Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
HOMER ALASKA | RVing With Pets When Maya Couldn't Walk | RV Alaska
We're Joel and Deb from Chasing Our Sunshine, and this week we're taking you to Homer, Alaska - the town at the very end of the road on the Kenai Peninsula. Fellow RVers told us to skip Homer. They were wrong. We'll show you budget-friendly camping, incredible local food, and why Homer became one of our most meaningful stops in Alaska.
But this video is different. Between Seward and Homer, our dog Maya was suddenly paralyzed in her back legs in Soldotna. We faced impossible decisions, carried her with towels for days, and didn't know if she'd ever walk again. Homer gave us the time, space, and hope we desperately needed.
Three months later, Maya is at 98% recovery. This is her story - the fear, the choices, the conservative treatment that worked, and how Homer helped all of us heal.
🏕️ HOMER ELKS LODGE: $35/night (Elks members only)
✅ 8 electric-only sites, first come first served
✅ Best views we've seen at any Elks Lodge
✅ Quiet, peaceful, perfect for Maya's recovery
⚠️ Must be Elks members to stay
🍽️ HARBOR GRILL: Best seafood in Alaska
- Tour of Alaska (halibut, salmon, shrimp, scallops)
- Split an entree to save money
- Not cheap, but worth every penny
🍺 SALTY DAWG SALOON: Homer's iconic landmark
- Building dates to 1897, bar since 1957
- Dollar bills covering every wall
- Most authentic dive bar in Alaska
- Absolute must-visit
🍻 GRACE RIDGE BREWERY: Local favorite
- Family-owned, beer brewed on-site
- PikaPika Bento food truck (Japanese/Vietnamese)
- Locals' recommendation - they were right!
🐕 MAYA'S STORY (July 9-16, 2025):
- July 9: Paralyzed while playing fetch in Soldotna
- Diagnosis: Possible spinal stroke or blown disc
- Choice: $10K-$20K surgery + 2-month recovery in Anchorage OR conservative treatment
- Vet bill: $750 (exam, meds, steroids, muscle relaxers)
- Treatment: Medications, physical therapy, towel support, hope
- July 13-16: Recovery in Homer
- October 2025: Maya at 98% recovery
- Chiropractic vet in Wisconsin helped even more
**Medical note:** We chose conservative treatment (muscle relaxers, steroids, physical therapy) without knowing if it was a spinal stroke or blown disc (MRI would have required expensive imaging in Anchorage). Every pet situation is different - work with your vet to determine the best path for your animal. We're sharing our experience and the difficult financial/medical choices we faced, not providing veterinary advice.
💙 TRUE BLUE TUESDAYS - Wear blue every Tuesday to support law enforcement!
📍 ROUTE: Seward ➡️ Soldotna (volunteer + Maya's injury) ➡️ Homer (recovery)
⏱️ VIDEO CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Welcome to Homer
02:45 - Homer Elks Lodge Campground
04:40 - Harbor Grill (Best Restaurant)
05:55 - Salty Dawg Saloon (Best Local Find)
06:59 - Grace Ridge Brewery (Best Drinks)
08:40 - Maya's Story: What Happened in Soldotna
13:13 - Maya's Recovery Update (3 Months Later)
14:43 - Closing & Next Week
⚠️ The good AND the bad - we keep it real with honest reviews and real-life challenges.
🚐 Traveling with our dog Maya in our 1999 Minnie Winnie (Alaska) & 2018 Tiffin Allegro Red 33AA
🚐 Full-time RVers since 2021
👮 Retired Law Enforcement from Chippewa Falls, WI
If you're facing a difficult decision with your pet, hang in there. Give them time. Sometimes conservative treatment works. Maya is living proof. 💙
NEXT WEEK: We continue our RV Alaska adventure! Subscribe so you don't miss it.
#RVAlaska #HomerAlaska #RVingWithPets #travelingwithdogs
👮♂️ Don't forget True Blue Tuesdays - wear blue to support law enforcement!
👍 LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more full-time RV adventures!
🔔 Hit the notification bell to catch our videos every Sunday at 4 PM Central
📱 FOLLOW US:
Facebook: facebook.com/chasingoursunshine
Instagram: instagram.com/chasingoursunshine
Email: info@chasingoursunshine.net
Website: chasingoursunshine.net
**Planning your own Alaska RV adventure?** Drop your questions in the comments below!
**ABOUT CHASING OUR SUNSHINE:**
We're Joel & Deb, retired law enforcement officers living full-time in our RV since 2021. We believe in supporting local businesses, staying positive, and helping others find their own sunshine on the road! 100% of all proceeds from our channel are donated to local law enforcement causes!! 💙
Disclaimer: 1) We are not experts in the RV or travel industries. Everything on this channel is for entertainment value and is not to be considered legal or professional advice. Information in the video was located on web pages for the places we visited, the internet of things, and personal experiences.
*We are formally known as Chasing RV Sunshine and the name change was done on Nov 1, 2022.
