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When I first started to read Into the Wild, I didn't know what to expect with Chris McCandless. I assumed he was a typical traveler who pushed past his limits traveling in the harsh Alaskan taiga. However, there is much more to his story. From his childhood to the motives that led him to leave everything behind, learning about Chris' journey has been fascinating. I will be discussing some aspects of Chris that I admire as well as things I did not enjoy, all of which made up who he was.

Pros: The one trait of Chris that I admire the most is his view on the world. He believed that wealth was shameful, corrupting, and evil (pg. 115), ideas that I more or less agree with. While money is important in today's society, it can consume us and lead us to make decisions solely on our greed. He also had every right to be mad at his father because of his secret marriage with his first wife (pg. 121). Anyone in Chris' shoes would've felt some type of way if they had found out their father was cheating. While some may have viewed his decision to leave his family entirely a little extreme, I believe Chris was entitled to do anything he wanted to get away from the toxic environment at home. Chris loved to travel and so I applaud his decision.

Cons: I did not agree with Chris selling all of his possession and cash (pg. 31) because it left him short of supplies and unprepared for Alaska. If he used his funds to buy a proper rifle, stacks of food, and appropriate clothing, he may still be alive today. His view of wealth as evil from this perspective was too much for me. Also, I found his actions of cutting off his family entirely and not sending any word of where he was to be unnecessary (pg. 22). Sure, he had every right to leave them because of what he discovered with Walt but that didn't mean they should no longer be part of his life. Especially with his sister, Carine, who he was very close with, I think it was wrong for him to leave her by herself.

In all, while Chris had his bright moments, he also did some questionable things that left me pondering. Since he is no longer alive, we can only speculate his motivations. The story of Chris McCandless is something that intrigues me and as the years go on, I hope there will be more discovered about his life.

#TheGreatMystery #HisOdyssey #GoodorBad?

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My introduction to running started very late, during the summer of my sophomore year. I was always intrigued about doing a sport during high school but I never knew which one. That was until one of my friends told me to come out to the cross country summer camp. I didn't know what to expect but I am very glad I made that decision. My coaches were always supportive but hard on me and it helped with my progression. My teammates made practice fun and competitive and I learned something new every day. My passion for running grew tremendously from beginning to end. Looking back, I remember some great memories that I will cherish forever, from my first time trial to the race that I ran my fastest personal time. I then transitioned into track and field, which is similar to cross country but you run on a track. This is when I felt I could really push myself to the limits because everything was faster and shorter. Shortly before the season was canceled due to the pandemic, I was placed near the top in my 800-meter and 1600-meter races.

Because of my prior experience in racing, I wish to run in a marathon or half-marathon. These races are considered the pinnacle of long-distance running and I want to see if I can handle the pressure. I know that it will take an immense amount of training to just even get my body right for racing that distance. Continuing to eat right, stay healthy, and monitor my health will be key to making it possible. Whenever I decide to approach this challenge, whether it be in the next five, ten, or twenty years, I will take inspiration from my cross country days. The feeling of exuberance once I cross the finish line will be unlike anything else and it will definitely be a major accomplishment off my bucket list.

#RunRunRun! #LiveYourLife #NoRegrets

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Summary: A scientific paper recently published attempts to unravel the mistery behind Chris McCandless' death. The entry in Chris' journal prompted Jon Krakauer to inspire a series of hypotheses (p. 5) about the toxins in the potato seeds that Chris ate. Results from a Michigan lab showed that the seeds contain a lethal (p. 7) concentration of beta-ODAP. After sending the samples back to the lab, his published results in the Wilderness & Environmental  Medicine show that it was another toxin, L-canavanine. However, there are no record of people actually eating the seeds, as the natives knew the seeds would become unpalatable (p. 10) in midsummer. The debate (p. 16) around Chris' death will continue but it is for certain a toxin was present in the seeds he ate, which have paralyzed (p. 16) thousands.

Analysis: Even after writing Into the Wild in the 1990s, Jon Krakauer was still intrigued by Chris McCandless' story. He even went to school to learn more about his death. I totally respect his committment to solve the mystery even if it leads to more questions. Now that we know for certain there was a toxin in the seeds Chris ate, what new discoveries will he come up next?

