Beginning: The links above go to pictures we took of fishing, wildlife and family.  The links in the journal below go to the web sites for the mentioned places.

June 2: Flew to Anchorage and stayed one night at the unremarkable Westmark Anchorage.  We had a good dinner at the Club Paris Restaurant, but it's hard to sleep when the sun stays up all night!

June 3: Stopped in Talkeetna and lunched at the Roadhouse on the way to Denali.  Talkeetna is crusty and historic; well worth the side-trip.   I'm still kicking myself for not taking pictures.  Checked in at the B&B on Lake Otto near Healy, and ate a fair meal at Alpenglow Restaurant on the "Denali strip."

June 3-4: Stayed 2 nights at the Denali Lakeview Inn.  Took the bus ride up to the Toklat River at Denali Park and saw little wildlife, but beautiful expansive views.  Luckily it was a clear sunny day, but I had a migraine by the end of the day and could barely touch the wonderful sage hen on mashed yams at the Nenana View Bar & Grille.  Bill had an excellent meal of duck.  Highly recommended restaurant.  (Skip the bus trip, just go to the park.)

June 5: Headed down to Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula and stayed the night at Mike (Joyce's nephew) & Michelle's.  We all went out for Italian at Paradiso's in Kenai.  Good food, big menu.

June 6: Checked in at All Alaska Outdoors Lodge, went to The Duck Inn for juicy burgers with Mike & Michelle.  Got our own little cabin called the "Forget Me Not," and getting used to the midnight sun.

June 7: Headed out to Cook Inlet from Seward for our first fishing trip with JimiSea Charters. (Our guide has since passed away.) We caught 3 good eating-size halibut and got sea-sick.  Felt better once on shore and had crab legs, etc. at Chinook's.

June 8: Needed this day of rest to recuperate.   Just drove around Soldotna and Kenai to get our bearings.  Had a good steaks at the Riverside House in Soldotna.

June 9: Our first salmon charter was on the Kasilof River with guide Robert Johnson. Bill & I each caught about a 20lb. salmon.  Had a disappointing dinner at The Peninsula Steak House.

June 10: Next salmon charter was on the Kenai River with Monte Roberts of All Alaska Lodge. We caught some that were too big to keep and both kept a 20+ lb. King.  Good food at Little Ski-Mo's Burger & Brew in Kenai.

June 11: Went out on Dominic Bauer's (formerly Pacific Rim Outfitters) drift boat on the upper Kenai River for the most beautiful trip yet.  It was opening day for sockeye, but Bill caught a 28" rainbow trout instead, and we released a few more smaller trout each.  Joyce caught a couple Dolly Vardens.  Dinner at The Duck Inn again.

June 12: Our last day was a fly-out to Wolverine Creek at Big River Lake with Talon Air.  We saw bears!!!  Met up with Joyce's sister Lynda, her husband Kurt, Mike & Michelle, and Miriam Marx-Allen for dinner at Mykel's Restaurant.   Got our book signed by Miram: for more information about that, see the Groucho Marx link.  Beginning to get the connection?

June 13: 150 miles back to Anchorage to catch the plane.  Stopped at a colorful little place called the Bird Ridge Cafe & Bakery for a good breakfast. (Update: apparently the cafe is no longer there, it's a motel and rv park.)
Flew home.  Back to reality.