Bob, Lee, and Dusty's Random Trips

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, Neil. WOW, sorry we missed him. We are moving on tomorrow morning.

.....and Todd is flying back here tomorrow.
Neil.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, These pictures wouldn't down load earlier, so here they are now.

(1.) This is the train going into the tunnel, before us, leaving Whittier.

(2.) How's this for a "Road Hazard" flat tire?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, this morning after the first train blew by, [blasting his air horns] we were up and ready for another adventure. We left Anchorage and went South/West to Kenai. This is a really popular area and the campgrounds are packed. As usual, we didn't have any reservations, but we still [just barely] got a space. Right in front of the campground, people are "Net Fishing". You are only allowed to net fish if you are Alaskan. It's literally amazing. Hundreds of people in the water with huge nets catching Salmon. Some people fillet the fish right there and leave the fish heads, eggs, and bones on the ground. They say the birds will eat some of the waste and some of it will wash back into ocean. This is at a place where the river flows into the ocean. People are dragging huge ice chests full of Red Salmon to load into their vehicles. There is a 5 minute parking limit for loading only and a cop right there watching.

(1.) Boy was really proud of the fish he got.

(2.) Hard working girl filleting fish.

(3.) A guy with a few of the typical type nets used for catching Salmon.

(4.) Two guys, right on the beach filleting their own Salmon that they caught today.

[SilverRanger]

Bob,
Your thread has certainly been enlightening about Alaska. In late August we have an opportunity to deliver a friends Airstream from Anchorage, AK to Seattle, WA. If our window of opportunity permits (that's if we don't get distracted too much on the first leg of the journey), perhaps onward to Pasadena, CA. We just did the coast to coast trip earlier this year, but didn't get to see the Northwest, so this will be our first time in that area. Since we may be taking some of the same paths, pulling the same size trailer as yours, and we haven't planned a route yet, this record of your journey will make a great reference.

Any advice of roads, driving conditions, where to go (or not!), would be greatly appreciated. Have a safe trip, and keep those pictures coming.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, today we had to change camp sights, from space number 5 to space number 50. This is the only way we could stay here for two days. I woke up a bit early this morning because it was getting cool in our trailer and I was waiting for my furnace to kick on. Well it wasn't going to kick on because I only had one propane tank valve open and it ran out this morning. Soon as I turned on my other tank, we were soon to be warm again. The Net Fishers were out in force again this morning. More Salmon than I will ever see again was caught, cleaned, and packed away. We took a drive to a State park and it was just a dead end. So we turned around and drove to Homer. I saw an Eagle today, doing a fly-by in front of my Lincoln. Another Airstream owner is in this camp ground today and we had a little chat. Seems that he owns a rare model of Airstream motorhome. A 1996 Cutter, Diesel pusher; It has a Cummins Diesel with a Freightliner chassis. Internet bars mean almost nothing; This place has slow WIFI, but we still can get it to work and we have only had one bar.

(1.) Net Fishers in action this morning.

(2.) Sign for Homer, Alaska.

(3.) View from our restaurant table, in Homer.

(4.) Airstream that we spotted in front of a camp ground near Homer.

[Cap-N-Red]

Bob , if still in Homer you might take a drive up Skyline Drive. It intersects the hiway coming into Homer and overlooks the area. Have you tried the Halibut Tacos ? They are the greatest in my opinion. Can't get any of them here in Texas. BYW which place are you staying at?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Cap-N-Red

Bob , if still in Homer you might take a drive up Skyline Drive. It intersects the hiway coming into Homer and overlooks the area. Have you tried the Halibut Tacos ? They are the greatest in my opinion. Can't get any of them here in Texas. BYW which place are you staying at?

Hi, I forgot to tell everyone where we are at, but leaving this morning. We are, or have been for the last two nights, staying at the "Beluga Lookout" in Kenai, Alaska. We had no idea that this was the Net Fishing Campground of Alaska. People told us that they reserve their spaces six months, or more, in advance. [and we got in] Can you believe that?

(1.) Closeup of some freshly netted Salmon.

(2.) First, see a man carrying a typical net; Now look at the man that looks like he is in the net. He had a big fish in his hand and we watched him walking back and forth; He forgot where he left his [fish storing] ice chest.

[Fly at Night]

This bus kinda reminds me of this story.
Into the Wild (2007) - IMDb

Top, I thought same. The book by Jon Krakauer is better, though. Am enjoying this thread and hope to venture Into the Wild someday.

‪Into the Wild Music Video by Eddie Vedder‬‏ - YouTube

[Gene]

The Into the Wild bus is still there, but not in good shape. It has become something of a icon to journey to. It is located not too far north of Denali NP and not far, by Alaska standards, from a town and highway (the one from Fairbanks to the Park and eventually to Anchorage). The primary obstacle to getting back from the bus (or to it) is a river.