#EatYourVeggies #KilledbySeeds #Unravel

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Summary: The helicopter carrying the McCandlesses passed over a ridge and displayed the breathtaking (pg. 200) view of the taiga. Both Walt and Billie had traveled to Alaska to visit the bus where Chris had died. They originally had planned to travel by foot, following the path Chris had taken, but the high waters of the Teklanika proved to be too dangerous. They touched down and entered the decrepit (pg. 202) vehicle. Most of Chris' possessions were still on the bus so Billie was able to pick up his clothes and utensils. Looking around, Walt was in a reflective (pg. 203) mood and better understood why Chris came to Alaska, although much still baffles (pg. 203) him. They reentered the helicopter and as it took off, the bus become a tiny white gleam (pg. 203) until it disappeared.

Analysis: It was nice seeing Walt and Billie visit their son's final resting place. It must've been very difficult as parents to finally see where your child passed away, so I have a lot of respect for them. Although the relationship between Chris and his parents was very troubling to read, hopefully, both Walt and Billie have made amends and are now at peace with each other.

#TheEnd #OneYearLater #FinalGoodbye

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Summary: After returning to bus 142, Chris began hunting and gathering again. He had gathered plenty of wild game during the last three weeks of July but was on a caloric deficit. He was on the edge (pg. 188) of starvation. On July 30, Chris wrote in his journal, talking about being weak due to potato seeds. Some concluded that he had ate some potato seeds he bought in South Dakota, which poisoned (pg. 190) him. Others believed he ate the poisonous wild sweet pea instead of the edible wild potato. After further investigation, it is most probable that McCandless died after eating some potato seeds that contained toxic mold. This innocent mistake (pg. 194) turned out to be fatal, as his weak body could not excrete the toxin out. Chris made it to day 100, albeit on the fringe of death. His journal entries became more and more blank and he signed a note asking for help. Many Alaskans wonder why Chris did not light a forest fire as a distress signal out of desperation (pg. 198). Carine knew that Chris would never burn down a forest just to save himself. During his final days alive, he wrote a final goodbye message, and crawled into his sleeping back, slipping into unconsciousness. His final picture taken shows Chris McCandless at peace and serene (pg. 199) with God.

Analysis: It is difficult to picture yourself in Chris' shoes as he starved to death in his last days. A simple error in eating the toxic seeds proved too much to overcome. There are many questions going through my head as I read this final chapter, wondering if Chris should still be alive if he was more prepared. Although his death came many years before I was even born, it is nice knowing he lived his life to the fullest and is now at peace.

#FlyHigh #RIP #WarriortotheEnd

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Summary: A year later, Krakauer visited the Teklanika river with his friends Roman Dial, Dan Solie, and Andrew Liske. Unlike McCandless, he had a map that showed a gauging station half a mile downstream. They found a thick steel cable with an aluminum basket suspended from it. Because Chris had no topographic map, he had no way of knowing that salvation (pg. 174) was nearby; he didn't need to even touch the waters. Jon climbed across the river, allowing everyone to cross onto the western side of the gorge. Together they found bus 142, with the bones of the animals Chris had killed scattered along the ground. Talking to the locals, they believed that Chris had killed a caribou, not a moose, which added to his incompetent (pg. 177) and ill-prepared thinking. After further investigation, however, it turned out Chris did indeed kill a moose. Inside the bus was the bed where Chris passed away along with his remaining possessions. Jon encountered evidence of his presence (pg. 179) everywhere he looked. In the end, Chris lacked the necessary equipment to survive in Alaska, such as the proper gun, a map and compass, and an ax. Similarly, in 1819, John Franklin was assigned to lead an expedition into Canada but the crew ran out of food as winter approached, leaving the men to eat each other. They were rescued but on the third attempt, Franklin and his men never heard from him again. Both Franklin and McCandless lacked the humility (pg. 181) to respect the land around them. Chris demanded (pg. 184) too much of himself than he could deliver but he distrusted the value of things that came easily.

Analysis: Once again, seeing the mistakes that were easily avoidable makes it difficult to comprehend why Chris went into the wild unprepared. Even just bringing a map would've shown Chris areas where he could've crossed the river.

