Day 358. July 30, 2014. Valdez Tough

LOCATION:  Valdez, Alaska in south central Alaska

WEATHER:  Cloudy, high around 60

Valdez's motto is Valdez Tough. They indeed have been through a lot.  The world's second largest earthquake hit Alaska 50 years ago on Good Friday.  Valdez, as some other coastal towns, was destroyed.  Many people died during the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis.  "Old Town" was condemned, and residents created "New Town" Valdez.  We went on a guided tour to learn about the homes and businesses that were relocated.  Very interesting.  Then, exactly 25 years later, eerily also on Good Friday, the Exxon Valdez crashed and spilled its oil here.  On top of that, Valdez receives more snow than any other place -600 inches in one year.  It is a Mecca for extreme skiers, like heli-skiing in  the nearby mountains.

Saw this beautiful planter on the walking tour.

George fished again, this time hoping only for a female for roe.  He caught about five 5-7 pound male pink salmon which he threw back, then caught the female.  

We went to the public fish cleaning area where seagulls hang out to eat the remains....

George removed the roe...

Most fishermen just throw roe away....there were bunches of it in the garbage tray.  Cured roe, however, now called caviar, sells for $100 a small box.

Not sure if we will eat the salmon, but George cut some nice fillets, too.

I chatted with a fisherman who had just come in from fishing in deep waters with a load of rock fish.  He gave me a filet and said it is a juicy, tender white fish.  

When we got back to the camper, I cured the roe for later.  

DINNER:  Since we had been around fish all day, including salmon salad for lunch, I switched to steak for dinner.  We had some grilled meat left from a few days ago. I sliced it thin and sautéed with onions. Side dishes were a baked potato with broccoli in cheese sauce.  Back to fish tomorrow.....

Day 357. July 29, 2014. Sharing salmon with sea lions!

LOCATION:  Valdez, Alaska, in south central part of state

WEATHER:  Nice. Highs in 60s

We had a 2-hour drive through mountain passes on our way to Valdez.  This glacier was right in front of us, as we headed down the mountain.

Valdez is a port town.  We are staying in a campground in town.  After setting up, we strolled around the harbor.  A few cute restaurants, lots of charter boat shops, and fish processing plants.  We plan to stay here 3-4 days, especially if the sun continues to shine.

As we were driving along, looking  for a good place to fish, I saw something big in the water.  It was a group of gigantic sea lions.  They were swimming along, gobbling up salmon.  

As each one surfaced, it  had a salmon in its  mouth.  The sea lions crunch off the head, and apparently the roe go flying, and the seagulls chase after the roe.  It was mesmerizing to watch.

As I was sea lion-watching, George was fishing.  He caught one silver (coho) and one  pink salmon.  The pink  got away, and the silver  he filleted.  Oh no!  More salmon!

Later we visited the salmon hatchery.  Millions of salmon were churning up the water.

Back at the campground,, we had some salmon sashimi as an appetizer. 

We bought a small hibachi grill to cook the salmon.  This campground, as most commercial ones, does not have a campfire ring. It will be nice to have it on hand.   I marinated the fillets in some Asian salad dressing, oil, and soy sauce.

DINNER:  Grilled salmon, sautéed broccoli, and a barley side dish, using up some I had bought ages ago at Whole Foods.  As I feared, we only ate one of the fillets, so I will have to figure out what to do with the second one.

Day 356. July 28, 2014. Heading east

LOCATION:  Copper Center, Alaska on road south to Valdez

WEATHER:  Cloudy. High around 60

George spent the entire morning at the Honda shop in Anchorage trying to get the plug fixed that we use for our electric cooler.  No luck.  

To get to Valdez, we almost make a circle, as there is not a direct road.  First we drove north, then east, and now south towards Valdez.  On our way, we stopped at a musk ox farm.  They are huge. They farm them for their fur.

We had a picnic along the way.  More beautiful flowers.

Even though we are on the primary highway in/out of Alaska, it is mostly 2 lanes.  We caught a picture of this moose along the highway...

