I woke early to go to the Morning Rotary Club of Kodiak. It was a 45 minute sunny walk. It’s very peaceful. I don’t know why I don’t walk more in Coronado, like how about walking to work??? The meeting was held at the Best Western. They have about 30 members, pretty gray just like ours. Their club is a break off from their noon club which is 77 years old. The meeting structure was pretty much the same but they held a 50/50 raffle that you bought tickets and then a pot was passed around to add more money to the raffle. People said what they were thankful for or congratulated me for being there. The program was an engineer talking about water projects that he had students involved with. It was very interesting. Everyone was kind and helpful which is why I love to go. One man gave me his pilots friend name.
I waited outside in the morning sun for my new friend, John, to let me know if he was working or not. He is a firefighter/drone photographer. I was trying to text him when he pulled up on the other side of the road. Yes, Mother, I did talk to strangers and even got into his truck. The night before I did get his last name and googled him. Everything checked out. He needed coffee so we went to the place that I had went to the first day. The owner came out to say hi to John and looked at me a little curiously, so I told him that John just picked me up and that I was a hitchhiker. He wasn’t surprised but he let me know that John was ok.
We drove by the house he owns and currently rents out and then up the hill which used to be his playground as a child. The views were spectacular.
We drove back down the hill/mountain. He actually had some work to do filming a house that is under construction, a massive house. We drove towards the airport. It has three runways because of the ever changing weather. He pointed out the Coast Guard facilities when he first lived with his family. The scenery was so lush and green. He was even impressed as a near native. There are three bays that have fresh water streams running into the ocean. This would were the bears will be soon. The first of the salmon are coming back. So the place where the mansion was being built was out at the tip of a peninsula, another place that John and his friends would explore as young kids with three wheelers and kayaks. There were no less than 25 vehicles on the project for one house and one cabin. The owner is quite wealthy and lives in Anchorage. He wanted live video of the construction and John even took the drone inside the house at a previous filming. It was interesting to see how the drone worked. The view from this house is both the planes and boats coming in and the incredible landscape of Kodiak. He promised me footage after he did some editing.
We headed for one of his favorite places called Pasagshak. Along the way we passed the three bays; Sister Bay, Middle Bay and Kalsin Bay. He was deeply upset with the logging that had gone on along the way. The landscape, the clarity and freshness was breathtaking. We went down by the beach and walked around saw some wild buffalo. The buffalo and deer were brought in years ago for extra food sources just in case of being cut off from the lower 48, natural disaster or war. Kodiak supplies it own water and electricity too. Next was the Kodiak Launch Site for rockets. There are Israeli people here to launch them, not sure why, but the locals are afraid that this beautiful area will be cut off from the public. 
Beautiful ride back to town, lots of great conversation.
He stopped on the way back so he could fly the drone and I could wear a head set and see where he was going. He took the drown up and down a river to look for bears, still none to be seen but it was a very cool experience. We drove back the same way and he asked if I was interested in borrowing his ex girlfriends electric mountain bike. Of course!
I drove up the hill to a Filipino food truck. 
Ride the rest of the way to my cabin and got out of all the cold weather gear. Love my long underwear! Relaxed on the Port has with egg rolls and Sauvignon Blanc basking in the sun. Seemed a lot warmer than 55.
John stopped by with a lock and battery. Then it was time to explore. Don’t go jumping to conclusions girls.
I rode out to Spruce Cape and then Fort Abercrombie State Park. Great views along the way.
Lots of Packer fans.
Love the bike in the tree!
And fascinated by the moss in the pine trees
Cute little play house by a pond.
My friends John and Nick texted, they were done with their softball game so we met for drinks at Tony’s, a bar that is an institution. Lots of interesting people. Again, reminding me that in Alaska, the odds are good but the good are odd.
Needed to get ready for my bear watching in the morning. Yes the Bears still suck.
Travel Pig 