#InRetrospect #Bus142 #LiveOn

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Summary: On April 15, 1992, Chris began his Alaskan trip by crossing the Canadian border and reaching the Alaska Highway. On April 21, he arrived at Liard River Hotsprings where he met Gaylord Stuckey. He drove Chris into Whitehorse and then Fairbanks and dropped him off at the University of Alaska campus. There, McCandless bought and read a field guide on the region's edible plants. He also bought a used Remington. On April 28, he walked down to the highway where Jim Gallien picked him up and dropped him off at the Stampede Trail. His prior experience in catching fish in the Gulf of California made him confident (pg. 162) he could gather enough food to survive. Chris was able to cross the Teklanika River because it was still shallow due to the frozen glaciers. He stumbled upon the old bus beside the Sushana River on May 1, where he set up camp. For the next six weeks, he feasted (pg. 164) on a variety of wild game, including duck, goose, and porcupine. He kept a journal to document his experience and took snapshots of his kills. Unknown to Chris, surrounding the bus were four cabins and a road patrolled by park rangers. On June 9, Chris was overjoyed (pg. 166) after killing his biggest prize, a moose. His failure to know how to preserve the meat, however, proved to be fatal. Although he castigated (pg. 167) himself for wasting life, he learned to accept his mistakes. McCandless finally decided to return to civilization, satisfied with what he had learned in the wild. He reached the west bank of the Teklanika River to find it at full flood, swollen from the rain and snowmelt. Being a weak swimmer and knowing that he would get swept away if he tried crossing, he did not risk the proposition (pg. 170) of attempting such a feat and turned around back toward the bus.

Analysis: In hindsight, it seemed like Chris made some fatal errors that cost him his life. If only he was more prepared on how to survive in the wild, he would perhaps still be alive. However, I believe that Chris simply lived in the moment and did not really care if he knew what he was doing. As long as he enjoyed himself, that was all that mattered.

#Survival #MOOSEKILL #ManVsWild

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Summary: After coming down, heavy snow and wind kept Jon inside his tent. To pass time, he would smoke a joint of marijuana and he could not think of seeing the smug expressions of condolence (pg. 146) he would get if he returned back to town. After accidentally causing a fire and burning a hole in his tent, Jon realized he had lived up to his father's worst expectations. Lewis Krakauer taught his son to climb but he viewed the world and life as a contest (pg. 147). As children, Jon's father would buy him science equipment and books to read, hoping he would one day become a doctor or lawyer. Instead, he felt oppressed by his father's expectations. Lewis would end up contracting post-polio syndrome and would take a variety of painkillers and drugs to alleviate the pain. His behavior became more delusional (pg. 149) which caused his friends and wife to be driven away. After attempting suicide, he was sent to a psychiatric hospital where he became even more psychotic. This finally made Jon leave. Three days after the first attempt, he went up the north face again, only to turn around 120 feet up. On May 15, Jon returned to the southeast face and spent the night there. Looking over at the lights of Petersburg, he felt a sense of loneliness (pg. 152). The next morning, he began the slow ascent up the face, eventually reaching the top. When he returned to Petersburg, people did not seem to care about his endeavor when he told of his climb. Looking back, Jon recalls his younger self as intrigued by the mystery of mortality (pg. 155) rather than being scared. He shared the same skewed relationship with his father as Chris McCandless did and that led them to have a similar heedlessness and intensity. This, in the case of Chris, was very different than wanting to die.

Analysis: Seeing Jon finally succeed in reaching the top of Devil's Thumb made me look back at my own accomplishments. There are many times when I wanted to quit, such as during my stint in cross-country. By pushing yourself to the limit, you are able to accomplish anything you put your mind to. This is similar to what Chris thought, except he had a more direct and extreme approach.

