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| Where is the remotest spot in the United States? | Where is the remotest spot in the United States? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A pair of scientists from Florida, and their eight-year-old daughter, are visiting the remotest spot in every US state. | A pair of scientists from Florida, and their eight-year-old daughter, are visiting the remotest spot in every US state. |
| The epiphany happened as Ryan Means walked down a beach in Florida. | The epiphany happened as Ryan Means walked down a beach in Florida. |
| The beach was crowded. He was frustrated. Inside him, he says, there was a "mid-life crisis kicking around". | The beach was crowded. He was frustrated. Inside him, he says, there was a "mid-life crisis kicking around". |
| "There were people everywhere," he remembers. "I'm thinking, how can I get as far away from this as possible in Florida?" | "There were people everywhere," he remembers. "I'm thinking, how can I get as far away from this as possible in Florida?" |
| As he looked at the crowds, "a word started bouncing like a pinball" in his head. | As he looked at the crowds, "a word started bouncing like a pinball" in his head. |
| Remote. | Remote. |
| Ryan didn't know where the remotest spot in Florida was. "I thought it might be the Everglades, it might be wherever," he says. | Ryan didn't know where the remotest spot in Florida was. "I thought it might be the Everglades, it might be wherever," he says. |
| But he knew someone who could help. | But he knew someone who could help. |
| Ryan's wife, Rebecca, is a "GIS guru". (A geographic information system is a way of showing data - for example, land use in a state). | Ryan's wife, Rebecca, is a "GIS guru". (A geographic information system is a way of showing data - for example, land use in a state). |
| "With Rebecca's expertise, we could calculate a set of co-ordinates as far away as possible from human structures," says Ryan. | "With Rebecca's expertise, we could calculate a set of co-ordinates as far away as possible from human structures," says Ryan. |
| "And then - holy cow - once it's sitting there on a map, we can go to it." | "And then - holy cow - once it's sitting there on a map, we can go to it." |
| Ryan ran home - "literally ran," he says - and shared his plan with Rebecca. Over wine and beer, their ambition grew. | Ryan ran home - "literally ran," he says - and shared his plan with Rebecca. Over wine and beer, their ambition grew. |
| "We realised if we can do this in Florida," says Ryan, "we can do this for every state in America." | "We realised if we can do this in Florida," says Ryan, "we can do this for every state in America." |
| Ryan and Rebecca met in 2000, on a balcony at a house party in the woods. | Ryan and Rebecca met in 2000, on a balcony at a house party in the woods. |
| Ryan was doing a master's in wildlife ecology and conservation at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Rebecca was working for a professor after finishing her master's in forestry at Texas A&M. | Ryan was doing a master's in wildlife ecology and conservation at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Rebecca was working for a professor after finishing her master's in forestry at Texas A&M. |
| They shared a love of exploring. In 2004 they spent five weeks in Alaska, including nine days alone - and with no phone - in the Arctic wilderness. | They shared a love of exploring. In 2004 they spent five weeks in Alaska, including nine days alone - and with no phone - in the Arctic wilderness. |
| They were dropped off and picked up by bush plane: the meeting point was a set of moose antlers by a river. | They were dropped off and picked up by bush plane: the meeting point was a set of moose antlers by a river. |
| Ryan, 45, and Rebecca, 44, now live in Wakulla County, Florida, around 30 miles south of Tallahassee. They work for the Coastal Plains Institute, a non-profit environmental group. | Ryan, 45, and Rebecca, 44, now live in Wakulla County, Florida, around 30 miles south of Tallahassee. They work for the Coastal Plains Institute, a non-profit environmental group. |
| In 2008 they had their daughter, Skyla, now almost nine. They were both determined it wouldn't stop their adventures. | In 2008 they had their daughter, Skyla, now almost nine. They were both determined it wouldn't stop their adventures. |
| "Just because we had a baby, it didn't mean we weren't going to go backpacking," says Rebecca. "We were just going to do it as a family." | "Just because we had a baby, it didn't mean we weren't going to go backpacking," says Rebecca. "We were just going to do it as a family." |
| Their first task was to define "remote". As scientists, Ryan and Rebecca wanted something quantitative - a measurement that worked in every state. | Their first task was to define "remote". As scientists, Ryan and Rebecca wanted something quantitative - a measurement that worked in every state. |
| They settled on "the furthest distance from a road or town". But then, they say, "it got trickier". | They settled on "the furthest distance from a road or town". But then, they say, "it got trickier". |
| What is a road? Anything paved, unpaved, public, or private, they decided. For example - beaches that allowed cars counted as roads. | What is a road? Anything paved, unpaved, public, or private, they decided. For example - beaches that allowed cars counted as roads. |
| They also decided the remote spot must be "high and developable". It can't be in the middle of a lake, and it can't be a flood plain. | They also decided the remote spot must be "high and developable". It can't be in the middle of a lake, and it can't be a flood plain. |
| Using data from state authorities, Rebecca plotted every public road onto a map of Florida. She then calculated the co-ordinate that was furthest from any of them. | Using data from state authorities, Rebecca plotted every public road onto a map of Florida. She then calculated the co-ordinate that was furthest from any of them. |
| Before setting off, they checked the area using other sources, including Google Earth. If they found a previously-unknown private road, they recalculated. | Before setting off, they checked the area using other sources, including Google Earth. If they found a previously-unknown private road, they recalculated. |
| The remotest spot in Florida, they learned, was 17 miles from a road. It was in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness - part of the Everglades National Park. | The remotest spot in Florida, they learned, was 17 miles from a road. It was in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness - part of the Everglades National Park. |
