Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Postscript

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a passenger needing medical assistance; if there are any passengers on board with medical training, please ring the call button above your seat.” As this announcement on our red-eye flight from Anchorage to Denver vaguely registered in my semi-conscious state I realized that I was the passenger needing medical assistance. After a week of amazing adventures in Alaska the flight home turned out to be more adventurous than we expected.

We had chosen the red-eye flight because it was the only direct flight going back home and it would allow us an extra day on our trip. I had been sleeping for over an hour when I remember sitting up to change positions and leaning my head against the seat in front of me. The next thing I know my wife was asking me if I was OK, telling me I had passed out into the aisle. After using the airsickness bag I then passed out again and my wife rang the flight attendant, prompting the announcement. I passed in and out of consciousness but heard the announcement and became aware of several people standing over me. One was the flight attendant who told my wife, “I’m going to stay right here with you and be your best friend.” Another was a former navy medic and another was a nursing student who also had years of veterinary experience. At least that’s what we found out later. All I knew is that I felt like angels were watching over me.

My medical team was unable to get a pulse but my Fitbit watch read as low as 38 beats per minute. They asked me if I was feeling chest pain (I was not), what I had eaten or drank last, and what medications I take. We were over a remote part of Canada at the time so diverting was not an option. A medical kit was available and they were patched through to a doctor on the ground who recommended oxygen and an IV. The nursing student knew how to administer the oxygen and IV, which stabilized me for the moment, so we continued on to Denver where paramedics would be waiting. We must have received priority to land and taxi to the gate because that is the fastest time to land and arrive at the gate that either my wife or I remember in Denver.

The flight crew requested all other passengers to remain seated so the paramedics could assist me off the plane. We extended a brief word of thanks to my medical team and I was able to walk to the door but then escorted by wheelchair to the gate where I was given a quick EKG and loaded onto a gurney. The paramedic said, “You’re about to see a part of the airport you never see,” and we went down an elevator and outside to a waiting ambulance. Because the EKG was normal and I seemed stable, the ambulance drove without emergency lights to the University of Colorado Hospital, some 16 miles away. Another EKG, another IV, and a blood test, along with an examination resulted in a diagnosis of dehydration and I was released to go home.

Although we were very thankful to have made it home, the dehydration diagnosis didn’t make sense. I had told all the medical personnel that I had a spicy sandwich for dinner the previous night and had drank two solo cups of water with it. I’ve been dehydrated before and in fact, had a history of passing out as a teenager due to dehydration, but I hadn’t passed out in thirty years, and never more than once. My wife had thought I was dying on the plane and my medical team on the plane certainly thought it was serious, so the idea that I just needed to drink more water didn’t add up.

Nevertheless, I rested and drank plenty of fluids that day and felt totally normal the next day. I followed up with my personal doctor later that week and checked out fine. However, due to my lack of confidence in the dehydration diagnosis and my family history, he referred me to a cardiologist, saying, “Let’s see if we can get you some peace of mind.” A few days later, the cardiologist did more EKGs and a stress echocardiogram which was normal. She said that my heart was very healthy, but asked how I felt about wearing a heart monitor for thirty days. Knowing that after what she went through my wife would want me to be absolutely sure I said yes.

The next morning, I received a grave message from the cardiologist that my heart had stopped for several seconds during the night and I needed to see an electrophysiologist right away. An appointment was set up for that afternoon. Another EKG and brief examination resulted in a new diagnosis: sinus arrest and vasovagal syncope. The doctor said because my heart was stopping during sleep and I was sleeping upright on the plane, my brain was not able to get enough oxygen so I passed out. He said if they had been able to lay me down flat I would have been fine, but because I remained in my seat I continued to pass out. The remedy for my condition was a pacemaker, but after answering a number of questions he said it was not particularly urgent and I should go home and talk it over with my wife. I asked if there was a chance my heart would stop and not start again, but he said no, the real danger is that I would pass out again while driving or at the top of the stairs and cause injury to myself and others.

