Road trip; destination Homer, Alaska.

But first, let's detour to Hope. 

  I understand it's approximately 132 miles from Anchorage to Hope. On Tuesday morning I woke at 3:00 am and was on the road by 3:30 having loaded the truck the night before.  Other than beating the traffic out of Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula. Hope wasn't in the plan. 

The Seward Highway is as scenic a drive as you can get.  The big problem with the road is the abundance of big trucks, motor homes and gawking tourists on this, the only highway to the Peninsula. 

A two lane road, there are passing lanes in appropriate places. We also have signs posted for tourists that it is illegal to let more than five vehicles stack up behind you. 

Don't take this wrong. I do like tourists. I'm more than happy to share the road with them. And they aren't the only ones to disregard the law. 

Locals with trailers or boats may be worse about obeying that rule than a tourist. I can tell you if you travel the Seward Highway you will see more boats than you can imagine. The Kenai Peninsula is Anchorage's playground. 

There is the ocean, the rivers; lakes abound, and there are hiking trails everywhere. Top that off with world class scenery and you now have a better picture of the draw it has.  

The picture directly below is from the back side of Turnagain Arm. The mountains in the distance are where the road hugs the slim strip of land between the peaks and the sea.  To get to this point, I drove around the Arm which if estimate to be no more than a mile or so wide at the narrow end close to Anchorage.

The bore tide and mud flats make a road straight across impractical. Not to mention the Beluga Whales, their habitat is precarious enough as it is now. So for the moment the locals dream of a couple more passing lanes and a little adherence to the law.

The detour to Hope began to stew in my brain about halfway around Turnagain arm. As I started up the grade from the flats, I decided why not. I had made real good time and didn't need to check into the motel until four in the afternoon.
I had passed most of the slow vehicles and was in the lead. Ahead of me, there were several long passing lanes on the main road. There was a small Russian Old Believers Village I wanted to visit. But it was only 5:30 in the morning; I had lots of time.

Since it was only a little over 160 miles to Homer, I took the turnoff. It's a narrow little road and dead ends in a picture perfect little campground perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Hope was a mining camp in the 1890s. The population of the town is close to two hundred people. Above is a picture of Main Street. 
A portion of the town was destroyed in the big Good Friday earthquake.  But there is a cafe and bar. The town also has a library and museum. If you feel like going gold panning, there is a place offering that next to the museum which is in the picture below.

 I walked around with my camera and took pictures of some of the buildings. Below is the social hall. The date on it is I believe 1902.

Below is a well kept little cabin with curtains in the window. Another small cabin is in the background. There were other homes in the area that appeared to have been built recently.

 I enjoyed poking around the little town. Nothing was open at that hour, but that was fine. I got into my Valley Girl truck and we went back out to the main highway. Below is a view from a pullout designed to give slower vehicles a place to pull out.
On to the Russian Village. On thinking about it, I don't think I'll give it a name at this point. They are a very private people and probably wouldn't thank me.
I hope you like the first part of my little road trip. I'll post more later. 

Ah, the Highland Games at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. The day eventually warmed up nicely on Saturday.
It was the first year they held the games for two days. It was great fun.
Sunday started cold and rainy. But it cleared up enough by mid-day to dry everything out.
That was good because nearly everything was damp. That stuff in the can that is supposed to seal all water out didn't work nearly as well in the flesh as on the tube. But later on, I hope to set the tent up again and give all the seams a good going over. This year we were prepared if the wind decided to blow up to Palmer gust standards. We did get lucky, and the breeze picked up just as we were packing up.
The games were amazing, and hearing all those records being broken was very thrilling. Our booth was right across from the bleachers where they were holding the events. Will all the people there we couldn't see much, but we heard everything.
I know for a fact that this is the twentieth year I have had a booth at the Highland Games. Allan used to join me about mid-afternoon, and we would spend the remainder of the day enjoying the day.
I still have the old green and white striped tent I used in those days. That old thing has seen a lot of miles including acting as the tent Heather, my daughter, and John got married under.

A great time was had by all. Thanks, Alaska for cooperating.

This little turtle didn't last long and went to a good home.

And a few of my books found their way into reader's hands as well.

The 2016 Highland Games are history and a fond memory.