Copper Center (as in Copper River Salmon) is about 100 miles north of Valdez.  We are in a nice state park along a river.  It is managed by the next-door lodge who are a Russian family here via Miami.  We had a beer in their beer garden.

DINNER:  Happily, we have a good campfire ring here, so George grilled a steak. It was perfection.  Along with that, we had a salad, broccoli, and garlic toast.  We ate inside due to Mosquitos.  -(

Day 355. July 27, 2014. Our Tour De France

LOCATION:  Anchorage, in south central Alaska

WEATHER:  Beautiful.  Sunny. Highs in 60s

We spent the day biking around Anchorage. We started the day with lots of energy.....

We took paths throughout the city until we hit the Coastal Trail, which is supposed to be the second most beautiful trail in the USA.  Who comes up with these? Where is the most beautiful?  It really is beautiful, hugging the coast, on bluffs overlooking the bay. We were rewarded with a view of Mt.Mckinley,  North America's highest peak at 20k+ feet.  When we were in and around Denali, we couldn't see it due to the clouds.  Today, we saw it from 100 miles away in the clear skies.

We pedaled around the airport, watching lots of huge FedEx planes departing (with lots of fishermen's halibut and salmon being sent home, I imagine).  We also watched float planes taking off and landing.  This separate floatplane airport is the largest in the world.  In the winter, they remove the pontoons and put on skis, so the planes can land on the ice.  

On our way back, we enjoyed a restorative IPA in a cute neighborhood pub.  Lots of other bikers there, too, sitting on the deck basking in the sun.

We made it home after 6 hours......exhausted and with tired bottoms.  Showers and laundry followed.

DINNER:  Mushroom risotto with some Parmesan,  a big salad, and a nice Pinot Noir. 

.....and early to bed

Day 354. July 26, 2014. Exploring Anchorage

LOCATION:  Anchorage in south central part of Alaska

WEATHER:  Very pleasant.  Sunny. Highs in 60s

We went to the Anchorage Farmers' Market downtown.  It was packed, including bus loads of people from the cruise ships.  

Then we went to a downtown brewpub.  They have a nice deck, with beautiful flowers.

There is a nice view of the harbor.

We had a delicious blackened Alaskan cod sandwich.

We walked around downtown Anchorage.  It is milder here in the winter than in Minnesota.  Lots of people were out, soaking up the sunshine.

We ran errands, and returned to campground.  We missed our favorite radio show, Prairie Home Companion, due to time zone difference.

DINNER:  This campground does not have fire rings, so we have to cook inside.  We will postpone grilling steaks until next campground.  I marinated portabello mushrooms in olive oil and herbs, basil and oregano, and sautéed them with onions and bell peppers.  We had potabello mushroom sandwiches with toasted baguette slices, and a side of cucumbers in Greek yogurt.  

Day 353. July 25, 2014. Back to Anchorage

LOCATION:  Anchorage, Alaska, in south central part of state

WEATHER:  Cold and rain all day. Highs in 50s

We packed up from Whittier quickly in order to catch the tunnel release time.  The long tunnel to/from Whittier is one-way, and just opens up each side once an hour.  

Of course, we were low on gas, and I was afraid we would run out of gas in the middle of the tunnel.  We made it, of course, and George proudly found less expensive gas on the other side of the tunnel.

We stopped at a beautiful hotel called Alyeska Resort.  It is especially busy as a ski resort, but always lots of tour buses.  See this mountain of suitcases!

The grounds are beautifully landscaped.

We arrived in Anchorage in the rain.  There is really only one campground option in the city.  It is a bit crowded.  It is a mix of RVers  like us, as well as some dilapidated permanent trailers.  We wanted  a few days in the city to shop, do laundry, use showers.  

We went to a super popular brewpub for lunch.  It specializes in pizza.  Our Cuban sandwich came with a pizza dough bread rather than regular bread.  Interesting.  