#WeMadeIt #Victory #LessonsLearned

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Summary: As a child, Jon Krakauer was described as reckless, moody, and self-absorbed. He would often pursue his own imaginations and this would end up being mountain climbing. In 1977, he decided to climb the Devil's Thumb, an imposing (pg. 134) structure that poses significant challenges for even the most advanced climbers. He entered the Alaska bush a year younger than Chris McCandless, with the intent to escape the torment (pg. 135) of this life by climbing. Jon took a boat ride into a small town called Petersburg and met a woman named Kai who took him into her home. Her company left him feeling hollow and aching (pg. 137) although he did not mind the absence of intimacy. Jon set off into the glaciers and arrived beneath the Stikine Ice Cap, where he set up base camp near the Thumb and waited for an airdrop to deliver supplies. After days of waiting, he heard the faint sound of a plane, whose pilot was flying too high to spot Jon. He was indistinguishable (pg. 141) from the rocks but eventually made himself seen and the pilot dropped off two boxes. The weather cleared up in time for the climb and Jon began to journey up the steep slope. He constantly felt the abyss (pg. 142) pulling at his back and any mistakes would result in his fall. He had gained nearly seven hundred feet of altitude up the mountain when he reached the point where his ice ax hit only rock. He made his way back down.

Analysis: For the first time we see the author's perspective of his own experiences in Alaska. He had a rough upbringing and used mountain climbing as a way to escape his harsh reality. He attempted to climb up the difficult Devil's Thumb but failed on his first try. I respect his courage to do so alone and I see similarities with him and Chris McCandless. It will interesting to see how he will tackle his adversity.

#UptheHill #KingoftheWorld #OneSmallStep

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Summary: Carine holds two framed photographs of Chris as a seven-year-old  with an annoyed (pg. 128) look. After Chris' death, Carine wonders if he would still be alive if he had taken the family dog Buckley with him. He would have never put Buck in the same danger that he did with himself. Like Chris, Carine is energetic (pg. 129) but she did not share the same objection to wealth as her brother. She still can't get through a day without crying about Chris, with a look of puzzlement (pg. 129) on her face. She received the news of his death on September 17, 1992 from her husband, Chris Fish. She became hysterical (pg. 130) and drove to see Walt and Billie. Carine and Sam would then fly to Anchorage to collect Chris' remains, now ashes. In Chesapeake Beach, Billie goes through the pictorial record of Chris' final days, still at a irreparable (pg. 132) loss of her son's death.

Analysis: Seeing Carine's side of the story gives me a better sense of how close she was to her brother. She was the only person that Chris would tell about his thoughts and feelings on his parents. After his death, it seemed as if they got closer. Carine now lives on to tell of Chris' legacy.

#BroSis #HeartBroken #Family

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Summary: Walt and Billie did not try to prevent Chris from going on his trip. When he came home before college began, he had lost thirty pounds as a result of dehydration in the Mojave Desert. Walt reflects how Chris was overconfident (pg. 118) because he was good at almost anything he did. He would dismiss his father's advice about everything and thought they were idiots for worrying. Chris' personality was both generous and caring but also characterized by impatience (pg. 120). His relationship with his parents deteriorated the summer after his high school graduation when he had made a discovery two summers earlier. In California, he learned that Walt had continued his relationship with his first Wife Marcia in secret, dividing his time between two families and telling lies. He didn't tell anyone about this but would fight back against his father and denounce him as a hypcrite (pg. 122). In 1988, his resentment (pg. 123) of his parents hardened as well his his outrage over injustice in the world. He rarely contacted his parents during his senior year and Walt and Billie became increasingly worried (pg. 124). After he had left on his trip in 1990, the anguish mounted. Billie would leave notes on the house and search every hitchhiker for Chris. In July 1992, she thought she had heard Chris calling for help.

Analysis: The suprising revealment of Walt's secret marriage makes sense as to why Chris left in the manner that he did. He had every right to be as angry as he was towards his parents. Whether or not he should have left his family altogether is for another discussion but the puzzle is starting to piece together.

