A quick warning before we start, this podcast contains audio of Alaskan Huskies barking,

whining and woo-wooing.

So if you have pets of your own, consider using headphones when listening, because they

might freak out.

Also, there are a few curse words.

A few months ago, I got a tip.

It was the kind of wild story that makes you immediately call up your editor.

The kind of tip that lands you on a flight to Fairbanks Alaska.

Alaska is more than twice the size of Texas, but its entire population is only half the

size of San Antonio.

And most of those people live on the Alaskan coast in cities like Anchorage and Juno.

There were only six people on my flight.

No crying kids, nobody kicking the seat behind me.

We flew over rows of craggly snow-covered mountains and into these white foothills braided with

frozen rivers, a subarctic biome known as the Boreal Forest.

That's where Fairbanks is, deep in Alaskan's interior.

When I landed, it was negative 10 degrees.

So cold that I had to sneak into the airport bathroom to put on my long johns, two coats

and a beanie before stepping outside.

Ooh cold, cold cold cold.

It's the kind of cold that when you breathe in, it makes your cough, it's that kind of

cold, but beautiful sunset, my snot's freezing.

...