We stayed inside in the PM, due to the rain, reading and watching PBS.  

DINNER:  YAHOO!  The very end of the salmon.  I crumbled up the cooked salmon patty left over from the tacos, added chopped celery and mayonnaise, and turned it into a salmon salad wrap.  I think we had about 10 meals from that one sock-eye salmon.  

Day 352. July 24, 2014. Prince William Sound

LOCATION:  Whittier, Alaska on Prince William Sound, in south central Alaska

WEATHER:  Nice. Highs in 60s

We said good-bye to our friends Daniel and Minnie, and drove north about 50 miles to Whittier.  It is a small port town on the Sound.  To get here, we went through North America's longest tunnel.  There are beautiful glaciers and waterfalls all around us.

Whittier doesn't have many amenities.  The campground is city-run, and is very basic.  There aren't even pit toilets, just "rent-a-cans".  There is a big rig in the campground with the vanity license plate "PALIN".  I wonder......

We watched some ferries come in and walked along the boardwalk.  Very nice.

We went to a cute waterfront restaurant for dinner.  We had chowder, halibut and shrimp, all from here in the Sound.

Day 351. July 23, 2014. Exploring Cooper Landing

LOCATION:  Cooper Landing, Alaska, in south central part of state

WEATHER:  Sunny, then rain. Highs in 60s

We decided to stay another day with friends Daniel and Minnie in Cooper Landing.  We took a hike on a nearby trail, then ate lunch in this cute roadhouse.  We had smoked salmon chowder which was delicious, and split a halibut sandwich.  All very local.

We watched the salmon fishermen on the rivers.  They fly-fish, standing waist deep in the river.  They are decked out with Cabela wear, especially fancy waders.

After a drive in back roads to watch for wildlife, we returned to the campground for a nice evening.  George and Daniel built a campfire. We had Jiffy Pop popcorn for a snack.....memories from childhood!

It actually turned out well.  

DINNER:  I thawed the remaining salmon filet and made fish tacos.  I had to improvise, as usual.  The fish part was just the flaked salmon, an egg, and some panko with cumin and chipotle.  I didn't have any cole slaw for the salad part, so mixed green onion and a vegetable like a skinny broccoli that we had bought in a farmers' market.  Served it with grilled tortillas.  Daniel and Minnie grilled porkchops, and we each sampled other's foods.  So nice!

Day 350. July 22, 2014. Kenai Fjords

LOCATION:  Seward, Alaska, in south central part of state

WEATHER:  Very nice. Sun. Highs in 60s

Today was a special treat.  We had reserved seats on a 6-hour boat ride into the Kenai Fjords.  We drove about 50 miles to Seward, a port town, to pick up the boat.  It is a lovely town and busy port.

We chose this particular tour as there was a National Park Ranger on board who described things as we sailed.  

At first, it was a bit choppy, and some people got sick.  Then it calmed down. We saw a lot of wildlife.....humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, puffins, and then lots of orcas (killer whales) that put on a show by the boat, flapping their tales and jumping up in the air (breaching).  It was magnificent!  

Here are the sea lions.  We were so close that we could hear them grunting.....

 

Then, we stopped in front of a tremendous glacier that dropped down to the water.  We could see and hear it cracking.  Once in awhile, a large piece of ice would crack off, with a noise sounding like a rifle shot.  This is called calving.

There were thousands of small pieces of icebergs floating around.

One of the crew pulled out a piece.  Then, they made us margaritas with the glacier ice

They were a beautiful color.....

There was an optional all-you-can-eat salmon buffet on board.  We passed on that, for obvious salmon   overdose reasons.

We got back to the port about 6:00 PM.  We were lucky with the weather.  It was cool, standing on the deck, but we had our winter coats on.  

We had a beer at the Seward Brewery.  Someone said their food wasn't so great, so we ordered pizza to go from another place.  We brought it back to the camper and had a relaxing dinner.  Our friends Minnie and Daniel went on the evening cruise, so we won't see them until morning.  

