Alaska 2010 - Part VI - Cooper Landing, June 15 to July 9

Fires, Food, Friends, and Flying


Our campsite for 24 days in Quartz Creek CG


Looked out at just the right time. Taken out the lounge window of the Lazy Daze.


Kenai Lake Sunset




Just as we did last year, we camped at Quartz Creek Campground in Cooper Landing-this year for 24 days. While we were here, we hiked and biked, shopped for groceries, did laundry, attended Mass, all in the small town of Cooper Landing, halfway between Anchorage and Homer. We visited with our friends Ron and Carol (the camp hosts), Herb and Nancy and their teenage grandchildren (Cody and Leah), Tim, Pam and Jim (Fish and Wildlife guys), and Denny and Suzanne --all from the Anchorage area--all here last year while we were here. Longtime friends, Jim and Martha, flew in from Birmingham and rented an RV and joined us for 2 weeks. We also met new friends, David and Nola, that have a Lazy Daze just like ours. We loved meeting them and seeing the modifications they made to their rig. We had so much fun with everyone--fishing, pot lucks, laughing around the campfire, and plenty of wine. The wonderful people of Alaska were the main reason we wanted to return to Quartz Creek. We know the friendships we have made here will last our lifetime.






Mint Juleps all the way from Alabama


They were a big hit


Jeanne Sandwich


The girls


Those crazy guys...acting out


Coolhand Jim


Pam, Tim, and Jim...AKA: Pam and her two husbands!


The Gwin family all smiles


Our camp hosts, Ron and Carol


Secret fish tales...


Campsite #10, Denny and Suzanne


Cedar stole the show


In Seward


"2010" Martha and Jim




Our newest Lazy Daze friends, David and Nola, Eugene OR

However, the weather didn't really cooperate (very wet, maybe 3 partial sunny days) and the first salmon run up the Kenai didn't really happen. But that didn't matter since we had friends to spend time with around the campfire, even when we were soaking wet from the rain. Ed did manage to catch 3 salmon that he kept and a Dolly Varden that he released. The 24 days that we were here, we kept hoping the salmon run would "happen" and the sanctuary would open (where the fish were hold up), but it was not to be.


Yep, those little dots are guys "combat" fishing

One of the most notable days was Sunday, July 4, a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the skies were blue, and the clouds were fluffy. Tom Brown (and his wife Lisa), a Delta cargo pilot, was camping across from us here in the campground and had his own 1946 Piper Super Cub plane (2 seater) docked on "our" lakeside property. He made the offer several days before to take us up so we decided to cash in today. Tom flew me down the Kenai River toward Skilak Lake and we saw a moose walking across a shallow river, a brown bear looking for breakfast along the same river, and a golden eagle. Tom flew Ed over Cooper Lake and saw no animals, but Ed said the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. It was a gorgeous morning to fly. Later we took a bike ride up the Quartz Creek Road and into a subdivision of lake homes, then down to a day-use area at the end of the road. We invited Ron and Carol over for dinner of barbecued chicken, potato salad, mozzarella cheese with tomatoes and mac and cheese. We sat around the campfire. Martha, Jim and Lee, Jim's brother, came over to say good-bye. They were leaving for Portage early the next morning.


Old Man's Beard. Ed has been thinking about growing his hair out!!


5 mile in-and-out hike to the Russian River Falls


Biking to Crescent Creek


Tom's 2 seater 1946 Piper Super Cub




Saw a brown bear from the air


and a moose.

One by one all our friends left the campground. We said good-bye until another time that we can either come back to Alaska or they can visit us in the lower 48.