Hope Alaska - Lost in Time

Still on the road heading back to Michigan; it's fast travel and not much time for fun - not the way to travel.  All of the following preceded my departure from Alaska.
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After breaking camp from the Chugach State Park in Eagle River I made a brief stop in Anchorage at the local Harley dealer "House of Harley-Davidson" to replace a burned out headlight (thought I might need that!)

In spite of what other travelers had told me, Anchorage seemed to be a very livable city, not seem at all like the center of mass confusion that I had expected.

The started out with clear conditions, but by the time I left the dealership it had returned to what was beginning to seem like the norm - varying between overcast skies, misty rain and 50 degree temperatures.

Given the conditions, what was a truly beautiful area was made less so and offered greatly diminished photographic opportunities; but, despite this, I was surprised to see two hardy souls windsurfing in the Cook Inlet.

Motorcycling in the rain has become such a norm of late that it is not all that unbearable anymore, but when it is combined with cold 50 degree temperatures it becomes hard to tough it out and the frequent stops to warm up make for a long day.

Instead of heading directly to Kenai City, I had already decided to add Seward to the agenda, but although it was only 35 miles to Seward, I was cold and eager to stop; and so, when I saw the sign, Hope 12 miles, I decided to add Hope, Alaska to my itinerary.

An old mining town which predated the Klondike strike that led to the Alaska gold rush.  Hope at its peak had a population of 3000 and nearby Sunrise boasted more than 5000 residents, but Hope survives yet today and claims approximately 130 year-around residents; whereas the town of Sunrise has ceased to exist.

Many of Hope's old miner cabins have been salvaged and turned into year around homes and the Hope-Sunrise Museum features an entire miner camp of log buildings including a blacksmith shop and bunkhouse.

My unscheduled stop in Hope was on the day when they were hosting 125 mile cross-country mountain bike race.  The bikers continued to pedal to the finish line past the Seaview Cafe and Bar under the applause of awaiting revelers late into the evening; their faces muddied, they looked more like coal miners than bikers.  By comparison, despite my complaints, they had endured hardship that far outweighed my meager endeavor for the day.

Hope was once voted "Alaska's Most Friendly Town" (Alaska Magazine, August 2001); and I can only attest that they seemingly "a different lot," and you are more likely meet hardy souls who are searching for adventure than perhaps anywhere else in Alaska.