So I went home and discussed it with my wife who was understandably very much in favor of the pacemaker, but I had my doubts. Despite my family history I’ve been a runner for 45 years with a resting heartbeat of 50. Pacemakers are for old people and I still feel young. Even the electrophysiologist called me a “relatively young man.” Surely there was some other contributing factor. Google did not turn out to be my friend as the more information I gathered, the more confused I became. My wife was waking me up at night to make sure I was OK and at her urging I scheduled the pacemaker procedure, but my doubts continued. A few things gave me the confidence to proceed. I found a website pacemakerclub.com and connected with a number of knowledgeable individuals, some who had similar stories of passing out. The original cardiologist I had seen followed up with me and confirmed that the heart pauses were still happening. She said she would keep calling me until I got the pacemaker. I also returned to my personal doctor, who answered all of my questions and confirmed the diagnosis. He knew the electrophysiologist and said he was good. I trust my doctor and felt better about proceeding after talking to him. He also said he would be praying for me.

After the initial health scare on the plane I had asked friends and family to pray that the Lord would reveal what I needed to know about my physical and/or spiritual health. Clearly he answered the first prayer, although once I heard the word pacemaker I felt like saying, “That’s not what I meant!” But if we had not chosen a red-eye flight which caused me to pass out on the plane, and if I had not continued to question the dehydration diagnosis, and if my doctor had not referred me to a cardiologist, and if the cardiologist had not suggested I wear a monitor, then I would not know the condition of my heart. As my doctor said, not only was it going to continue to happen, but it would probably get worse. I believe God’s hand was working in all of these circumstances and needed to trust that He would work through the pacemaker procedure as well.

So on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, I became a member of the pacemaker club. The surgery and recovery were more painful than I expected and a week later I am still getting back to normal. But my wife is sleeping better and we both have more confidence that I will be able to resume traveling and running and hiking and all the other activities that we enjoy together. As for the spiritual lessons, this experience has certainly made me more thankful for the support of family and friends and less likely to take our time together for granted. I am more committed to finding joy in each day and finding ways to serve and communicate love to those around me. And I am more aware of my human limitations and the need to trust in the God who designed my heart with wisdom that the doctors are able to discover and heal through technology. Psalm 73:26 is now my ongoing prayer, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” With the Lord every day is an adventure and I thank Him for sustaining me and leading me throughout my journey in this life.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 8

The rain returned for Day 8, so we started the day at the Iditarod Headquarters and Museum. There’s not that much to it–a short video and race memorabilia and a store with pricey branded merchandise, but our dog-loving family enjoyed learning more about this great race and the amazing dog athletes who compete in it.

Iditarod Headquarters and Museum

On our way out of town we stopped at The Butte Burger Place, a local walk-up greasy-spoon type establishment that offers a “Freedom Burger” for $45, including one pound of beef, one pound of bacon, and one pound of cheese. We did NOT order a Freedom Burger but all of us enjoyed the different kinds of burgers we chose, including one with jalapeno poppers on it. God Bless America!

The Butte Burger Place

Our appetites fully whetted, we headed back toward Anchorage and drove south down the Seward highway, thinking we might revisit some overlooks along Turnagain Arm. Stopping at Beluga Point, the wind was so high walking was difficult. We explored a bit and took a few photos, but decided against continuing that direction.

Beluga Point

Instead, our Alaska daughter suggested we at least drive up to the Glen Alps trailhead outside Anchorage for a look around and maybe a hike. From the trailhead we saw a panoramic view of Anchorage and the Cook Inlet, but the dark clouds discouraged a hike.

Anchorage from the Glen Alps Trailhead

So again we improvised and stopped at Alaska Wild Berry Products. Some chocolate-covered berries and other delights were just the thing to follow our indulgent burgers earlier. Hey, don’t judge–we were on vacation!

Alaska Wild Berry Products

Moving on to downtown Anchorage, we did some last minute souvenir shopping. As a native Texan, I noticed this sign near the Anchorage Visitor Center:

Touche’

By this time we were hungry again, so our daughter took us to one of her favorite places, Bread and Brew. They make some unique grilled cheese sandwiches, including one with jalapeno poppers on it. What is it with jalapeno poppers in Alaska? Not quite the Freedom Burger, but very tasty.

