Northern Streamin': Anchorage, Alaska to Soldotna, Alaska

We pick up a hitch hiker today. Well, sort of. She’s a long-time friend who’ll travel with us through the Kenai Peninsula. She brings familiarity in an out-of-the-ordinary place and a new and welcome element to our conversation.

Just add water. We’ve seen streams, lakes, ponds and mighty rivers but now, a new component: open water coming from the sea. Turnagain Arm wraps partially around the bottom of “main land” Alaska in a beautiful blue embrace. A stop at Beluga Point invites us to look for the only all white whales. Of course, they have been hunted to near extinction and are classified “near threatened.” Sorry not to see a single one. However, the snowy, blue, mountains that rise behind the water are a commanding presence. Knockouts!

We have moved from inland scenery to coastal. Low lying blooms are tucked into rocky crevices and spontaneous waterfalls spill down from far above us. As we drive south we see stands of dead spruce trees along the roadway. The 1964 Good Friday earthquake caused the land to sink and the invading saltwater destroyed them.

We’re traveling the Seward Highway towards the Kenai Peninsula but we take a four mile detour to traverse the Alyeska Highway. It takes us to Girdwood where the Alyeska Ski Resort dominates. This is the high rent district for sure. The resort has 304 rooms an indoor swimming pool, gift shops galore, uniformed bell hops and is surrounded with flower beds planted with tulips 10 deep. It backs up to a soaring mountain which hosts an aerial tram taking summer tourists up the mountain. We watch a red sailed para-glider drift lazily down from the mountain top, just a scarlet scrap in all that blue sky. A bike trail stretches 13 miles from Girdwood back along the Turnagain Arm to a community called Bird. Hence the name “Bird to Gird”.

Back on the Seward Highway we head south. Spencer Glacier appears ahead and it looks as though we could drive right up into it if only the road didn’t veer away.

We cross Spokane Creek.

Along the Kenai River we catch a glimpse of the numerous fishermen who ply this river. They stand in their waders like soldiers in formation, dozens of them, yards apart, out in the current casting and recasting. They situate themselves 10 feet or more from the bank which puzzles us, until we learn that it’s a regulation that they must do so. The idea is to protect the streamside vegetation. This vegetation helps slow the current and creates ideal flows for young fish. Eighty percent of all young salmon are found within 6 feet of a river’s bank.

In Soldotna we investigate a fish-walk at the visitor’s center. It’s a walkway along the riverbank that makes the gorgeous river accessible to the casual sightseer.

We admire the decorated halibut and salmon cookies at the Moose is Loose Bakery, but the chocolate chippers are the ones that we take home.

We have our own personal eagle atop a tall tree at the RV park. He rides his treetop as it moves in the wind. He’s unconcerned with our presence and we observe him for a long time before he glides away. He returns with a salmon in his talons and is that a triumphant look in his eye?

Wildlife count: 4 bald eagles

Airstreams: 0

Miles: 198

Gratitudes: PKB: hitch hiking companion JMB: bald eagles up close

Gin Score: J: 1885 P: 1775