OT:Alaska and US Map with roads

I was cleaning out folders on my computer and ran across this image that I really think helps explain the size of Alaska and the isolation of people not living near the road system. The overlay of Alaska shows how big our state is. The other point is that the red lines are the major and rural highways that our state has. Notice how few. The blue lines are the rural and state highways that exist in the states that the map of Alaska overlays. You can see why we fly everywhere outside of the major towns that we have. Literally no road exist. The red line road that goes to the top of the state is deceptive in one way. It is a highway but is not open to the public. It is the supply highway, formally named the Dalton Highway and locally called the Haul Road. It is primarily used by supply trucks to Prudhoe Bay for the oil companies.

Just thought that you might like the info and perspective for a change.

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Steve Alaska

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steve
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WOW! What a visual. Thanks for sharing this.

Happy quilting,

Lenore

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Lenore L

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Taria

And if not airstrips, then floats instead of wheels and a lake or river will do. That is one experience I haven't had yet. Lake Hood, right by the Anchorage airport, has float planes all the way around its shore and a "canal" down the middle of the lake between two islands is the designated runway on the lake. Mirror Lake and Fire Lake near our house also have plenty of floatplanes as well.

Steve

steve wrote:

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steve

That was one of the things that tickled me when we were in Anchorage. Although I knew that float planes were used extensively in Alaska, I just never thought of the fact that there would be a "water" port for those float planes! I just figured they landed on whatever lake was convenient!

Donna in SW Idaho

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Donna in Idaho

Aw, phooey, Steve. You're not having any fun at all. Come visit us in the Swamp. None of the roads go anywhere and the last (and belated I think they call him) census taker counted 8,500 gators. We have assorted endangered species including insurance adjustors and moonshiners. Please arrive long before dark. We would love to share our quilting with you. Bring friends. Bring enemies including any educators that annoy you. We can make arrangements to accommodate them too. Polly

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Polly Esther

You've got your gators and this year we've had more than our share of bears. Three trails are now closed, four people hurt to varying degrees. I was going to suggest to Bert that we go on a hike this weekend at the nature trail near us but that is where a lot of bear have been seen. No thank you. After today at school I'd gladly bring along an annoyance for you to "accommodate" with the gators. And only the third day. Deep breaths.

Steve

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steve

Wow, John, that really puts Alaska into perspective.

My dream is to visit Wrangell one day :)

-Irene

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No_Spam_Please

I recently caught the tail end of a TV program on a road which I think was 'Haul Road'. It was about getting the first truck of the season through and the problems that they faced. I wish I had seen the complete program.

Dee in Oz

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Dee in Oz

Are you thinking of "Ice Road Truckers"? Gen

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Gen

Quite possibly Gen. I didn't see much of the program.

Dee in Oz

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Dee in Oz

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Hobot

Fantastic map!! I'll use it with my 5th Graders when we study American History this year. Thanks!

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Kay Ahr

I have a friend who worked at Prudhoe Bay on the TransAlaska Pipeline for 32 years- he said it's called just 'The Road'. Since there's really not much else in the way of roads, everybody knows what they are talking about. Also, they built ice roads everywhere, not just the ones the big trucks use on the television program over the very deep water. It made getting around much quicker and easier than sticking to land travel, so the freeze was welcome in one sense. And he participated in many, many rescues when the ice wasn't as thick as believed or had heaved and cracked and someone went partly or all the way into the water- vehicle and all- and all survived the accidents. Amazing. But to get to The Outside everybody flies out and in rather than doing any driving. He's glad to have retired from that job- 32 Arctic winters was quite enough!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

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Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I would watch it but we only have "Free to air " TV. Not paying for Pay TV means I am able to buy quilting supplies.

Dee in Oz

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Dee in Oz

You can order the series from the History Channel on the web. I have the whole season one, and season 2 is on order. Gen

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Gen

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