ALASKA

HOMER ALASKA. Day 8

Waking up on the beach of COOK INLET was a perfect start to the day. As I stepped outside, I spotted a pair of bald eagles. Being only 20 miles from Homer, I decided to head there for breakfast.

With no plan in mind, I just followed the road—and before long, I found myself on the HOMER SPIT. I’d never heard of it before, but quickly learned it’s a 4.5-mile peninsula that claims to be the longest of its kind in the world. Funky, vibrant, and full of character, it’s easy to see why it’s so well-known.

I made one special stop at The SALTY DAWG SALOON, a place my friend Matt DeBarber had urged me to visit. I’d forgotten why—until the moment I stepped inside. (See video.)

Still recovering from yesterday’s grueling climb IN the icefield in KENAI FJORDS N.P., I kept things easy—just cruising around in my rental car and taking a few short hikes before starting the four-hour drive to ANCHORAGE.

I haven’t paid much attention to the news since leaving home, but while asking about campsites at a ranger station, I heard something surprising: Trump and Putin would be meeting in Anchorage in just two days. I decided to put that harsh jolt of reality aside and focus on the moment. That night, I enjoyed my traditional fresh-fish dinner over the fire and filmed a short video reflecting on how fortunate I’ve been. The wilderness part of this journey was winding down, and I wanted to savor it.

Tomorrow’s the grand finale: I’ll be at the airport by 7:15 AM for another adventure—getting up close to see grizzly bears. Then it’s a midnight flight home.

KATMAI NATIONAL PARK. Day 9 (Final)

Did I see Grizzly Bears? YES!

Did I see many? YES!

Were they BIG? YES!

Did I get close? YES! (No telephoto lens)

Did I have a close encounter? YES!

Do I love grizzly bears? YES!

The pictures and videos say it all.

Upon arrival, I had to attend “Bear School.” Traveling in groups was highly recommended, so I teamed up with Katie, another solo traveler.

We spent over an hour at BROOKS FALLS, going twice. If you’ve ever seen videos of grizzlies catching salmon mid-leap as they jump upriver, there’s a good chance it was filmed right there.

On the way out, we spotted a bear casually swimming and eating in the river, heading straight toward the bridge we were on. Amazingly, it stopped right beneath us and put on an incredible show. We could actually hear this magnificent animal tearing into fresh salmon—a raw, powerful display of nature at its finest.

We thought we had seen it all—until departure time, when we had to wait for, and then sidestep, as a spectacular pair of bears were playing beautifully on the road. Needless to say, they had the right of way! We watched them play for a while and wished we could have stayed longer, but we had to get past them to catch our plane. When they finally decided to move, they could have gone in any direction—yet they chose to walk straight toward us!

When the bears stopped to play again, our group cautiously shuffled back onto the road. But soon they started moving straight toward us again! We crossed the road and huddled together, waiting for them to pass. By then there were eight of us, and while I stood out front with the ranger—chatting with him and, in a way, with the bears—Kathy had wisely hung back behind the group. We were, essentially, the front-line decoys

Getting there wasn’t simple—it took a small plane, a shuttle bus, then a float plane, plus a healthy chunk of cash. But it was worth every penny.

I believe you learn more about life through traveling than almost anything else. I usually avoid returning to the same places, but Alaska is different—it’s the kind of place you could visit again and again. There will always be more to see, more to learn, and more to love.

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