Kenai Alaska and the other end of the road

We have been enjoying alternate days of sunshine and rain.  The rainy days are quiet, relaxing and a chance to catch up on little things that need to be done.  The sunny days are spent walking around town, walking around the RV Park with the pups and just sitting and enjoying the view.  We don't venture with the pups too far from the security of the RV Park as the first time we wandered farther an unleashed rottweiler decided our little dogs were in need of being ushered away from his territory.  Not a fan of large dogs especially unleashed and we are in their 'hood.  Mowgli panicked a little and had a restless rest of the night.  Gidget is used to me scooping her up whenever I see a large dog, so she didn't mind.  Wish people would take better care of their pets.  The radio has "doggone news" everyday of lost and found dogs and cats.  The segment seems to go on and on with missing dogs.  Anyway, enough of that rant....

The walking tour of Old Kenai is a nice little stroll with lots of history.  We stopped by the Cabin Park maintained by the historical society and enjoyed an impromptu history lesson on the area.  The Dena'ia people have lived in the area since the beginning of time.  They lived by the mud flats of the Kenai River below our RV Park and on this bluff where we are.  The area is of course linked to Russian explorers who came to the area in 1741.  The Russians built the their third fort in the area and the oldest buildings in the area are the Russian Orthodox chapel (built in 1906), the Orthodox Church (built in 1895) and the log rectory (built in 1886).  The United States established Fort Kenay in 1869 two years after the Alaska purchase.  Most of the Russian buildings were in disrepair by the time the American Army took over and the post was abandoned in 1871.  Commercial Salmon canneries became a significant part of the economy in the late 1800's.  Homesteading became popular in the 1940's which led to further development.  Wildwood Army base was built in 1953 and later converted to an Air Force base.  It served as a communications and Russian Surveillance base during the cold war.  Oil was discovered in 1957 with more oil discovered in the Cook Inlet in 1965.

Eric got bored with the tour and sent Mowgli to School

Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church built in 1894

St Nicholas Chapel built in 1906

Fort Kenay built in 1967

Veronica's Restaurant.  One of the oldest buildings in the area, now a wonderful coffee house

This churches cross is lighted at night as a beacon for the boats in the Inlet

The Hermansen Miller house built in 1916.  Oldest frame house in Kenai.   The Hermansen's built it and was Kenai's first hospital/clinic.  My maiden name is Hermansen, so it really sparked my interest.

The Kenai fine arts center was originally the firehouse in front and the jail in the rear

Arness Cabin built in 1925 was Kenai's first kindergarten

Saunders Cabin built between 1898 and 1925.

The Miller Cabin built in 1910.  Kenaitze Chief George Miller and his wife the midwife lived in the cabin in the 1940's.  Originally was located in Kasilof. 

After the walking tour, we headed over to the Kenai Visitors Center for an afternoon concert of Hobo Jim.  Hobo Jim is Alaska's Balladeer and writes songs about Alaska.  He was good and we considered going to Soldotna to hear him sing at Hooligan's.  His last performances are this weekend as it is now fall in Alaska.  That's right, they consider this fall.  There is a chill in the air.  Anyway, back to Hobo Jim.  We have seen his signs throughout the Kenai Peninsula thinking he really gets around.  He plays from Homer to Seward and everywhere in between.  If you are up here in the summer, be sure to check him out.

An old set netter boat

An old commercial fishing boat

It was an intimate concert.  The Park host says it's really fun when beer is involved.

Speaking of beer, you know we had to go try out the local brewery Kassiks Brewery.  It was located in a residential neighborhood next to one of the junkiest yards I have seen in Alaska, that says alot.  Anyway, it was really yummy beer and we ended up buying a growler.  A growler is 64 ounces of fresh beer in a big jug.  It must be consumed within 24-48 hours of opening and we were up to the challenge.  

We had Orion's Red which was very good.  Our friends want us to pick up the Stout on our way out, so Bob and Meg we have some fresh stuff coming your way!

We took the ride to Captain Cook State Park, the other end of the road on the Peninsula.  We enjoyed a walk on the beach and looked for agates.  It was a fairly clear day so we could see the volcanoes across the Inlet.

Nikiski High School football field, home of the Rabid Dawgs

Everyday a DC4 flies overhead along with a C-17 that does practice turns.  It's really big and really loud.  Others may not like it, but we like watching it bank and doing tight turns for such a big plane.

