Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2003 14:42:36 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Roadhaus - Anchorage to Fairbanks Must See Suggestions?
In-Reply-To: <000001c35dd7$9acca300$06af410c@laptop>
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I lived on the Kenai Peninsula for 15 years.
If you don't go to Seward and Homer - both of which are on the peninsula
- then you will have missed some of the best of Alaska.
Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay, and is a year round, deep
water port. Fantastic Silver Salmon and Halibut fishing there. The
opening scene of the movie with Sean Connery - "The Hunt for Red
October" - was filmed in Resurection Bay in the winter.
Homer is at the mouth of Kachemak Bay. Just as you arrive there you will
come to a curve in the road on a cliff that overlooks all of the Bay and
Lower Cook Inlet. The view is incredible. you will be able to see great
glaciers at the head of the bay, and in the opposite direction to the
west you will be able to see Mt. Augustine, an active volcanoe that sits
in the inlet and puffs smoke. For a preview of the volcanoe and one of
Alaska's glorious sunsets, check my website at
http://webpages.charter.net/j_rodgers
The opening page is a picture of the volcanoe.
When driving down to Seward and to Homer, the scenery is fabulous. On
the way to Homer you will go through the little town of Soldotna. If you
turn right at the Kenai-Spur Highway it will take you the 10 miles to
Kenai. If you stay on the road it will take you Nikiski and to the
Captain Cook campground about 10 miles further out. Nice place to camp
on the the edge of Cook Inlet. While in Kenai, ask whee to see the
Beluga Whales. On hig tide they come into the mouth of the Kenai River
and can be observed from the cliffs along thr river bank on the Kenai
side of the river.
Coming back into Kenai from the Campground you can turn right in Kenai
and cross the bridge over the lower part of the Kenai River down by the
tidal zone. It crosses the river an connects to K-Beach Road. A right
turn onto K-Beach (Kalifonski Beach Road) will take you along the Cook
Inlet back to the Homer Highway just a little below the town of
Soldotna. You won't miss anything by cutting off that short part of the
Homer Highway, and you will be able to see it comeing back up for Homer.
While in Home, don't miss a visit to the Pratt Museum - you would regret
it if you did. Also stop into Ptarmigan Arts on Pioneer St., which is
the main Business district in Homer. And of course, you must visit the
Homer Spit. You will be there when the Silver Salmon are running, and
you can fish off the beaches for the fish in salt water. If time
permits, take a water taxi over to the artsy-fartsy community of
Seldovia, across the bay. Strictly foot traffic over there. Great place.
plan to spend a day on that excursion. Water taxi may take you by some
sea otters, and a puffin rookery while you are out there.
By all means - go down on the Kenai ---- a journey well worth the time.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver - 30 years in Alaska
Larry Chase wrote:
>Volks,
>
>Just arrived in Anchorage ...... and will be headed towards Fairbanks in
>a day or so.
>
>Anyone have any "Must See" suggestions for the area.
>
>Also ..... is a detour south ... "Seward or Homer" worth the trip?
>
>Lastly ... if anyone in the Anchorage area and would like to get
>together for a quick visit tomorrow (Saturday) ... please email or call.
>
>
>
>"Don't let your Dreams be Dreams."
> - Jack Johnson
>
>
>Larry Chase
>Email: RoadGuy@RoadHaus.com
>Web: <http://www.roadhaus.com/> www.RoadHaus.com
>Cell: 480 620 8966
>What: North American Road Trip
>How: RoadHaus - 1990 White VW Westfalia Syncro
>Today: Roaming the Yukon & Alaska.
>
>
>
