THRU THE TUNNEL TO WHITTIER

Our day trip yesterday took us thru the 2nd longest highway tunnel in North America, and the longest combined highway/train tunnel on the continent.  On the other side of the tunnel, is the small town of Whittier, located on Prince William Sound.  The tunnel was originally built during WWII, as a way to connect the Alaska Railroad to a secret port, less vulnerable from attack by the Japanese.  Up until about 15 years ago, it was used only by trains.  Then, it was reconfigured to allow the combined use of trains, and vehicles.  They use an alternating system of one way traffic, except when a train goes thru, vehicular traffic is stopped on both ends of the tunnel.  

 We waited on the Whittier side of the tunnel for this passenger train.

There isn't a lot to do in Whittier, but we did drive around, had lunch, and toured the small museum.  Due to a slow Internet connection, I'm not able to post all of the pictures I took, but perhaps down the road, I'll get them posted. 
 

On the way back to the motor homes, we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in       Portage.   We were able to see most all of the native Alaska wild animals, including Black and Brown Bears, Moose, Elk, Caribou, and Lynx.  From the critters, it was back to the motor homes, parked at the Alyeska Ski Resort in Girdwood.

This morning, we drove the short distance from Girdwood to Anchorage, and we're now parked at one of the Wally Worlds, waiting for our 1:20 appointment with the Vet.  The likely scenario is....... when we have blood test results, we'll leave Anchorage, and head on up the road.

We have mail to pick up in Tok, and from there we've made the decision that we need to get back to the lower 48.  My dental situation requires us to be parked near a dentist for up to a couple of weeks, and I would rather not do that way up here.  So, it's going to be a quick trip back down the Alaska Highway, with not a lot of activities other than just driving.  If I miss a day or two, it's because we're parked in the boon tullies, with no Internet.

HOMER, AK TO GIRDWOOD, AK - TROUBLE X 3

Issue #1 - One of the perils of driving any vehicle to Alaska, is the potential for windshield, and/or front end damage.  With so many two lane roads, some of which are gravel, and all of the highway construction zones, a broken windshield is not an obscure possibility.  Shortly after leaving Homer yesterday morning, we met two trucks coming from the opposite direction, with one of them kicking or dropping what was most likely a good sized rock.  With both of our speeds considered, that projectile struck the bottom of our windshield at over 100 mph.  The force was so great, it broke small pieces of glass inside the motor home, and sent cracks upward in several different directions. By the time we stopped for the day, a couple of those cracks had already lengthened to several feet.  So, now what?

With duct tape over the area of impact, both outside, and inside, the windshield will continue to crack, but it's integrity is still pretty much intact.  Waiting around Anchorage for a windshield to be shipped, and installed, is not a good option, considering everything else that's going on.

Issue #2 - Two weeks ago while in Anchorage, we made an appointment at a Veterinarian, because Gracie had started drinking lots of water.  After blood, & urine tests, plus an ultrasound, the diagnosis was not good.  She has significant kidney failure, which isn't correctable.  With meds, and a new diet, the progression of the renal failure can be slowed, but not fixed.  We have an appointment with the same Vet. tomorrow for more blood tests, to see if the meds are helping, or if a change is necessary.

Issue #3 - My seemingly never ending dental problems have once again become problematic.  All of the work I had done about 6 months ago in Algodones, Mexico, has come undone.  I saw a dentist in Soldotna yesterday, who said he couldn't do anything, without me being available for 2-3 weeks.  Also, not a good option.

So, where does that leave us?  Absent the 3rd issue, we could probably continue our trip as planned, returning to the lower 48 in August.  However, the dental problem is the one that needs to be fixed like yesterday, and absent some miraculous solution, it looks like we'll be heading south a little sooner than we had expected.

Alyeska Ski Resort, Girdwood - $10  Cumulative - $1,226.27
Diesel - Holiday Gas, Soldotna - 56.4 Gals @ $4.60 per Gal = $259.27
Cumulative Fuel Bill - $2,996.39  MPG - 6.9  Avg. MPG = 7.9
Miles traveled - 187  Cumulative - 5,413

LAST DAY IN HOMER

These pictures that I took yesterday, are similar to the ones I posted on our first day in Homer.  They are worth repeating, as they illustrate the incredible view that we've had for the past week.  When we first arrived in Homer, my first inclination was to park the motor homes on the Spit.  However, once we looked at how crowded, and how expensive those places were, and when we discovered the panoramic view of Kachemak Bay at Baycrest RV Park, it was a no brainer.  During our BBQ dinner last night, while we were sitting outside, I commented that after leaving our million dollar view, we may later wish that we had stayed in Homer for a couple of weeks, instead of just one.

 Words can't describe the breathtaking view out our front windshields!

This morning we're leaving Homer, heading toward Fairbanks, with several stops along the way.  Talkeetna, & Denali are on the radar screen before we get to Alaska's 2nd largest city.  When we leave Fairbanks, we'll be starting the trip back south, and many of the miles will be repeats of our north bound journey.  This summer is flying by, much like the Bald Eagle show that we've had while parked on this hill above Homer, and Kachemak Bay.
  

I took this picture at 9:35pm last night. Still lots of daylight left in this land of the midnight sun.

