Dear Wasilla

An Open Letter to an Anonymous reader.

Dear Wasilla,

Few people from Alaska visit Twelve Mile Circle. When an Alaska visitor lands here she’s usually landing from Juneau, no doubt because a bunch of pages on my travel site focus there. So I take notice with when a non-Juneau Alaska visitor drops by.

Regular readers will hopefully forgive me if I repeat this again (I know, I know), but I absolutely obsess over traffic statistics and trends. I’m particularly fond of the mapping tools on Google Analytics. It’s a perfect intersection of numbers and geography; a total no-brainer toy for me, providing hours of joy and entertainment. I’m strange that way.

An Alaska hit practically jumps of the screen in flashing neon, both because it happens only once every few days and because it’s so geographically distinct. Same for Hawaii. I’d say North Dakota has about the same level of traffic too. However that one’s not quite as obvious on a map when it competes with 47 other states.

So within that context, and so I don’t sound like “creepy Internet stalker guy,” I’ve noticed a low but steady volume of traffic arriving from Wasilla, Alaska in recent days and weeks (map). I think I may have picked up a reader from Wasilla! Truthfully, the name of the town meant nothing to me six months ago, but um, you know.

Welcome Wasilla reader, whoever you are. I’m sure you’re tired of people talking about your town solely because of its famous resident. They don’t know that Wasilla is the fifth largest town in Alaska, or that there was a statewide ballot initiative that almost moved the state capital to your hometown in 1994.

You and I know that it’s a big deal place portrayed rudely and unfairly by the Media. They eat their own, you know. Maybe things will get back to normal now that the election is receding in our rear view mirror.

I live near a well-known political town too so you have my sympathies. When relatives in the heartland ask me how often I get see the President, my stock answer is, “well, let me think on that awhile… hmm… that would be never.”

Let’s not dwell on those thoughts, though. This is a geo-blog not a political blog. I’ll offer a simple “welcome” and hope you return often.

And Sarah, your secret’s safe with me.

Fondly,
Twelve Mile Circle