Life Below Zero

THERE MIGHT BE A STORM COMING IN.

I THINK IT COULD BE PRETTY SERIOUS.

YOU CAN SEE AND YOU CAN FEEL,

THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF SOUTH WIND.

IF YOU LOOK ABOVE, YOU'VE GOT BLUE SKY ABOVE, ALL AROUND ME.

THE WIND IS KICKING UP ALL THIS FROZEN PARTICULATES,

WHICH IS SHOWING ME, YOU KNOW, THE HALO EFFECT

ON THE, ON THE SUN.

THE PTARMIGAN ARE COMING OUT TO EAT,

SHOWS ME THAT I MIGHT NOT BE TOO OFF IN MY ASSESSMENT

OF WHERE THE WEATHER IS.

THIS TIME OF YEAR, YOU JUST, BAD WEATHER COMES AT YA

AT 100 MILES AN HOUR.

IF I'M GONNA HAVE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS HITTING ME,

IT'S NICE TO KNOW AND GET READY FOR THAT AHEAD OF TIME

AND NOT WAIT 'TIL IT GETS HERE.

IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT PROCRASTINATES

'TIL IT GETS HERE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE HERE LONG.

IN ORDER TO SURVIVE THE HARSH STORM

APPROACHING KAVIK,

SUE AIKENS MUST SECURE HER CAMP TO PREVENT

DAMAGE FROM HIGH TUNDRA WINDS.

ALL THIS BLOWING SNOW IS LIKE A TALCUM POWDER

OF SNOW AND IT WILL GET INTO EVERYTHING AND

STICK TO EVERYTHING.

I'M LOOKING AT ANY TRAILER, VISUALIZING.

I AM LOOKING TO SEE, ARE ALL THE WINDOWS UP,

ARE ALL THE DOORS FLUSH.

HERE'S A SCREEN ON THE TOP EDGE.

I NEED TO VERIFY THAT THE WINDOW IS UP.

THE GLASS IS UP.

NORMALLY THIS IS ALL SEALED UP.

THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE TWISTED, LOCKED, AND SECURED.

ANYTHING OUT ON THE TUNDRA CAN BECOME A MISSILE

IN THESE WINDSTORMS.

55 MILE-AN-HOUR DOESN'T SOUND HORRIFIC,

BUT YOU ADD IT TO TWENTY BELOW ZERO,

BRITTLE THINGS BREAK AND FLY OFF.

RIGHT NOW, I AM WITH A SPECIFIC EYE TOWARDS WHAT CAN

FLY AND DAMAGE CAMP IF THE WINDS ACTUALLY DO PICK UP.

ONE MINUTE THING HAPPENING WAY OUT HERE,

ALMOST A QUARTER MILE AWAY FROM WHERE I LIVE,

IS GOING TO CHAIN REACT AND SEND ME TO DEADHORSE IN ABOUT

THREE SECONDS FLAT.

MY ENTIRE LIFE IS INVESTED IN THIS CAMP.

MY HEART IS INVESTED IN ITS SUCCESS.

EVERY TIME I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A GNARLY WEATHER

SYSTEM, EVERY TIME I THINK I'VE GOT A PREDATOR TEARING

CRAP UP OUT HERE, I WILL BE OUT HERE MAKING SURE THE

INTEGRITY OF MY CAMP IS MAINTAINED.

DID THE BOUNDARY AND THE PERIMETER ON CAMP.

IT'S SECURE.

I HAVE OTHER CHORES AWAY FROM CAMP THAT I NEED TO COMPLETE.

SO WITH CAMP BEING SECURE,

NOW I CAN GET MY MIND TO OTHER CHORES.

WHEN THERE'S A BIG STORM COMING IN,

YOU DON'T PLAN YOUR CHORES FOR WHEN IT STARTS TO BLOW.

WHEN IT STARTS TO BLOW, YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR CHORES DONE.

WE'RE ALWAYS PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SEASON,

OR THE NEXT HUNT, OR THE NEXT FISHING TRIP.

PREPARING TO US IS LIKE HALF OF THE BATTLE.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SNOW NOW.

WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD STORM, DUMPED A LOT OF SNOW.

IT'S JUST GOTTEN COLD.

