Alaska Page 8 - The trip comes to an end.
Saturday: Gil's son Wes came down from Anchorage with his daughters Allura and Audra. Wes and Audra went right to the river.
Gil watches his son and Audra
Gil had another good day. For the week, he outclassed us all by landing 18 reds.
Including this 9 pounder.
Wes Hibben, also a knifemaker, cleans his fish with one of his own custom filet knives.
Gil's granddaughter Allura. A real heartbreaker in the making.
Sunday: I have to say goodbye to the Kenai River, our wonderful hosts, Froggy and Deb, and several new friends that I met in Sterling. Froggy and Deb could not possibly have been more gracious and welcoming to the complete stranger that I was when I arrived. They are truly special people.
We left Sterling and headed back up Alaska 1 toward Anchorage. It was another sunny day so we took our time and saw a few sights along the way.
Here is a ferry crossing on the Kenai that is a very popular spot during the salmon runs. More combat fishing.
The cable drawn ferry taking people to the far side of the river.
This reminds me of the advice to wear little bells on your shoes and carry pepper spray in bear country. How do identify grizzly scat? It smells like pepper and has little bells in it.
Three generations of Hibbens.
We passed the same sights going back that we did coming down but they look dramatically different in the sunshine than they did in the rain.
My brother Gil and I stop to take a last look at the mountains.
Cook Inlet ahead and Anchorage is just around this point.
Those little white specks you see on the cliffs are mountain sheep.
Back in Anchorage.
Back at Wes' house we pack up our salmon for the flight home. Wes was kind enough to smoke a bunch of it for us. The other box is filets.
Wes' garage serves as his knifemaking shop and a his studio for teaching Kenpo Karate. On the wall are pictures of Huk (ninth degree black belt), Gil (sixth degree black belt), and the originator of Kenpo, the late Ed Parker.
Of interest to fellow knife knuts, just down the street from Wes is the house that Phil Lobred occupied in the 70s. Gil also lived here and had his knife shop in the garage. The house has recently been renovated.
We had dinner at a local restaurant before leaving for the airport. Gil is dwarfed by a brown bear on display in the lobby.
All good things must come to an end. And so we made the long journey back home on the red eye out of Anchorage. It was a great trip. A very special trip to me. I don't know if I will ever make it back to Alaska but I am sure glad I got to see it and experience it at least once. I know the memories will stay with me forever. I can't thank Gil enough for inviting me along.
If you want to know more about Gil Hibben, please visit his website www.hibbenknives.com.
For Wes Hibben visit www.wesleyghibbenknives.com
For Richard "Huk" Planas visit www.parkerplanaslineage.com
For our fishing guide, Sappah & Son Guide Service, visit www.kenaiking.com
I hope you enjoyed your virtual trip to Alaska with me, Gil and Huk.