I'm writing this entry while sitting in Homer. I don't know if I'll be able to upload it today, as the internet connection here is still not working correctly. I believe there is DSL in the laundry room up at the office, and if there is, I'll get this posted.

Sunday, June 3rd - Fairbanks to Tolsona Wilderness Campground, Glenn Highway

Steve and I decided to leave a day early - last Sunday. On the spur of the moment, we decided to drive down the Richardson Highway as opposed to the Parks Highway, which would add an extra day to our trip. There are only two ways to get to the peninsula. The first is to drive the Parks Highway from Fairbanks to Anchorage, and then onward to the Kenai Peninsula. The second is to drive the Richardson Highway to Glennallen, and then get on the Glenn Highway to Anchorage. (You could also incorporate a drive across the Denali Highway, but that road is mostly gravel and not the best road to tow a camper on.)

The Richardson Highway is much more scenic (our opinion) than the Parks Highway. It's also not as well-traveled - nor does it have as many gas stations or lodging options. The Richardson Highway is the direct route to Valdez, and we plan to visit Valdez when the kids come to town at the end of July.

The scenery was gorgeous, as expected. While there were some periods during our travels that were a little overcast, the majority of our drive was under sunny skies. I was delighted to see different types of wildflowers blooming alongside the road, and Steve was nice enough to stop when he could so I could take photos. As usual, the landscape after we passed Donnelly Dome mesmerized us. We were both very happy that we had changed our plans to add this leg of the journey.

Richardson Highway	Richardson Highway	Rainbow Mountains	Arctic Lupine
Gulkana Glacier	Fishing on Summit Lake	Raven and Gull

On Sunday, after driving for six hours, we stopped for the night in a campground we hadn't stayed at before. Tolsona Wilderness Campground was a true jewel of a find along the Glenn Highway. The Tolsona Creek wound through the entire campground and every single site was situated alongside. There were tent sites (with no hookups) and RV sites with full hookups. We will definitely return to Tolsona Wilderness Campground when our travels take us back along the Glenn Highway. We slept well with the sound of the river rushing by.

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Monday, June 4th - Tolsona Campground to Palmer:

We had a very short driving day ahead of us on Monday, and took our time packing up camp. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of scrambled eggs and ham, with toast and coffee. Steve even tossed a line into the river for a little while, but the current was so fast he couldn't get his lure to sink.

We ran into several sections of road construction on the Glenn Highway, and had to wait for pilot cars to take us through. This slowed us up about an hour, but we didn't mind. The views along the Glenn Highway are also quite magnificent and the delays allowed us to savor them longer. We stopped for lunch at Long Lake, and enjoyed watching a young boy fish as we ate our sandwiches.

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When we finally arrived in Palmer (somewhere around 3pm), we decided to drive up to Hatcher Pass after setting up the camper. The drive up the winding road was a beautiful as I remembered from when I took my SIL Diane up there last summer. Unfortunately, Independence Mine was not yet open for the season (it opened today), so we turned around and drove back to Palmer, stopping many times so I could photograph wildflowers and the scenery. (The photo at left is one of the views from up near Hatcher Pass)

Little Susitna River	Soft Water - Little Susitna River	Yellow Anemone	Mountain Aven
Forget-Me-Not, AK State Flower	Moose yearling	Palmer Barn	Palmer Horses

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Tuesday, June 5th - Palmer to Homer:

The drive from Palmer to Homer took us a little longer than usual. We stopped frequently to stretch our legs and enjoy the sights. We ran into some intermittent rain as we left Anchorage and began traveling around Turnagain Arm. The temperature dropped as well, and we pulled our fleece jackets on as we walked Sedona around the rest stops.

We were given our favorite spot at Oceanview RV Park, as requested. The site doesn't have sewer on it, but we gladly forego that amenity for the location at the very front of the campground, with unobstructed views of Kachemak Bay and the mountains.

After setting everything up, we drove down to the spit to pay for our bear trip, look into getting Steve a duplicate fishing license (he accidentally left his home), and to check out the fishing hole. Here are some photos we took our first day in town:

Arriving in Homer

Driving onto the spit

House on the spit

Kachemak Bay from campsite

We relaxed for the rest of the evening, and prepared our backpacks for the bear trip the next day. We had to be prepared for all types of weather in Katmai, and made sure we had rain gear, as well as long underwear and other warm clothes. We also packed our lunches, and I cleaned my camera lenses and charged all my batteries. We were so excited!