Finally, our Alaska daughter dropped us off at the airport for a red-eye flight back home. This would prove to be another adventure, but that’s a story for another time. After driving four hours south of Anchorage and five hours north, we still had not covered even half of the north-south roads of Alaska, much less east-west. It would take over 21 hours to drive from Homer in the south to Prudhoe Bay in the north. By comparison, you can drive across all of Texas in 8-12 hours, depending on the route. We did take some hikes and two very memorable boat rides to where the roads don’t go, but so much of Alaska is inaccessible by road. That alone sets it apart from any other state, including Texas. So that just means we’ll have to keep returning to this great land for more Alaska adventures.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 7

Day 7 was our sunniest day yet in Alaska, but we had plans to attend church with our daughter in Anchorage where we would meet some friends of hers. We also met up with her roommate at Moose’s Tooth Pizza, an Anchorage landmark. It was gratifying to see how well connected and established she is being so far from home.

After lunch we headed to Eklutna Lake between Anchorage and Palmer, a place that was still on our list from last year. Eklutna Lake is a glacier-fed turquoise-water lake in Chugach State Park. Bikes, Kayaks, and ATVs are popular ways to explore the lake, but we were content with walking a couple of miles up the lakeside trail/road just to look at the lake from different angles and skip a few rocks. There was a chance of another flightseeing trip and we wanted to be ready if it worked out.

Blue Eklutna Lake

Turquoise Eklutna Lake

Eklutna Lake Kayaks

Skipping Rocks in Eklutna Lake

The winds were too high for a flightseeing trip that day, but Eklutna Lake was a great place to visit. We returned to the cousins’ house to witness a unique Alaskan tradition. Alaskan residents are allotted a certain number of salmon per family member that they can harvest by dip-netting. This is called “subsistence lifestyle” and allows “…customary and traditional uses by rural Alaska residents of wild, renewable resources for direct personal or family consumption as food, shelter, fuel, clothing, tools or transportation; for the making and selling of handicraft articles out of nonedible by-products of fish and wildlife resources taken for personal or family consumption; and for the customary trade, barter or sharing for personal or family consumption.” 15 red and silver salmon had been harvested that day–slow compared to the 80 they had brought home earlier in the week to feed their large and growing extended family. The salmon were cleaned and sealed in air-tight bags for the freezer in an efficient teamwork process.

Subsistence Fishing

For us salmon is a rare delicacy; for Alaskans it is a way of life. We enjoyed some of that freshly-caught salmon that night at dinner with a menu Forrest Gump would love: grilled salmon, smoked salmon, salmon dip, and fried halibut. We ended the day around the firepit on their deck, enjoying the renewed relationship with cousins. With a view like this it was like staying in a mountain lodge.

Palmer, Alaska

Another great day in Alaska. Since our flight wouldn’t leave until late the next night we had one more day to look forward to. Based on our experience so far, how could it be anything less than a great day? Rain or shine, every day there was a chance to see something new in Alaska.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 6

After five days of mostly non-stop activities and driving, we slept in on day 6 and spent some time with my wife’s cousin’s family. Wouldn’t you know it, day 6 was sunny and warm. When we were deciding what to do, the possibility of going back north just enough to see Denali came up. Instead of just heading back up the Parks Highway, we decided to take Hatcher Pass. We would visit Independence Mine and do a short hike to Gold Cord Lake then if the weather held, continue over the pass to Willow and possibly further north. We had been to Independence Mine last year but didn’t hike and our daughter and her husband hadn’t been with us. It’s an Alaska icon, rich with history and scenery so we were glad to return.

Independence Mine

Independence Mine

From Independence Mine, we took a steep and muddy trail up to Gold Cord Lake, passing an abandoned cabin on the way.

Fixer Upper

Gold Cord Lake is the epitome of a mountain lake that looks green, blue, or crystal clear, depending on the angle.

Turquoise Green

Cobalt Blue

Crystal Clear

The weather held for us to enjoy a picnic lunch and take family photos at the lake.

Family Photo

From Independence Mine we turned up the steep climb to Hatcher Pass, stopping at the summit to look down on Summit Lake.