#Shocker #WOW #FamilyIssues

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Summary: Walt McCandless is used to calling the shots and taking control (pg. 105) unconsciously. After the launch of Sputnik I, Walt took a job with Hughes Aircraft which sent him to Tucson. He bought a home in Torrance and had five children with his wife, Marcia. They separated by 1965 and he began dating Billie. Soon, Chris was born in 1968. When Chris was six, the family moved to Annandale where Walt was offered a position at NASA. Billie's dad, Loren Johnson, was a musician and writer. He loved to raise wildlife and would take in injured animals. Loren was charmed (pg. 109) by Chris and Chris adored his grandfather. Academically, he had straight A's and was part of the American University  Symphony. He inherited his mother's angelic (pg. 110) features, most notably her eyes. Walt recalls Chris being very stubborn to change and improvement and always tackled things head-on. He was the captain of the cross-country team, in which he viewed running as an intensely spiritual (pg. 112) exercise. Chris  refused to listen to his parents about many things and considered them as tyrants. He was embarassed by the cruises he went on with his family and believed that wealth was shameful and inherently evil (pg. 115). He started a neighborhood copy business and was hired by a local building contractor to canvass neighborhoods for sales. He became so successful, the company offered to pay for his education if he stayed in Annandale but he refused and had already planned on a road trip across the country

Analysis: Walt's perspective of Chris made me believe there was a power struggle within the McCandless family. Chris was always rebellious of his parents and wanted to do things his own way. He despised his parents and already planned to leave once he was done with school. This meant there was something bigger that happened that caused this behavior.

#FamilyTies #Struggles #RebelliousChild

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Summary: On September 13, 1992, The New York Times posted an article about the body of a young hiker discovered in the Alaskan interior. Three days earlier, Jim Gallien read about the story on the Anchorage Daily News and he was sure the man described was Alex. He called the Alaskan State Troopers, whose skepticism (pg. 99) receded the more Jim's description of Alex matched what was found. The first cryptic (pg. 99) entry in the journal mentioned Gallien. The troopers then directed their search in South Dakota, where Wayne Westerberg heard on the radio about a hiker's body discovery. He also called the Alaska State Troopers, who were getting swamped (pg. 100) with calls, and gave them Chris' social security number which pointed to McCandless' residence in Virginia. There, Chris' half-brother Sam received a call from a Fairfax County homicide detective asking him to go to the police department. They showed him an enlargement (pg. 101) of Chris' gaunt (pg. 102) face. Sam recognized him immediately as Chris and he soon went to go tell his parents.

Analysis: Seeing the reactions of Chris' friends and family hearing about the discovery of his body made me realized the impact he has had. Everyone that he encountered and met along the way to Alaska were impacted by Chris' charisma and character. This changes how I view the legacy of Chris McCandless and the reasons of his actions.

#LastingLegacy #GoneButNeverForgotten #Shock

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Summary: Davis Gulch is a small watershed that flows into Lake Powell. In the 1930s, twenty-year-old Everett Reuss carved into the canyon wall "NEMO 1934", moved by the same impulse (pg. 89) that compelled Chris McCandless to inscribe "Alexander Supertramp/May 1992" onto the bus. Everett was born in 1914 and spent his early life moving around. He received his high school diploma in 1931 and was on the road less than a month later. Ruess would spend the rest of his life living out of a backpack on very little money, sleeping in the dirt, and going hungry for days. One can see his incendiary (pg. 91) passion for the countryside. Similar to McCandless, Ruess would risk his life traveling through the wilderness, but was undeterred by physical discomfort. The last letters he sent were addressed to his parents and brother and they would soon receive a bundle of unopened mail forwarded from Everett. A search party was sent to him find, but they only discovered the churros he left behind as well as the stone carvings. Many plausible (pg. 94) theories try to explain Ruess' disapperance, including that he fell to his death or he was murdered. Ken Sleight, who spent time investigating the mystery of Everett Ruess, believe he drowned in the Colorado River. When attempting to understand both Ruess and McCandless, it is important to look at the larger context (pg. 96). An island off the coast of Iceland, called Papos, was once home to Irish monks known as papar. They arrived around the 5th and 6th centuries AD and sailed toward the island where they could live in peace, undisturbed by the turmoil and temptations of the world. Reading of these monks, one can see their courage and desire (pg. 97), which is very similar to Everett Ruess and Chris McCandless.

Analysis: After reading Everett Ruess' story, I can definitely see the similarities with Chris McCandless. Both men wished to escape the harsh reality of society and live undisturbed in the wilderness. They risked their lives to accomplish this journey, leaving everything behind including their family. While it can be difficult to understand why they might do something like this, I applaud their courage and determination to reach their goals.

