Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Friday, April 10, 2015

Alaska Diary -Kenai Peninsula - Part IX



We leave Denali, in our little pop-up headed through Anchorange, where after a week on the Kenai peninisula, we will stay with some friends of our friends from Winona, Minnesota. The mountains seem all around us, although our view of Mount McKinley is obscured again by cloud cover. The ladies stop in a supermarket in Anchorage to stock up on groceries. The guys are informed that their will be a summer solstice "celebration" that night. This apparently is a big custom throughout Alaska and the world for that matter. On the the Chugach mountain above Anchorage young people gather on the longest day of the year in wild revelry, according to our grocery shopping reporters. Mmmmm? Mary Jane and nude dancing?
Later that evening, the campground has a lovely view and loons and wolves are heard beyond the campfire. Since this is bear country, we are instructed by the ranger to leave the food and cosmetics in the SUV and not the camper. The summer solstice dinner consists of shrimp and crackers for a first course, then Mrs. T comes up with tin-foil wrapped salmon grilled over the fire, corn, and cake for dessert. And champagne. Mmmm good.

I wonder if the Neo-Druids at Stonehenge near Salisbury England celebrate this solar event like this?
It was at about this point that your two, somewhat staid, stick in the mud husbands, were informed that it was their duty to continue the festivities all night. It was an Alaskan custom, we were told. Plus, it would be light out all night long. Unfortunately, the two midwestern men, clinging to their conservative ways, rebelled and broke up the party by trudging off to bed, at the ungodly early hour of 1 a.m. in the morning.
P.S. early the next day before heading off to the Kenai we talked to the local Ranger who informed us the ladies has jumped the gun by one day on the "solstice celebration".  Would you believe they wanted to do it again the next night.......:)

13 comments:

  1. That salmon is making me hungry!

    I wondered, if you're supposed to leave cosmetics and food in the SUV because of bears, what about the people? Weren't you worried about becoming breakfast for a big furry creature?

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    1. I had a 12 gauge shotgun with deer slugs in the camper. It was legal in 2000 in Canada and there was never any reason to use it....:)

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  2. It looks like you had a wonderful time. Did the ladies stay up until dawn, by the way?

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    1. Sorry. I was sound asleep though they claimed so later.....:)

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  3. too cute. i'd have a hard time staying up all night - even if it was light out! :)

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  4. No wonder you couldn't celebrate all nite. It was a day early. Camping out under the stairs to the sounds of loons and wolves sounds absolutely wonderful.

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  5. The only thing I remember that was a 'thing' on summer solstice was a midnight baseball game played in the park in the middle of Anchorage.
    Leaving food nearby when camping on the Kenai Peninsula is ill-advised, as many have found out.
    I guess I'll wait to find out if you went down to my favorite place at the end of the road, Homer.

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  6. I suspect that what we're getting here is the PG version.

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  7. I wouldn't have been able to stay awake. Plus, I would like to bet the folk at Stonehenge don't have salmon like that on the Summer Solstice.

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  8. Now that is some good looking Salmon! Party poopers...and you were young then:)

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  9. What a great series, T-birder! Alaska is on the bucket list, we could only hope to have as lovely a time as you and yours did!

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  10. It's just like a woman to jump the gun-we tend to get impatient. Haha, too funny. Celebrating summer solstice is a great tradition!

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