| Reaching the spot required a three-day round trip from Everglades City in their basic, motorised boat. Ryan, Rebecca, and Skyla - then ten months old - were joined by their friend, Steve Johnson. | Reaching the spot required a three-day round trip from Everglades City in their basic, motorised boat. Ryan, Rebecca, and Skyla - then ten months old - were joined by their friend, Steve Johnson. |
| After one night in the boat, they reached the Florida remote spot on 30 December 2009. The elation, they say, was "hard to describe". | After one night in the boat, they reached the Florida remote spot on 30 December 2009. The elation, they say, was "hard to describe". |
| Not everyone shared the elation, however. On reaching the remotest spot in Florida, Skyla decided it was the perfect time - and place - for a nap. | Not everyone shared the elation, however. On reaching the remotest spot in Florida, Skyla decided it was the perfect time - and place - for a nap. |
| The Means family have since been to the remotest spot in 33 of the 50 US states. At the time of writing, they are on a trip to add another three (Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas). | The Means family have since been to the remotest spot in 33 of the 50 US states. At the time of writing, they are on a trip to add another three (Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas). |
| Of the 33, the average remote spot was 6.8 miles from a road, and 0.8 miles from a trail. Almost two-thirds had mobile phone coverage. | Of the 33, the average remote spot was 6.8 miles from a road, and 0.8 miles from a trail. Almost two-thirds had mobile phone coverage. |
| In the lower 48 mainland, the place furthest from a road - and therefore the remotest spot on the United States mainland - is in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. | In the lower 48 mainland, the place furthest from a road - and therefore the remotest spot on the United States mainland - is in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. |
| It is 21.7 miles from a road, and required a week-long, 75-mile hike to get there and back. The spot itself is 0.7 miles uphill from the nearest trail. | It is 21.7 miles from a road, and required a week-long, 75-mile hike to get there and back. The spot itself is 0.7 miles uphill from the nearest trail. |
| To deter visitors - and entrepreneurs - they don't reveal the precise location. When the Means family reached it in September 2014, there were contrasting emotions. | To deter visitors - and entrepreneurs - they don't reveal the precise location. When the Means family reached it in September 2014, there were contrasting emotions. |
| "When we arrive, and the GPS goes beep beep beep, it's a euphoria unlike any other," says Ryan. "It must be the same thing for mountain climbers that reach unclimbed summits." | "When we arrive, and the GPS goes beep beep beep, it's a euphoria unlike any other," says Ryan. "It must be the same thing for mountain climbers that reach unclimbed summits." |
| But in Wyoming, and other remote spots, there was a tinge of disappointment. | But in Wyoming, and other remote spots, there was a tinge of disappointment. |
| Rebecca and Ryan are purists. They want to find places as nature intended; untouched by human hand. | Rebecca and Ryan are purists. They want to find places as nature intended; untouched by human hand. |
| Sadly, they say, they haven't found one since the Alaska trip in 2004. | Sadly, they say, they haven't found one since the Alaska trip in 2004. |
| "We were sitting in the Wyoming remote spot, and there was a cabin five-tenths of a mile away," says Ryan. | "We were sitting in the Wyoming remote spot, and there was a cabin five-tenths of a mile away," says Ryan. |
| "You just did not feel as remote as you wanted to be, given the seven days it took to haul your ass in and out of there." | "You just did not feel as remote as you wanted to be, given the seven days it took to haul your ass in and out of there." |
| In Idaho they saw a light aircraft within two miles of the remote spot. In Montana they met hunters. In New York and New Mexico, there were rangers' cabins. | In Idaho they saw a light aircraft within two miles of the remote spot. In Montana they met hunters. In New York and New Mexico, there were rangers' cabins. |
| Even in Florida, they saw yachts and fishing boats "roaring by" several miles off shore. | Even in Florida, they saw yachts and fishing boats "roaring by" several miles off shore. |
| Really remote spots, they have learned, are rare. By travelling to 50 of the remotest, Ryan, Rebecca, and Skyla want to highlight their importance. | Really remote spots, they have learned, are rare. By travelling to 50 of the remotest, Ryan, Rebecca, and Skyla want to highlight their importance. |
| "The ecological impacts of roads are so numerous," says Rebecca. | "The ecological impacts of roads are so numerous," says Rebecca. |
| "Think about things like invasive species, or the ways roads impact ecological processes - like the migration of animals, water quality, and the way water flows across the landscape." | "Think about things like invasive species, or the ways roads impact ecological processes - like the migration of animals, water quality, and the way water flows across the landscape." |
| Ryan and Rebecca say it is "unnecessary" to add more roads to public land such as state and national parks. If they must be built, another road should be removed. | Ryan and Rebecca say it is "unnecessary" to add more roads to public land such as state and national parks. If they must be built, another road should be removed. |
| "We hope there are thousands, if not millions, of human beings like us in our country that - whether they know it or not - have a deep desire to experience wilderness," says Ryan. | "We hope there are thousands, if not millions, of human beings like us in our country that - whether they know it or not - have a deep desire to experience wilderness," says Ryan. |
| "Some of us - many of us - like to go to sleep and know we have immense wild places in our country. The ecological web of life is healthier with large, intact wildlands. | "Some of us - many of us - like to go to sleep and know we have immense wild places in our country. The ecological web of life is healthier with large, intact wildlands. |
| "We are entangled in that web. Clearly, if we destroy a certain amount beyond a limit, we may well do us - and every other living thing - a great disservice." | "We are entangled in that web. Clearly, if we destroy a certain amount beyond a limit, we may well do us - and every other living thing - a great disservice." |
| All pictures courtesy of Ryan and Rebecca Means and Project Remote | All pictures courtesy of Ryan and Rebecca Means and Project Remote |
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