Homer Road Trip on 11-19-11

I finally got through my work week and did not finish this until tonight so it is about a couple weeks old now from reality.  I had finished up Friday (the week before Thanksgiving) and had a few days off until after the holidays.  I needed to use some of my time before the end of the year so as not to lose it so I did not have to be back to work until Nov. 28th which is not bad.

I decided that I had worked too hard these last few weeks and needed a break from everything so I decided to drive down to Homer for the day to clear my head and get ready to slow down from work.  I have a friend who has a boat there who had asked several weeks ago to drop by if I was in the area.  With the cold weather he was not there this weekend but no worries.  I have another friend who has lived in Alaska for many years but had never been to Homer so I asked if she wanted to accompany me on what would be about a 10 hour trek.  Several friends thought I'm crazy to drive down 4.5 hours from Anchorage to drink a beer at the Salty Dog Saloon in Homer and then turn around and drive back.  I left about 11 am and returned home just before midnight.  I thought it was great even with the temperatures well below zero for most of the day.

We took pictures along the way since it is quite different in winter than the many summer scenes I have of the area.  The drive down Turnagain Arm is still one of the most beautiful in the world to me and reminds me how blessed I am to see such beauty and take the time to experience this place in all the various seasons and the different looks it has. 

There was Dall sheep up on the rocky bluffs along the roadway so it was no surprise to see many photographers set up along the edge of the road on the pull off with long lens cameras taking photos of the sheep up on the mountainside. 

The ice flows’ just over the highways edge were moving with the tidal flow was cool to see and you could hear the sounds the ice makes as they press against one another.

Climbing up the mountains and over to Cooper Landing were beautiful with the low horizon sun shining down through the thin cloud layer creating interesting contrasts on things. 

There were several places along the roadway where moose were eating or walking avoiding the deeper snow areas.  Closer to sundown I saw two really big bull moose and tried to stop and get pictures but as I backed up they headed into the woods.  I did see one group of 3 moose that I was able to get before they also avoided the crazy guy on the road trying to get a picture.  Traffic was almost nil as winter does not have the tourist traffic so was almost deserted driving most of the day and evening.

I stopped along the Kenai River for a couple of snow pictures since I usually only see this in summer and early fall on my fishing or float trips. 

It was very peaceful but cold at minus 25 below zero.  I did not stay out long enough for my arctic gear (it is in my rig, Alaskan term for vehicle) but it was still chilly without the proper clothes on.

Soldotna was almost deserted as many businesses were closed for the season with only the major stores open for business.  That was the same for Homer and the spit area, a virtual ghost town with only the Alaska Ferry Terminal, The Salty Dog and Land's End Resort open for business.  We arrived at the Homer bluff overlooking Kachemak Bay and the Homer Spit just after sundown but there was still enough light to see across the bay to the mountains and glaciers on the other side and the lights of the Spit aglow. 

Not many people were out and about but when we stopped at the Salty Dog there were several scruffy fishermen there having a few.  I drank my beer, placed my dollar bill on the wall (circa Ernest Hemingway's exploits at Cabbage Key in Florida and others) and looked for something to eat before the drive back to Anchorage. 

I called my friend Lance who has a boat there but he was in Anchorage and had not come down since it was calling for the high winds and heavy seas.

The drive back was long but uneventful other than seeing several moose and several white rabbits along the roadway some hopping like crazy and a few more that became road kill.  Nature’s way possibly a good meal for those hearty for rabbit stew.  Road trips are meant to clear ones head and this one did, work is in perspective and now I am ready for the time off. 

Ice