Bay.    It has a "spit" that extends out into the bay and is very popular.   

Once I was in Homer, I simply followed the vehicles down to Homer Spit.   Lots of artsy shops, restaurants, marina, RV parks, tent-only camps and touristy things to do all along Homer Spit.   I went for a walk.    

OMG.    Where's my hat?   Did the wind take my hat?   Is it gone forever???

 REJOICE!  REJOICE!  I HAVE MY HAT!  

Having my hat sounds like a good reason for me to celebrate, don't you think?   And look!    As fate would have it, there's an ice cream parlor right behind me!   Fortune must have guided me here.   Sounds like a "must do" to me, eh? 

Welcome to Homer

Two years ago when I visited Homer and Homer Spit, I was shrouded in a dense fog when entering the town.    

 And so it was again today...










 
But as I got closer town, the fog lifted, and I had a beautiful vista:







And then I had a vista of Homer, Homer Spit, and even a glacier (see it at 9 o'clock in the photo below?

 

Heading Toward the Volcano!

Did you all realize that Alaska is home to over 70 active volcanoes?    I didn't realize there were that many, but then I saw this as I drove toward it on the Glenn Highway...

Never fear.   What appears to be smoke emanating from an active volcano was, in reality, just the clouds.    But it gave me a good excuse to post the photos and share the truth about those 70+ active volcanoes here.   That much is true!

Cook Inlet & Along The Way to Homer!

Anyone who's been to Anchorage knows what I'm about to say: that Cook Inlet is so beautiful it can definitely command awe-filled silence and take one's breath away:

I must also add, that these 2 photos were NOT taken by me.   They were taken by David Walsh and I am simply borrowing his artwork here.   I have posted them here b/c the drive south along the Inlet is 1-lane in each direction.   The Alaska Railroad runs along side the highway, between the highway and the inlet water.   I didn't want to risk snapping a photo and ending up either on the RR tracks or in the water.    There are pullovers along the highway, and on my way back on Monday I may take my own photos to replace these b/c that's what this blog is all about...my own story and my own photos.   No one else's ...except in this one rare instance.    

I'm at a Best Western hotel in Soldotna tonight.   Tomorrow I'll be in Homer....the end of The Ultimate Road Trip (to which I added several long segments of my own).    After my tour in Homer, I'll begin the long trip back to the Lower Forty-Eight.   

Awesome Matanuska Valley & Glacier

The vistas along the Matanuska Valley and Matanuska Glacier were way to breathtaking to spoil the photos with the inclusion of a selfie.   Thus, they speak for themselves:

First a breathtaking valley...







Then the glacier...







And finally, the river valley forged by and fed by the glacier...

Along The Richardson Hwy South & Glenn Hwy

 It was early on Thursday morning.   Do I look like I'm ready for an adventurous day?    The goal: the Richardson Hwy south, then a turn northward to the Denali Hwy.

And how about this photo I took as I drove along the Richardson Highway.   Just beautiful, huh?

Soon enough, though, I came to my first destination: the Denali Highway.    Another long, gravel and dirt road.    I wasn't sure I really wanted to tackle it, but I did want to go about 40 miles westward on it to see if the scenery was as renown as it's supposed to be.   So...off I went and here are my photographic reports:

My first stops were within the first 10 miles.   Beautiful vistas....but the gnats were voracious!!






 These photos were taken at the Triple Lakes turnaround.   Four other vehicles were on the highway with me, but the asphalt stops at this point, every single one of them  turned around.  I started out to do the remaining 130 miles.   But each time I got out of the car to snap a shot, the gnats were horrendous.   I drove on for another 20 miles, but conditions didn't improve.   The thought of possibly changing a tire with these gnats and being totally along with no support services....well, prudence got the better of me, and I turned around also.   So much for my adventuresome ways, eh?    LOL.

 

Next leg?   The Glenn Highway with it's famed Matanuska Range and Matanuska Glacier.   Ready?

This is the beginning of the Matanuska valley and Matanusca range.   Just awesome...