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Old 08-21-2014, 12:18 AM   #21
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Alaska Cafes Along the Way

Our welcome to Alaska (day after fly'n in & a late afternoon shopping in Fairbanks), our Alaska kiddos stopped for what turned out to be the best ever BBQ brisket at a small hole-in-a wall joint. Located at a gas station & convenience store, called "Bad 2 Da Bone BBQ". It even had a small separate dining area.

They had eaten his BBQ several times. Our son first had some when at the "Arctic Man" event at Summit Lake at the end of Winter. Since then, "Bad 2 Da Bone BBQ" served BBQ on base at an event. They often stop by on the way camping or on the way back. I can see why. Excellent BBQ & the sauce is good, but the meat really does not need any.

Started talk'n to the chef/owner, he offered a smoked/cooked pork roast (large enough to feed all 8 of us) at cost. Yep, it was also the best ever. He had prepared to many & didn't want it going to waste. He'd given us a taste of his ribs (over cooked, he said), they were delicious.

Had some for lunch, Sunday. Oh, so good. Tender, melt in your mouth, etc. Our son leftovers for lunch a few more times.

I'm still following Doc's orders (he said, ever once in a while, I can eat normal), I'm on a special trip & I'm being careful.

Mostly we enjoyed eating our own cooking, but a few times we did go to a few cafes along our way.

One of these was on our way to Eagle River from Fairbanks. We had not shopped for stuff to eat before leaving. When Supper Time had long passed, we were extremely hungry & it was still a long way to Wasilla & Eagle River.

Not many places along the way from the community near Denali Park & Wasilla to eat. One wayside cafe, my son remembered, was the "Trapper Creek Trading Post" in Trapper Creek, of course. An RV campground was there as well.

The food turned out pretty good in fact. LadyHawk & I had the soup of the day, "Southwest Soup", and a salad with oil & vinegar. I'd say it was a very good, kind of like a chili. They enjoyed their burgers & fries, too.

We enjoyed our Halibut lunch in Seward at the Chatter Mark Cafe.

I've mentioned the "Mermaid Cafe Cajan Food & Sausages" & will add more on "Boss Hoggz" later.

We had planned to eat a good Seafood Dinner on the the Spit at a place we had enjoyed a few years ago, "Captain Patties". Excellent Food. More on it later as well.

Photos:
"Trapper Creek Trading Post"
Several of "Mermaid Cafe Cajan Food & Sausages"
"Captain Patties"
The "Bad 2 Da Bone" Chef said they often go to Hawaii, therefore the surf boards. A Native of North Pole, Alaska.
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Old 08-24-2014, 10:39 PM   #22
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Arrow AK Report Continued: Homer & Homer Spit

Aug. 10. Sunday started with an early start for the 3 halibut fishermen, brought our youngest granddaughter over to continue sleep with her two sisters. Then they walked to the charter in the harbor. The girls slept fairly late. G'ma made b'fast, dressed them, etc. Then they played in the trailer. No problems. It had rained during the night & was damp & raining at times all day, very cloudy.

Around 11:50 am or so, FishHawk texted saying, "We're back." I drove their Durango over to the harbor, but could not see them, nor the boat. In my hast, I did not take my cell phone. At 12:20, he called saying, they were walking back. I went back & quickly saw them. Each had caught a small halibut & a large one, their limits, one of each size. The crew filleted the halibut on board the boat while returning to port.

After changing clothes, we all went into Homer to a fish processing place to have the catch processed into 2 lb. servings, vacuum sealed & frozen. Weighed in at 43 lb. & could pick them up next day about noon.

After delivering the fish to be frozen, Fishhawk took us to eat at "Boss Hoggz", LadyHawk & I had BBQ Chicken breast, sauce on the side & Salad, pretty good taste, nothing to rave about. Don't think they cooked it in house, perhaps frozen, then warmed up. Others had cheese burgers & fries or fish & chips, or a corn dog with fries, and shakes. We had water.

The captain of the Time Bandit came in & was greeted by the owner & had his lunch very quickly (cheese burgers & fries with a shake or malt. We did not bother the man, didn't even snap a photo.

After lunch, we went to the Island & Ocean Visitor Center. Federal, I believe, with free admission, an extremely nice building with excellent displays. Very educational & hands on, a must to experience. Not extremely large, not small, a really nice place. A must see, IMHO.

Nice pathway to a boardwalk out into a wetland area, the Beluga Slough. We walked only about a quarter of the walkway, to an area where about 5 Sandhill Cranes, several of them young ones were feeding in the high grass. In the distance, we could make out a white swan swimming in the water.

Upon leaving the center, FishHawk drove into the 'Old Town' section of Homer, just behind the center & past Mermaid Cafe. He found the way to drive onto the beach by the Beluga Slough, near the boardwalk were we watched the Sandhill Cranes. Didn't get out of the Durango.