HOMER ALASKA | RVing With Pets When Maya Couldn't Walk | RV Alaska
We're Joel and Deb from Chasing Our Sunshine, and this week we're taking you to Homer, Alaska - the town at the very end of the road on the Kenai Peninsula. Fellow RVers told us to skip Homer. They were wrong. We'll show you budget-friendly camping, incredible local food, and why Homer became one of our most meaningful stops in Alaska.
But this video is different. Between Seward and Homer, our dog Maya was suddenly paralyzed in her back legs in Soldotna. We faced impossible decisions, carried her with towels for days, and didn't know if she'd ever walk again. Homer gave us the time, space, and hope we desperately needed.
Three months later, Maya is at 98% recovery. This is her story - the fear, the choices, the conservative treatment that worked, and how Homer helped all of us heal.
🏕️ HOMER ELKS LODGE: $35/night (Elks members only)
✅ 8 electric-only sites, first come first served
✅ Best views we've seen at any Elks Lodge
✅ Quiet, peaceful, perfect for Maya's recovery
⚠️ Must be Elks members to stay
🍽️ HARBOR GRILL: Best seafood in Alaska
- Tour of Alaska (halibut, salmon, shrimp, scallops)
- Split an entree to save money
- Not cheap, but worth every penny
🍺 SALTY DAWG SALOON: Homer's iconic landmark
- Building dates to 1897, bar since 1957
- Dollar bills covering every wall
- Most authentic dive bar in Alaska
- Absolute must-visit
🍻 GRACE RIDGE BREWERY: Local favorite
- Family-owned, beer brewed on-site
- PikaPika Bento food truck (Japanese/Vietnamese)
- Locals' recommendation - they were right!
🐕 MAYA'S STORY (July 9-16, 2025):
- July 9: Paralyzed while playing fetch in Soldotna
- Diagnosis: Possible spinal stroke or blown disc
- Choice: $10K-$20K surgery + 2-month recovery in Anchorage OR conservative treatment
- Vet bill: $750 (exam, meds, steroids, muscle relaxers)
- Treatment: Medications, physical therapy, towel support, hope
- July 13-16: Recovery in Homer
- October 2025: Maya at 98% recovery
- Chiropractic vet in Wisconsin helped even more
**Medical note:** We chose conservative treatment (muscle relaxers, steroids, physical therapy) without knowing if it was a spinal stroke or blown disc (MRI would have required expensive imaging in Anchorage). Every pet situation is different - work with your vet to determine the best path for your animal. We're sharing our experience and the difficult financial/medical choices we faced, not providing veterinary advice.
💙 TRUE BLUE TUESDAYS - Wear blue every Tuesday to support law enforcement!
📍 ROUTE: Seward ➡️ Soldotna (volunteer + Maya's injury) ➡️ Homer (recovery)
⏱️ VIDEO CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Welcome to Homer
02:45 - Homer Elks Lodge Campground
04:40 - Harbor Grill (Best Restaurant)
05:55 - Salty Dawg Saloon (Best Local Find)
06:59 - Grace Ridge Brewery (Best Drinks)
08:40 - Maya's Story: What Happened in Soldotna
13:13 - Maya's Recovery Update (3 Months Later)
14:43 - Closing & Next Week
⚠️ The good AND the bad - we keep it real with honest reviews and real-life challenges.
🚐 Traveling with our dog Maya in our 1999 Minnie Winnie (Alaska) & 2018 Tiffin Allegro Red 33AA
🚐 Full-time RVers since 2021
👮 Retired Law Enforcement from Chippewa Falls, WI
If you're facing a difficult decision with your pet, hang in there. Give them time. Sometimes conservative treatment works. Maya is living proof. 💙
NEXT WEEK: We continue our RV Alaska adventure! Subscribe so you don't miss it.
#RVAlaska #HomerAlaska #RVingWithPets #travelingwithdogs
👮♂️ Don't forget True Blue Tuesdays - wear blue to support law enforcement!
👍 LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more full-time RV adventures!
🔔 Hit the notification bell to catch our videos every Sunday at 4 PM Central
📱 FOLLOW US:
Facebook: facebook.com/chasingoursunshine
Instagram: instagram.com/chasingoursunshine
Email: info@chasingoursunshine.net
Website: chasingoursunshine.net
**Planning your own Alaska RV adventure?** Drop your questions in the comments below!
**ABOUT CHASING OUR SUNSHINE:**
We're Joel & Deb, retired law enforcement officers living full-time in our RV since 2021. We believe in supporting local businesses, staying positive, and helping others find their own sunshine on the road! 100% of all proceeds from our channel are donated to local law enforcement causes!! 💙
Disclaimer: 1) We are not experts in the RV or travel industries. Everything on this channel is for entertainment value and is not to be considered legal or professional advice. Information in the video was located on web pages for the places we visited, the internet of things, and personal experiences.
*We are formally known as Chasing RV Sunshine and the name change was done on Nov 1, 2022.
