RV ALASKA - "The End of the Road"

No worries.  All is well.  Our trip didn’t come to an abrupt, tragic end.  But we did reach “The End of the Road” when we drove as far as you can go on “the Spit” in Homer.  Homer (population: 6,203) had all the charm that I felt Kenai lacked.  Yup, it’s a tourist town – especially the Spit, a 4.5 mile sandbar that stretches out from town into Kachemak Bay.  The Spit is where the tourists hang out.   There are RV parks, hotels, shops, restaurants, fish processors and the Salty Dog Saloon – famous for the dollar bills that patrons sign and tack all over the wall.  We liked Homer a lot, and really enjoyed the three days we spent hanging around the Spit.  But first, let’s back up just a bit.

On the morning of July 18^th, we headed west on the Sterling Highway from Cooper Landing to Deep Creek State Recreation Area in Ninilchik.  That state-run campground would be our base camp while exploring Homer, approximately 45 minutes farther down the highway.  We had visited Deep Creek earlier in the week, and had identified it as our #1 campground choice in the area (also known as Plan A).  We planned to arrive shortly after the 12 noon checkout, and kept our fingers crossed that we’d get a waterfront site with a gorgeous view of Cook Inlet and Mt. Redoubt, a volcano that’s still somewhat active.  Most state campgrounds in Alaska don’t offer reservations; otherwise, you can bet we would have had one.  We did luck out with a waterfront site.  Better yet, it was at the end of a row with no neighbors on our dinette (driver’s) side which is where most of our windows are.  On our curb side was a family of six, and they were great neighbors.  Out the big back window was a lovely view of Cook Inlet and the mountains beyond.  I couldn’t have picked a better site if I had reserved it months in advance.  However . . .

Deep Creek had deep holes.  The road from the beginning of the recreation area through the day use area and on into the campground was a mass of potholes.  Actually, it was a mess of massive potholes.  If the Alaska Highway had been that bad, we would have turned around and gone home.  When we had visited Deep Creek the week before, we were in the truck, and that was rough enough.  (Anybody remember, “Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down?”)  Alan said if it had been any worse, he probably would have ended up in my lap, despite his seatbelt.  When we came in with the trailer, he drove as carefully as he could and tried to avoid the biggest potholes.  It didn’t help.  We were rockin’ and rollin’ – and proclaiming our undying gratitude all the way to our campsite for the recent suspension upgrade we had done to the trailer – new MorRyde 4000’s and KYB shocks.  Expecting the contents to tumble out of cabinets when we opened them, we were surprised (and really happy) to find that the only casualty of the rough ride was Alan’s hat which had fallen off its hook to the floor.  Impressive!  I’m sure you can’t imagine why anyone would get excited about a trailer suspension and shock absorbers.  But, if you had traveled the road to Deep Creek with us, you’d know.

I was impressed by the payment system we found at Deep Creek.  An electronic kiosk that accepted credit cards made it easy to register and pay for our site.   I entered our plate number and how many nights we wanted to pay for, inserted my credit card and instantly received a receipt to display on our dashboard.  Sweet!  Even though I’d rather they take reservations, I was really impressed with the system and how easy it was to use it.  So much better than filling out a form and dropping cash or check in an iron ranger, then filling out a tag with the same information to put on your dash.

From our campsite at Deep Creek, we could see both Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Redoubt.  Redoubt was directly across from us, and it was really neat to watch it as the light changed throughout the day.  We had a long rock and gravel beach to walk, and the campground was quiet even during the day when the day use area was open.  This is one of the beaches with a fun-to-watch tractor launch; plus, we spent a good deal of time while in camp watching the local eagles and their antics.  I mentioned enjoying life’s simple pleasures in a previous post.  Here’s a perfect example: One evening, as we were eating supper, nine eagles took to the sky (most of them were immatures), swirling and swooping overhead, chasing each other, flying in formation and tumbling together.  The show lasted about a half hour, and Alan and I had never witnessed anything like it before.  Supper sat untouched, and was eaten cold.  We did some research and found out that this behavior is suspected to be a way that eagles play together and bond with each other.  No matter what science says about it, in layman’s terms it was amazing!