Stopped at Safeway for a few provisions on the way back to camp. Not raining, but overcast while in Homer. Back on the Spit, it was fairly sunny. LadyHawk & I took a long walk from the camperground to the harbor and on to the end of the Spit. Interesting to see all the commercial actives, ferry terminals, salvage yards, shops and a few ships at sea. Nice, easy walk, good company & a very enjoyable time.

Finally late Sunday Evening, we went out to eat. We drove to Captain Patties, but it had an hour wait. So we went across the highway to another nice place. A larger place & no waiting. The "Harbor Grill Seafood & Steaks". They offered a similar Seafood Sampler as "Captain Patties". Excellent. Chowder was Great, too.

An excellent day all around. Started to rain later on again.

The first photo is out of order. It's of the boardwalk into Beluga Slough.

Seven & Eight are by Lands End at the end of the Spit.
The last photo is of Boss Hoggz on the Spit. Didn't see it, but found the photo on their site.

To be continued.......
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Old 08-26-2014, 10:26 PM   #23
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Arrow AK Report Continued: Back to Cooper Landing

Monday, Aug. 4: Woke to a wet morning, light rain which turned to moderately heavy one just as we were at the dump station. Picked up the packaged & frozen halibut at the processors. A light rain as we're leaving & now enveloped in fog/low clouds. Stopping at the Homer vista pullout, no vistas today for a potty break for the kidos. On our way to Sodotna for fuel, provisions & to eat a late lunch, were the rain had recently stopped, with plans to camp 3 days at the Russian River Campground.

We did just that with the rain not returning and the sun returning more & more. We were treated with a full rainbow along the route with the widest bands I'd ever seen. It was extremely long as well. Didn't get a photo, however.

In no time we were back at Cooper Landing. Arriving a little after 5 pm, we had no trouble getting a double site for 3 days. Cost: $9 per night, $27 total. Again half price with my Senior Pass. Got assigned a site very near were we had been a week before. Site #49 instead of #51.

Even had a view overlooking the Russian River canyon with sound of the river & a small glimpse of the river. Campground wasn't filled at all, many vacant sites. Still a lot of fishermen on both rivers, mostly on the Kenai.

To be continued........

Photos starting on Homer Spit in the rain to Soldotna Fred Myer's "campground" in the side parking lot. Then on to Cooper Landing & the Russian River Campground.
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Old 08-27-2014, 01:20 PM   #24
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Cool AK Report Continued: Russian River Campground

I noticed today, I've missed dated at least one entry. The Sunday post, should have been dated Aug. 3 (not the 10th).

Back to Aug 4:
After getting the campsite set up on arrival, our fishermen went fishing down by the Russian, hikers followed along to watch or to catch up with them. Still no luck fishing. No bear sightings either.

Late: More Chef FishHawk on the grill. More good eating.

I did notice by midnight it is dark out now, the daylight hours are getting shorter since we had arrived in Alaska.

Aug 5. Tuesday: Ditto, the fishermen went fishing, hikers followed along to watch or to catch up with them. Still no luck fishing. No bear sightings. More Chef FishHawk on the grill. More good eating.

Fished morning, Upper Russian, afternoon, the Kenai at the confluence. FishHawk drove us all to the near access site to the confluence, the Grayling parking area for the afternoon trek.

Lot of pics of the Confluence area, etc.

In the 7th photo about where the man is standing, another gentleman from Arizona slipped & fell into the water. A woman had to give him a hand to get up onto his feet again. We talked with him & his wife after he'd returned to shore. He took it in stride, but went back to the parking area to change out his wet clothing.

6th photo has the ferry which crosses the Kenai River from a staging area by the highway.

8th photo shows the Stairs across the Russian from us. It is also across the Kenai River from the highway.

Last two pics are of our son taking his 3 girls back across the Russian River after taking them over so they could go with him to reach the Kenai River fishing. The younger two didn't stay too long, but the 8 year old fished with him the whole time.

But no luck again fishing.

To be continued...........
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Old 08-31-2014, 01:45 PM   #25
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AK Report Continued: Cooper Landing Area

Wednesday, Aug. 6: Fishermen, tired of fishing without success, didn't walk down to the boardwalk. Played frisbee by camp, rested, etc. in morning.

FishHawk took all on sightseeing drive in the afternoon. Drove up a paved road which paralleled west side of Kenai Lake without many public access to it, nor many places without trees & vegetation blocking a view of the lake. The pavement turned into gravel which became one not maintained in the winter. But the road wasn't in bad shape now. It was a neat drive & we saw a lot of neat, new country for all of us.*

Photos of the neat area we discovered.

