The one thing that caused me to re think living primitive.

[Sluggo]

I made sure I have the skills needed,I spent time setting myself up for my great escape into the wilderness.I went as far as to map out a dropfoff point,where only myself would know.I formulated a plan for just about every scenario ( not feasible),my goal was to follow the path a great uncle of mine took as he left everything and everyone in early 1900,and totally dissapeared for parts unknown.Only after his death was it discovered who he was and how his life was spent through many years.Yes I knew I could do,because it had been done.My dad for years would rag on me for my lust of the outdoors.He many times would tell me "son,no man is a island",but when news of our uncle came and how he had carved out his solitude life,my dad looked me in the eye and said" Now I know where you get it from"
I honed my skills( Pre U- Tube) and secretly set the countdown for my great adventure.As fate would have its final say,all my plans went away much like smoke on a windy day.I suffered a series of accidents that not only took their toll on my body,but my mind as well.I knew deep in my mind that I would now never go on this great adventure,oh I was still willing,but knew it was not possible.......So here it is in a nut shell,here is the reason I didn't go.what if while out procuring food or firewood,or perhaps tending a trapline,what if I would suffer these same fateful injuries,I know what would result,Death would result.I don't care who you are,dying is the end on this earth,though I'm not overly frightened of it,my body still does its thing of pulling in air and letting it out,on it's own without me telling it to.
To sum it all up,are you prepared to die from an injury,or from a bite.Are you ok with freezing to death,or perhaps you slip and fall into a deep hole,head first,slowly suffering from exsposure?I realized how fragile my body is,gone are the days thinking nothing could hold me back.My friends,only one thing stopped me,the fear of some gruesome injury and me slowly dying ,Pehaps my mind looking to the past,just before Fading away,yep thats what did it for me.I have now spent several years,semi roughing it,I set my traps,I burn my wood,I even force a few miserable nights sleeping on the ground.I catch and eat a few weird things so I can scratch them off my bucket list,but in the end when the lights are turned off and the woodstove is banked for the night and I pop a couple pain killers just so I can get a little rest,then I know why I couldnt make the first step.

[hunter63]

Great post...and one that can be shared by many...and one that might give some insight to those that desire to do the same Run off to the wilderness.
That said.......I think "life happens for a reason"....how many youthful ideas and plans have gone astray when life happens....like your accident....but could be just everyday stuff.......job, wife, kids, house.....responsibilities.

I do think that those that are successful at leaving it behind, are because they are running "to something", "not away from something".

So the important part is "What we do with ourselves, when, while, and after....Life happens"

[1stimestar]

I admit to thinking more of my life now that I am the only parent my kids have left. I erased sky diving off my bucket list but that's about it. All other things just need good planning. Sure a bear could still get me, even though I know bear safety, carry a gun, carry bear spray. Sure, I could have an accident in the wilderness and die of exposure. But I could also get into a car accident on my way to work. I plan. I educate myself. I make sure to report where I am going and when I should return to someone with enough resources to do something about it if I don't show. I am as safe as can be. But I will always go into the wilderness. Life with out it is no life at all.

[postman]

Good post and well stated. I think for most of us the dream of going off and living in the wilderness is just that...a dream. Life does get in the way, and realistically there really aren't too many places left in the world where you could do it anyway. All land is owned by someone, and all hunting is governed by seasons and licences. As much as we like to think we could go it alone, most of us need some form of human interaction, and most of us like our comfortable modern lifestyles. It's nice to get away from it for a while, but permanently just isn't realistic for most. I know it wouldn't be for me.

[finallyME]

I used to have great plans of running off and living primitive. But then I went through puberty and discovered this sweet smelling species called girls. It sure is wonderful going through life with a companion who isn't hairy and smelly. On that note, I kinda feel bad for my wife. Her companion is hairy and smelly.

[Lamewolf]

This post really hits home ! I once roamed the hills on a regular basis when I was much younger and in much better shape and the dreams of living wild was fresh in my imagination. The wilderness just seemed like the place for me to be permanently at that time in my life. BUT, things do change ! Now that I'm much older, more broken down and in poorer health with severe arthritis, high blood pressure, over weight, bad back, constant pain, the only thing I really have left is the memories and my imagination, plus forums like this that allows me to read about what others are doing out in the woods. My wild living now is only an occasional day of fishing, or driving to a spot where I can walk a short distance into the woods and sit down waiting for a squirrel to present a decent shot. Long gone are the days of sleeping on the ground next to a good fire because once I get down I have a lot of trouble getting back up again ! So many thanks for this post and thanks to all the members here for putting up with an old fart like me and allowing me to read whats going on in the bushcraft world !

[Wildthang]

This thread makes me feel fortunate that I am still in good shape, and can still sleep on the ground and hike around 10 miles a day. I guess I need to enjoy it while it lasts!

[hunter63]

This thread makes me feel fortunate that I am still in good shape, and can still sleep on the ground and hike around 10 miles a day. I guess I need to enjoy it while it lasts!

Yes you should.....getting old isn't for wimps.
It seems that age make you realize what "can " happen, so the risks taken are less.

I once asked MF if he was afraid about flying B-29 bombers in the pacific.....odds were bad, seems they already figured that losses were going to be 50% or more before the raid ever left.

He said, sure scared to death....but as they sat in the briefing, looking around, he answer was...."Look at all the other poor bastards that aren't coming back......"

Can't be afraid of life.

[Rick]

Double yes you should. There will come a morning when you wake up on the ground and wonder if a truck ran over you during the night. At that moment, you will know you have arrived. On the good side, you'll get the senior discount on the sleeping pad.

[Lamewolf]

Double yes you should. There will come a morning when you wake up on the ground and wonder if a truck ran over you during the night. At that moment, you will know you have arrived. On the good side, you'll get the senior discount on the sleeping pad.

Does that sleeping pad have legs 3 feet tall so I can roll off of it instead of getting up or one of the motorized jobs like the Easylift chairs that gently lifts you into a standing position ? LOLOL

[Desert Rat!]

Dying is easy, its the living part thats hard.

[Rick]

I must be the weird one. I've never had the urge to run off into the wild and live. I like the woods. I enjoy spending time there but I have never had the desire to spend my life living there shunning other people. That seems a bit abnormal to me. (Trust me, I not the epitome of normal). People are social animals, herd animals of sorts. It's nice to have others around. I mean, how else are you going to talk about someone behind their back if there's no one to talk about and no one to talk to about them? See? That's abnormal.

[pete lynch]

I grew up in a house in the woods. I love the woods but after living in a house in the woods during and after an ice storm I have probably survived a few too many widow-makers to keep the odds on my side.
I'll take a nearby woods, thank you.

[finallyME]

I must be the weird one. I've never had the urge to run off into the wild and live. I like the woods. I enjoy spending time there but I have never had the desire to spend my life living there shunning other people. That seems a bit abnormal to me. (Trust me, I not the epitome of normal). People are social animals, herd animals of sorts. It's nice to have others around. I mean, how else are you going to talk about someone behind their back if there's no one to talk about and no one to talk to about them? See? That's abnormal.

For me, it started after I read "My side of the Mountain", and then "Hatchet". I think it was 5th or 6th grade when I read the first one.

[aktrekker]

My Side of the Mountain was great. I read it when slightly older. It definitely plants a seed.
I have to wonder if anyone could get away with that today?