Post 7-28-2014 Kenai to Anchorage

Post 7-28-2014 Kenai to Anchorage

BAH, HUMBUG!!!. Yesterday we started getting ready to depart Kenai and head for Anchorage. Didn’t work. The front slide wouldn't come in, so I climbed under the coach to investigate. The repair we made in Branson (I think), replacing the bolt that connects the gear with the motor,  broke again, it  sheared off.   I couldn't get under the bus because of my back so there wasn't anything I could do.  I did try but couldn't. We called the only repairman in the area but couldn't get him until today. So we spent a day doing laundry and writing on the blog. Got caught up finally.

After replacing it this morning, the repairman, Dan, said the wrong bolt had been installed during the last repair. It had  insufficient strength for it’s purpose. He cautioned me to not use a stronger bolt than he put in. It has to have a shear point to keep from ruining the axle and motor. That would cost big bucks.

We finally got started. Filled the LP tank, drove to Soldotna and filled with  diesel, dumped the waste tanks and filled up with fresh water. Late getting on the road, BUT, it rained! All the way to Anchorage, We are now in a Fred Meyer parking lot. Wally World had a sign up saying “no overnight parking”. So, “phooey” on them. We’ll spend our bucks with Fred.

Nita cooked a stew on the way using the inverter.  Works great with the crock pot. Delicious!!!!

Gonna get a good night’s sleep and will try to get my phone working tomorrow. Good night all.

7-26-2014 Soldotna, Hooligan's & Hobo Jim, Kisilof Museum and City Festival

Post 7-26-2014 Soldotna, Hooligan’s Lodge and Hobo Jim

Whew!, what a day and evening. After staying in all day yesterday resting up we had a busy day. The weather cleared up and it got up to 69 degrees, only a slight breeze and just simply a gorgeous day. It’s days like this that makes you realize it is a day He planned for us.

We started out with a visit to the museum at Kasilof, a small community (town) about fifteen miles south of Soldotna.   The main museum was a small building that had served a few functions and contained many relics of the past. Our tour guide, Jim Rea, was a very knowledgeable man who willingly shared his many years of living here with us. 

Furs-can you identify the round thing on the pole?

Air conditioning-pull the plug-several around the top of the rooms

Anita, Jim Rea -our guide and Cathy Flood

There were a few buildings that had been a school, someone’s work shed, a miner/trapper home and the very first flushing outdoor two seater toilet. It was built on the bank of the river and when the tide came in, it flushed out the bottom. Innovative, don’t you think. That’s what 20 foot tides will do for you.

electrical wire grew into tree.

Carved in  Dall Sheep Horn

Notice stuffing between logs?

Indoor plumbing-for real

washing machine agitator

A two seater outhouse

Two Seater with Sears Catalogue- built on bank--high tide flushed it out twice a day.LOL

Owner must have been a Bos'n's Mate in WWI

After the museum we stopped at the RV Store an bought some lubricant for the slide-outs and had a wonderful conversation with Barbara Dilley, the owner. she said they had been there almost 40 years and lost her loving husband last year. 

Barbara Dilley & my Honey

Barbara own's this 1929 Ford with a Rumble.Seat. Boy!, what a classic. 

Driving back to Soldotna we saw, and stopped at, a small store with fresh  Dungen Crabs, home made Reindeer Pepperoni Sausages and  Salmon Bacon

Killing time until the Hobo Jim show at Holligan's lodge, we stopped in at the Soldotna Progressive Days at the Centennial park. We got to see some great wood carvings by local artists. The wood was Birch and they had to use a chain saw,  sanders and  routers. They were in a contest and had to finish by noon Sunday (two day event).

