Denali

Denali, took the 8 hour bus ride in. Saw lots of Moose, Caribou, Grizzly with 2 cubs, Dall sheep and Ptarmigan and some of the most beautiful landscapes imaginable. Mt. Mckinley was not visible due to the clouds but it was still well worth the trip. Next on to Fairbanks and North Pole Alaska.

Kenai

Commercial halibut fishing boat with Mt. Redoubt in the background. Kenai river inlet, people dip net fishing. A few of the local hotspots. Sweetest ride ever. Went to a Peninsula Oilers baseball game.

Concert

Holy assumption of the virgin mary church in Kenai. Went to a concert benifitting the Russian orthodox church where local performers played classics from Russian composers Tchaikofsky, Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff. Talked to a bishop from the church about Russian translation into English. Amazing night!

Sawfest

Red salmon started running this week and the quiet little town of Soldotna turned into a madhouse. It is shoulder to shoulder fishing along every access point on the Kenai river. People dip net fishing along the inlet, literally dipping a net in the river and pulling out fish. Probably stay here another week, then it's Denali NP.

Ninilchik

Mosquitos not too bad here...yet. Old Russian village of Ninilchik, Russian orthodox church. Like the name of this place, and yes the road was pretty bad. Glad I was on the bike and it wasn't strapped on the back of the truck. Lots of people on the beach digging for clams. About 5 miles from the town of Clam gulch, AK. Saw a few grizzlies, mostly black bears though. lots of moose. They have signs posting the number of moose hit on the highway this year. One road had 172 since January. Read a story in the paper of a lady hitting a moose on the way to visit her sister in the hospital from hitting a moose!

Random

End of the road, Homer spit Alaska, Time to turn around. The Salty Dawg Saloon on Homer spit. Bikers still here from the Hoka Hey challenge Motorcycle race from Key West Florida to the Kenai peninsula, ending in Homer Alaska. 7000+ miles. Hoka Hey means "it's a good day to die" and was the roar of every warrior that rode into battle with Crazy Horse. From the website "at the end, there lies a HALF MILLION DOLLARS in ALASKAN GOLD for whoever reaches the final checkpoint first. There is no prize in a warrior society for second place". Yurt village in Homer. My home for the next 3 weeks, or until the end of the King Salmon run on the Kenai river. Funny sign under the moose at a fur trading store in Soldotna.

Hope, Homer

Hope Alaska, 4th of July parade in Kenai. If their ears are up it's good, if they lay them back you better find a safe place. Fishing on Crooked creek/Kasilof river. Seafarer's memorial on Homer spit.

Test post from phone

Fishing report from anchorage

Alaska

Finally made it. The Alaska highway was tough and just when I started to dislike driving in the rain, avoiding huge obstacles in the road and dodging a moose, I saw a guy pedaling his bike coming in the opposite direction. I quickly changed my attitude. Stayed the day in Anchorage doing laundry and cleaning myself and the truck, after two weeks on the road we both needed it. Drove down the Seward highway to the Kenai peninsula. Visited exit glacier at Kenai Fjords National Park and the town of Seward. Truck needed some repairs so I drove it back to Anchorage and replaced the starting motor in the NAPA parking lot, good as new. Headed back down the Seward highway and now staying in the Fred Meyer parking lot in Soldotna. Heading out on the Kenai river tomorrow to do some fishing.