Summit Lake

Although only 3,886 feet in elevation, Hatcher Pass illustrates the difference elevation can make in temperature and weather, compared to where we started in Palmer at close to sea level. It was significantly colder at the summit with clouds blowing across. It reminds us of the mountain passes in Colorado though they are much higher, but farther south. If 3,886 feet can make that much difference, imagine the difference at Denali’s 20,310 feet. Seeing the clouds to the west, we were not at all sure we would be able to see the mountain if we did continue our drive for the 30 more miles of dirt road to Willow and points north. We had already done a lot of driving on this trip, so returning the way we came won out. Instead, some of us went for a bike ride while others rested and we all enjoyed a nice dinner with the cousins at the Noisy Goose Cafe in Palmer. A good way to spend the day.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 5

Rain and Clouds persisted on Day 5, but we had reservations for the Mahay’s Jet Boat “Wilderness Excursion.” So after a stop at Conscious Coffee in Talkeetna we met at the Mahay’s dock. Perhaps due to the rain only 4 other people showed up for a total of 9 on their 20 passenger boat. It felt like a private tour. At least two of the other passengers had booked this trip as a consolation for their private air tour of Denali being cancelled due to weather.

Mahay’s Jet Boat Wilderness Excursion

Shortly after leaving the dock, the driver idled in the confluence of the Susitna, Talkeetna, and Chulitna rivers and held up a postcard of the Alaska Range, telling us “This is what you would see from here if it wasn’t raining.” No Denali view.

Here’s What You Would Have Seen From Here

We then continued up the Susitna river, stopping occasionally (really idling in the current) for the on-board naturalist to explain the fauna and flora along the river. We traveled about twenty miles upstream and then on the return trip stopped at a recreated native encampment and trapper’s cabin. Thankfully they had plenty of umbrellas to hand out; otherwise we would have been soaked by the steady rain.

Native Settlement and Trapper’s Cabin

Certainly this excursion would have been better in good weather but we learned a thing or two about how the earliest people and later settlers survived in this Great Land and enjoyed the jet boat ride, even though visibility was poor. Here is a video montage:

Mahay’s Jet Boat Wilderness Excursion

Mahay’s Jet Boat Wilderness Excursion

After the jet boat ride we spent a couple of hours exploring Talkeetna and eating lunch at Homestead Kitchen. We chose that restaurant primarily because they had ample indoor seating, unlike many of the other charming establishments in Talkeetna but we were not disappointed. Their Denali Loaded Potato with hot barbecue pulled pork was perfect for a cold and rainy Alaska summer day.

Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna

Historic Nagley’s Store and the Alaska Railroad Train

Just like Homer, Talkeetna was a wonderfully quirky town and we left reluctantly, wishing we could have been there in better weather. But we had plans to stay the weekend with my wife’s cousin and her family in Palmer where more adventures awaited us. Her cousin’s son had just arrived home from a job on a commercial fishing boat and he agreed to take us on another boat ride on the Knik river up to the Knik Glacier. After a family dinner, we agreed to meet him on the banks of the Knik while he fueled up and launched the boat, a spartan jon boat with a outboard jet motor.

Private Knik River Glacier Adventure Expedition

It’s hard to describe this trip but if the Mahay’s trip was a Wilderness Excursion, then this was a Glacier Adventure Expedition. Instead of an enclosed cabin, we felt the wind and rain and cold hitting us in the face. Cindy’s cousin had equipped us with waterproof winter gear along with Xtra-tuf boots and we needed every bit of it. Instead of twenty relatively straight miles upriver, we covered about twenty-five miles weaving between sand bars on a braided river, covering a distance of maybe ten miles as the crow flies. We even got stuck on a sand bar once and had to get out of the boat to help free it. Not your ordinary tourist attraction but we loved it!

Standing on a Sand Bar in the Knik River

Although we could see the glacier ahead, it seemed to be receding as we wound our way upriver. Just when we thought we would never escape the river’s maze we began to see ice floating in the water and arrived at the glacier. It was significantly colder here and we could reach out and touch the ice that had broken off.