Day 349. July 21, 2014. Meeting up with friends on the road

LOCATION:  Cooper Landing, Alaska, in south central part of state

WEATHER:  Anither really nice day. Highs in 60s

We got cleaned up at our Homer campground, knowing that we will be in primitive campgrounds for the next few days.  We drove 125 miles north to Cooper Landing.  We are on beautiful Lake Kenai.  Lots of rivers feed into it, and this area is known for trout fishing.  

We met up with Daniel and Minnie, friends from San Francisco whom we had met in Texas last winter.  We are staying in Quartz Creek campground, part of the National Forest Service.  It is beautiful and woodsy.  We were able to get a double campsite which we are sharing with them.  It is a great set-up. We rode bikes some, then chatted around the campfire.  The Mosquitos love Daniel, so he wears a netted cover-up.  They ride their tandem bike a lot, including the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compestela in Spain.

DINNER:  We finished up the remaining salmon, although we do have one more fillet in the freezer.  I cooked some zucchini and onions, and added the salmon and some cream cheese for a sauce.  We had rice on the side.  

Day 348. July 20, 2014. Exploring more of Homer

LOCATION:  Homer, Alaska on southwest tip of state

WEATHER:  Very nice.  Highs in 60s

We took a hike on one of the bluffs overlooking the bay.  Our trail led us through very tall fireweed, wild flowers that are everywhere.

Then, we went on a short walking tour of old Homer.  The flowers there are beautiful, too.

The flowers must really like summer's 20-hour days.

This flowering kale is on steroids!

We rode our bikes about 3 miles to Homer Spit, a long, narrow piece of land that juts into the bay.  Surprisingly, it reminds me of Key West.  Lots of charter boat tour offices, seafood shops, seafood restaurants, T-shirt shops and bars.  We went to a famous (infamous) one called Salty Dawg Saloon.  It is like the Salty Dog one in Key  West. 

We drank a salty dog on their patio.  Nice and sunny.

DINNER:  I needed to use up a leftover grilled chicken thigh, and ribs, so I made a stir-fry with the meat and lots of veggies.  Instead of rice, I stirred the mix into the leftover rice  vermicelli.  George had bought two huge containers of blueberries (as they were a "good deal"), so we had blueberries and Greek yogurt for dessert.

Day 347. July 19, 2014. Enjoying Homer

LOCATION:  Homer, Alaska, in southwest tip of Alaska

WEATHER:  Very nice. Highs in 60s

We took advantage of the campground's amenities....I did laundry and George used their internet to pay bills, etc.   They also loaned us a cable hookup so we watched some  PBS on TV.

For lunch, I made large salads with croutons and prices of cold salmon fillets.

We walked to the nearby farmers' market.  There seem to be a lot of "free spirits" living here.  I bought a basil plant.  I hope I can keep it alive while traveling.  Then we went to a street fair.  Who would expect a marimba band in Alaska?

We walked to the Homer Brewpub, handily located next door to our campground.  We ordered a dozen Alaskan oysters.  Quite tasty!

DINNER:  We wanted to make sushi with our remaining salmon roe (ikura in Japanese), but I don't have the equipment.  So, for an appetizer, I made some rice, added a bit of rice vinegar, and served it with the roe.  Added a little wasabi for a kick.  We made salmon burgers with one of the cooked salmon fillets.  The side dish was an unusual 3-bean salad I had made the other day.  Instead of the usual beans, I used garbanzos, edamame and fava beans.  Pretty good.

Day 346. July 18, 2014. Not hungry in Homer!

LOCATION:  Homer, Alaska in SW tip of state

WEATHER:  Perfect. High around 70

Our mission today is to eat up our salmon.  Yesterday, we had sashimi and grilled fillets.  We started the day today with a salmon bagel, with cream cheese, capers, salmon, and salmon roe.  What a way to start the day!