OUR RIVERS JUST FREEZING SOLID.

SO WE'RE RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF BEING ABLE TO USE THESE

THINGS ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME, SO RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME TO

MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOOD.

THE HAILSTONES DEPEND ON SNOW MACHINES TO

TRAVEL ALONG THE TUNDRA AND FROZEN WATERWAYS TO HUNT,

FISH, AND GATHER RESOURCES IN DARK WINTER.

BUT TRAVELING ON ICY CONDITIONS IS DANGEROUS.

AND TO ENSURE HIS FAMILY'S SAFETY,

CHIP MUST CONSTANTLY GIVE HIS MACHINES PROPER

MAINTENANCE AND CARE.

THESE AREN'T RECREATIONAL VEHICLES TO US.

THESE ARE OUR CARS.

THESE ARE NOT TOYS TO US.

IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF YOUR STUFF,

IT WON'T TAKE CARE OF YOU.

I DON'T WANT MY WIFE AND MY KIDS TO GO OFF IN THE COUNTRY

AND HAVE TO WALK BACK.

I'M DEFINITELY GONNA GET IT MAINTAINED AND SERVICED

AND READY TO GO.

SO THE THING IS THAT WITH PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE,

WE DON'T HAVE TROUBLES OUT THERE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO

CURE THOSE TROUBLES HERE.

LET'S GO HAVE A LOOK AT THE UNDERCARRIAGE.

I LOOK FOR DEAD SHOCKS, THE FEEL OF DEAD SHOCKS.

I WANNA FEEL SOME PRESSURE AND SOME COMPRESSION.

THESE ARE FEELING GOOD.

ONE OF OUR WEAR PARTS ON A SNOW MACHINE IS A BELT.

YOU CAN BURN 'EM UP, BUST 'EM, BLOW 'EM,

ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPEN TO BELTS.

SO WE ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH A SPARE.

THESE ARE OUR GUIDE RODS.

THESE ARE DOWN IN THE SNOW, AND WHEN WE WANNA TURN,

THESE ARE THE RODS THAT MAKE IT TURN.

THESE ARE ESSENTIAL TO STEERING,

SO I ALWAYS CHECK THE GUIDE RODS.

I WANNA GO TAKE IT OUT AND GIVE IT A REAL RIDE.

I WANNA OPEN IT UP.

WE CALL IT A SHAKEDOWN.

YOU GO OUT AND GO FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG.

RIGHT NOW I JUST WANNA CHECK AND MAKE SURE THE ENGINE

IS RUNNING FINE.

AND WE DO THAT BY OPENING 'EM UP FULLY FOR

AS LONG AS WE CAN.

YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM LIKE A 10 TO 20-MILE RIDE IS

A GOOD SHAKEDOWN HERE.

WE'RE ALWAYS GETTING READY.

OUR WINTER'S JUST STARTED.

OUR RIVERS JUST FROZE UP.

WE'VE HIT SOME REALLY COLD TEMPERATURES.

IT'S TIME TO USE THE MACHINES.

SO, WE'VE GOT 'EM PREPARED.

EVERY TIME WE GET A CHANCE, YOU KNOW,

YOU JUST GO OUT AND GET IT READY AGAIN.

YOU ADD GAS, CHECK YOUR BELTS.

IT'S JUST A VERY ROUTINE THING.

I LIKE THE ENGINE.

I LIKE THE DRIVE TRAIN.

MY UNDERCARRIAGE SOUNDS GOOD,

MY DRIVE TRAIN SOUNDS GOOD, MY ENGINE IS SOUNDING GOOD.

NOW I'M GONNA GO TAKE IT FOR A RIDE ACROSS THE TUNDRA,

WHICH IS A MUCH MORE TORTUROUS PLACE FOR A SNOW MACHINE.

THE REWARD AT THE END OF THE DAY IS

BEING OUT THERE ON THE TRAIL WITH YOUR DOGS,

DOING WHAT YOU LOVE.

THEY'RE MY DOGS AND I'M THEIR HUMAN.

GET OFF.

CAN'T GO WITHOUT FLASH.

NO, I CAN'T GO WITHOUT YOU.