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Wednesday, June 6th - A Huge Disappointment:

We were up early, packed, and at Emerald Air's meeting place as scheduled. We met the other travelers who would be flying with us to Katmai - a young couple on their first bear viewing trip, another couple our age who were also repeat passengers, and two men going as singles; one a repeat passenger, and one going for the first time.

Chris and Ken arrived shortly thereafter, and it was wonderful to see them again. We gave each other huge hugs and they congratulated Steve on his retirement. Then Ken went off to contact people at McNeil River (in Katmai) about the weather. While the weather here in Homer was absolutely gorgeous (sunny and 50s), the same couldn't be said for our destination, 125 miles across Cook Inlet.

As we pulled on rain pants and fitted ourselves with waders, Ken approached us with the bad news we didn't want to hear. It was just too windy on Katmai to go. Visibility was zero, and the *ceiling* was zero - not safe for flying. And the swells in Hallo Bay were more than 5' high. Even if we were to make the flight, there'd be no way for us to wade to shore from the float plane.

You could see the disappointment on everyone's face, to include Chris and Ken's. This was the third day in a row that they were weathered out. I felt like crying.

After they refunded everyone's money, or rescheduled folks for later in the season, Steve and I followed Ken and Chris to Captain's Coffee to have a latte and chat with each other. We had a lovely time talking to them about their business, the bears, our lives, their lives, etc. They are wonderful people, and I am so glad that we decided to fly with them three years ago. I wouldn't want to see the bears with anyone else.

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The day was still young, so Steve and I decided to take a drive around Homer and visit the Carl E. Wynn Nature Center high up on Skyline Drive overlooking Homer. We hiked the longest trail while there, hoping to see some wildlife, but only seeing moose nuggets. Regardless, it was a lovely walk through fields, beneath trees, and over bogs (that part wasn't so lovely, as it was quite squishy and wet). We did see a moose walking down one of the side streets, after we left the nature center, and followed him in the truck. I thought it was comical when he went behind the 'no trespassing' sign.

Eagle on Lamp Post	Kachemak Bay from the Nature Center	I love this man!	He wanted to get one of me
Using the timer	Young Bull Moose

The view from so high up on the hill was amazing. We stopped at two scenic overlooks so I could take panoramic photos of Beluga Lake and the spit..

Beluga Lake Float Plane Pond

Homer Spit from Skyline Drive

Later on in the evening, after dinner, I took Sedona for a long walk on the beach. It was a little chilly, but the sun was still shining and I felt the warmth of it despite the high winds. We walked for about a mile, before cutting back into town to start home.

I glanced up and saw Steve in his truck waiting for us. He was heading for the "fishing hole" and wanted to know if we wanted to go along with him. I was appreciative of the ride, and decided to take him up on his offer.

While Steve threw in a line, Sedona and I walked along the rocky beach area. I enjoyed people watching; fishermen, children playing, families sitting around a fire pit. Now and then, an eagle would soar overhead, graceful in flight with eyes turned downward toward the water.

As anglers cleaned their catch, screaming gulls hovered over them and perched on poles and trash bins waiting for scraps. Standing there, taking in the sights and sounds was a true delight for the senses. If only it were a little less windy, and warmer!

After awhile, Sedona and I sat on the rocky shore of the fishing hole to watch Steve cast. Occasionally, someone fishing on the other side would reel in a fish. That made Steve even more anxious to catch something. But he had no luck whatsoever. The highlight of the evening, was the appearance of a harbor seal who had somehow made his way into the fishing hole and would pop his head out of the water periodically to take a look around. Steve swore the seal was stealing his fish, but I know he just wanted a scapegoat for his bad luck. *grin*

I did spend some time talking to a little girl wearing a 'princess' cap, who had a million questions for me about Sedona and where we were visiting from. She was only five, but quite well-spoken for her age, and quite the cutie.

Bishops Beach	House on Hill	Boardwalk through Marsh	Opening to Fishing Hole
Crashing Waves	Drift Tree against sky	Gulls waiting for scraps	Lone Fisherman
My Little Friend	Little Climber	Sunset from Campsite	Gulls going to Roost

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Thursday, June 7th - Lazy Day

Today was another fairly lazy day. We drove up to Anchor Point to explore Anchor Point State Recreation Area. It rained on us off and on, and it was chilly again. I took a few photos and I'll share them when I get home and can update again.

Steve is at the fishing hole trying his luck for salmon, and I'm about to go up to the laundry room here at the campground to see if I can get the DSL to work. If it does, this entry will be posted.

Tomorrow, we leave for Talkeetna.

Until next time...