What a wonderful trip we had to Homer! But, as with every vacation or getaway, Steve and I are happy to be home. We missed our comfortable bed and our furkids very much.

This trip to Homer did exactly as we wanted it to. It afforded us a much-needed change of scenery, allowed us to recharge our batteries with a lot of R&R, and was what we like to call our formal farewell to winter. Granted, winter isn't truly over here in Fairbanks, but it seems to be on its way out in points south. Unless of course a storm drops 30+ inches of snow overnight in the Kenai Mountains - on top of the 53" that was dumped a week prior! This is just what happened the day we arrived in Anchorage.

We made pretty good time on the drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage on Thursday. We didn't rush, and Steve stopped several times along the way so that I could get photos. Denali was visible on the horizon, and for the first time ever, we were able to see the mountain from mile 201 on the Parks Highway. The mountain is only visible from this point on the highway on a very clear day - and Thursday was our lucky day. Here are a couple of photos from the trip between Fairbanks and Anchorage:

This is the view from the Parks Highway at about mile 205. You can see the Alaska Range in the foreground, and Denali standing tall behind it. (Click to enlarge all photos) Although there was snow along the entire route, the roads were very clear. When we left Fairbanks, it was -4F. When we hit mile 136, it was already 20F above.
(Steve being silly.) I like the way the labeled sign in the foreground is a perfect replica of the landscape.	Mt McKinley (Denali) is large enough to create its own localized weather.	The path was tamped down and firm from a multitude of people walking on it, but one step off of it landed you in very deep snow.

We stayed on Elmendorf AFB in guest lodging (very nice suites for a quite reasonable cost - only $28/night off season), which is our usual choice when traveling without our camper. We made a quick stop at the Commissary and PX to pick up a few food items to take with us to Homer, before checking into the hotel. My friend Angie called us then, to tell us of the huge dump of snow in Turnagain Pass and the Kenai Mountains. She too was heading to Homer, so we decided to meet for breakfast the next morning and follow each other down the peninsula - a little bit of security for each other.

After a quick breakfast at IHop, the three of us took off for Homer. Angie - used to driving in Anchorage - was off in a shot, leaving us in her dust. *grin* We figured we'd catch up to her later - especially if there were any issues getting through the pass. The view along Turnagain Arm was stunning as always, and I took quite a few photos through the car window, and at several stops along the way. Seeing the sun come up over the mountains was lovely, and an orange glow was cast on the icy water of Turnagain Arm. Soon after sunrise, a low lying fog spread across the road. It was quite beautiful.

It took us about an hour to get to Turnagain Pass, and the road crews were out and working hard to clear the additional snow off the roads. I must say that Alaska road crews are the most efficient I have ever encountered. Then again, if this road isn't cleared quickly, the entire Kenai Peninsula would be cut off from the rest of the state (by road), so it's imperative that they stay on top of things.

We made our regular stop at the rest stop there, and watched several trucks offload snowmachines. Fresh powder brings out snowmachiners, skiers, snowshoers, and snowboarders - and the fairly warm temperature made it a perfect day for getting out and having some fun. Of course there was the risk of avalanche too, but that didn't seem to stop anyone.

Steve and I pulled over several more times for photos and to take short walks, especially in the Cooper Landing area. There were fisherman in Kenai Lake hoping to catch rainbow trout and Dolly Vardens (another kind of trout), even though there was still ice floating close to the shoreline.

As always, we took the short drive to the Ninilchik Russian Orthodox Church, once we entered Ninilchik village limits. Mt Redoubt was quite visible across Cook Inlet, but a heavy dark cloud hovered above us - a forecast of more precipitation.

The final 25 or so miles passed quickly, until finally we came over the final hill south of Anchor Point. Once you crest the hill, the city of Homer comes into view. Its location on Kachemak Bay, with a view of the Kenai Mountains across the water, is nothing short of magnificent. No matter how many times our travels have taken us to Homer, that view from the top of the hill still makes me sigh with awe. The following photos were taken on Turnagain Arm and on the Kenai Peninsula.

Sunrise on Turnagain Arm	Sunrise on Turnagain Arm	Turnagain Arm	Turnagain Arm Reflection
Off to snowboard	Turnagain Arm Creek and Fog	Early morning fog on Turnagain Arm	Ghost Trees & Eagles
View on Turnagain Arm	Ghost Trees on Turnagain Arm	Traveling in the Mountains	Turnagain Pass - Steve
Turnagain Pass Rest Stop	Tern Lake	Kenai Lake	Kenai Lake
Kenai Lake Bridge	Kenai River	Ninilchik Russian Orthodox Church	Ninilchik Church Yard/Cemetery
Mt Redoubt	View of Homer Spit from Overlook

As soon as we arrived in Homer, Steve and I stopped at the Chamber of Commerce so he could pay his entry fee for the Winter King Tournament before checking into our hotel. We've stayed at Ocean Shores before, and it's a comfortable place to stay - and quite reasonable - especially in the off season. We requested a room in the front building, so we could overlook the bay and the mountains.

