Day 15, June 20, 2010 (Saturday)
Fairbanks -- Norm
I was going to follow the pipe line all the way north to Deadhorse (Prudhoe bay), but the Wx north of Brook Mt. range is IFR, So, I headed West to Norm, after 5 hours of non-stop flight, I made it to Norm at 6:30PM, Sun doesn't go down here, even midnight the Sun still like 4PM in Los Angeles.
from Fairbanks to Norm, total 450 miles, the area is more remote than Yukon
Galena airport, half way to Norm, this is a common airport to get fuel, it's the only paved runway between Fairbanks and Norm. I have enough fuel to get to Norm, so just flew over it.
Another pilot I met at Norm made a stop at Galena, he said, the runway is "waved", make the airplane jump like a dolphin. Local pilot said, it's caused by permafrost underneath the runway. I experienced the same thing at Norm and Kotzebue. Not a big deal, just ease the control and let the plane fly off the ground by itself.
On the way to NORM. Mother nature has created such a beautiful painting on the ground.
Bering Sea and shore line, 50 miles from Norm
Norm, end of sled dog iditarod race. Church behind was build in 1901, 8:30PM when the picture was taken
Touching the Bering Sea, it's 10PM local time when the picture was taken
In my back ground, a couple boats working in the bay, they are not there to catch fish, they convert the fishing boat to a dredge, put a big pump on the boat, suction and dredging for gold in the shallow water. They usually do that after the storm went by, the storm sturs the sand up and re-surface the gold.
As I was leaving the beach, a native young man was drunk, walking and singing with a bottle of whisky in his hand, trying to talk to me while I was walking by.
Another native young man was trying to sell something (drug?).
Next day while I was sitting outside try to use my computer, two other guys along with this man approach to me with agressive attitude, the older guy among them said he has a binocular in his pocket for sale. I told him I am a pilot flew all the way from southern California to Norm, almost got killed 3 times, he said he admires me, then shook my hand and walked away.
Saturday night (tonight) at NORM is a drinking and pass-out night, according to the hotel manager who moved from Anchorage 4 years ago. Even at 00:47AM as it is now, music still playing from close distance, teen ager still hanging out on the street, young boys and girls walking around, rarely see older guys (do they have better thing to do than walking around),.... this is really a bizarre place to me.
Total population in NORM is between 3500 to 4000. 60% are native. I really don't have a good feeling for this town.
Two weeks ago, it's still freezing here, but now it's warm. The breeze coming from Bering sea is still cold, I saw floating ice on the sea when coming to land.