I floated in on the wind, with the sun shining through a thin layer of clouds and wildflower smoke. Below the plane, a huge river snaked beneath us, treelined except for occasional breaks where smaller tributaries added to the mass of water slowly making its way toward the Arctic Ocean. Suddenly, the trees disappeared, replaced by golden sand, stretching almost as far as the eye can see. Wait... sand? In Alaska? In the middle of nowhere?...
