We had a fine crew along for the ride on this season's first Dinner Cruise! Like a school bus making its rounds, the FAT VAN scooped up eager riders at Diamond Creek and Anchor Point enroute to Whiskey Gulch. With temps in the mid-50s, and a tail-wind to start, we cruised along the tide-line as it ebbed down the beach. A little too fast however, as we had to pause at Stariski Creek a bit before we could wade across. Which, of course, is a perfect time to sit, relax, and shoot the breeze. As we waited, we noticed a familiar silhouette of a fat biker approaching from the other side. And then another, and another, and another. They congregated beneath the shelter of an alder tree, and proceeded to bust out a croquet set! These fat bike tourists knew how to kill time waiting for the tide. Note to self; bring lawn games next Dinner Cruise!
After fording the creek we carried on to Happy Valley and the falls. Being the 4th of July weekend we anticipated that we wouldn't be alone. Surprisingly, however, there was only one other small group there and we got to enjoy our La Baleine Cafe boxed lunches with some wine and a nice cooling breeze from the falls.
Our return ride was a little more strenuous as the tailwind became a headwind, but no less enjoyable as the sun poked out here and there highlighting the Volcanoes across the inlet. Stariski Creek was rideable now, so we just rolled on through it, carrying on to the FAT VAN back at Whiskey Gulch where we found some of the Fat Bike Tourists waiting. They'd bailed from the group pushing on to Homer, and were hoping for a ride back to Homer to retrieve their car. The FAT VAN was overjoyed to accommodate our new fat biking friends!