#DejaVu #2Fates #LearnFromThePast

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The Alaskan Wilderness that many dared to live on

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Summary: After Chris McCandless' death, the public had mostly negative opinions. The criticism (pg. 71) revolved around Chris' lack of preparation and ignorance. Before Chris McCandless, there were dozens of similar-minded people who went to live in Alaska. Gene Rosellini was from a wealthy family in the Seattle area who was immersed in anthropology, history, and philosophy. In 1977, he left Seattle and traveled to the Alaska panhandle, where he experimented with the ambitious (pg. 74) idea that humans could live off of the land. He eventually concluded that this was not possible and wished to return to civilization. Sadly, in November 1991, Rosellini's body was discovered in an apparent suicide. Another man, John Waterman, was an excellent rock climber who succeeded in climbing Mt. McKinley. His life is full of tragedies, as his parents divorced when he was a teen and his father did not want anything to do with John or his siblings. His brother Bill would go on a trip to never return. After climbing Mt. Hunter, Waterman's mind began to unravel. He developed a compulsive (pg. 78) personality, in which he would log the conversations of everyone he talked to. In 1981, he attempted another solo on Mt. McKinley. Walterman was last tracked on April 1 but no sign was found of him ever since. Finally, Carl McCunn went on his final journey in early March 1981, where he would shoot pictures of wildlife. Somehow, he neglected (pg. 81) to arrange for the pilot to pick him up at summer's end. By late August, McCunn began to worry when nobody arrived to fly him out. He made a fatal error when an airplane flew overhead. He waved for help, but with just one arm, signaling that everything was OK. No airplane would return. In late November, he shot himself in the head and his body would be discovered two months afterward. Like the men mentioned, Chris was a seeker but he wasn't mentally ill. He didn't conform (pg. 85) to the bush-casualty stereotype. By studying his predecessors, we can gain more insight into Chris' tragedy.

Analysis: Seeing the men who came before Chris and having similar fates made me wonder if people ever learn from the past. Sure, the Alaskan wilderness is beautiful but there are risks that come with surviving off the land. I hope future aspiring hikers learn from these tragic stories.

#LearnFromYourMistakes #Brutal #NatureWins

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Summary: In March, McCandless arrived at the Carthage grain elevator ready to work. He told Westerberg he was staying until April 15, long enough to get the gear for the Alaska trip. Chris did the tedious, dirty work that nobody wanted, even if he wasn't very mechanically (pg. 62) minded. Wayne Wayne introuced Chris to his girlfriend, Gail Borah, who invited him over for dinner. The conversations they would have made Gail believe he did not get along well with his family. As it turns out, his father Gail's need for control and Chris' extravagantly (pg. 64) independent nature led to his imminent departure. In a letter written to his sister Carine, Chris describes how he plans to separate from his parents once and from all and never speak to them again. Borah also said how Chris never mentioned any romantic (pg. 65) encounters to her or Wayne. He lived a very celibate (pg. 65) life, even though he was very much drawn to women. By mid-April, Westerberg, shorthanded (pg. 67) on workers, asked McCandless to stay longer but Chris had already made up his mind. Before he left, Wayne's mother Mary invited him for dinner. They would spend hours talking about books. On April 15, Chris said his goodbyes to everyone at the elevator, with his pack heavy and about $1,000 on him. When he hugged Borah, she noticed him crying, which meant he might not come back. He sent both Westerberg and Jan Burres letters on April 27, 1992, the last time they heard from Chris McCandless.

Analysis: In retrospect, it is very saddening to see Chris say his goodbyes, knowing that these people will never hear or see him again. From Westerberg to Jan to Ron, every person he has charmed with his personality will remember him as a hardworking, intellectual, and free-minded person. As Chris now embarks on his journey north to his eventual death, I wonder what these people are thinking of.

