Soldotna and Homer
Soldotna and Kenai were stops on our way to Homer. We stayed for Free In the grocery store
parking lot of Fred Meyer's. Large area
just for motor homes and water fill up and dump station area. As we drove around the area we came across a
very crowded beach. The red salmon were
starting to run and the locals were out with their Dip Nets. Alaskan residents can use these large nets to
catch the red salmon to fill their freezers.
They were not in full run but many were caught and filleted right on the
beach. Families make it an event where
they camp on the beach and fish until they catch their limit. Awesome learning experience and great to
see. A lot of Russian influence in the
area, as Russia owned Alaska before selling it to the United States. Buildings and churches were in Russian architecture.
We ran across another talented chainsaw
carver and toured his business. Talented
people. On to Homer, this was one of my
favorite places in this entire trip.
Just a rustic, hometown type place.
The Spit, which is the large part of land that runs out like a finger
from the land, was where we stay for 3 days.
The Mariner Campground - basically ocean front beach that has assigned
spots to park on. No electric, water, or
sewer - dry camping, but the view was unbelievable. Gator loved running on the beach at low tide,
as did every dog and horseback riders in the area. Room for all.
This is an area with the highest tidal changes of anywhere in the
world. 23 feet difference from low to
high tide. Typically, 10 feet or less is
the norm.
We saw eagles everywhere and
especially nice when they come to your beach right in front of the RV. Driving at 10pm we came across a Mama Moose
and her calf. Not afraid of us but
cautious with us creeping up on them in the car.
A glacier across from us in the Cook Inlet and on the other
side of the Homer Spit is Kachemak Bay. We drove the East End road to its dirt end at
the head of the Kenai River. Beautiful
drive and surprised at how populated the mountains are. We found the Kilcher Homestead, which is the
TV show "Alaska: The Last Frontier" family that live off the land in
this area. Only issue is that they are
only 10 minutes from McDonalds and a Safeway grocery store. Also the whole area
has electric. So they may have chosen to not use or tie into it??? Then while we are in McDonalds using their
WiFi, we overhear the Kilcher's sister talking about running tours at the
Homestead and how difficult a guy was today that wouldn't listen to her
instructions on where to walk or not to walk and how frustrated she was. Just blew my bubble on the show and how they
live in the "wilderness".
Besides for the salmon running, it is Halibut season and
they had a contest going for the largest halibut caught. We saw the winning fish for the day. They get many times larger than this but
still impressive and worth a great dinner!
I love halibut. The Time Bandit
from the TV show Deadliest Catch, uses Homer as its home base. They said they are usually only in port
spring and fall. So we did not get to
see the huge crabbing ship. We took a
walking tour of the dock and learned a lot about the things that grow on the
side of the docks and buoys. Held a sea
star and anenomies.
Soldotna and Kenai were stops on our way to Homer. We stayed for Free In the grocery store
parking lot of Fred Meyer's. Large area
just for motor homes and water fill up and dump station area. As we drove around the area we came across a
very crowded beach. The red salmon were
starting to run and the locals were out with their Dip Nets. Alaskan residents can use these large nets to
catch the red salmon to fill their freezers.
They were not in full run but many were caught and filleted right on the
beach. Families make it an event where
they camp on the beach and fish until they catch their limit. Awesome learning experience and great to
see. A lot of Russian influence in the
area, as Russia owned Alaska before selling it to the United States. Buildings and churches were in Russian architecture. 
We ran across another talented chainsaw
carver and toured his business. Talented
people. On to Homer, this was one of my
favorite places in this entire trip.
Just a rustic, hometown type place.
The Spit, which is the large part of land that runs out like a finger
from the land, was where we stay for 3 days.
The Mariner Campground - basically ocean front beach that has assigned
spots to park on. No electric, water, or
sewer - dry camping, but the view was unbelievable. Gator loved running on the beach at low tide,
as did every dog and horseback riders in the area. Room for all.
This is an area with the highest tidal changes of anywhere in the
world. 23 feet difference from low to
high tide. Typically, 10 feet or less is
the norm. 
We saw eagles everywhere and
especially nice when they come to your beach right in front of the RV. Driving at 10pm we came across a Mama Moose
and her calf. Not afraid of us but
cautious with us creeping up on them in the car. 
A glacier across from us in the Cook Inlet and on the other
side of the Homer Spit is Kachemak Bay. We drove the East End road to its dirt end at
the head of the Kenai River. Beautiful
drive and surprised at how populated the mountains are. We found the Kilcher Homestead, which is the
TV show "Alaska: The Last Frontier" family that live off the land in
this area. Only issue is that they are
only 10 minutes from McDonalds and a Safeway grocery store. Also the whole area
has electric. So they may have chosen to not use or tie into it??? Then while we are in McDonalds using their
WiFi, we overhear the Kilcher's sister talking about running tours at the
Homestead and how difficult a guy was today that wouldn't listen to her
instructions on where to walk or not to walk and how frustrated she was. Just blew my bubble on the show and how they
live in the "wilderness". 
Besides for the salmon running, it is Halibut season and
they had a contest going for the largest halibut caught. We saw the winning fish for the day. They get many times larger than this but
still impressive and worth a great dinner!
I love halibut. The Time Bandit
from the TV show Deadliest Catch, uses Homer as its home base. They said they are usually only in port
spring and fall. So we did not get to
see the huge crabbing ship. We took a
walking tour of the dock and learned a lot about the things that grow on the
side of the docks and buoys. Held a sea
star and anenomies. 
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