Approaching the Knik Glacier

Aside from the occasional plane flying over, we had the place to ourselves. It was wondrously quiet and peaceful. Landing the boat on a nearby shore, we climbed up a small rocky knoll to get a better view. This is a part of Alaska far from the cruise ships and commercial tours, a view few non-Alaskans ever see. We felt a sense of awe, thankful to our guide for his expert navigation skills and to our Creator for this magnificent creation of water, ice, earth, and sky.

Knik Glacier Panorama

Again, a video montage to capture a small portion of an indescribable experience:

Knik River Glacier Adventure Expedition

Since this was July in Alaska, we were able to start our journey at about 8:00 PM but as we started back down the river about 10:30 PM, the daylight was slowly receding. As we left we were treated to a rainbow reflecting off the ice and an amazing sunset!

Rainbow Reflecting Off the Ice and an Alaska Sunset

What a welcome sight after days of rain and clouds! What an amazing glacier adventure expedition! The Mahay’s trip was fun and we would recommend it. The poor weather was not their fault. But we didn’t know when we booked it that we would get our own private river adventure expedition to a glacier on the same day! I grew up around boats and learned to back a boat trailer into the lake before I could legally drive. My dad and I boated hundreds of miles across lakes and rivers in Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and even Mexico. We’ve been on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, a diving boat in Cancun, and even the amazing Kenai Fjords Glacier Cruise in Seward. But I’ve never been on a boat ride like this one! As my wife likes to remind me, the unplanned parts of a vacation are often the best. Hands down, no contest.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 4

Only 30% of visitors to Denali National Park see an view of the great mountain unobstructed by clouds. We hoped by spending parts of three days within viewing range that the odds would work in our favor. That was not the case on Day 3 and Day 4 started out to be one of our worst weather-wise. The forecast and our view from the Stone Hut in Talkeetna was not promising. No Denali view.

In the Direction of Denali

We were still two and a half hours from the Denali National Park entrance though and the forecast there showed a lower percentage of rain, so our optimism held as we headed back to the Parks Highway. One of our favorite aspects of visiting Alaska are the number of local drive-thru coffee huts and coffee bars, seemingly on every corner in Anchorage and often surprisingly common along rural highways. I had spied what I thought was another local coffee bar about an hour drive away. Upon arrival it was located inside the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, run by the cruise line. Although it had a local coffee shop feel, they served Starbucks coffee instead of one of the local roasts we have enjoyed. A nice lodge with large windows in the direction of Denali, but by this time the rain intensified. No Denali view. The rain continued as we drove up the Parks highway, making it pointless to stop at Denali viewpoints north and south. Our Alaska daughter assured us that the view was beautiful if we could only see it, but we could only press on and hope the clouds would lift sometime during the day.

The rain did subside as we neared the park entrance, but the condition of the road worsened in the often-snowy Broad Pass area, until a few miles from the entrance we encountered road construction. So close, but forced to wait about fifteen minutes for alternating one-way traffic, we could at least see the surrounding low peaks.

Denali Park, Alaska

Finally, arriving at the park road we made a brief stop at the visitor’s center and then continued on to the Mountain Vista area. No Denali view, but we hiked the Savage Alpine trail, hoping that the higher elevation would give us a peek. The views of the Savage River valley were impressive as we ascended and we readied our cameras.

Savage Alpine Trail, Cameras Ready

Here is what we saw:

In the Direction of Denali

I thought I could just make it out but wasn’t sure if it was clouds or the mountain. No Denali view, or at least not a clear one.

Same Direction, 16x Zoom

It was very windy and cold at the top and the weather continued to look threatening so we didn’t stay long. And we had another priority on our agenda in the park: the Denali Sled Dog Kennels. But on the way, a moose sighting:

Mama Moose and Baby Moose

Our family loves dogs about as much as we love mountains, so the sled dog demonstration was a must-do. Timing our visit for the last demonstration of the day, we were early enough to spend some quality time with the dogs.

Up Close and Personal

Potential Energy, Just Waiting for the Chance to Run

Sled Dog Demonstration

Here is a video of the puppy race the day we were there:

Sled Dog Puppy Race

I noticed on Facebook that a page called Park Ranger John posted a video a week later where the puppies had learned to follow their food into the shed. The National Park Service also has a puppy webcam to follow their progress.

