American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 99 Dalton Highway

"Herman Lin?"

The man extended his hand, and his grip was surprisingly strong.

"My name is Jack, and I'm the local coordinator for 'Living Below Zero.' Welcome to Fairbanks, and welcome to Alaska!"

“Hello, Jack.” Lin Yu’an shook his hand firmly.

“There’s a car waiting for us outside.” Jack led him outside.

"The rest of the location scouting team won't arrive until tomorrow. Today, I'll take you to the hotel to settle in and we can talk about the upcoming itinerary."

"If all goes well, we'll set off early tomorrow morning, heading north along the Dalton Highway to Wiesman!"

As you exit the airport, a modified heavy-duty Ford F-350 pickup truck is quietly parked on the side of the road.

Those enormous tires and raised chassis silently proclaimed that it was a beast capable of conquering this land.

Jack skillfully drove the steel beast smoothly along the snow-covered road.

Fairbanks has a very different urban landscape from other cities in the continental United States.

The buildings here are generally not tall, and their practicality far outweighs their aesthetic appeal. The shop signs along the streets are adorned with images of sled dogs, brown bears, and the aurora borealis.

"How are you feeling, Lin? Is this place what you imagined?"

Jack broke the silence, his voice carrying a touch of the ruggedness and passion characteristic of Alaskans.

"It's more primitive than I imagined," Lin Yu'an said sincerely, looking out the window.

Jack burst into laughter: "Primitive, that's a good word! Just wait, once we're on the Dalton Highway, you'll see what true 'primitive' really means!"

"Tomorrow, in addition to the director and photographer of the location scouting team, we will be accompanied by a true local legend, Stan Zulawski."

"Stan Zulawsky?"

Lin Yu'an vaguely recognized the name; he seemed to have seen it in the materials Richard had given him.

“That’s right.” A hint of respect appeared in Jack’s eyes.

"Stan is one of the most famous hunters and trappers in Weisman, as well as one of the most experienced guides."

“He has lived on this land for more than forty years and knows every stream and every forest in the Koyukuk River basin like the back of his hand.”

"Richard paid a hefty sum to bring him out of retirement to be your guide in the early stages. With him around, your site selection process will be much smoother."

Lin Yu'an nodded, feeling even more excited about the trip.

The pickup truck drove into the city and eventually stopped in front of a wooden building called the "Northern Lights Hotel".

The hotel is small, but it is filled with a warm frontier atmosphere. A cozy fireplace burns in the lobby, and many old black and white photos hang on the walls, recording Fairbanks' gold rush history.

Jack helped him check in and handed him an itinerary and several documents.

"Here is the specific departure time for tomorrow, as well as detailed information about these plots of land. Richard showed it to you before; you can take a closer look."

"Get some rest and adjust to the time difference. Tonight you can try the reindeer burger at the hotel restaurant; it tastes very authentic."

Jack patted him on the shoulder. "I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow morning."

After seeing Jack off, Lin Yu'an entered the room. The room was small but clean and tidy, with the frozen Chena River visible through the window.

Instead of taking a break, he took out his phone and made a video call to Arya.

The call connected quickly, and Arya's face appeared on the screen. The background was the familiar living room of the McKinley family, and she was holding Ethan, who was quietly sucking his fingers, in her arms.

"Darling, you've arrived?" Arya's smile was as gentle as ever.

"Just arrived at the hotel, everything went smoothly." Lin Yu'an turned the camera to the window, showing her the view.

"It's cold here, but it's beautiful."

"Where are the babies? Are they behaving well?"

“He’s being good.” Alia zoomed in on the camera so that Lin Yu’an could clearly see her son’s face.

"Look, Ethan ate his fill and went to sleep, and An'an was just put to sleep by her mother. Everything is fine at home, so don't worry."

Looking at his wife and children's faces on the screen, Lin Yu'an felt a surge of warmth in his heart. They chatted about everyday things for a while until Ailiya urged him to go and rest, and he reluctantly hung up the phone.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Yu'an spread the land information that Jack had given him on the table and began to study it carefully.

Each document is accompanied by detailed satellite maps, topographic maps, soil analysis reports, and historical transaction records.

His main focus was on the two plots of land that Richard had mentioned.

Plot A: 50 acres, adjacent to a tributary of the Koyokuk River, with riverbank and abundant forest resources, but the terrain is relatively low-lying.

Plot B: 30 acres, with high elevation, open views, close to Dalton Highway, and convenient transportation, but relatively limited available timber resources, and water supply needs to be solved by drilling deep wells.

Lin Yu'an slowly traced his finger across the map, his mind already beginning to construct a blueprint for his future home.

