July 14, 2011 - Day 6 of Vacation - Homer to Wasilla

Well, Wednesday night, I went down to get MS to sleep.  We told a couple of stories and the next thing I knew, it was Thursday morning.  Time to get up and start breakfast so we could pack and get ourselves headed north.  We ate leftovers, cleaned the fridge and a few other things, packed up and started traveling.  First stop was to pick up the frozen halibut that was coming to Fairbanks - the rest would be shipped over night to ID and WA for the kids to enjoy.  Second stop was to pick up the smoked fish.  We would divide that up later and the kids could take it home when they flew back.

Another section of shops on Homer Spit

After picking up the fish, I wanted to stop  and get a picture of the eagle's nest.  Every time we are in Homer (yep all 3 times) there has been an eagle in the nest.

Then we topped off the tanks and headed north.

Mount Redoubt was out for a change.  I had to check out the second volcano's name and when I was looking up Mt. Redoubt, I found this picture of the eruption in 1990:

WOW!!!!

Lots of lupine growing along the highways down south - much more beautiful than the lupine in Montana.

We drove down the Anchor Point Road - it is the farthest west highway in the US road system and was named by Captain Cook who lost an anchor here.  From the beach there, we could see both Mt. Iliamna above and Mt. ReDoubt below.

A closer view of Mt. Iliamna

The girls rushed out to check for wild creatures.  They did see some starfish.  But soon we had to get out of there as the tide was coming back in and it can rise 28 feet.

We stopped in Soldotna for lunch at the Caribou Restaurant. It was kind of sad as last year it was the Bear's Den and the new owners had done away with all the bear decorations and the growl when you enter the arctic entry.

After lunch we drove on, getting back to the Seward Highway and turning south again.  It is always such a pretty drive - rain, shine, snow whatever.

Our first stop was the Beluga Whale view point.  The whale do follow the herring into this part of Alaska but we haven't ever been there to see them.  We need to keep that in mind and keep an eye on the herring run.

It was very windy at the point.

ST doing gymnastics at the view point

JM on one of the belugas at the view point

MS showing off by standing up on this beluga head.

And ST isn't going to be outdone by her sisters.

After spending some time at the viewpoint, we drove onto Anchorge and parked downtown so we could look around and eat dinner.

The girls and Aunt Val at the starting point of the Iditarod.

The family walking down 4th Street which is one of the most popular in Anchorage.  I love all the hanging planters.

Photo op in front of the visitor center with a sodden roof.

The girls pose by a stuffed bear.

Then by this Native Alaskan - ST tries to get the bow.

We then went to have dinner at the Alaska Salmon Chowder House in Bear Square.  Isn't this big old bruin just so cute. I remember taking his picture in August 1999 during our first trip to Alaska - I don't think anyone ever forgets that first trip up here - you know - the one that makes you fall in love with the place and want to move up.

After dinner and a few more pictures, we loaded back into the trucks and drove on further north to Wasilla.  It was great to be greeted by a beautiful rainbow.

We arrived in Wasilla about 9:30 PM and checked into the Best Western on beautiful Lake Lucille to spend the night.  We were pretty much in Sarah Palin's backyard - and I do mean that literally since the Best Western is right next door to her place.  She was out of town though so no worries about running into her.

Time to go to sleep.  It had been another absolutely gorgeous day here in this beautiful country with the 7 people I love the most.