On the way out of the park we stopped for the requisite family picture by the sign to document our visit:

On the plane to Anchorage we had sat next to a woman who lived with her family not far from the park. She had given us a restaurant recommendation for McKinley Creekside Cafe, which was excellent. The rain resumed on our drive back down the Parks Highway, so no Denali view, but we were thankful that the rain held off for us to get in a hike and see the sled dogs in Denali National Park. A good day all things considered–it certainly could have been worse. We were together in The Great Land. And we still had another half day in Talkeetna to maybe join the 30% of people to see Denali in all her glory.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 3

From our hotel, Day 3 also dawned overcast and gloomy. Our itinerary called for mostly driving, but on our way out of town we were greeted with this sight:

Homer Overlook

This view from the Homer overlook point, just outside of town almost made us want to turn around and spend another day there. But we had a deadline to pick up our other daughter and her husband at the Anchorage airport at noon and lodging reservations that night in Talkeetna, six hours north. The weather held for our drive back up the Sterling Highway, so we were treated to a number of beautiful sights we had missed on our drive down, including across the Cook Inlet to the Chigmit mountain range. Even though some clouds remained I was able to capture this shot of Mt. Iliamna:

Mt. Iliamna

We had noticed a sign on the way down for a Russian Orthodox church in Ninilchik, so we stopped there. Built in 1901, the church serves as a reminder of the Russian history in Alaska and is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.

While exploring the grounds I spotted an eagle high up in a tree and managed to capture some video as he flew away:

Eagle in Flight, Ninilchik, Alaska

In Soldotna, we stopped for coffee at Brew602, in the former Alaska Railroad train car we had discovered on the way down.

Brew602 in Soldotna, Alaska

Then, in Cooper Landing, some interesting, if not dramatic views of the Kenai River and Kenai Lake:

Kenai River and Kenai Lake

And more Alaska Railroad images along the Turnagain Arm:

We picked up our daughter and her husband at the airport and made a quick stop for groceries in Anchorage, then continued on to Talkeetna. We had booked a house on VRBO, The Stone Hut, which turned out to be a wonderfully quirky house that was perfect for our family.

The Stone Hut

The Stone Hut

The Stone hut

Reportedly, on a clear day you can see Denali from those windows, but by this time the overcast and gloomy skies returned. As we went into Talkeetna for dinner at Mountain High Pizza the rain resumed, but we were together and optimistic for the days ahead. Again, not the most exciting day by Alaska standards, but a very scenic and enjoyable drive.

Happy Together

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 2

Day 2 dawned overcast and gloomy in Homer so we took our time to get up and get going with a leisurely breakfast at the delightfully local Duncan House Diner, then walked down toward the ocean with a stop at the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center. There we met a lively woman named Jan who gave us a very detailed orientation of all things Homer. The slightest hint of our interest in any activity elicited recommendations with personalized directions and information. She was especially proud of the Peony Celebration which was currently taking place, with peonies planted all along main street and local farms offering tours and flower-arranging clinics. In addition to information about Homer, she asked where else we were going in Alaska and gave us the information she had on other towns as well. She even presented us with a certificate documenting our visit.

“Certificate of Arrival” to the End of the Road, Homer Alaska

If I were to establish a town I would want someone like Jan running the visitor’s center. She would not be the only informative local we would encounter. Armed with Jan’s intel, we continued on toward the ocean, intending to stop at the Alaska Oceans and Islands Visitor Center, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but they were closed due to a staff Covid outbreak. So we continued on to the Beluga Slough trail, a wildlife refuge with boardwalks along a salt marsh that is home to a wide variety of shorebirds, waterfowl, and other creatures. There we came across a man and his wife who looked like veteran bird watchers. Come to find out, he was a local wildlife photographer watching a pair of sandhill cranes. He said they had a baby (he said “colt”) hidden in the marsh that he was trying to capture with his powerful lens. He told us all about the birds that migrate there in the summers, almost as if he was giving us a personal tour. He gave us his card, but it seems to have been lost somewhere along the way. If I ever establish a wildlife refuge, I want someone like him giving tours.

