Sunday at the races.

The beginning of a fine Sunday morning in Kackemak Bay. Quite literally, in Kachemak Bay. We had a treat this weekend as Maryann surprised me with a stay at The Lands End Resort on 'the spit'. We had our own condo with the water a walk out the back sliding door. Was too cool! After a long walk down the beach, we ended our weekend and left 'the spit' to head home. Now this is where it gets really weird. On our way off the spit we were heading through Homer and were going past Beluga Lake when I noticed a mass of vehicles out on the lake. Now remember, the lakes are still very frozen, and it is not uncommon for people to take snow machines (snow mobiles to anyone outside of Alaska), vehicles or the like out onto frozen lakes. But this was not an ordinary gathering of vehicles. No, this looked like some kind of fun was in progress. Serious fun! So being the explorers we are, we ventured with Maryann's truck out onto the lake....with the 'pucker factor' on high.... to find out just what it was that had drawn so many people to the middle of frozen over Beluga Lake. What we saw next I can honestly say, I....and I speak for Maryann as well...have never in our lives seen until this day.


There were two groups of vehicles in the middle of Beluga Lake this day. The spectators.....and the competitors. The competitors were gathered at the center of a make shift race track on the ice. The spectators were gathered in a line around one end of the track, with their vehicles pointed towards the track. This was in part so that people could stay in their warm vehicles...quite like the day of the old Drive-In Theaters, and still have a full view of the races in complete comfort. So we filed into a slot and watched in utter amazement. Let me tell you, ice or not these cars were hauling butt! The smell of alcohol blown engines, and the sound of serious adrenaline lined the lake. There were several different brackets, and unfortunately we came in towards the end. We saw the converted rice rockets run. These were old Honda's, Fiats, and the like pieced and scrapped together with worked over engines. And the last run was with.....I don't even know how to describe them! They are in the pictures. They looked like rolled over converted half snow machine half lawn mower/tractor.... We even saw one. pictured, that reminded me of Herman Munsters' drag racer!! The strange yet amusing ritual was for the winner to circle the track with the finish flag....in the opposite direction, while all of the onlookers would honk as he went by, for their applause! This was fun, definitely in typical Alaskan style, on a cold and brisk Sunday morning in Kachemak Bay. One thing I do have to give credit to.....Alaskans have shown more than once, the ability to entertain themselves through many a very long and cold winter!
Remember, on any post you can 'left click' any picture for a full size view. I highly encourage this!