Today's safety net is one some of us didn't have "way back in the last century." Our daddies, grandpappies, great, great uncles and further ancestors didn't have it either.
Sattelite phones with GPS and solar charger. Get your butt in a jamb, all you have to do is call who you need to call and the feds will be flying over with infra-red looking to extract you. Foreign soil? Call the American Embassy, the Marines are on their way. They love playing with their new gadgets and gizmos and playing the hero.
I bet it even has games on it but I wouldn't know.
I first learned about this handy device 20 years ago when I received a call in the middle of the day:
Hello. I didn't think I would like carrying a phone, now I like it.
Me: Where are you?
I'm still in Idaho, but I'm 5 miles from my pick-up, sitting in a rotted snag kicking grizzly cubs down. (thump, BAWL) Momma Bear hasn't seen me yet. Write these coordinates down, my location, my trucks location. I will beeline back to the truck if and when it's safe. If you don't hear from me by 4:30, call Dave at xxx-xxxx. He will be out of the canyon and they can come pick up my pieces.
Me: You're armed right?
Of course. I don't want to kill them and it's still gonna hurt. Momma or these cubs can easily shove this snag over. Bye, gotta go. (grumble, thump, BAWL)
********************
He called me back at 4 from his truck to let me know Momma Bear got tired of the bawling, slapped the crap out of her kids and took them over the hill. If our kids ever give us grandkids, he has wonderful stories to share while taking them fishing.
Reading the fine print (finally) I see this forum is about ACCIDENTALLY being in the wilderness, not going on purpose. Uhmmmm......some of us go there on purpose. We call it going home. Yeah, Mother Nature only has to win once, but the red light only has to win once, the JBT only has to win once, the suburban thug, Mall Ninja, Woman Driver, trucks on the viaduct, the Shrew Crew........
At some point a boy must become a man. I know of no better way than for him to face himself, learn his strengths, weaknesses, conquer his fears, test his endurance, than by going off into the wilderness by himself for a period of time. He may want to go for a year but he is free to come back at any time. It doesn't matter. What matters is he goes. He will lose the boy and come back a man. It's a tradition in my family, I see the difference in the males who go and those who don't. In becoming a man, I feel this is far safer than joining the military.
I have daughters, 2 of them are adults, 1 teen. There are very few males who qualify as mates, they do not display characteristics of men as we are used to in our family. Those who are qualified are not from contemporary white culture. They are of old traditions, and have made the journey.
I still don't understand why the extreme discouragement to the young men who come here seeking to make the journey. Perhaps some of you have never fully embraced the experience and overcome the fear? I dunno.
Being alone in the wilderness never scared me, it's comforting with all it's noises. Being lost in East L.A. was unsettling. The thought of living in a city or large town is terrifying.
Bookmarks