Day 7 of Terry and Dee's visit... (continued)
Well, Ray’s stopped serving omelets about three years ago! They don’t even open till 10:30. So to take up some time we went over to see the Benny Benson Memorial. It is pretty simple but quite moving. His photo is there, and of course the flag and some informational signs. Dee really liked it and later bought a copy of the book. We got to Ray’s around 11 and just had lunch. However, it was worth the wait. I had halibut again – I could eat halibut for a month. We were right on the bay with all the hundreds of ships and boats and the mountains were clear as a bell. Our seat was by the window and we just loved it. This guy at the next table was alone and stuck up a conversation about fishing – we just went along with him. He suggested we rent a boat and do some fishing – I don’t think so. (In the paper today, there was a story about a man who caught a 340 pound halibut.) Let’s see, after lunch we headed to the museum. It is really small but lots of stuff about legendary folks in the area, the earthquake of 64, and loads of old things having to do with mining and such. Really well done. Lots of personal things of past residents. Finally in the middle of the afternoon we headed toward the Exit Glacier. I should know but I do not know how it got that name. As we walked along the “easy” paved path, we could see signs for, say 1911, 1927, 1940, 1952, etc, that noted where the glacier extended in past years. After 1952, the easy path stopped and the upward, hard path started. We were only half way to the glacier. Terry and Dee were determined to touch that glacier and that is supposedly what you can do at the end of the trail. Well, we stared climbing. Tom was quite helpful – although I can go uphill much easier than downhill (with the knee thing going on).About half way up a kind woman said “Just a few more steps, a couple of steep ones, but you are almost there!” She was fibbing. There were a lot more steps and the steepest ones so far. I just kept going. Tom was of course just wonderful – holding my hand and pulling me up those rocks the whole way. We finally made it the summit. However, to get to the glacier – you had to go down and over this rocky path. That’s where I said – I’ll take photos – you guys go ahead. Tom did not want to leave me, but I guess he wanted to touch that glacier more – so they went ahead. I was just hoping I didn’t fall over – there wasn’t a level place to stand on that rock. I took several photos of them and was the picture taker for a lot of couples – so I served somewhat of a purpose. You can barely see the three of them, Terry, Dee, and Tom, on their way to the glacier in the photo. They are the three tiny people right at the edge of the glacier. It was quite beautiful up there and I’m glad I made the climb with them. Going down was harder – but shorter. As long as I lead with my left leg, I’m fine.

Later we went to Terry’s Fish and Chips and I had, what else, halibut. Great food, a crowded popular place. We got a wonderful photo of Terry in front of the place – like it was his own. It was an early night.

Day 8
Drove to Homer today. Highlight of the trip was passing through the Russian River area and seeing the Combat Fisherman. Hope you can tell a bit from the photo. We turned off in the parking area and knew immediately it was a mistake. Tom told me just to get out and go take my photos. So Terry and I hopped out to get our photos and left Dee with Tom. I hope she forgives me someday. The entrance was backed up to the main road and you had to show your fishing license to get in – so I don’t know how Tom managed to get through – but Terry and I saw him driving though and then going straight back out to the main highway. We had finished taking our photos and tried to run stop him – but he was pulling out! So we just walked to the main road and hoped he would come back by. He did.
I can understand why they call it combat fishing. Those guys were lined up shoulder to shoulder for hundreds of yards down the river. We watched one man pull in a huge fish. They were so close I imagine their lines get tangled. I’ve never seen such a focus on fishing before – it is an obsession here, a huge business and rightly so. When we got back in the truck, as Tom swung by, I noticed Dee was buried in her book. No telling how much ranting Tom did. It was special seeing those lines of guys fishing – and we saw the same thing that day several more times.

We traveled on through Soldotna, and some small villages on the shore. We stopped at one Russian village, Ninilchik, just before Anchor Point. It was a like a step back in time.
Old houses, old cars, old church, quite beautiful. We visited a little gift shop with Russian gifts and the lady gave us all a Russian Flag. At Anchor Point we pulled over to see the Ring of Fire – a group of four volcanoes across the bay (we’ve been on the Kenai Peninsula) but it was really too cloudy to see them. We rolled into Homer – beautiful Homer around 5pm and set up our pop up at the Homer Spit Campground. We were right on the ocean. The most beautiful scenery ever was right in front of us and we could look at it all night long. Of course we were again the only pop-up – everyone else had 5th wheelers and big RV’s. However, I love our pop-up. It is like a big tent only more comfortable. I took it easy while Tom and Terry took Dee shopping!

Day 9
We got up early to meet our cruise boat to Seldovia – a small village on the other side of the bay. The boat was not very full and the guide was a former bush teacher whom I really enjoyed talking about common experiences. We saw loads of birds at Gull Island where I also saw my first Puffin. See Otters were everywhere just taking in the sun and playing around. The giant sea kelp was absolutely scary. I was up and down the steps getting the best photos and those steps were steep. It was sunny and windy and cold all at the same time. Dee just about froze – but she would not move from her wonderful viewing seat. Seldovia was very pretty. We ate lunch at this lovely little café that Terry picked out called the Three Bears Café. I had a smoked salmon sandwich and it was delicious. Afterwards I sat at the table on the porch and wrote post cards while the others walked around. It was a really beautiful place and we all wanted to move there. Oh, I forgot!
When we boarded the boat to leave that morning the tide was out – which meant we had to walk down this ramp that was maybe a 45 degree angle - a little steep!
We got home late in the afternoon and first thing we walked over to the Salty Dog to get photos. We were hoping to eat there but it is really is just a bar. We went to eat later at a really nice little place – can’t remember the name of it but I had a wok salmon dish that was quite tasty. Well the showers at Homer Spit Campground close at 9pm. We got home around 9:30. Terry went in to ask the manager if we could get showers – they all knew us because I had really messed up our reservations for the campground. The manager said we could all go in the men’s showers together and take our shower, so that is what we did. It was pretty funny – and we couldn’t let other folks know we were in there and we had to keep the door locked and we were all laughing. Hated to leave the next morning. I could live in Homer.


Day 10
The drive back was wonderful, with beautiful weather. Our only long stop of the day was a side trip to Hope Alaska – a small, quaint village across the bay from Turnagain Arm. We had lunch at the Seaside Café, shopped at a couple of little stores, then visited the local library where I was able to check my email! Not too much tourist stuff here. They had a two week period of no electricity in the village this past winter. The coast guard had to fly out supplies to them. I could have lived there too – so peaceful and secluded. We got back into Elemendorf, popped up the pop-up and had out first picnic lunch. Early to bed.

Day 11

Pretty much last minute things – Terry and Dee had to repack some things, and also mail back some purchases they had made. We finally made it to the Arurora Lights film downtown which Dee did not want to miss. And of course we had to have one last meal at the Sourdough Mining Company. The owner dropped by our table for some reason and in conversation we discovered that he was originally from Elijay GA. He had built that restaurant in 1981 – and now spent his summers fishing in the Florida Keys. We managed to get them to the airport on time and said our goodbyes. I think they had a wonderful time.

It is now six days later. We have rested, watched several movies and walked the dog about a hundred and fifty times. My friend Mary arrives tonight – so we may not be able to post until next Tuesday – since we are leaving for St. Paul on Friday!! I promised we would keep quiet about our lack of knowledge about birds. All of the folks on this tour will be birders. Tom and I picked out some new binoculars just for the trip. I’m looking forward, well, I can’t wait to see the thousands of fur seals on the beach.