ALONG THE NENANA RIVER,

JESSIE HOLMES HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO RACING SLED DOGS

IN THE ARCTIC.

AFTER WEEKS OF RUNNING FROZEN TRAILS,

JESSIE AND HIS DOGS ARE PREPARING FOR A TEST RUN

DURING THE FIRST OFFICIAL RACE OF THE SEASON.

TODAY'S MY LAST DAY BEFORE THE RACE.

IT'S GONNA BE IN THE MORNING 00 AND I GOT TO TRAVEL

100 MILES TO GET THERE.

THIS IS MY FIRST, KIND OF, SHAKEDOWN RACE.

I'M TAKING THESE 14 BIG DOGS OUT THERE.

I'M PRACTICING FOR LONGER RACES,

'CAUSE THIS IS 51-MILE RACE.

I'M LOOKING AT 300, 400, AND 1000 MILES.

SO I JUST GET OUT THERE AND USE THIS AS A

MATURING EVENT FOR THE DOGS.

I'M GONNA BE TAKING IT VERY EASY.

THIS IS A YOUNG DOG TEAM.

I'M JUST TRYING TO SET THEIR HEADS UP IN THEIR

MENTALITY TO ENJOY THIS.

SO I'M NOT GOING THERE TO PUSH OR RACE, PER SE.

MY MAIN THING IS TO COME HOME WITH HEALTHY DOGS

THAT HAD A GOOD EXPERIENCE.

NOW I GOT TO GET THIS BEEF CUT UP INTO MANAGEABLE PIECES

TO WHERE I CAN THAW IT OUT REALLY EASILY ON THE TRAIL

FOR THE DOGS.

I CAN'T TAKE A BIG GIANT BLOCK OF BEEF OUT ON THE TRAIL,

AND EXPECT TO BE EFFICIENT,

SO I'VE GOTTA CUT THIS UP INTO SMALL PIECES.

FOR WHAT I'M DOING, I NEED ABOUT 60 POUNDS OF MEAT TO

FEED TO MY DOGS ON THE TRAIL.

DOGS NEED WARM MEALS, SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT TO

WHERE IT DOESN'T TAKE YOU HOURS AND DAYS TO PREPARE

THIS OUT THERE.

SO I'LL PACKAGE IT UP IN BAGS.

WHAT THIS WILL DO IS IT WILL ALL FREEZE THIN,

AND THAT WAY I'LL TAKE A BAG AND I'LL PUT IT IN SOME HOT

WATER, THAW IT OUT IN THE COOLER.

SO RIGHT WHEN I GET TO THE CHECKPOINT,

WHERE MY DOGS ARE GONNA CAMP AND REST,

I'VE GOT THAT MEAL READY AND PREPARED.

AND THEY NEED THIS RED PROTEIN MEAT TO BUILD MUSCLE

AND THEY BURN A LOT OF CALORIES.

YOU CAN'T HAVE THESE DOGS WAITING TO GET THEIR FOOD,

BECAUSE THEN THEY WON'T RECOVER CORRECTLY.

I'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO DO BEFORE THIS ALL

CAN COME TOGETHER.

AND I'VE GOT ABOUT 30 HOURS, THEN I GOT TO BE DOWN IN

CANTWELL AT THE RACE START.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH NONSTOP FROM THIS POINT ON OUT.

THIS IS WHERE YOU GET YOUR SLEEP DEPRIVATION TRAINING

FOR THE LONGER RACES.

I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE FINISH LINE.

I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE STARTING LINE RIGHT NOW.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T NEED VARIETY,

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY'RE MISSING SOMETHING AND

MAYBE THEY DON'T REALIZE, THERE'S A LOT OF VARIETY OUT

HERE THE WAY I'M LIVING.

MY CAMP'S ON A SMALL LAKE IN A VALLEY,

BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.

AND ALL WINTER LONG, WHEN I'M HUNTING AND TRAPPING,

I JUST GET AROUND ON FOOT.

IF I NEED TO RETURN HOME, I CAN ONLY GO SO FAR DURING

THE DAY AND THEN I HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND

COME BACK TO CAMP.

YEAH, YOU GOTTA COVER A LOT OF COUNTRY.

IN ORDER TO INTERCEPT THE ANIMALS OUT HERE,