Nome 4 weeks.....or "30 days in the cold"

4 weeks are complete in Nome.  It actually has not been too cold since I arrived.   There is more light on my way to work this week.

These pictures were of the sunrise on April 18,2014.  Not a bad way to start a Friday.  

There are State of Alaska Road department trucks in Nome.  There are not many roads, but there are a few workers.  One of their tasks, at least in the spring, is to melt the ice from culverts, so the water can drain.  It seems the melting and refreezing causes the culverts to become blocked.   This leads to a back up of water when things really start to melt.  I am told by some Nomites, it is surprising that the State has not come up with a better answer.  The back ups happen every year.  Most of the time it is just a street that is getting covered with water.  This past week it was a ditch, with a more interesting situation.

It took a few days for the State to get around to cleaning out this particular culvert, but they did accomplish the task before the hospital lost power.  Above was the scene on Wednesday and Thursday.  I did not get a picture of the State workers, but they were out Thursday evening.  On Friday morning the problem had improved.

I would say from the water line on the box, that as long as it is below 1/3 - 1/2 of the height of the box everything is fine.  

I went for my first outdoors run in Nome last evening.  40 degrees felt awesome.  I got in 4.7 miles.  There were a few muddy spots but not bad at all.  It was nice to leave the treadmill for a day!

Nomites, are what people from Nome call themselves.  I like Nomans (Rome has Romans), myself.  I think if you were from Nome,  Nomers sounds too much like Gomers, and would probably be offensive.  Nomians might also work, but Nomites seems to be the standard.