Whatever time we weren’t in camp, we pretty much spent in Homer, on the Spit.   The Spit held a lot of appeal for us.  I think it was because we’re avid boaters and because the atmosphere felt very casual and laid back.  Homer grabbed out attention and held on tightly for three solid days.

Date(s) – July 18^th - July 21^st  

Total Miles Traveled to Date – 11,189

Wildlife Sightings to Date – During the three days we spent camping at Deep Creek State Recreation Area and exploring the town of Homer, we saw 1 seal and 4 baby seagulls.  Adult seagulls are so abundant up here that we never started counting them, but we had never seen seagull chicks before, so I figured they should be included in the count.  I’m sure there were more than 4 of them.  If you had seen the colony of seagulls nesting on the dock and the nearby rocks, you’d understand my supposition.  So many nests!  But the parents were doing an excellent job of shielding their babies from the wind – and from prying eyes – so we only spotted the 4 closest to shore.  We had plenty of eagle sightings at Deep Creek, but stopped counting at 9 since that was the most we saw in the sky at one time.  It was obvious that there were nests in the area, and we’d often spot the resident eagles in their favorite perches in a big, dead tree.

So, our current wildlife count is: 62 eagles (including 2 fledglings); 4 seagull chicks; 8 swans (including 2 fuzzy cygnets); 3 Steller sea lions; 13 harbor seals; 2 sea otters; 3 cow moose; 1 bull moose; 1 grizzly sow with 2 cubs; 1 back end of a grizzly bear; 6 black bears; 1 coyote; 1 snowshoe hare; 3 rabbits (including one very fast bunny that just managed to cross the road safely); several small herds of bison with at least 2 dozen young calves; 9 deer (2 of them bucks with their racks covered in velvet); 9 mountain goats (including 3 tiny and adorable kids); 23 bighorn sheep; 62 elk (including 7 calves that hadn’t yet lost their spots and a number of bull elk with full racks covered in velvet); several small herds of pronghorn antelope (including 2 mamas with 3 newborn fawns between them); 3 great blue herons; dozens of American white pelicans; at least a half dozen families of adult geese with goslings; and several dozen ducks (with lots of little ducklings).

Highlights – Lots!  First of all, I got to spend my birthday in Alaska!  Not just in Alaska, but on the Homer Spit.  Sue Henry was one of my favorite authors, and her book, “The End of the Road,” was set in Homer.  (The book turned out to be appropriately titled, as it was, intentionally or not, the last book she wrote.)  We enjoyed the best meal we’ve had since arriving in Alaska at BlackJaxx Bar-B-Q – a highly rated food truck onsite at the Kevin Bell Ice Arena on the Spit.  Plus, delicious homemade ice cream at the First Cast Creamery, located in the same parking area.  It was an absolutely delightful day full of good biking and good food.  I always try to schedule some type of travel plans around my birthday, but this one just might take the (birthday) cake!

We truly appreciated Homer’s gracious hospitality.  Public restrooms were easily found, there was a paved walking/biking trail that ran through the Spit, around the harbor and on into the main part of town, and bike racks were plentiful.  We spent quite a bit of time on our bikes – a huge advantage because convenient parking spots were extremely difficult to come by.

We tried halibut – the first time for both of us.  Based on a recommendation from fellow travelers we met in Valdez, we had lunch at Boardwalk Fish & Chips.  The verdict?  They did a great job with the fish & chips I ordered and the shrimp & chips Alan ordered.  As for the halibut, it was good, but both Alan and I thought it lacked flavor.  Honestly, if we went back, I think I’d order the shrimp.  To us, the halibut was mild to the point of being uninteresting.  We chatted up a few fishermen at one of the filleting stations on the Spit, and one of them said it was his favorite fish.  Although he talked up a number of delicious ways to prepare it, he wasn’t successful in knocking salmon out of my #1 favorite fish spot.  Interestingly, halibut is ridiculously expensive whether you buy it at a fish processor’s, grocery store or restaurant.  Personally, I don’t see the bang for the buck, but, to each his own.

