Day 4 - Valdez to McCarthy

My dad and I grabbed breakfast at the Totem Inn Restaurant and read the paper, which was a day old and full of news of Gov. Palin’s nomination by the GOP. We then walked over to the harbor and watched fishermen clean boats and salmon splash in the water below us.

We took some detours on our way out of town. First to the viewing area for the Valdez Glacier. The glacier was far away but a good amount of ice was stacked up in the lake by the viewing area. Next we headed out the road to the pipeline terminal. The banks of the streams and the bay were covered with dead fish and the gulls feasting on them. After reaching the end of the road (at a big “no access” sign) we turned around and headed out of town.

The drive over the pass went quickly. We stopped briefly at Horsetail Falls to take some pictures. The pass itself was clouded over, but still beautiful. Side canyons opened up to reveal brief glimpses of distant snow-covered peaks. Faster than we thought we were over the top and headed down.

Our first stop was at the Worthington Glacier. The glacier is on the mountain to the west of the pass, just as you reach the top. A group of climbers was heading up the glacier in single-file. We wandered the little paths for a bit and my dad bought a laminated folding map of Alaska to replace my copy that was about to fall into four pieces.

The rest of the drive down the pass was punctuated by numerous “oohs” and “aahs.” The hillsides were all turning yellow and the snow capped peaks had bits of blue sky poking out behind.

Our goal for the day was the (very) small town of McCarthy. The town is at the end of a 90 mile road that heads east into the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The first 30 miles to Chitina are paved. From then on you follow a rough dirt road that meanders over and along ridges and crosses rivers on old railroad bridges. The road itself is the old bed for the Copper River & North West RR that took copper ore from the town of McCarthy and the nearby mine at Kennecott out to Cordova. The Million Dollar Bridge that Lea and I visited on our trip to Cordova was part of that RR. It’s hard to imagine building that railroad back in the early 1900s.


My dad drove on the way in and loved dodging potholes and easing around gullies. The sun was out and shining and I had the window down for most of the drive. We made frequent stops to take pictures. We didn’t see much wildlife other than a loan Trumpeter Swan on a lake. As we got further in there were a number of private cabins by lakes that people (apparently) fly their floatplanes in to stay at. Other people had rough dirt strips for their planes.

The McCarthy Road ends at a pedestrian bridge. You can’t drive into McCarthy and Kennecott. Instead you have to leave your car and walk across the footbridge. Then you either walk the mile into McCarthy (5 to Kennecott) or take a shuttle van that picks you up for the sum of $5.

We ditched the car at a campground a half mile from the bridge, set up our tent and then biked into town on mountain bikes (getting some exercise and saving $10). The only place still open was the McCarthy Lodge. We grabbed a pint at the New Golden Saloon and sat on the deck chatting with other visitors. Most were also in from Anchorage checking out the town. This is the right time to visit the town because the hordes of RV-riding tourists have disappeared south (where we will also end up).

Once dinner was being served we popped inside to grab some buffalo burgers. Very tasty. The bar itself was well appointed and folks were friendly. My dad commented that the bartender looked vaguely reminiscent of Maggie O’Connell from “Northern Exposure” – I think it was the short hair and Alaskan surroundings.

Outside we chatted with a man who had retired to McCarthy about three years earlier. He gave us some insight on life in the town and we chatted about life in other parts of Alaska and the drive down the AlCan. The locals then headed to a party at the hardware store.

We biked back to our campsite and chatted the night away. Once my dad went to sleep I took an amble back up the road to town. A passing hiker mentioned that he thought he’d seen a black bear wandering along the side of the road. I was glad I had my bear mace with me.

That night it started raining as soon as I was in the tent. A wind blew up, but our tent was well anchored and we slept dry and warm.

Day 3 - Homer to Valdez

We awoke in Homer to a rainy day. The Bay was covered over with clouds and fog. We definitely lucked out with our weather the day before.

For breakfast we dropped by the Two Sister’s Bakery again and grabbed some ham & cheese savories (like a thinner croissant) to go.

After gassing up the truck we headed out of town back to Anchorage. The drive up was rainy. Sometimes we were hit with big, fat drops that reminded us that we needed to get new windshield wipers. The road back up the Kenai peninsula was as beautiful as ever. The coastal bluff gave way to the flats east of Soldotna before we climbed back into the Kenai Mountains. The road past Cooper Landing was very familiar to me from many trips down to the peninsula. I will definitely miss that area a lot. The snow covered peaks and river lined valleys are just gorgeous.

Once we were back over Turnagain Pass and onto the Arm, the drive went quickly.

Back in Anchorage we first made a stop by Costco for some “cheap” gas and snacks for the road. Properly provisioned we swung by an auto parts store and got new wiper blades. They were a great improvement over the old ones that had endured the rigors of the Alaskan winter.