After downloading the car, we drove down to Homer Spit to find the boat that Steve would be going out fishing on. Skies were a brilliant blue, and it was a bit breezy, but the sunshine felt good. There were several eagles hanging out near the "Eagle Lady" house, which was such a treat to see. This was what I had come to Homer for!

We called Chris and Ken Day (our bear guide friends who own Emerald Air) to let them know we were in town, and we decided to meet up for pizza at Fat Olives later that evening. Angie joined us too, and good conversation and great food were enjoyed by all. We will definitely eat at Fat Olives again, when we go back to Homer in July.

It was an early night for us, as Steve was scheduled to be at the marina by 7am to meet up with the captain of his boat; I would be driving him so that I could have my car.

6AM came awfully early, and I had a hard time getting moving. It was cold and windy and Steve was worried that they would cancel the tournament - as he was warned when he paid his entry fee. He was dressed in several layers, had a huge lunch packed, and was excited about getting out on the water. We were in the drive-through at McDonalds when the call came from his captain that the tournament had been postponed until the next day (Sunday). He was very disappointed.

I had made plans to hang out with Angie while Steve was off fishing, and decided to stick with those plans. It was still dark when she and I drove down to the Spit to claim a parking spot next to Jean Keene's house. These spots fill up quickly, with photographers from all over the world, and we wanted to be close enough to view the feeding at 9am. Sitting in the car for a couple of hours passed quickly while Angie and I chatted. I'm glad we got there when we did - and we weren't the first to arrive either!

It was amazing to watch the eagles fighting over the many bits of fish being tossed on the beach. It was also quite something to see them soar off into the air and eat mid-flight, bending their heads down to bite at the fish held tightly in their talons. Anytime they dropped a piece, another eagle was there to catch it mid air, or pounce on it when it landed on the rocky shore below. We spent several hours there, shooting hundreds of photos, and enjoying the feeding frenzy.

When Angie dropped me off at the room, Steve was just getting dressed, after going back to bed when the fishing trip was cancelled. We decided to go back out exploring, and ended up taking a walk on the beach. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind had died down considerably. We saw men fishing from shore, children flying a kite, and folks romping with their dogs. It was a lovely afternoon to be out in the fresh air.

On Sunday morning, we again woke early - this time at 5:30am so that we could go through the McDonald's drive-through for a quick breakfast. When no calls came from the boat captain, we knew the tournament was going to be a 'go'. Steve was quite happy that he was going to be out on the water. After dropping him off at the marina, I drove down to the end of the spit with my camera and waited for the boats to start heading out into the bay. I thought it would be neat to take a long-exposure photo of the boats going by.

Since I was already down at the spit, I drove over to the Eagle Lady's house and managed to get the second slot closest to her house. This was the closest I've ever been, and I was quite pleased. I wasn't very happy that the skies were overcast however. A little while later, Angie pulled up and parked in the slot next to me. When it came time for the feeding to begin, Angie stood behind my car with me, where we had a great view of the eagles lining up in Jean's back yard waiting for the fish to fly. It was another amazing experience, and I filled my memory cards quickly.

Angie and I parted company, and I went back to the room to download the many photos I had taken. It was a daunting task to sort through the hundreds of shots I had taken, choose the ones I wanted to share here, and resize them for the internet. Before I knew it, it was already afternoon.

I had almost forgotten it was Easter weekend, until we were invited to have Easter dinner with Chris and Ken at their home. Of course we were thrilled for the invitation, and the opportunity to spend more time with the two of them, as well as meet two of their friends (Alice and Elizabeth). I was worried that Steve wouldn't be back from his fishing trip in time to make the 6pm dinner hour, but he made it. The reason he made it was because he didn't catch a thing - so therefore, no prize. He was quite disappointed in the way things turned out, and isn't sure if he'll ever participate again because of the costs involved. Of course, those costs wouldn't be such an issue if he would have caught a fish and won a prize!

Dinner was delicious and the company was most excellent. Chris had baked a smoked ham, home-made scalloped potatoes, asparagus, and a lemon cake with ice cream for dessert. Steve went back for seconds and then complained when his pants were cutting into his belly. I don't think he'll ever learn, although I don't fault him for going for seconds!

I took so many photos in Homer, that I broke them down into two sets: Eagles and Scenery.

Eagles on huge driftwood tree	Soaring Eagles	Eagle on driftwood tree	Eagle and Seafarer Memorial
Eagles on huge driftwood tree	Eagle coming in for a landing	Eagle wants the other's fish	Eagle screaming
Eagle pair soaring	Eagle landing	Eagle from below	A good place to land?
Juvenile Eagle	Eagle and fish	Talkative Eagle	Eagle Stare
Whatcha got there?	It's mine! Stay away!	Don't make me yell louder!	Juvenile eagle and fish
Juvenile Stare	Eagle in snow	Seeing double?	Jean Keene's House
Eagles on huge driftwood tree	Eagles fighting over fish	Eagle Tug of War	Eagle Tug of War
Eagle Taking off	Yummy Fish	Eagle landing	Eagle fighting in the air
Eagle and fish	Eagle under his wing	Eagle Eye	Stop on a Dime
Eagles want the fish	Eagle Attitude	Eagle eating in air	Eagle flying
Eagle Chatter	“Eagles: When they walk, they stumble. They are not what one would call graceful. They were not designed to walk. They fly. And when they fly, oh, how they fly, so free, so graceful. They see from the sky what we never see.”

