Trip of a Lifetime!

Well we are back!! We just spent the last week in Alaska exploring the Kenai Peninsula and we had an AMAZING time. I couldn't have asked for anything more!

We arrived in Anchorage at 1am on Wednesday the 10th, grabbed our rental car and headed straight to Seward. We were there a little early for anything to be opened so we drove around checking out the sights, including the starting point for the iditarod and stopped at the harbor. After getting settled in our room we headed out to see the Salmon run and then it was off on a cruise around Resurrection Bay! It was amazingly beautiful! And we saw so much wildlife; bald eagles, mountain sheep, sea lions, puffins, sea otters...

Our second day we headed to Cooper's Landing, but before leaving we hiked up to Exit glacier (one of the glaciers accesible by land). It was so neat to see one so close up and the see how much it had melted over the last 100 years. But even better than that was seeing the black bear that we almost crossed paths with at the end of our hike! I have always wanted to see a bear and he couldn't have been more fun to watch!

Friday was spent in Cooper Landing at the Salmon Run Lodge! We had a blast fishing for King and Red Salmon. It is definitely a very different kind of fishing (at least to what we are used to), but we got the hang of it enough to catch a few fish. But the term combat fishing was perfect for the rivers as fisherman were packed in shoulder to shoulder!! Here is a picture from the sanctuary where the two rivers (Kenai and Russian) came together. It was packed!!

After a few days fishing at the lodge for Salmon we headed to Soldotna to visit a friend from college who lives there. He treated us to a delicious Salmon dinner and then took us out to see Alaska's Hobo Jim perform! Hobo Jim was great to see, fun performer and he is pretty famous in Alaska. However, they failed to let me know he would be singing to me as a special birthday treat! It was pretty cool as well as a little embarrasing! After his performance we took a moment for a photo op. We couldn't believe it was 1am and it only looked like late dusk to us!!

After Soldotna we headed to Homer for some Halibut fishing. We got there on Sunday evening and spent some time exploring the Homer Spit (manmade), and getting some yummy seafood.

Monday morning it was up early to do some Halibut fishing! We brought home our limit and now have a freezer with 50 pounds of yummy Halibut just waiting to be eaten! We caught a few other less tasty fish including a rockfish, and a skate, but it was all fun! And before the trip was over we even got to see a humpback whale and a fin whale!

Before leaving we stopped to snap a few pictures of the Bald Eagles. In January the only lady that the state allowed to feed the eagles had passed away. They still come looking for food, but everyone is sure they will figure it out sooner or later.

Our last day we spent with a little more salmon fishing and then just enjoying the countryside.

This truly was a trip of a lifetime for us! I could post so many more pictures as I don't think this does our trip justice, but I took over 500 pics and don't think anyone wants to see that! It was so much fun and we had a blast taking in all of the wildlife, the people, and the sights. It was a great time, well spent with each other, good friends and in a beautiful state! I can't wait to go back!!