Storm and the Morning After

Yesterday was hot and humid.  The air was still--the calm before the storm approaching.  I went out to a nearby bar in the mid-afternoon to beat the crowd with a traditional Wisconsin fish fry, along with a PBR.  Total cost:  $12.

I don't watch much tv in the Scamp.  It's nice to have once in awhile.  Last night, as I watched the Packers first exhibition game, there were frequent weather alerts.  A tornado in southeastern Minnesota, along with tennis ball sized hail, lightning, etc.  Thankfully, very little of the storm hit here thirty minutes south of La Crosse.  After dark, the wind, lightning and black clouds moved across quickly.  No harm, no foul.

This morning, there was a heavy fog, which gave way to clear skies and calm weather.

We have one more day here at Blackhawk COE and then will follow the river south.  

Homer: Fishing and Beer

There are numerous signs displayed around Homer, Alaska that say, “Homer: a quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem.”  Although I am not a fisherman, I can verify that fishing is taken very seriously here.

As for the drinking part, I can only testify that the local beer culture is alive and well. We visited two microbreweries:  Grace Ridge Brewing and Homer Brewing. Both were outstanding. Grace is owned by a San Diego couple who moved to Homer for employment. Upon retirement, they started a brewery (I am grateful, but that isn’t my idea of retirement).

Julia drank an IPA, and I had a delicious sour that was not overdone. Just enough sour to make it interesting.

On another day, we visited Homer Brewery. Julia had a Red Scotch Ale which was not too strong, and I went for the King and Wing ESB, cask conditioned and served by the beer engine. Easily in the top three beers I’ve  had in Alaska.