Soldotna and the Kenai Penisula

Tuesday, June 26 2018 through Thursday, June 28, 2018

Soldotna ( soul DOT nah) is the hub of the Kenai, a good size city with all the amenities.  We hung out in the Fred Meyers parking lot for three nights to explore the area and replenish supplies.

There was the cleanest, most well-appointed laundromat in town where we could also get showers so we spent a couple hours after dinner on Tuesday getting cleaned up.

On Wednesday we took a ride out the Kenai Spur Loop to the end of the road.  Not much to see except huge oil, natural gas and nitrogen plants at the coast.  One beach had an interesting tree stump (Can you see Mike in the distance? He's the orange dot).

In the evening we drove out to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and walked along the trail near the center to the lake.  The center was really neat, with a large display of animals from the area.  It was helpful to see the scale of the different kinds; the grizzly or brown bear was enormous.  I don't want to run into one of those!

We haven't seen many live animals since getting to the more populated areas.

Headquarters Lake at Kenai Wildlife Refuge center

oil rig at Nikiski near end of Kenai Spur Highway

original homesteader's cabin moved to reserve

We explored the local used bookstore and got fishing gear advice.  We're both going through a book about every three days and we just recycle them at the used bookstores on our way.

On Thursday Mike went out to play some golf at the Kenai 18 hole course, the only 18 hole course on the peninsula.  After he got back, I drove out to old Kenai to see the Russian Orthodox church, built in 1894.

Russian orthodox church in old Kenai

Within walking distance is the Beluga RV Park and which is perched on the cliff side.  Next to it is a small park with equally great views of the Cook Inlet.  Most of this area can't be seen because the road is set back from the coast.  Private homes along the coast are shielded by dense trees.

Cook inlet from Beluga point outside of Kenai

There was another used bookstore in Kenai where I indulged in a pile of hardbacks that hopefully will last until I get back.  If you want to see what I've been reading checkout my other blog, Rooms with Windows.

Friday we head further south.  A side note, I cleaned out the refrigerator before we left and have been using up the frozen and canned peculiarities I'd found.  We've had filo dough wrapped sausage and mushrooms, steak calzones with pie crust dough, green chili enchiladas, and beets (only me on those)! It's a challenge and our little kitchen with the microwave and counter top convection oven is more than up to it.  Good thing we get lots of walking in.