Our next stop was Claytor Lake State Park. We have camped there several times and enjoyed every one of our visits. On our last morning I saw about 8 deer running through the woods as Blondie and I walked on one of the several hiking trails.
Early morning at the Claytor Lake Marina
Claytor Lake Marina
Swimming beach at Claytor Lake State Park
Swim platform at Claytor Lake State Park
Moon rising through the trees
The Redbuds were blooming all through the woods in the park.
Our mountain journey continued at Virginia’s Natural Bridge where we walked along the nature trail beside Cedar Creek to the Natural Bridge and Lace Falls. The bridge and trail are privately owned and beautifully maintained.
The arch is 215 feet high, 55 feet higher than Niagara Falls. It is 40 feet thick, 100 feet wide, and is 90 feet between the walls. Highway 11 crosses over the bridge.
George Washington surveyed the bridge and the surrounding area in 1750. What is believed to be his initials can be seen high up on one of the walls.
The warm, sunny spring day was perfect for walking along the nature trail.
Natural Bridge, Virginia
Small waterfall beside the trail at Natural Bridge, Virginia
The trail next to Cedar Creek
Blondie got to play in the creek
The trail ends at beautiful Lace Waterfall
The Lost River flowing from the mountain
Another small waterfall in the creek
Relaxing at Lace Waterfall
View of the bridge as we returned from our hike
Waterfall on Cedar Creek
Survey Marker with George Washington’s initials from 1750
Wildflowers were blooming all along the trail
I think this is Dewberry
Moss surrounds this wildflower growing in the rock wall
Perriwinkle
Daffodil beside the trail
Yellow wildflower beside the trail
Wildflowers beside the trail
We camped for 2 nights at the Natural Bridge KOA, about 5 miles from the Natural Bridge.
Day 75: Monday, July 29, 2013. Homer, Alaska to Williwaw Campground on Portage Glacier Road in the Chugach National Forest near Whittier, AK. About 180 miles traveled.
We enjoyed our time in the Kenai Peninsula but it was time to move on to our next Alaska Adventure. The sky was clear when we woke up and we watched the boats going out into the bay before we left. The drive north through the Kenai was beautiful and as always we kept an eye out for moose. Unfortunately, there were no moose to be seen! The only wildlife of the day was a family of ducks at a rest stop at Tern Lake
We enjoyed watching the boats going out in the bay our last morning in Homer
Mama and baby ducks at Tern Lake
It was peaceful at Tern Lake
After staying in private RV parks, city parks, national parks, state and provincial parks, we spent two nights in the first United States Forest Service park of the trip. The road through the campground is paved and each site has a paved pad. When the last few weeks have almost all been in gravel, parking lot type campgrounds it was such a treat to have no dust! Our site was surrounded by trees and wildflowers and we had a large picnic table and fire ring. A perfect place to relax.
The campground is located on Portage Glacier Road which leads to Portage Lake and then the town of Whittier. There are several glaciers in the area which can be seen from the visitor’s center at Portage Lake and from the campground. The only way to see the Portage Glacier is to take a cruise on the lake. We decided to pass on the cruise and enjoy the ones we could see from land.
Glacier view from the visitor’s center at Portage Lake
Portage Lake
Portage Lake just a couple of miles from our campground
Another glacier at Portage Lake
Portage Lake
View out our back window at Williwaw
Beautiful campsite at Williwaw Campground in Chugach National Forest
View from the campground
Day 76: Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Our campground was so beautiful the truck didn’t move all day. We started the day by going to a salmon viewing platform where salmon can be seen in the creek when they are spawning in August. We were just a few days too early and never saw any. After seeing no fish we went for a hike along the Williwaw Nature Trail.
Fog over the glacier early in the morning
There’s a waterfall in the middle of the picture
Glacier and waterfall
No salmon in the creek yet
What a view from the nature trail
We walked through really tall fireweed
The only wildlife we saw on our hike
The wildflowers were beautiful in the campground
Bluebells of Scotland
Northern Yarrow and Wild Geranium
I think this is a high bush cranberry
Ferns covered the ground beneath the trees
Cow Parsnip
Our journey through Alaska is nearing the end. Soon we will have to leave this beautiful state and start heading home.
Day 73: Saturday, July 27, 2013. Ninilchik, Alaska to Homer, Alaska. Baycrest RV Park Site 44. 35 miles traveled.
Delicious lunch at Captain Pattie’s on the Homer Spit
Foggy skies greeted us as we drove south to Homer, Alaska, our next destination on the Kenai Peninsula. We had chosen a campground for its spectacular views from a bluff overlooking Kachemak Bay. The fog was so thick we couldn’t see anything so we drove to the Homer spit for some lunch at Captain Pattie’s. The Homer spit is a long, narrow piece of land with several campgrounds, a small boat harbor, and many restaurants, shops, and bars. Tourists were everywhere on this Saturday afternoon and parking spaces were rare but we found a spot in front of the restaurant and enjoyed a lunch of halibut and clam chowder.
After a stop at Safeway for some much needed groceries we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying our view from the campground. Several eagles were soaring over the bluffs. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Fireweed behind our campsite made the beautiful view even better
Our campsite overlooks Kachemak Bay
Beautiful day in Homer, Alaska
View out our back window from Baycrest RV Park, Homer, Alaska
Loved this cloud over the water
Eagle soaring overhead in Homer
Day 74: Sunday, July 28, 2013
The fog rolled in over the water early in the morning. It was eerie looking down over the fog.
Early morning fog rolling in over the water
Henry went up on the RV for a better view
We were above the fog
More fog
After a home cooked breakfast of sourdough french toast and reindeer sausage we took a drive to Anchor Point, the western most point reached by highway in North America. We stopped at the beach to watch the tractors bring in boats from the water like in Ninilchik. It was so foggy the tractors beeped to help the boats find them.
From Anchor Point we took a drive on the North Fork Loop Road where we saw hillsides covered with fireweed and views of two volcanoes.
Anchor Point is the most westerly highway point on a continuous road system in North America
Tractor at Anchor Point bringing in a boat in the fog
Bringing in another boat. It was so foggy we couldn’t even see the water.
The volcano Mount Iliamna is in the distance
We dropped Blondie off at the RV and took a drive down to the spit. We stopped at the Baycrest Overlook where we could see our campground. As we drove along the road a bald eagle was flying at eye level over the beach close to my window. He stayed beside us for a while. What a treat.
As the former owners of several boats named Salty Dawg, we had to stop at the Salty Dawg Saloon for a beer. We finished our tour of the Homer area with a stop at the small boat harbor.
View of our campground from Baycrest overlook
The sign says it all.
A perfect day for a beer at the Salty Daw Saloon
No dawgs allowed at the Salty Dawg Saloon. We went in anyway.
Beth at the Salty Dawg Saloon
Homer small boat harbor
Small boat harbor at low tide
Henry had just built a fire when Ted and Ruth Ann arrived from Ninilchik. They had been on a halibut fishing trip in the morning and were pretty exhausted after each catching their limit. We visited with them and some campers from Missouri while watching more eagles and enjoying our fabulous views.
Our plan for the day was to ride the bus up to the Polychrome Overlook and take a hike. When we awoke to a steady rain we decided to wait to see if it would clear up. The rain continued all day so we took a couple of short hikes around the campground instead.
Morning walk near our campsite
We took a walk out to the Teklanika River in the rain
The stream runs along the edge of the campground
Wildflowers growing in the middle of the riverbed
The rain finally let up a little later in the afternoon so we spent the rest of the day relaxing by the campfire.
Henry and Blondie enjoying the fire
Now this is the kind of view I like out our back window
Wandering Dawgs 