From there we headed downtown to grab lunch and say bye to some folks. First we hit Snow City Café one last time. Snow City was easily one of my favorite places to stop for lunch in Anchorage and I had to go one last time. I had the 4th Ave. Special, a turkey and bacon on marbled rye with a side bowl of tomato soup. My dad had the special – a pulled pork sandwich.

From Snow City we headed to Sidestreet Café, my favorite coffee shop in town. George and Deb run the place and they are incredibly welcoming and friendly. My friend Kelly and I used to head there for morning coffee most days of the week. George was in and I introduced him to my dad and explained that I was taking off. George insisted on making me one last drink.

Our last stop was the courthouse. I went in through the main entrance and the metal detectors for only my second time ever. The first time was my first day of work. Once in we went up to the third floor and stopped by my judge’s chambers. Ann, our Judicial Assistant, buzzed us in and we chatted with her for a while. The judge was on the bench, but she messaged him that I was there and he took a break to say bye. He was one of the best bosses that I’ve ever had. Fun to work with, taught me a lot, and gave me a lot of responsibility. I will miss working for him.

Once we were out the door we headed out of Anchorage on 6th Avenue and the Glenn Highway. The construction at Bragaw was still slowing things up, but we were quickly out of the city and on our way.

Our plan was fluid. Because we were making good time, we decided to head all the way to Valdez for that night. We headed through Eagle River, Chugiak, Palmer and Chickaloon; all places that I have very fond memories from the times I spent in them. We passed Sheep Mountain, where I had stayed in a cabin with friends during the winter and started the Fireweed 400 ride with James and Gene during the summer.

We ate a forgettable dinner in Glennallen at the Caribou Hotel. I’d avoid it next time and press on.

At the junction we headed south towards Valdez. As the sun set we marveled at the fall colors springing out around us. Whole hillsides were sheathed in yellow and green with red tundra above. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline was visible at many points. It’s funny to think that it snakes its way all the way south to Valdez from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean.

The light was fading fast as we headed over Thompson Pass. The glaciers on the peaks around us reflected down extra light and we had the road to ourselves. It was definitely easier to drive over this pass. The last time I headed over was on my bike.

Once we crested the top we immediately entered a cloud. We descended from the pass and drove through Keystone Canyon. The Canyon’s walls were black against the sky light reflected off the waterfalls that were cascading down the cliffs. Eventually the canyon opened up onto a large braided river and the final 10 miles out to Valdez.

The new town is a few miles further down the road from the old town-site that was destroyed by the ’64 quake. We pulled into the Totem Inn for the night. I took an amble around the waterfront and then headed to bed.

Day 2 - Around Homer and Hiking in Kachemak Bay State Park

My dad and I awoke without a real plan on how to spend the day. After soliciting recommendations from the hotel staff, we settled on having breakfast at the Fresh Sourdough Express. The food was good and we read the paper and chatted. Outside, we paused to try to fix a bit of the mudwall on the front left tire that had come loose. The owner of the restaurant wandered over to talk and we chatted amicably about Palin’s nomination as the VP candidate for the GOP. (This is not a politics blog, but you can figure out what I think by my aforementioned stop at the Obama Campaign Headquarters.)

After breakfast we headed out to the Spit to find our adventure for the day. Both of the fishing charter places we went into were in the process of closing down. But the second suggested we head to Mako Water Taxi. We walked across the street and explained that we were looking for something to do. The woman suggested a water taxi ride across Kachemak Bay to a 4-mile hike. We jumped and signed up.

We spent the time before our departure by heading back into town to poke around. First we headed to the Pratt Museum, which turned out to be delightful. The museum featured historical exhibits, a wonderful collection of contemporary pictures of local Native Peoples, and natural history. Outside was a botanical garden and a homestead cabin.

Next we grabbed a set of rain pants for my dad and then headed out to find some lunch. We were more than happy with our meal at Two Sisters Bakery. Our sandwiches were very tasty and the bakery itself is in a beautiful setting about 200 yards from the beach. We sat on the back deck and watched children play.

Our water taxi left at 1:30pm. The boat picked us and four other people up at the small boat harbor on the spit and immediately headed out across the bay. The taxi was a small catamaran with two Honda motors and a cabin that could seat six. It also had a large aft open area and a rail around to the front. The ride across took about 20 minutes and the bay was glassy smooth.
We pulled up at the pebbly beach and jumped off the front of the water taxi (with the aid of a ladder). The trailhead was just down the beach and all 6 of us set off. My dad and I were the first on the trail and we were sure to make a lot of noise to alert any local bears to our presence. The undergrowth was thick with ferns and devil’s club and bear sign (scat) was often about.

The hike itself was over flat ground, but there were many roots, cobble sized stones and fallen branches to provide a challenge. We saw some Spruce Grouse and a whole lot of mushrooms. Moose and bear sign were everywhere, but we never spotted any in the flesh.

The trail soon left the woods and made its way across a more open, rocky plain that was the top of another glacial moraine. The leaves on some trees were already turning towards yellow.