Transportation is huge here in Alaska.  Because the road system is so limited, islands and many outlying inland areas are accessible only by float plane, bush plane, ferry or water taxi.  (The Alaska Railroad runs from Fairbanks down to Seward, too.)  Water-based freight companies transport larger items to and from various islands when smaller boats can’t handle the job.  It was fascinating for us to hang around the harbor and watch the daily activities.  We stopped near the fish processing plant, where fishing boats would pull up to the dock to unload their catch.  We watched travelers load a huge variety of gear – luggage, camping equipment, kayaks, even what looked like collapsible fish filleting tables onto small water taxis to cross Kachemak Bay.  While several water taxis were being loaded, the Helenka B, a local freighter, cruised slowly into the harbor and dropped her loading ramp onto a boat launch ramp.  One of the crew members ran across the street to the freight yard, and returned with a large loader-type piece of equipment with a chain on the front.  He drove it up the ramp and onto the deck of the Helenka B, where another crew member would attach the chain to large trailers loaded with who knows what.  The loader then hauled each trailer off the deck, up the boat ramp and across the street to the freight yard.  At one point, a pickup truck drove onto the deck of the Helenka B, and bags of trash were loaded into it.  How do I know it was trash?  Because I watched the driver take the truck to the closest dumpster and transfer the trash bags to it.  Spending three days on the Spit around the harbor provided a good look at the fascinating-to-us activities that occur on a daily basis here at “the end of the road.”

The Homer Spit may be as far as you can drive in a southwesterly direction in Alaska, but Anchor Point marks the most western point in North America that you can reach by road.  On our last evening at Deep Creek, Alan and I drove back to Anchor Point to find the sign indicating that notable spot.  What we found were two signs.  One was on a side road, just off the main highway, and we’re thinking that it was probably placed there by the town or state for the convenience of tourists.  Sadly, it wasn’t very well maintained and it didn’t leave a terrific impression.  Unfortunately, that’s the one that’s mentioned on the Roadside America website.  But, the side road actually continued, and, if you drove all the way to its end at Anchor Point, you really did find yourself at the westernmost point in North America accessible by road – just like those people in the photo below.

Lowlight(s) – Cinnamon rolls.  Poor Alan.  He’s been on a quest for a good cinnamon roll.  After just missing the last two at the Tetsa River Lodge on the Alaska Highway in British Columbia, he has had cinnamon rolls in the back of his mind.  On our first run into Homer earlier in the week, he spotted a sign for cinnamon rolls at a cute spot in the parking lot of the Kevin Bell Ice Arena on the Homer Spit.  Since it was late in the day, he planned to try again when we were back in Homer.  The cinnamon rolls turned out to be at the First Cast Creamery.  On the first of our three days in town, they had just sold the last two when I stepped up to order.  (Are you sensing a theme here?)  They did have some day-old cinnamon rolls, offered at half price, and the gracious young woman working the counter offered to heat them up for us.  Well, fresh would be better, but, at the rate we were going, we decided we’d better try ‘em while they were available.  They were, uh, not so good.  There had way too much cinnamon in them (I didn’t think such a thing was possible until that day) and warming them up didn’t really help much.  The next day, we tried the (very dense) cinnamon rolls at BB’s Bakery.  Bad idea.  Let’s not do that again.  Never had cinnamon rolls quite like that and hope we never do again.  On day three, we went back to First Cast Creamery, hoping to score some fresh cinnamon rolls.  Success!  And that nice, fresh batch didn’t have quite so much cinnamon.  Scrumptious success!  We had stopped for a cup of coffee at the McDonald’s in Homer before heading down to the Spit (it’s our favorite coffee, hands down), so we made our way to a quiet little parking lot at the back of the harbor we had found earlier in our visit.  Looking out at Kachemak Bay and its plentiful boat traffic, Alan finally got to enjoy a good cinnamon roll.  So, I’m happy to report that our lowlight actually turned out much better than we expected.

