I was looking for geo-oddities — so many of my articles start off that same way — when I spotted something unusual. This was just prior to my recent trip to Washington and Oregon while I was working on my travel agenda. I’d been contemplating the addition of a quick loop to Newport on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Ultimately I discarded the idea because it would take too long for a single day-trip from our base in Bend. It would have taken 7 hours altogether and my family would have burned me at the stake.
More to the point, this is what I spotted and marked:
The checkerboard pattern of the Corvalis Watershed Wild Animal Refuge is what drew my attention. Ultimately I discarded it because it was a Google Maps error. However I noticed something equally interesting at that moment, the lat/long coordinates of the marker I’d placed as I conducted further research: 44.60182°,-123.45°.
OK, the latitude was boring. It was the longitude that fascinating me. It formed a sequence. 12345.
Let the Search Begin
Maybe I could find some examples where both the latitude and longitude formed a complete sequence in order, using all ten digits. Most of the attempts fell somewhere within the vast expanse of oceans although a few hit dry land. Theoretically, someone could visit them with enough effort and determination.
I think my favorite is -12.345°, -67.890°. This lands in the Manuripi Heath National Amazon Reserve (Reserva Nacional Amazónica Manuripi Heath) in the northwestern corner of Bolivia. This would be a great place to visit if you’re a birder. Visitors would need to take timing into consideration as the website explains (in translation) that “Access to this area is very difficult, especially during the rainy season.”
Going in Reverse
Reversing the order, another example hits dry land only a few hundred kilometres away at -09.876°,-54.321°. This appears to be about 50 km east of Guaranta do Norte in the Mato Grosso state of Brazil. The spot falls in the middle of nowhere although maybe not quite as far into the middle of nowhere as the one in Bolivia. A determined explorer should be able to mount an expedition from Guaranta do Norte and bag this sequential lat/long spot.
Those two examples were the best.
The United States
Even so, let’s see if I can finagle a sequence to fall somewhere within the United States.
I shifted the sequence to 34.567°,-89.012°. This should feasible for just about anyone in the vicinity of Blue Mountain, Mississippi to visit. It falls within a small forested area behind a church on County Road 81.
The United Kingdom
It took some doing to find an example in the UK but I uncovered one there as well.
It’s not a great example, in fact its rather tortured although it does follow the rules: 56.789012°,-3.4°. Street View almost captures the location. It should be in the distant background of this image taken from Old Military Road near Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.
Canada
I haven’t forgotten about Canadian readers either.
A decent example exists outside of Graham-Laurier Provincial Park in British Columbia at 56.7890°, -123.4°. Go into the actual map and you’ll see a couple of photographs taken within extremely close proximity, perhaps less than a kilometre away. They identify this area as a valley of Cypress Creek. I can’t embed the photo images within 12MC because the author has reserved all rights to them, which is certainly his prerogative, and I don’t have time to seek permission. However if you are interested you can follow these direct links and view their respective pages: CYPRESS CREEK MOUNTAINS and CYPRESS CREEK MOUNTAINS 2 [update: the links no longer work].
Feel free to post your favorite latitude/longitude sequences — either in order or in reverse order — in the comments.
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