Tag: Alaska

  • Island Isolation doesn’t Require an Island

    Juneau is located in Alaska’s southeastern panhandle and serves as the state capital. No roads connect Juneau to the outside world even though it’s clearly part of mainland North America. Access is by sea or by air only. Rather than describe the situation it’s easier to show it. Notice how Juneau hugs a narrow seaside…

  • Hawaii is Closer than you Think

    Oh those intrepid Googlers, the source of so much amusement and adventure. I encounter them as I relentlessly review their keyword searches captured in my access logs. What would a weekend morning be without a cup of coffee and a pile of raw statistical data to mine through? Some people prefer the New York Times’…

  • 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…

  • West Coast Sunrises over Water

    We’ve had fun watching the comments posted on my recent entry, East Coast Sunsets over Water. Matthew kicked things off when he wondered whether the opposite condition might exist. Does a West Coast sunrise ever happen over water? Scott Schrantz who has followed the Twelve Mile Circle for awhile, later solved the mystery by providing…

  • Mapping Endangered Species

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Program uses maps extensively. In turn, this helps website visitors conceptualize the imperilment of specific animals and plants within their area. The primary visual interface comes through their Threatened and Endangered Species System (TESS). It lets users sort data stored in the system by various criteria, including by…

  • Fewest County Borders – Part I: Hawaii County, HI

    Technically the fewest number of county borders is zero, a situation that occurs frequently on islands. As an example, county borders do not split individual Hawaiian islands except for Molokai. Most of it sits within Maui County. Even so, it also cradles minuscule Kalowao County – the smallest county in the United States – on…