Campground(s) – Deep Creek State Recreation Area is your basic gravel parking lot.  Did I mention it had potholes?  Several rows of “parking places,” marked with white paint and numbered curbs.  No grass between sites.  Actually, no nothing between sites.  Not much room to maneuver in some of the rows.  No restrooms, no showers, no dump station.  Nothing but a gravel lot, vault toilets and a few trash dumpsters.   And potholes.  Did I mention it had potholes?  All that being said, we’d stay there again in a heartbeat.  Stunning views of Cook Inlet and Mt. Redoubt on one side, a lovely green meadow with Deep Creek running through it on the other.  Eagles galore, peace and solitude, and only $20.00 per night.  The recreation area was quiet, and it kept us from having to camp on the Spit with its noise and hubbub.  Again, I say, to each his own.  If we had to camp in a “parking lot,” I can’t imagine a better one than Deep Creek.

Observations(s) – Speaking of transportation, at some point during the weeks we’ve spent in Alaska, Alan and I started noticing that a number of the coach buses traveling around the state had names painted on the back or front of the coach.  There are at least four major cruise lines that run Alaska cruises, and those thousands of guests need to be ferried to and from a lot of places – the airport to the hotel, the hotel to the train station, the train station to another hotel, a hotel to the cruise ship dock, the cruise ship dock to the airport, plus out and back to any excursions.  On any given day, there’s a large number of buses circling the state or sitting in parking lots waiting to be summoned for a pickup.  At one point, I approached a bus driver to ask about the names because they were really intriguing, and we recognized some of them from our travels.  “Logan’s” driver said the buses were named after prominent points (mostly mountains, it seems to me), and it’s done to help connect the buses (and thereby, the visitors) to the natural beauty and special landmarks around them.  In case you’re wondering about the names, here are the ones we’ve seen so far, in addition to Logan: Apollo, Riggs, Truuli, Huntington, Mather, Hess, Tanaga, Valhalla, Marathon, Anvil, Katmai, Ahtna, Monarch, Spencer, Isto, Nirvana, Arrigetch, Watana and Bear.  We’re in Seward as I type, and both Bear Mountain and Mount Marathon are directly behind us.  We’ve seen Huntington often enough now that he’s starting to feel like an old friend.  Makes me feel like waving to him when we pass him on the road or see him sitting in a parking lot.

Laugh(s) of the Day

Somebody has a sense of humor!

Pic(s) of the Day

 

Mt. Redoubt, as seen from our back window

Our campsite in the gravel lot at Deep Creek State Recreation Area

On the approach to Homer - the Spit is that dark strip of land in the middle of the photo.

As far as you can go on the Homer Spit

The beach at the End of the Road Park - beaches up here tend to be stone or gravel, not sand.

First Cast Creamery - home of delicious treats!

The harbor on the Spit in Homer

Fishing boats unloading at the fish processor's dock

The Helenka B, carefully making her way through the "S" turn in the harbor

Look at this amphibious boat - boat and trailer combined!

Speaking of boats, Alan bought another one while we were in Homer.  (Just kidding!)

Four seagull chicks here - two on the ledge, two in the nest on the upper right

Happy campers!

Up Next – During the week we had spent in Cooper Landing, Alan and I took a good look at our calendar and did some juggling.  I had expected to spend maybe a month on the Kenai Peninsula, but we found we didn’t need quite that much time – except for Seward, where we ended up adding three more days to the seven we had already booked.  Rather than just killing the extra time hanging around on the Peninsula, we decided to move up our tourist activities in Anchorage to July instead of August.  After our four nights at Deep Creek, we packed up and headed back to (where else?) Palmer, which would be our base camp for not just our tourist stops in the Palmer-Wasilla area, but for Anchorage, too.