Ninilchik and Nikiski Alaska

Day 43 of Alaskan Journey
July 15, 2014

60 degrees

Elevation 692 feet

40 miles to overnight stop

We had only a short journey to our destination for the night, so we planned another stop to view what others had told us was a '"must see."

Leaving Homer

Heading north from Kachemak Bay to Anchor Point

Norman Lowell Art Gallery

Norman Lowell and his wife Libby came to Alaska in 1958. They homesteaded, raised children, and built the gallery from 1995-1996. He began painting the Alaska he was growing to love in 1959. 

The free gallery is on the property he originally homesteaded, along with his original cabin and art studio.  We were near the town of Anchor Point and turned off the paved road onto a well maintained gravel road that wound its way up a timbered mountain grade to a landscaped area on which there were several wooden structures. 

 

We parked in front of a long nondescript, grey-planked building and entered an unassuming doorway. The view as we entered took my breath away.

Before us was a museum layout that would rival any metropolitan city gallery. We saw over 300 paintings and sculptures. The lighting and displays with curved arches, carpeting, and background music created an almost mystical and reverent atmosphere. 

 

 

Some of the paintings are quite large, including one is that is 7’ X 14’.

We had opportunity to meet both Norman and his wife, Libby. We also learned that last year he began losing his sight, but since then he has been able to finish 30 more paintings, which may be his last.

 

These last paintings were on display for us to view. Norman told us that one eye is totally sightless, while all but 10 degrees of the field of vision is available in the other. He constructed special framework of lighting that allowed him with “unusual difficulty and long hours of work” to start and complete the 30 paintings.   It was still in question if he would be able to complete any more. The gallery is well worth visiting, and we enjoyed seeing different perspectives of Alaska through the eyes of a talented artist.

 

This gallery is a shrine to Alaska created by a skilled artist who truly loves this land.

After leaving the museum we came across a road sign inviting us to travel to the western-most highway in the US. As is our custom, we detoured and did just that. Anchor Point is the most western point on the North American continent that is accessible by a continuous road system. It seems that in May 1778, Captain James Cook’s ship, the HMS Resolution, lost a large kedge anchor while attempting to sail north against the swift-flowing tidal waters in the area.



When we arrived, we parked on the bay next to a large group of bicyclists on a commercial guided tour. 

 

They had a feast of colorful fruits, sandwiches, and drinks laid out for lunch.  We were not wearing the special skin tight clothes of the ordained cyclists, so we took pictures to document our location and walked to the outdoor viewing kiosk near the bay.

There we could see several of many active volcanoes that make up part of the “Pacific Ring of Fire.”  

This is a nearly continuous chain of volcanoes that encircle the Pacific. They say that over half of the world’s active volcanoes are in this zone.  On a clear day, five of these volcanoes can be seen from this viewpoint.

Here are a couple active volcanoes we saw.

 Mt. Iliamna is this one behind her.

Look beyond Daisy

Mt. Redoubt

Country Boy Campground 

July 15-16

Day 43 and 44

We arrived at the Country Boy RV Park in Ninilchik in early afternoon. We were there for two nights visiting two couples of RV friends who didn’t know each other, but happened to be in the same place. Another "small world" experience!

Chris's RV is beyond ours.

Daisy with Charles and Chris

I have known Chris and Charles for many years, and they are our insurance agents. They were traveling in a class B rig.

We originally met Pam and Red at the Texas Truck Camper Rally, then saw them again at a campground in Fairbanks.  On this trip, they were in their fifth-wheel RV. Both couples fed us, and food always adds to socializing. Chris and Charles were several weeks ahead of us in their Alaskan travels, and we had been corresponding with them via email. They stopped here because the salmon run was beginning and Charles was also catching halibut. Their travel plans were to eat fresh fish, fill their freezer, and ship fish home. Pam and Red’s itinerary had us meeting up with them in several places along our independent journeys. Red was here to fish as well. We considered fishing, but decided to emphasize other activities. This campground had great rates: $15/night for a full hookup site with clean showers and laundry, which was less than half of what we paid in Homer. It was enjoyable to be out in the country with a quiet setting, and yet not far off the main travel route.  We had minor colds and used this place to rest, work on the blog, and plan our next adventures.

Nikiski and Kenai

Day 45

Thursday, July 17

Elevation 262’

56 degrees

66 miles

Dee and Lee

We got a call from our friends in Nikiski saying that the salmon run was on there and the dip netting season was beginning. We wanted to see this so we left Ninilchik for Nikiski.  We arrived around noon at Lee and Dee’s furniture store to find out that Lee was already on the bay dip netting, and he was waiting for me. I could not dip net as a nonresident, but I could take pictures and be his mule.  Dee had dropped Lee off that morning, so she took me there. But there might be customers in the store and the doors had to remain open. Daisy said she could do that, and she did. She didn’t make any sales, but she did host a few folks who were just looking.

The dip nets are huge.

The bay parking area was packed. Dee was able to drop me off near where she had left Lee. All I had to do was walk the beach area and find a guy with waders, a base ball cap and green jacket. As I topped the bay dunes and looked down, all I could see was a mass of colorful waders, colorful baseball caps, colorful jackets, and swarming squawking gulls. I suddenly realized that I did not have my cell phone. 

  

 

It was like being in a Chucky Cheese at prime time. It was a zoo.  People of all shapes, sizes, and ages were milling about, going to and from the water with long handled nets, tall buckets with fish tails sticking out, ice chests, wagons, and carts.   

 

 The beach was covered with fish heads, fish tails, entrails, and gulls fighting over the spoils.  Fish eggs were their desired meal. 

 

Lee bringing in his dip net

It took me about an hour to find Lee. I saw him net the largest of the 3 salmon he caught that day. His limit was a lot more, but it was beer time and he wanted us to taste what truly fresh prime salmon was like: fresh off the beach and hot off the grill. There would be no freezing involved.   

Our camping spot at their house

Dee came to the parking area and took us back to the store to close it and pick up Daisy.  Then in a few miles we were at their home. 

Very quickly, the fish were cleaned, lightly seasoned, olive oiled, and put on the grill.

 

The sun was warm on the deck and the beer and salmon never tasted better. Hurray for good friends in great places.

Yummy!

We only stayed with Lee and Dee for one night. We had made reservations for a couple of days later for a ferry ride from Whittier to Valdez, for us and the truck camper. We wanted to make sure we had a little time in Seward before proceeding to Whittier, and also had plenty of time to check out the Whittier area near the ferry terminal. 

We got the oil changed enroute and also stopped at the Walmart in Kenai to fill out our on-board stores. This very large supercenter was surrounded on three sides with paved parking and at least two sides were filled with RVs.  

All kinds of wheeled units...some with solar panels

Unlike most stateside Walmarts, RVers are allowed to camp rather than just parking overnight. Generators were running, lawn chairs were out, and BBQ grills were smoking.  

This is Alaska.

We headed out. Another adventure with a new experience was awaiting us.