Kasilof

We left Hope heading to Kasilof.  Kasilof is just south of Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula.  The entire peninsula is a haven for fisherman during the summer when the Salmon are running.  All the available campgrounds, RV parks and motels are packed with folks rushing to catch the prized Salmon and Halibut.  We wanted to stay in Soldotna so we could visit Lynn and Tom Hodel but there was no room at the inn.  No matter, Kasilof is just a short distance away.  We stayed at Crooked Creek in a park filled with fishermen.  I have to say our first sight of the park made me think, oh dear me.  It was run down looking and many of the rigs looked as if they needed a good bit of TLC.  There were all kinds of tents and tarps and lots of children running around shrieking and riding bikes.  To make matters worse, the sites were very narrow and the roads between rows very narrow too.  As soon as we pulled in front of our site, I had my doubts that we would be able to get into the site at all.  To our surprise, our neighbors immediately reacted and began helping us.  Our neighbors directly across from us came out too and moved not only their vehicle but also some of their belongings to give Jim more room to maneuver.  The folks next door likewise, moved bikes and other things so we had room to work.  Everyone was so nice and helpful.  When we finally got ourselves in place, the Mother from across the way came over with a plastic bag full of Salmon.  She asked me if we liked Salmon and if our rig had a kitchen (joking) and presented me with the fish saying, “welcome to the neighborhood.”  I felt very ashamed of myself for the negative thoughts and judgments I had when we arrived.  It just proves the old saying, “you can’t judge a book by the cover.”  In the following days, we really enjoyed our neighbors and were glad to be camping near them.

As you can imagine, the focus of everything was fishing.  We wanted to go fishing but unfortunately I was not able.  By now, I have developed a full blown case of plantar fasciitis in my right foot and walking has become a very painful action.  I was forced to seek out a doctor to find out what, if anything could be done about it.  As I suspected, there is very little that can be done beyond getting orthotics and a shot in the heel.  Well I can tell you, getting a shot in your heel is not something I would ever do again.  To say it hurt is the understatement of the year.  I think I was heard about a mile away hollering!  As a result of my foot, we were not as active as we had hoped.  Alas, Lynn and Tom were busy with family issues and with my foot so painful, we did not get to visit with them either.   Still, we managed to see some beautiful country.  One afternoon we took a drive up to Captain Cook State Park where we were thinking we might camp at some point.  It was beautiful no doubt but the camp sites are too small for our rig.  Nevertheless, it was a wonderful afternoon and of course, I took pictures.

Along the way, we passed a lovely lake.  In the distance, there was a family of White Swans.  I used my zoom lens to get a picture of these lovely birds.

The campground had a picnic area that sat on a bluff overlooking the Cook Inlet.  Below us was the beach -- yea! the beach!  The day before we visited one of the local brewpubs (Jim's goal, remember?) and met several really nice young men in the 25-30 age range.  One of them told us he had been in Alaska about seven years now.  He is an electrician and works on the oil/gas rigs.  He works 7 days on/7 days off and makes very good money.  He said anyone who had good work ethic and skills could make a nice living.  From where we stood, we could see a number of rigs in the distance.  I thought of the man we met.

The beach area reminded us of the beach in Northern California.  Unlike the sandy beaches of Florida or the Carolinas, the beach is rocky and the rocks are dark grey and black.  In the distance, Chigmit Mountain in the Alaskan Range rose like a ghost on the water.

 The sun was quite warm and it was nice to see children trying to fly kites.  This little fellow ran and ran, often falling down but quickly getting up refusing to give up until his kite was floating on the wind.

On our way out, Jim spotted this Moose beside the road.  This fellow has the beginning of his antlers now covered in soft velvet.  One day soon, they will be magnificent.  I hope we are still in Alaska and get to see one with a full rack.