there's no place like nome

i took my first trip back to nome for the 4th of july weekend. in just a few weeks it will have been a year since i left. as soon as i landed i just felt good. it was so nice to be back there and it was hard to wipe the smile off my face. thursday night i booked a mileage ticket, left early friday morning, and was already heading home yesterday afternoon. short, but sweet. my friends kim and sean let me borrow their old van which doubled as transportation and lodging. the weather was between 75 and 81 degrees all weekend. It was one of those perfect, glorious times to be there. watched the 4th of july parade and games. i got to see little baby hannah, phil and sarah's daughter who was born in january. also drove out to council and visited with buford's family and lots of other friends and nome folk, who were all there to celebrate the 4th at the stang's annual picnic. the next day missy, buford, and i left council and headed to cottonwood, where there was another big celebration, including a pig roast and bean bag tournament, on a gravel bar in the pilgrim river. we made a pit stop to hang out on the beach at safety and to jump in the water of course. in two little days i jumped into the niyukluk river in council, the bering sea in safety, salmon lake on the kougarok rd., and finally the pilgrim river in cottonwood. the bridge jump into pilgrim was the best i think. and salmon lake was the coldest by far. next trip will need to be longer so i can fit more time in with friends and do more relaxing than driving. maybe next year? my camera battery also died on me right away so i didn't get many pictures.


4th of july parade on nome's front street



baby falcons in their nest under the bridge at grand central.




with the price of gold on the rise, nome is seeing even more prospectors. you can see a just a couple out on the water here.


2am, standing on the pilgrim river bridge in cottonwood