| July 23, 2007 - Homer, AK to Anchorage, AK |
| |
|
While inside I saw an impressive list of the area's wildlife..
...as well as things to do:
For those that know me personally, this place has my freakin' name written all over it!! Yes,
I'll be back, HOMEr. I'll be back.
It felt good for my body and mind to be back on the road logging miles again. Apparently
throwing around a 500lb motorcycle doesn't use the same muscles that are required for reeling
in 20+lb fish because I am a bit sore from yesterday's Hali-butt kicking (report:
HERE).
After an exchange of a bear hug and well wishes, I was on my way once again to Anchorage. While
riding I thought about how good it was to see Mike and hear about his successful accomplishment of
certain roads he had wanted to ride. Seeing him was like seeing an old friend even though I had
just met him once two weeks ago. He said he had yet to see Mt. McKinley or Denali, which made me
feel even luckier to have had unrestricted and numerous views (as seen:
HERE).
While on the way to Homer on this past Wednesday I saw a sign for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge,
so I decided I'd stop on my way back today:
It had been lightly raining most of the morning and the road leading into the place wasn't exactly
in pristine condition. It was more like fine sand than gravel, and was mushy as well as slick:
Once I dredged my way to the Visitor Center I discovered a plethora of information, including these
specifics on bear, moose, sheep, and wolf:
A Forest Ranger walking past me as I was standing by my motorcycle and preparing to leave did such
a double take after seeing my license plate that he nearly dropped the papers he was carrying. He
said but three words: “Tennessee?”, “Alone?”, and “Damn!” and kept walking. I have to say my
experience has been most Alaskans are not of such few words.
There were numerous roadside signs during my jaunt today that warned of different animal crossings
since the highway (a two lane road people, don't be thinking some grand interstate.. this is
Alaska!) meanders through the vast Kenai Wildlife Refuge. There were even signs listing a
certain radio station that one could access “Wildlife Crossing Information” much like the stations
in the lower 48 states (or simply, “Down south” as they refer to it here in AK) that provide current
traffic conditions for an area.
So, I was just cruising along and thinking about the dichotomy of vehicle traffic conditions and
wildlife traffic conditions, when my mega-alert visual scan picked up something in the tall weeds
roadside. I slowly passed to ensure it wasn't something that would put me in danger, then
flipped the bike back around, and turned it off. I looked all around me for several minutes
for his mama before I even attempted to get out my camera, then I quietly removed my camera and took this:
YEE-HAW!! It's Baby Bullwinkle!
During the time I was watching him a few cars passed. I've learned that you can avoid creating
a scene when passing vehicles see your camera is out by simply keeping the camera hidden as they
approach; otherwise they stop, then so does the next car, etc. By lowering my camera I guess
the drivers think I'm stopped attending to the motorcycle since they continue on down the road. At
any rate, each time a vehicle passed, Baby Bullwinkle would stop eating and skamper his gangly self back
farther from the road. He seemed very young and very skittish to say the least. I just sat
quietly in awe on the bike watching him for at least 10 minutes, taking photos and absorbing the moment in the wild.
He didn't seem too choosy on what type of foliage he ate nor did he seem to notice that he was getting
closer to me. Given his reaction just to the sound of the passing vehicles I knew my bike's super-duper
air horn would scare the beejeezus out of him should I have need to redirect him, so I wasn't overly
concerned. However, he kept getting closer and closer, and even started walking straight towards me....
I had parked right on the edge of the road beside a sign that probably said “Moose Crossing” or maybe
even “Pay Attention!”, who knows. All I know is this was the last photo I took....
...before I reached up w/my left hand and simply turned the key to the bike (which doesn't start the
engine), thus causing my radar to cycle through it's start-up “beep” (you V1 owners know what I'm talking
about!) and just that noise was enough to send him running like he'd heard a shotgun:
So, I put my camera away and flipped the bike back around in the direction of Anchorage. I
pulled over (now on the other side of the road) so I could ensure my camera was secure, when Baby Bullwinkle reappeared:
The thought did cross my mind “Oh, no, maybe he thinks the V-Strom is his mama!” but that was interrupted
with he decided the weeds were probably greener on the other side of the road:
Yippee!! What a great experience it was with Baby Bullwinkle! I made it into Anchorage and
Alaska Leather, the company that had ordered the part for the bike and guaranteed delivery today. My
high energy was doused with the information “There's a problem...your part was erroneously shipped via
Ground Delivery.”
AGirl
| |
|
| |
After spending the last few days meeting new friends and romping around in Homer, I bid all
farewell and headed back north to Anchorage so I could obtain the part for my motorcycle that
was supposed to be in today. Before leaving town I made a stop at the Alaska Islands & Ocean
Visitor Center, which was also home to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, to add
another National Park Passport Stamp to my collection (complete list:
Anyway, I enjoyed a very leisurely ride on the Sterling Hwy back to Anchorage. The scenery
is outstanding and it was a challenge to not stop every few miles for photos, but I kept rolling
since I'll be on most of the same road this weekend with
She will enjoy taking the photos I'm sure. Besides, not having to pull the motorcycle off the
road and then pull out the camera does have it's advantages.
Not too far from Homer I passed a motorcycle, exchanged waves, then realized that the red bike and
bright yellow jacket was familiar... it was Mike, who I had met about 2 weeks ago while on my way
from Whitehorse to Dawson City (as seen:
We exchanged several emails a few days after that but given the lack of internet connection during
the last week or so neither of us knew where the other was headed (well, ok, I didn't know where I
was headed and ditto for him!). I whipped the Strom around and leap frogged RV'ers until I
finally ran him down. We spent at least a half hour visiting roadside and sharing our recent adventures:
It was obvious he did not see me since and he kept on enjoying his lunch:
Oh great, that means it will arrive sometime in 2010. Yes, it's disappointing but thankfully
Barb at Alaska Leather has rattled a chain or two, pun intended, and a replacement for the replacement
will be here on Wednesday. Yes, unexpected time in Anchorage (my least fav place in AK since it's
a big city!) but I'm sure I'll get involved in something. For goodness sakes, the journey doesn't
pause because the motorcycle isn't at full speed!
If you wish to receive direct emails from me whenever a new Journey Report has been posted than simply click:
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2006-2008, All Rights Reserved. |