Next to the park is a little park with awesome views of the mouth of the Kenai, the mud flats, and the volcanoes on a clear day.  We have spent lots of time there as there are hardly any people there ever.  There is grass and benches to sit and enjoy the time.  

It has been a fun filled week here in Kenai.  We have found lots to do right around Old Town.  Next week we are heading out of the Peninsula and into farm country.  The Alaska state fair is next weekend in Palmer.  We will be driving on by as we head to Mantanuska Glacier on the way to Valdez.  Valdez is our last stop before heading out of Alaska.  We have two weeks left of this part of our adventure and we are plotting our exit.  Making plans for our return to the lower 48.  Hoping to make a baseball game in Seattle and working our way down the Washington and Oregon Coast!

 

Bumming along Stoney Creek

We stayed in Seward for a week and a half.  During that time we enjoyed our camp at Stoney Creek Campground, took exploratory drives around the area and just chillin'.  The pups enjoyed the long walks around the park and I enjoyed the cloudy days.

We liked this campground as the sites were wide with trees and grass and it was quiet.

We got up early to go fishing on Sunday (early, early!).  When we arrived at the charter office at 6:30 we were informed the sea were too rough to go out for halibut, so we would stay in the cove for Salmon.  I know my friends think I'm cheap, (I prefer frugal thank you), but $756.00 for 12 salmon means that each fish is $63.00.  Unless you get 6 pounds of filet per fish, it just didn't make sense.  We said no thanks, a refund was preferred, and went back home and back to bed.  Inside, I was relieved since I really didn't want to kill anything.  

We had to buy two new tires for the toad as the rear passenger tire wore way beyond the others.  I'm not sure when it started so I don't know what the cause was.  We were going to wait until we got to the lower 48, but an internet search revealed the same cost up here, so rather than chance it, we got new tires.  While we were getting those installed we killed some time at the Sea Life Center.

The Sea Life Center has two orphaned otters that are being raised and sold to aquariums in the lower 48.  There are two Stellar Sea Lions and two Seals.  It's a Noah's Ark of pinnepeds!  The first part of the center is devoted to the Alaska Fishing Industry.  There were presentations by the Forest Service about the glaciers and how they are receding.   Lots of sea birds and petting pools for the kids.  Overall an OK place to spend some time.  

A seal hoping to be released

A baby Stingray.  Don't they look like cartoon characters?

A baby Sea Otter

Puffin!

After a half day of walking around, we had lunch at the Seward Brewery again.  It was yummy!  Then off to drive around the outskirts to see what was out there.  Too small to capture with the I-phone camera, we saw a small pod of Dahl Dolphin hunting close to the shore.  

Tutstumena Ferry that has failed all of it's welds Coast Guard Inspections.  Not in a rush to get it in the water, as no one was working on it.

One of the many glaciers in the area

The Maximum Security Prison in Seward.  Little did we know but that morning there was a prisoner riot over not wanting to make their beds.  Really?  Really!

There were two Swans in this lake

More otters in the water!

  After almost two weeks in Seward, we traveled backwards to Kenai, Alaska.  Kenai is on the Cook Inlet and has a population of about 7,000.  The town has a Home Depot, Safeway and a Walmart.  The ride was nice and short, only a couple of hours.  We left Seward just in time as a cruise ship encountered am electrical problem and was stuck in Seward for several days.  The town is just big enough for one ship at a time.  With more folks looking for things to do, I expect it would get pretty crowded.  

 Once we got settled in, we headed out to Soldotna to the Moose is Loose!  Fresh apple fritters for desert are on the menu!  The next day we ventured down to the beach.  The pups got very muddy and had a blast rockhounding with us.  Afterwards, baths were on the agenda as the mud was very sticky.  This is the first we have had a sunset for awhile and it was a good one.  The days are getting shorter at a pretty quick rate.  Each day the sunshine is 6 minutes less than the day before.

View of our coach from the beach

A beautiful sunset from our spot

We have had rain all day long.  It has been very steady and constant.  We are settled in for the day, puttering about.  I finished a little cross stitch sea otter.  Still practicing my knitting, hoping to eventually get better and be able to cast off.  Eric worked on a letter of recommendation for someone.  I did a little internet shopping.  This is the life!