Kenai River, again

I got bored with the lower Kenai River. After I put in this morning, there were a few nice spots with more golden eagles and fish and loons and ducks, but we were out of the drift zone, so all the boats were motoring around and pretty soon it was private property and houses on both sides. There was one bit of excitement at Naptowne rapids, which I got out to scout first. Then I chatted with a local fishing guide who discouraged me from hitting the rapids dead on ("5-6 foot wave train, which could flip your little boat") so I just skirted around them and missed most of the fun/danger. The waves were in fact large, but I'm guessing it would have been fine. What are my drysuit and pfd for, after all? If I'd been with a friend we would have run them repeatedly since it's easy to pull out right after and walk a trail back to the top on public land.

After that, I just wanted to be done.  Nearly solid private property, and the river was chill enough that I could get out my phone and text Amy to see if there was a bookstore anywhere nearby. Under a mile from a pull-out in a public park in Soldotna! So I pulled out of the river, bought a couple new books, bought some snacks at the Fred Meyer, and was going to hitch back up the river, but a woman thought I reminded her of her son, so she offered me a ride before I even stuck my thumb out. Score! (And good call, I do resemble her ultramarathoning son, if perhaps only activity-wise.)

I got dropped off at Sportsman's Landing, quickly inflated my boat, saw two grizzlies, and camped very close to a couple nights ago's spot. Will run the canyon again, and this time cross Skilak and over to Tustumena and on to Homer! 

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