What you learn from books is never enough; the final choice can only be made by seeing the land with your own eyes and setting foot on it.

Lin Yu'an slept soundly that night. The next morning, while it was still barely light, Jack arrived at the hotel entrance in his F-350 right on time.

Lin Yu'an opened the car door and found that there were already two people sitting in the back seat.

One was a bespectacled, seemingly refined director named David. The other was a cinematographer named Mike. They exchanged brief greetings.

As Jack started the car, he said, "Stan is waiting for us outside the city. He doesn't like the noise in the city."

As the pickup truck drove out of downtown Fairbanks, at the beginning of Dalton Highway, a well-worn-looking older Chevrolet pickup truck was parked on the side of the road.

A man leaned against the hood of the car, smoking a hand-rolled cigarette.

He looked to be in his sixties, thin but unusually robust, wearing a faded canvas hunting outfit, and his face was covered with deep wrinkles.

Even from a distance, Lin Yu'an could feel the powerful aura emanating from him, a aura that seemed to blend seamlessly with nature!

"This is Stan Zulawsky."

When Lin Yu'an got out of the car, Stan stubbed out his cigarette, his deep gaze sweeping over him as if assessing prey.

Stan spoke up: "You're the Chinese kid who survived being bitten by a bear?"

Lin Yu'an calmly met his gaze and extended her hand: "Hello, Mr. Stan, you can call me Lin."

Stan didn't shake hands immediately, but looked him over for a few more seconds before extending his calloused hand and giving him a firm handshake.

He said succinctly, "Just call me Stan. You've got a long road ahead, kid. Let me see if you really have the ability to survive in this land."

After saying that, Stan turned around and opened the door of his old Chevrolet with a swift and decisive motion.

Jack shrugged at Lin Yu'an, indicating that he shouldn't mind, and then told everyone to get into their cars.

Lin Yu-an sat back in the passenger seat of the Ford pickup truck, while director David leaned over from the back seat and handed him a small lavalier microphone.

“Lin, from now on, I hope you will wear it all the time.” David’s voice was gentle.

“We want to capture the most natural and authentic reactions and conversations. You don’t need to deliberately say anything to the camera. Just act like we don’t exist and have a normal conversation with Jack and Stan.”

Lin Yu'an took the microphone, skillfully tucked it inside his collar, and nodded.

Two pickup trucks, one in front of the other, officially drove onto the legendary Dalton Highway.

This highway, one of the most remote and dangerous in North America, stretches like a gray ribbon across the endless white wasteland, heading north.

On both sides of the highway are endless black spruce forests, and further away, the magnificent Alaskan Mountains stand silently on the horizon.

Photographer Mike had already set up his equipment, the lens aimed at Lin Yu'an's profile, capturing the fleeting look in his eyes as he gazed out the window.

Director David was simultaneously observing Lin Yu-an's every subtle expression.

As a seasoned reality show director, he knows very well that the charm of a character often lies in their genuine reaction to a new environment for the first time.

Richard had a very high opinion of this Chinese man, and one of David's purposes for this trip was to verify this assessment.

"see it?"

Jack pointed to a huge silver pipe running parallel to the highway in the distance.

"That's the pipeline that runs through Alaska. You could say that the Dalton Highway was built for it! It will accompany us on our journey for the next few hundred miles."

"How's Stan's driving skills?" Lin Yu'an asked casually.

Jack laughed: "Don't worry, he's driven more miles on this road than all of us combined."

“Look at his old Chevrolet. Although it looks old, the chassis, suspension, and tires have all been modified. It’s much more stable than those of us who drive new cars.”

The convoy continued north, and the scenery outside the window became increasingly desolate and magnificent.

They crossed the Yukon River Bridge and took a short break and refueled at the "Winter Foot Camp" by the roadside.

This was an important supply depot on the Dalton Highway and one of the last strongholds of civilization.

At lunch, everyone sat around a long table. Stan ate a large plate of stewed meat covered in gravy, seemingly oblivious to the film crew's cameras.

David seized the opportunity and began to steer the conversation: "Lin, how does it feel to be here in Alaska for the first time? How is it different from your time at Lake Chilko?"

Lin Yu'an took a sip of hot coffee to warm himself up, and thought about it carefully before answering.

"The wilderness of Lake Chirko is desolate; it tests an individual's survival in extreme environments."

“The wilderness here feels more expansive and has a stronger sense of ‘neighborhood’.”

"A sense of community?"

This unexpected word surprised both David and Jack.

"Yes."

Lin Yu'an explained, "Although the population is sparse, the people here, like Mr. Stan, like Jack, and those heavy truck drivers, are all part of this land."

(End of this chapter)