Beluga Slough and Sandhill Crane

After walking through Beluga Slough we arrived at Bishop’s Beach, a scenic destination popular for “tidepooling” or walking along the beach at low tide to see starfish and various sea creatures that are left in the shallow tidal pools. By this time the wind had picked up significantly so we were too cold to stay long, but did get some interesting photos.

Bishop’s Beach

Bishop’s Beach

From Bishop’s Beach we returned to the car and headed for the Homer Spit, a four-mile strip of land that juts out into Kachemak Bay. This is where most of the activities in Homer begin, from halibut fishing tours, to kayaking trips, to destinations that are only reachable by water taxi across the bay. We had hoped to take a water taxi across to do a hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake, but it involves being dropped off in the wilderness and picked up four hours later. With the weather threatening and hearing that the fishing boats weren’t going out due to 14 foot waves we were content to stay on dry land. So we wandered up and down the spit, stopping in stores and galleries if only to warm up. At the end of the spit we spotted an eagle, almost as if he were standing guard at land’s end.

Interesting Sights in Homer

Walking Along the Homer Spit

Eagle at the end of the Homer Spit

Every restaurant along the Spit was covered up, so we took Jan’s advice and headed to The Boatyard, an out of the way tiny cafe surrounded by an actual boatyard. Their halibut sandwiches were outstanding with homemade chips on the side. It was just the eclectic kind of place we have come to appreciate in a town like Homer with the only chain restaurant there being McDonalds. Living as we do in suburbia where the houses, stores, and restaurants all look the same Homer was a refreshing escape to a quirky small town four hours from the nearest city of any size. As the day wore on the rain only intensified so we continued with indoor activities at Bear Creek Winery and Sweetgale Meadworks and Cider House and watched a movie back in our room at Seafarer Suites. Perhaps not the most exciting day in Homer, but very enjoyable due to the uniqueness of the town and the people we met there.

Alaska 2022–The Great Land, Day 1

The very name Alaska is taken from an Aleut word that loosely translates “The Great Land.” Our first visit last year covered some amazing highlights of that land, all within a two hour drive from Anchorage. On this visit, we ventured farther north and south, yet still only scratched the surface of this great land. Upon arrival we immediately headed south to the Kenai Peninsula and the four-hour drive to “Land’s End” in Homer, AK.

Looking across Turnagain Arm toward the Kenai Peninsula

But first, a stop for a hike to Russian River Falls in Cooper Landing. Homer is a favored origination point for air tours to see the bears in Katmai National Park, just across the Cook Inlet but inaccessible by car. I had read somewhere about the five mile round-trip hike to Russian River Falls with its $10 per car state park fee being an alternative to spending $600+ per person on an air tour to see bears. The hike to the falls is not spectacular by Alaska standards and for the first twenty minutes there, we watched salmon leaping up the falls from two viewing decks on a bluff–interesting, but not uncommon in Alaska’s salmon-rich waters. We were about to leave and then, almost as if on cue, a mama grizzly and her three cubs lumbered down the hill across from us and commenced to put on a show for the next twenty minutes. Mama Grizzly caught several fish and took them back to her cubs on the bank as we watched mesmerized from the safety of the viewing decks. At one point she even looked up at us as if she was aware of being watched, but she didn’t seem to mind. Then again as if on cue, she climbed back up the hillside with her cubs following closely behind. We’ve been on some great hikes, from 14ers in Colorado to trails in the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Banff, Hawaii, and other amazing places. But the bears’ performance on this hike transformed a rather average experience in Alaska to one of our best hikes ever.

Before the Bear Show

Before the Bear Show

Show Time!

This is how to catch fish!

Back for more!

Show’s Over Folks!

A Video Montage

Continuing on our way to Homer we stopped for dinner at Addie Camp in Soldotna, a restaurant where you can eat inside a vintage train car. We would stop again on our return trip for coffee in an adjacent Alaska Railroad train car.

Excellent dinner and coffee stops in Soldotna

Rain and fog soon shrouded the rest of our evening drive to Homer, a theme that would repeat itself over the next few days. But our first day had been so magical we couldn’t wait to see what else was in store for us in The Great Land.