Here is a map I created to show you all Nome, Alaska -510 air miles away from Anchorage - and 160 miles from Siberia.
Even as I type this, I still can't believe it.
A smile comes to my face just thinking about tomorrow, when I return to Alaska - as I have been wishing to do for three years since I left. No place has affected my life as much as the experience of getting to, and getting through Alaska. It is, im my opinion, the most pristine, natural, phenomenal place I have seen thus far. It has, compared to the lower 48, far fewer marks of industrial development, huge expanses of untouched wilderness and a far more modest, community oriented feel. It is, in many places virtually impossible to escape from 360 degrees of outdoor perfection.
A smile comes to my face just thinking about tomorrow, when I return to Alaska - as I have been wishing to do for three years since I left. No place has affected my life as much as the experience of getting to, and getting through Alaska. It is, im my opinion, the most pristine, natural, phenomenal place I have seen thus far. It has, compared to the lower 48, far fewer marks of industrial development, huge expanses of untouched wilderness and a far more modest, community oriented feel. It is, in many places virtually impossible to escape from 360 degrees of outdoor perfection.
I leave for Fairbanks tomorrow night, arriving at 1 am body time (12 am local time). I will spend the night somewhere in the airport and head out again on 6 am on a flight to Nome - at the edge of the Alaskan Peninsula, on the Bering Sea - 510 air miles from Anchorage. I have rented a car for a thrifty 75$ a day / for two days - which will double as my hotel room.
Nome (the name coming from a shortening of "no name") is not heavily populated, as one might imagine in all of it's remoteness - though it once was a thriving gold rush town with a population of somewhere around 20,000 around the turn of the century. Now the population hovers around 3500, nearly half being Native American. Nome is your wild west of Alaska, I suppose - with an abundance of gold hidden beneath its ills and beaches.
Nome (the name coming from a shortening of "no name") is not heavily populated, as one might imagine in all of it's remoteness - though it once was a thriving gold rush town with a population of somewhere around 20,000 around the turn of the century. Now the population hovers around 3500, nearly half being Native American. Nome is your wild west of Alaska, I suppose - with an abundance of gold hidden beneath its ills and beaches.
Another theory behind the name Nome is that it allegedly was the result of a spelling error - an officer on a British Ship in the 1850's noted that a nearby prominent point was not identified. He wrote "? Name" - which was later though tto be C Nome, or Cape Nome - and shortened to Nome. THe city name was almost later changed, but against its wishes, Nome stuck.
Though you can't drive to Nome, there are 300 miles of roads that extend out in three seperate directions - each about 80 - 90 miles long. I plan on driving all of them, time permitting.
I will be experiencing approx. 21 hours of sunlight daily.
Though you can't drive to Nome, there are 300 miles of roads that extend out in three seperate directions - each about 80 - 90 miles long. I plan on driving all of them, time permitting.
I will be experiencing approx. 21 hours of sunlight daily.
posted by Samantha Farbman at 11:48 AM
1 Comments:
I love that you posted a map for people like me who are visual learners, and basically too lazy to look it up on our own. This prompted me to remember that my dad lived in a town -- excuse me -- VILLAGE named Kwigillingok, AK. Its 348 miles south of Nome on the Bering sea... needless to say, not my cuppa tea. No indoor plumbing, outhouses only and snow from late Sept through June.. no hills though. Straight plains... have fun up there... can't wait to hear your stories when you get back!
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