Baycrest RV Park - 7th night free  Cumulative - $1,216.27

A VIEW OF HOMER

In our travels around Alaska this summer, there have been several places where either the charm of the town, the natural beauty of the area, or a combination of things, have left favorable impressions. We often find ourselves comparing one community to another, with the primary criteria always being, could I live there?   A few of the places where the criteria necessitated a "yes" answer, were Skagway, & Valdez.  Some of the "no" places were Glennalen, Anchorage, and Soldotna.

Yesterday, we found a road that took us up the hill above Homer, where the views of the town, the Spit, and Kachemak Bay were truly spectacular.  Homer has it all, including the necessary things like infrastructure, recreation, shopping, and if fishing is a primary requisite, it's the perfect place.

Driving back into town, we stopped on the Spit for lunch, with fresh Halibut & chips all around.  Fresh Halibut or Salmon is offered daily at most of the restaurants, and the seafood markets.  After lunch, we stopped at one of the seafood stores, where the daily Halibut catch was already sold out.  

 No, the girls didn't catch this wooden salmon, but it made for a good picture.

The Coast Guard boys were taking out one of their small boats, as we were leaving the Spit.  We've been watching for the Homer based crab boat Time Bandit, of Deadliest Catch fame, but were told that it's working in South East Alaska.  I guess a couple of T-shirts from the Time Bandit store will have to do.  The two owners of the boat, Jonathon & Andy Hillstrand, were raised in Homer, and when not fishing, one of them still lives here.

Today is our last day in Homer, before we start working our way toward Fairbanks, and Alaska's interior.  The answer is "yes", I could live in Homer, as long as that residency didn't include the winter months.

Baycrest RV Park - $44.61  Cumulative - $1,216.27

ALASKA MARINE WILDLIFE

The Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer, showcases Alaska's diverse marine wildlife.  This excellent visitors center was our destination yesterday.  The focus is on the wide variety of Alaska's marine animals, and how they are studied, and protected.  The state of Alaska has more ocean shoreline, than the entire rest of the United States, so it's not an easy job.  When you look back at man's influence on our planets wildlife, it's not always a pretty picture.  One example of our short sighted mindset, was the hunting of the Sea Otter to the point where we almost wiped it from the face of the earth.  Started by the Russians, and continued by other nationalities, the dense fur pelts of the Sea Otter were in such demand, that very little thought was given to the sustainability of the species.   Fortunately, with government protection, the Sea Otter has recovered from near extinction, and is now thriving in places like Katchemak Bay.

With rain falling for most of the day, this inside activity was just what the doctor ordered.  The only other stop we made was at the local hardware store, as the girls thought they needed rubber boots for future beach combing excursions.  Nancy found a pair, Patty did not.  After a quick stop at Safeway, it was back to the motor homes, where I spent the afternoon watching motor sports on the tube.  Patty & Nancy discovered another quilt/fabric shop, so they left to check it out, and do some other shopping.

We awakened this morning to a sea of clouds below us, as a blanket of fog moved over Katchemak Bay, covering the ocean.  It's almost as if we are in an airplane, flying above the clouds.  The sun is out, the weather forecast is for improved weather, and we're in Homer for another couple of days, before we head for the interior of Alaska.

Baycrest RV Park - $44.61  Cumulative - $1,171.66

ACROSS KATCHEMAK BAY TO SELDOVIA

 
During our time here at the end of the road, one of the things on the checklist, was a trip across the Bay to Seldovia.  We chose the Rainbow Connection, one of several tour boats that makes the 1hour + trip to this small community across from Homer.  Actually, the trip to Seldovia, took more like 2 1/2 hours, as the boat first took us to Gull Island, a small rock across from the Spit, that is currently occupied by thousands of nesting seabirds.  The route from there took us around some small islands, past many beachfront homes/cabins, and on to the harbor at Seldovia.  We had 3 hours for lunch, and sightseeing, before returning to the boat, and the return trip to Homer.  Lots of pictures................

 The "Coasties" have a presence in Homer, and many other Alaskan seaside communities.

 Looking back at "lands end", the tip of the "Spit".

 Real Estate on Gull Island is at a premium.

 This home on Yukon Island is owned by the original homesteaders, who are the private landowners of the entire island.

 Sea Otters were everywhere along our route, and many had small pups.  The telephoto setting on my camera doesn't work all that well, but I'm betting that Nancy got some good shots.

 Pulling into the harbor at Seldovia.

We checked out the small museum/visitor's center near the harbor.

 Lots of quirky signs in Seldovia, and all over Alaska.

After lunch, we walked over to the historic boardwalk area, part of what was a much larger boardwalk before the big earthquake of 1964.  The town of Seldovia sunk approx. 4 feet during that quake, causing most boardwalk buildings to be flooded during high tides.  As a result, much of the town had to be rebuilt on higher ground.

 This single Sea Otter was floating in the small bay near the boardwalk.

Returning to the Homer Spit, we had a great day checking out Sea Birds, Sea Otters, and Bald Eagles.  On our last visit to Homer, we didn't make the trip over to Seldovia, but I'm glad we did this time.  Like many seaside towns in Alaska, Seldovia is isolated from the main road system, and the only way to get there is by plane or by boat.  It has gone through many boom & bust periods, and today, it's a small, quiet fishing village, catering to tourists, sport fisherman, and a few hardy souls who prefer life in the slow lane.  The rain has returned this morning, so not much on today's agenda, except some motorsports action on the tube.

Baycrest RV Park - $44.61  Cumulative - $1,127.05