Once we made it to the lake, the temperature dropped and we sat around to look at the icebergs that had been blown across the lake from the distant glacier. Gerwick Glacier empties into a large lake, across which we were looking. The glacier itself flows down from the Harding Icefield, a large expanse of ice that fills the mountains between Kachemak Bay and Seward. Peaks stood stark on either side of the glacier, with horns of rock rearing up from inside the ice’s path. (The Materhorn in Switzerland is a glacial horn that was formed when a glacier flowed around all sides of it. That’s was we were looking at here.) We also collected some glacier ice in my water bottle for a special “ceremony” later.

After eating our snacks, we decided to head to the end of our hike. The path went over a saddle of land. The forest closed in again, and we grabbed a few handfuls of wild blueberries. The climb wasn’t too bad, but the descent proved to be a bit tricky with slick mud underfoot. But we made it down and met up with the other couple that was also being picked up by the taxi.

The boat arrived right on time and we jumped aboard. The sun began to peak out on our ride back and we had fantastic views of the inlets and mountains. A number of cabins dotted the shoreline, and I envied the owners their daily view.

Our pilot made a sudden turn and told us that he wanted to show us a rare bird. He then handed my dad a fishing net. It turned out that the “rare bird” was actually a duck decoy that had washed out into the bay. We picked it up and headed on our way.

Once back at the Spit, we headed into town. We took the recommendation of the woman at the water taxi company and had dinner at Wasabi, a restaurant 5 miles east out of town.
The drive out was gorgeous. Home is situated along a hillside that rolls down to the bay. Many of the houses have fields out front and the scene was very bucolic. The restaurant was situated by the road and overlooked a hay field with the bay and the mountains in the background. The food was also good.

We finished the evening at the pub across the street from the hotel. It was suggested to us to collect the previously mentioned glacial ice to put in a nice glass of Scotch. The barkeep was very law abiding and immediately insisted that I take my water bottle outside. I explained our plan and she finally (after more coaxing that I thought should be necessary) assented to allow us to use the ice, but I then had to immediately take the water container outside. The glacial ice was very clear and tasted great. The scotch was pretty good too.

Day 1 - Anchorage to Homer

My last day in Anchorage. I started off the morning by having blueberry pancakes with Lea and working on the NY Times Sunday crossword. Unfortunately she had to get to work, so we didn’t have too much time to linger.

After picking up my truck from downtown, I headed to Snow City to pick up a t-shirt. Then I stopped by the Obama Campaign headquarters to try to score a bumper sticker (they were out) and say bye to Kat (she was in). I next headed to the post-office to mail off my books. My final real errand of the morning was to head by REI to pick up a roof rack and roof box to make some extra room in the truck for my dad’s gear. That done, I headed by Lea’s to grab the last of my stuff. The tuck packed, all that was left was to swing by Rob and Katy’s to pick up their bikes. They were about to fly down to Olympia and I had offered to drive their bikes down (two-empty spaces on my bike rack) the AlCan.

My dad, who was to be making the drive with me, flew into town at 3pm. I picked him up at the airport and we headed south out of town down the Seward Highway. The weather was rainy with patches of sun peaking through. Our eventual destination was Homer. We planned on getting in a little side trip before beginning the long drive south to CA.

The road down as far as Cooper Landing is quite familiar to me. However, once we passed Cooper Landing I was in new territory. Not far past Cooper Landing the mountains fall away and the land becomes rolling hills with spruce and bogs to either side. We passed through Soldotna and ended up paralleling the Cook Inlet as we headed south. The road itself reminded me a lot of Highway 1 in far Northern California.

You arrive in Homer after rounding Anchor Point. The view opens up to reveal the town of Homer sitting before you with Kachemak Bay beyond. Across the bay are the mountains of the Kenai Peninsula and the glaciers flowing down from the Harding Ice Field. It’s quite spectacular.

My dad and I consulted our many books and decided to try the Driftwood Inn. The Inn is a block from the Bay and full of nautical decorations. The pops insisted on separate rooms so that I wouldn’t be bothered by his snoring. After dropping off our gear we headed out to explore and get some dinner.

We first made our way out to the end of the Homer Spit. The Spit is a long (4 miles?), narrow projection of land with a road atop it that juts out into Kachemak Bay. It’s the remnant of a huge glacial moraine that was formed back when the entire bay was filled with a glacier.

None of the restaurants on the spit called to us, so we returned to town and went to the Five Cups restaurant. The front of the restaurant is very cute and decorated with five cups (go figure). The inside is dark and cozy and very comfortable. The food proved to be fantastic. We started with mushrooms stuffed with sausage. My dad had the scallops and I had the seafood fettucine. It was awesome.

Road Trip to California

My dad and I have begun our road trip south to CA. I will try to post updates from the road when internet access is available. I'll post two day's worth of descriptions today with pictures to follow. (The connection here isn't quite fast enough to make me want to deal with pics quite yet.)