Bob, is that you or Lee dressed as Nanook?

Gene

[Fly at Night]

Opportunists have been cannibalizing the bus and selling parts on ebay.
Christopher McCandless • View topic - Parts were stolen from the bus and put on Ebay...

What an affront to an icon that attracts those youthful spirits.

[bolerama]

What a great trip! I'm really enjoying this thread. Thanks for keeping us all up-to-date.
Lisa

[slowmover]

How's this for a "Road Hazard" flat tire?

That looks like the one from the '64 earthquake/tsunami. A famous picture of a man holding it in tired awe. Said to be 10-ply.

The Great Alaskan Earthquake 1964: The Largest Earthquake Ever Recorded in North America | Suite101.com

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, We had a short drive from Kenai to Seward today. We found a front row camping space by the ocean; It was water and electric only. No WIFI until now, so I'm doing my updates. The view was great from our trailer. We took a hike up to Exit Glacier, about two miles each way. Today we had Mexican food.

(1.) View from our trailer's rear window; Note: the shadow of my rear segment and clearance lights.

(2.) View from outside of trailer; We are in space #83, the power and water are on the oposite side for each space.

(3.) View of the Harbor and one Cruise Ship. [only one ship at a time]

(4.) Exit Glacier.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, today we took a six hour boat trip. We saw several animals and one glacier, up very close, on this trip. The boat was pretty new and very nice. I was told that this boat had two ten cylinder Caterpillar engines with 1500 horse power each. This bout would do 26 knots all day long. On this trip we saw some Puffins, Whales, Sea Lions, Otters, Eagles, and Dolphins.

(1.) This was the best whale picture that I could get, They come and go very quickly.

(2.) Glacier as it was caving.

(3.) Sea Lions resting on a rock.

(4.) Reflection of our view from the boat's windows.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, This was a very long drive from Seward to Valdez. it was late in the evening when we arrived, but I took some pictures on the way. It was rainy and foggy in Valdez so the first night we mostly stayed in our trailer.

(1.) Here we found what looked like Fred Sanford's house, in Seward.

(2.) Worthington Glacier.

(3.) Bridal Vail Falls.

(4.) This is the secret campground where we stayed, in Valdez, and it was very quiet. There was a resident Eagle family close to our, electric only, site. We were told that this camp ground was run by the US Army.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, we had rain all day and all night long. So we spent more time in our trailer today. We had planned on taking another Glacier boat tour, but with the rain and fog, we wouldn't be able to see much. Maybe tomorrow will be better. We were told of a place where there were more Salmon than you ever seen jumping in the ocean. There were some Sea Lions having an easy meal.

(1.) Look at his eyes [one eye] checking out all the fish within a tongues reach.

(2.) One gulp and the Salmon is gone.

(3.) Talking about a big fish!!!!!!!!

(4.) I watched this really neat machine as it took a boat from dry dock and put it back into the water.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, today it was still rainy and foggy, so I was glad that I didn't sign up for the boat tour; I wouldn't be able to see anything in this kind of weather. We were on the lookout for Eagles and we found some. [and a family] This is our last day here and we move again tomorrow.

(1.) STOP gun fire in Alaska!

(2.) Eagle on top of tree in the rain.

(3.) Family of Eagles having Salmon for lunch.

(4.) Baby Eagle takes a flight.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, we are now at a camp ground in TOK, Alaska. Boy are we having fun. I asked if they had WIFI, and they said yes, but you can only use it for one hour free. I put on a sad face and told them that I haven't had any WIFI for a week, so they gave me another coupon, good for a second hour, free. This is one of the reasons that Days 21 through 26 have short stories. Dusty got a bath so I had to wash his laundry today. After I loaded the washing machine, I read the sign stating that I'm not supposed to wash rugs and dog stuff. An hour later the dryer ate Dusty's dog collar and License. I had fun trying to explain how his collar and license got stuck in the dryer and we had to get it back. I was finally able to get his collar back without disassembling the camp ground's dryer. Also today, while setting up camp, I noticed one of my trailer tires has begun to separate. Tomorrow morning, I will try to get a new tire. Today we drove for many miles on pebble and gravel roads. I cringed every time a truck passed and heard the rocks bouncing off of my Lincoln's windshield. No damage that I could see today. These roads make a few miles seem like a lifetime.

[Gene]

I've missed you. Exit Glacier looks narrower than it did in 2002. Hope you got that tire.

Gene

[Airslide]

How are you guys holding up? This is a long trip.. what a great experience and it seems like the Lincoln is handling it well. Great piccys.

Vinnie