Not in contest--for sale

Eagle with Salmon

Not in contest-for sale, they call these "cartoons" moose, bear, etc

Not in contest-for sale

Not in contest-for sale

The gal's in the contest

This will be Mother Earth holding globe, with butterflies above and fish below

Salmon protruding out from tree--one red, one blue (will paint silver)

Our Favorite-Look What I Caught! (inspiration poster behind)

Not yet finished

The ultimate best for the day was going to see and hear Hobo Jim at Hooligan’s lodge. Hobo Jim was born Jim Varsos in Indiana and grew up in Madison, WI. He started playing guitar at age 12 and hitchhiked to Nashville after college to become a country musician. After traveling all over the lower 48 including New York and Los Angeles, he made his way to Alaska and remains here. He has been designated as Alaska’s Official Balladeer.  He has played all over the world and recently to the troops in Afghanistan. He lived for years in a cabin four miles off the road, with no road or vehicle to get there. No running water or electricity. Normal for those days.

Hobo Jim

Hobo Jim recounted his life and accomplishments through the years with his ballads of life as a fisherman, logger and miner. One of his best is the one he wrote about the Alaska Iditarod Dog Race and he wrote the song “I Am Alaska” at the request of Governor Palin. He sings it in commemoration of his friend, the late Senator Ted Stevens.  If you remember, he died in a plane crash right after he was exonerated from trumped-up charges that cost him his election. Coincidence, I think not. He died in August 2010 just before Obama was elected. Supposedly, he was going to "blow the lid" on Obama. Sound familiar? (Clinton maybe?)

Hobo Jim has written and/or co-written over 700 songs, his two most popular are “I Am Alaska” and, “The Iditarod Trail Song”.  Some of his songs have been recorded by country music stars such as T. Graham Brown, George Jones and others.  He mentioned “The Rock” recorded by both Etta James and George Jones. He has written several songs for his wife, Cyndi, and  says the very best is “If I Ever Forget You”.  The song expresses his love and is one many of us could and should adopt for our wives. It is about getting Alzheimers and forgetting people.  Jim has also posted the song on U Tube and donates most of the proceeds to Alzheimer’s in honor of his father and uncles. His father didn’t know him for over twenty five years.  Bless you Jim. To all my friends, if you will, please go to U tube and listen to it. It helps someone. We bought one of the CD's and it's really great

Jim talked about his guitar. Said the sound board  made from Birch-a rarity- but has an excellent sound to it. He told us that the bridge  was made of whale baleen, the ring around the sound hole  is Walrus Ivory, It has a gold plate on the head and there are gold nuggets mounted on the bridge and the neck. I suppose it is worth a bunch of money. It sounded great. I was surprised when he let the new guy use it.

Let me tell you that if you ever come to Alaska, you must go  to Seward, Soldotna, Kenai or Homer and catch his show. You will be absolutely thrilled.  But must remind you, he's performing in a bar.  If you're moralistic, put your bible in your pocked for a couple (actually three) hours and rear back and enjoy the ballads.  Some get a little ribald but then again he was a street singer, a cowboy, a lumberjack and a fisherman on the "Time Bandit" one of the boats on the reality show "Deadliest Catch". That's a real sea you see folks. The Bearing Sea is one rough place.   Buy him a Tequila with lemon and wait for the show of a lifetime.

Jim closed the night out, as he does every engagement, singing our National Anthem and everyone in the Lodge stood and paid homage to America. GOD, I felt so proud standing there. 

Jim relinquished the stage for a couple songs to an up and comer.

7-24-2014 Homer, Halibut Cove and Gull Island

7-24-2014 Homer, Halibut Cove and Gull Island
AM

Somewhat of an overcast today with a cool breeze blowing in off the mountains, but only no/little humidity. A warm sweater makes you comfortable.

Happy Birthday to my Honey. Today she is &^% years old and looking good. I am taking her on a cruise for her birthday and later we will drive back to Kenai to listen to Don and JD.

PM

The cruise was to Gull Island to observe the birds that nest there and then on to Haddock Cove. The “cruise boat” was a WWII era boat built by the Army and left there afterwards. Being wood, it is heavy and stable. Not what you would call a cruise boat but doable. It had a capacity of 28 and it was full. Unfortunately, the little cabin could only accommodate 6, so if the weather turned into rain, most would left outside to contend with it. Fortunately, rain here is not much more than a drizzle. We haven’t experienced anything considered heavy yet. Certainly not like Virginia and Alabama.