Sorry for the abundance of photos, but it was hard to narrow down thousands to only a hundred or so! Homer scenery:

Kachemak Bay View	View from our room	View from our balcony	Homer Spit Shops
Homer Marina	Last Laugh - Steve's Boat	Sailboats at Marina	Kachemak Bay from Hotel
View from Balcony	Homer Spit Shack	Fresh footprints in the snow	Salty Dawg BW
Crow visitors	Homer Rocky Beach	Homer Beach	Homer Spit Shops
Homer House on Spit	Gull Frenzy	Buoys on driftwood tree	Lighthouse Shop
Night Exposure (30 seconds)	Evening moon (15 sec)	Horseback riding on beach	Bishops Beach
Kite Flying on Bishops Beach	Bishops Beach	Homer Spit Beach	Emerald Air closed for winter
Homes on Homer Spit	Driftwood on Beach	Homer Beach	Homer Marina
Homer Channel Markers	Fishermen Homer Spit	House on Homer Spit	Homer Horses
Mt. St Augustine Volcano	Morning Moon (30 seconds)	Kachemak Bay Panorama (975 pixels)

The ride back to Anchorage was uneventful. Much of the new snow had melted, leaving a slushy mess in its wake. This created some hazards in driving, as the car would pull when we hit deep slush. Skies were gray and dismal, so stopping for photos wasn't much of a consideration while going through Turnagain Pass. Once we hit the area south of Anchorage, the skies cleared up somewhat. Even so, we didn't stop for photos. I did shoot a few from the moving car though.

The first photo is of one of the homes that was destroyed in the town of Portage during the earthquake of 1964. The Good Friday Earthquake sunk the earth 6-10 feet, submerging the former boomtown. An abandoned horse stable and cabin struggle to stand among the grassy wetlands.

The second photo is of Mount Susitna, also known as "Sleeping Lady" Mountain. She is 4396 feet high and shows the effects of glaciation in the fact that she is very "flat" on her top. Glaciers once covered all of this area and as they move they scrape away large parts of the land. Sleeping Lady would have been much taller before glaciers carved over her peak. All around her the elevation is very low, disappearing into the ocean.

The Sleeping Lady has a long oral legend of a young woman, Susitna, who fell asleep waiting for her husband to be, Nekatla, to return from afar. He was on a mission to convince invading Giants to live in peace, but he never returned. The villagers couldn't bear to wake her and break her heart with the sad news so they sewed a blanket of flowers to cover her and she still sleeps there today, waiting for her love to return. The Dena'ina natives call Mt. Susitna Dghelishla ("Little Mountain").

Portage Ruins

Mt. Susitna - "Sleeping Lady"

Bird Creek Area

Our first priority, when arriving back in Anchorage, was to grab a bite to eat and then head to our room (again on the AFB). We were exhausted from the early wake-ups and just wanted to relax before setting out the next morning for home. I was asleep before 9pm.

The drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks is a long one - particularly when you're looking forward to getting home to your furkids and your own bed. Nevertheless, I did take a handful of photos along the way.

The first photograph was taken while sitting at a train crossing. I wanted to show the blur of the fast-moving train, so I slowed down the shutter speed. I think it's neat the way you can see the trees "through" the train.

The second photo was taken while crossing the Hurricane Gulch bridge. I didn't get out of the car; I leaned a little bit out the window. Hurricane Gulch Bridge is a breathtaking 254 feet above the white water of Hurricane Creek. I always get a case of vertigo when we cross that bridge. I have friends who have gotten out of their car to take photos over the rail. Just the thought of that makes my stomach lurch.

The third photo is a view from the highways as you approach the Denali Park area. The mountains are gorgeous there - particularly when the skies are so blue.

The last photo is of the street sign marking the Stampede Road. It was once known as the Stampede Trail. The trail gained notoriety in 1992 with the death of Christopher McCandless, who had lived in a bus that had been left behind during the road building to serve as a backcountry shelter for hunters and trappers. The September 2007 release of "Into the Wild" has revived interest in the trail. Steve and I hope to drive it this summer - at least as far as we can go.

Blurred Train Crossing

Hurricane Gulch

Parks Highway Views

Stampede Road

All in all, it was a fabulous trip, and has filled us with even more anticipation for summer's arrival and various roadtrips around the state. Winter might be long and cold, but nothing beats summer in Alaska! Going to Homer was exactly what we needed to get through the remainder of the chilly days.