Then we drove about an hour south to Homer.  It claims to be the halibut capital of the world.  It is on the tip of the mainland.  For you Minnesotans, the drive into town reminded us of entering Duluth.....beautiful views of the water as we descended from the bluff.

We are in a tiny campground called A Fisherman's Resort.  It is, indeed, for fishermen.  It is also a fish processing shop.  People bring in their fish to be gutted, cleaned, filleted, and packaged.  It is also a commercial fish shop selling halibut, salmon, and razor clams which are found here.  

I fixed lunch with (what else?) salmon.  I made a chilled Asian salad with rice vermicelli (sometimes called nylon noodles).  I coated the noodles in an Asian sauce, and served it with diced celery, diced salmon, and salmon roe.  

In the afternoon, we drove around town, visited the visitor center, and hiked a bit.  We drove to the Homer Spit, which is a little piece of land that juts out to the bay.  We had a drink outside at Land's End Bar.

This boat says Bering Sea on it, on its way out for weeks of fishing.

Back at the campground, George made a fire.  He talked with our neighbors, who had just caught several 100-pound halibuts.  Oh no, they gave us more fish!  We had surf n turf.  We had bought some ribs before we got the salmon.  So, we grilled them, along with the halibut filet.

We are going to stay here for a few days.  It is a nice fishing town.

DINNER:  The surf n turf, with a baked potato and steamed broccoli.  

Day 345. July 17, 2014. Salmon feast!

LOCATION:  Near Clam Gulch in south central Alaska

WEATHER:  Beautiful. Highs in 60s

We headed south on the Kenai Peninsula.  We stopped in two campgrounds with no vacancies, so continued.  We found a nice state park.  It is located on Cook's Inlet, which people call the ocean here.  A camper told us about a place on the beach where we could buy fish.  So, we hiked along the beach.  There was a "no camping" sign but that didn't prevent about 100 people living there temporarily.  They were there with gill nets scooping up salmon.  We talked to one fisherman who agreed to sell us one.  We asked for a female one (called a hen, we learned), 

so we could eat the roe.  

When we hiked back to the campground, the host was there.  He told us about an even nicer state park where he is a host, too.  It is about 15 miles south.  We found it, and it has a beautiful view of the ocean.  Nice, spacious sites with good campfire grills.

George gutted and cleaned the fish.  He did a great job.

He removed the eggs.  I put in an emergency call to our chef daughter to learn how to cure the roe.

We could not find our cedar plank, so used a pine board instead.  The filets turned out beautifully.  We have a LOT of fish to eat.  The salmon roe turned out really well, too.  

DINNER:  Grilled salmon with a salad, and sautéed vegetables (onions, zucchini, summer squash)....washed down with a sauvignon Blanc.  

Day 344. July 16 continued

More on the seaplane tour....

Watching the bears was mesmerizing.  We saw a grizzly with 2 cubs that were  a year and a half old.  Then, another mom with triplets.  Then a black bear family... a dad, mom, and 2 cubs.

They were next to an uphill stream with sock-eye salmon trying to swim up it.  Later, other bears came.  They love to swim and play.  They look like they are boxing.  

There were some fishing boats, too, and the people were catching a lot of salmon.  

Our guide was excellent.  He took us to different places on the lake to see the bears.  He also took us to this waterfall.  We took a picnic and had cheese, crackers, reindeer sausage, and Alaskan beers!

Then, to a bathroom spot.  These boards are on top if a deep bog.  It is like walking on a waterbed.

At the end of the trip, our plane returned to pick us up.  The water looks almost like milk, as it comes from the glacier melt.  

The day was just perfect.  

The only bad thing is that when we returned to our campground, they told us we had to move to a different site.  There had been a mix-up.  What a pain.  We had planned to go out for dinner, but since we had to hook up and move, we decided to leave us hooked up for the night.  

DINNER:  I cut up one of the leftover grilled thighs and cooked it with onions, mushrooms, garbanzo beans and pesto.  Served it over spaghetti.  For a salad, I tossed radishes, bell peppers and a few more garbanzo beans.