Gull Island is nothing more than a rock, actually 3 rocks. Thousands and maybe even more of several species nest here. Ernes, Puffins, Grebes, and mews just to name a few. This is the island that has the video connection with the wildlife center I mentioned yesterday.  Some of these birds never land except on this rock to nest.  As far as is known, the rest of their life is spent at sea. 

Halibut Cove is a small, scenic island about 15 miles across Kachemak Bay, from Homer, in the Kachemak Bay State Park. Only took us around 40 minutes to get there plus the 20-30 minutes spent at gull Island.. The area used to be a Herring fishing, gathering and processing Center until the processing company polluted the water so bad the herring left (typical of people--reap the rewards of an area until you ruin it) and then the people left. Most of the homes/buildings were torn down to start building Homer. There are no automobiles on the island. To visit each other they either go by boat or four wheeler.

It is now home to around 40-50 people, most of which are summer residents. It is a wonderful tourist visiting area and sees about 100 or so per day. Electricity is supplied by underwater cable from Homer. There are a few businesses there, i.e. flying and boat tour companies, a lawyer’s office, a small arts museum with local artist paintings and artifacts for sale, a restaurant   and a floating Post Office. Of course, the one we most enjoyed was the restaurant. There were also six horses on the island and we petted (rubbed) and Nita fed them some clover.

This little girl picked up this bird when it fell out of a nest, took care of it and now it's her pet

The Saltry Restaurant  was built in Homer and was brought to the island by barge. At high tide they backed it into its place and when the tide receded they removed the barge and then installed pilings under the building to brace it in position. As a result, it is catawampus (this is on the back of the menu). The restaurant is another Gourmet treat.  We ordered six oysters that were raised in the Cove’s inlet. As I understand, it takes 7-8 years for them to develop due to the cold waters. I compared them to the Chesapeake Bay Oyster of 50 years ago, small and just a little salty taste. We then had a huge Salmon Salad Sandwich with a bowl of delicious fresh Fish Chowder. tthanks jeremy for the excellent service. See you again someday.

Our waiter ,Jeremy Hansen from Salt Lake, UT. Lived in Virginia beach for awhile. He is an English Instructor at the University of Utah. Working here for the Summer

Kachemak Bay Oysters

 Chocolate Cheese Cake--whats left

We met Laurie and Matt on the cruise going over. Matt and I quickly revealed all the woes of the world, solved them and restrained ourselves from talking more politics. They were on their way to Whittier, so we gave them a few pointers about which cruise to take for the glaciers and about the tunnel schedule. Perhaps we will meet again someday/somewhere. It’s always nice to meet new people

Laurie & Matt

Lingcod --50-60 lb

Halibut   30-40 lbs

After returning to Homer Spit, we departed for Kenai and Don and JD’s  music. Took us a couple hours to get there-it’s as it’s 90 miles of two lane road. It rained all the way--per normal. We have good weather most of the time but when we travel it rains.

Nita here. Don and Jerry were playing at the “Main Street Tap and Grill” to a large dinner crowd who were enjoying to their music. Again, they played a variety of “oldies--50--60 ties”. Don sang my special request, “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog” followed by “Home Sweet Alabama” for my birthday.   He did announce to the crowd that I was a BIG Auburn fan, and I said "No no, ROLL TIDE ROLL".

We were able to talk with JD during their break. He teaches music and performs with his band at gigs. He has had the band for several years.

While Don was singing to Nita, an Anchorage resident, Nancy Flynn,  bought Nita a drink and came over to our table and  struck up quite a conversation about Alabama, Alaska and Australia. Laughing and joking we had a ball.  We meet the best people on our travels.

On Friday, Don came by the Boomer Bus and brought us some salmon he had canned and some smoked we could eat after thawing out. We learned that he is a retired teacher and is now a substitute teacher. He taught Physical Education. He at one time taught school in Seldovia, a small town/village on the Southeastern side of the Kachemak Bay, across from Homer.  He said it was too isolated for him.  I can understand that, so many of the small villages in Alaska are accessible only by boat or airplane and a blizzard can keep you there for months at a time.