Kenai, AK
10/7-11
If given the opportunity, there are several places that everyone should go. I learned in high school that Theodore Roosevelt said that place should be the Grand Canyon. Aly would probably say the place to go would be Disney World. The driver that I cut off the other day would probably say I should go to... well, you can probably figure that one out. I, for one, would recommend that Alaska be on your bucket list as well. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Seriously, go add it now.
I'll wait...
There, now that that's done, let me share with you some of the highlights during my week in Kenai, AK. Kenai is located on the southern end of the state, on the aptly named Kenai peninsula, about 3 hours (driving) or 15 minutes (flying) south of Anchorage. I was a little nervous leading up to this trip because I had been warned that snow could be in the forecast (and living in California and Nevada doesn't exactly prepare you for that). Fortunately for this guy, it never got that cold, so the gloves, scarf, hat, second jacket, ski goggles, hand warmers, arctic boots, space heater, and firewood remained in my suitcase the whole trip. Yay! The majority of the week the weather was overcast with occasional rain.
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Guessing an upgrade to First Class
is out of the question... |
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| Captain's Saute |
Because of the inclement weather, I didn't venture out too far during the first couple of days. Instead, I spent them sightseeing in the Kenai/Soldotna area and eating at the Louie's Seafood Restaurant, which was the overwhelming consensus amongst the locals as THE restaurant to go to. In fact, I went there a total of three nights during the week. One night I had the Captain's Sauté, which was a broiled combination plate of salmon, halibut, scallops, and shrimp. Always looking to try something regionally distinct, I opted for the razor clams on another night. And of course, I had had to go with another local staple, 1 lb. of King Crab legs on the other night. All three meals were great, but have to say, this was the best. Aside was eating, I spent my evenings driving around, trying to catch a glimpse of a moose or caribou to get a picture of. Although the locals did their best to point out all the local moose hangout spots, when all was said and done, this was as close to a moose as I got:
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| Try the Road Kill Cinnamon Roll! |
Fortunately, on Wednesday, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and I was able to take the two hour drive that everyone insisted I take down to the town of Homer to drive down the spit. As I drove down Highway 1 (not to be confused with the Pacific Coast Highway), I felt the need to roll down the windows. The air was chilly for sure, but it was so crisp and clean I just had to soak it up. Along the way I was treated to some of amazing views of mountains (a couple of which are actually active volcanoes). Looking back, I regret not pulling over to snap some photos, but I wanted to be sure to make it to Homer before dark.
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| Love this view! |
I made it to Homer just before sunset. After passing through the town, I took the 2 mile drive to the end of the spit, parked the car, and made my way to the waterfront. I spent the next hour or so strolling around, soaking up the serene landscape and snapping as many pictures as my freezing hands could muster. Perhaps bringing the gloves here would have been useful.
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| Salty Dawg Saloon |
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So can we call this a
Singles Bar? (I know, that
joke was horrible) |
After taking enough pictures to make a member of the paparazzi shake his head, I had to the stop by the world famous Salty Dawg Saloon for a drink. The decor of the bar is unique to say the least! Every inch of wall and ceiling space was (literally) covered with dollar bills. Apparently the story behind the cash was that back in the 70s, if someone wanted to buy a drink for a fellow fisherman, they would write that person's name on a dollar bill. When that friend came back from sea, he would come to the saloon, find the single with his name on it and have a drink, courtesy of his friend. I glanced around at the old salts around me for a moment and then at my attire and found myself humming the tune 'One of These Things is Not Like the Others' in my head. Unfazed, I joined in the conversation and we spent the next hour talking about the finer points of fishing, drinking, and, of all things, the education system.
If given the opportunity, there are several places that everyone should go. I learned in high school that Theodore Roosevelt said that place should be the Grand Canyon. Aly would probably say the place to go would be Disney World. The driver that I cut off the other day would probably say I should go to... well, you can probably figure that one out. I, for one, would recommend that Alaska be on your bucket list as well. It has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Seriously, go add it now.