The first few are from the farther end of the road of Kenai Lake. The ones in the middle are of Rainbow Lake(s) & the last two are of Kenai Lake closer the the paved section of the road.

One is of us picking blue berries along the Rainbow Lake Trail.
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Old 08-31-2014, 02:25 PM   #26
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AK Report Continued: Cooper Landing Area to Anchorage

Thursday, Aug 7: Time to leave the Russian River Campground & head back to Anchorage. We could tell when we woke, the weather was coming back & sure enough more rain as we were leaving.

Gradually, we drove out of the rain by the time we got back to Anchorage.

Time for Ax to fly back & time to return the Springdale on Saturday. We'd do an overnight at the*Elmendorf FamCamp & take the trailer back tomorrow. Then get Ax to air port.*

Stopped by Cabalas' first & eat. A very interesting place, so much to see, as they are always. A new one, FishHawk hadn't been to. Made it to the FamCam. *Later, on the way to eat supper, clam chowder, we stopped at a very new Bass Pro (also a neat place with a lot of displays much like Cabalas'. *Made it to the chowder place in downtown area; it was closed, not just closed, but out of business. It was late, finally went to a Texas Road House, near one of gates to Elmendorf.*
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Old 08-31-2014, 02:50 PM   #27
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Ending of a Great Alaskan Holiday

Friday, Aug 8: Got the Springdale back to Richardson's rental as planned. FishHawk decided we'd go back to Cabalas'. We'd wait there while his wife took Ax to the airport. All stay at the TC in the parking lot. We ate lunch in the TC & then checked Cabalas out again.

She had to escort him to the departure gate & wait until departure. Underage for flying alone. Alaska Airlines would escort him onto and off the plane, etc. then on.*

Got on OK, but soon airport security had to escort an unruly passenger off, then had to escort his wife off as well. Took a lot of time. Eventually, she could leave & was able to rejoin us.

After eating what she at gotten at the airport & all going back into Cabalas again, we found ourselves heading back across Anchorage & on to Eagle River. After a fuel stop, we were off to Fairbanks & Eielson AFB. Some rain at first, then fairly sunny, mostly blue skies. Denali was still hidden from view by clouds, but it was a nice drive.

Forgotten about the slow down for construction near Denali Park toward Fairbanks, we should have taken the Glen Hwy from Palmer to Glennallen, then hang a left to Delta Junction. Another left onto the Richardson Hwy to Eielson. But we didn't.

Our daughter-in-law tired of driving, so I took over for her just passed the halfway point between Fairbanks & Anchorage. I drove back as far as North Pole, where we stopped Safeway for a things for breakfast. About 150 miles.*

Saturday, we used to sleep in, wash a few clothes, pack our bags & play with the grandkids. Late that night, they took us to the air port & early Sunday morning we flew to Portland, then to Tucson.

An End to a Great Alaskan Holiday!
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Old 08-31-2014, 02:55 PM   #28
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A Few Sunsets

A few sunsets:
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Old 09-01-2014, 07:09 AM   #29
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Adrian (your last name isn't Monk is it?) you're killing me with those photos. My wife and I went three times but she has passed away so, if I want to go again, and I do, I'll have to find another companion because there is absolutely no way I'll go on a trip of that length alone. It was bad enough last year driving from Michigan to Arizona alone.
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Old 09-01-2014, 05:42 PM   #30
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RG Rugg,

Sorry for your loss.

No! Not Monk. He's a fictional character, I all to real & no where near as smart. Ha!

You could do a fly up, then rent a motor home or a rented car. Using hotels, B & B's, camp'n cabins. Yep, it wouldn't be the same as having your own rig.

Perhaps, take you rig on a ferry, but still one would have to drive from east coast to the Seattle area. Unless, AZ is closer.

Good luck in your Quest.
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Old 09-03-2014, 09:40 AM   #31
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Hi Adrian

Been following your thread, wonderful pictures, now that Bob asked about Monk I had to look him up, had not heard of the show, he seems to be quite the character, not sure either of us would like to be like him

I see you have a Lance, that was one trailer we considered before going to FG, would love to see yours if you're around during the winter. We are visiting friends in Las Cruces at some point in our travels around NM and AZ, will PM you when we're in your town.

Regards from another Adrian
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Old 09-03-2014, 10:17 AM   #32
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Lance trailers

I love your pictures what a treat to see Alaska again . I used to fly up to Fairbanks and Ancorage for United many years ago . We looked at lance trailers the 1685 and I believe the 2185 in 2012 . They didn't have your model then ? We ended up with a twin bed Lil Snoozy . Keep those pictures coming Thanks JIm
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Old 09-03-2014, 12:49 PM   #33
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Adrain, Glad to see you two had yet another great and safe trip north!
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