#Goodbye #WhenISeeYouAgain #OnTheGo

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Summary: Chris made many impressions of the people he encountered during his trip. One of them was Ronald Franz, an eighty-year old army veteran who lost his wife and child to a drunk driver. Chris met Ron after he had hiked and set up camp at the edge of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. He would walk four miles to the market-liquor store-post office that served as the cultural nexus (pg. 49) of Salton City to buy rice and other goods. One day, Ron approached him and asked where he stayed. McCandless replied with Oh-My-God Hot Springs and took him there. The community was a bizarre encampment, like something out of post-apocalypse (pg. 50) America. When Franz met McCandless, it sparked the paternal impulses inside of him that had gone dormant after the tragedy. Chris, however, insisted that Ron did not need to worry about him, as he had a college degree and was not destitute (pg. 51). Nevertheless, the two would spend time together and Franz would teach Alex how to produce a leather belt with inscriptions of his journey. In early February, Chris announced he was heading for San Diego to earn more money for his Alaska trip. Franz dropped McCandless there and on February 19, Chris called Franz to wish him a happy eighty-first birthday. He would also send mail to Jan. Now in Seattle, Ron would drive down to pick up Chris in Coachella and he would drive him to Salton City, where Chris would continue on to Carthage to work for Wayne Westerberg. During their last moments together, Ron asked Chris if he could adopt him, which Chris dodged. On March 14, Chris left Franz, relieved that he had evaded the threat of human intimacy (pg. 55) again. His departure left Franz with a gaping void and he felt very hurt. In early April, Chris would send a long letter to Franz, encouraging him to live his own life and explore the wonders of the West. He wanted Franz to live a more free and nomadic lifestyle, which Ron took to heart. He packed up his things and set up camp on the bajada. Looking back, Ronald Franz, being interviewed by Jon Krakauer, recalls when two hitchhikers interrogated (pg. 60) by him said that Chris was dead up in Alaska. He would withdraw his church membership and go back to drinking.

Analysis: Personally, I feel bad for Ron. After losing his wife and son in a car accident, he relied on alcohol and became depressed. Meeting Chris made him feel alive again but knowing Chris, he was always going to break his heart. I'm glad he took Chris' advice to do whatever he wanted because he's not going to be around much longer. Live your life to the fullest.

#Goodbye #MyChoicesMyLife #NowIDoWhatIWant

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The McDonald's Chris worked at in Bullhead City

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Summary: After departing Las Vegas in May 1991, Chris ended up in Bullhead City, a community in the oxymoronic (pg. 39), late-twentieth-century idiom. He would have a full-time job flipping burgers at McDonald's and surprisingly opened a savings account. His coworkers had mix feelings for him: some thought he was temperamental (pg. 42) but hard-working while others thought he was slow and couldn't do the job well. He then quit and camped out in the desert at the edge of town. He would spend time with an old man named Charlie, who he told his plans of going to Alaska. Chris wrote a letter to Jan Burres, who told him she and Bob would go visit him in Bullhead City. However, they encountered him while stopping at the Slabs, an old navy air base. Chris would volunteer helping Jan oversee her large inventory of used paperback books, which she was selling at the flea market. He was obssessed with Jack London and his condemnation (pg. 44) of capitalist society. Among those at the Slabs was Tracy, who developed a crush on Chris. While Chris would reject her advances, he did a lot of socializing (pg. 44) with the locals. He would even start flirting (pg. 45) with Burres, who asked him about his family and background. He would change the subject and ignore her questions. When Chris decided to leave, he took with him some knives, long underwear, and other warm clothing from Jan, who thought he would need in Alaska. She figured he would survive in the tundra as well as in Mexico and the desert.

Analysis: From the outside, Chris seems like a very mysterious person. Not many people know about his background and how he ended up west. They remember him as hardworking and thoughtful about his approach to life. Chris would brag about his journey north to Alaska. I wonder if there was more these people could have done to prepare him for surviving in the arctic.

#JourneyNorth #StillGoingStrong #WhatHappensNext

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Summary: In October 1990, a group of park rangers was out looking for bear-paw poppies in an isolated (pg. 26) part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area when they spotted an old yellow Datsun. After trying to find the owner, the rangers decided to use the vehicle to make undercover drug buys that led to numerous arrests over the next three years. It turns out Chris was driving the car through the desert when he went offroad. A flash flood soaked the engine, causing it to be undrivable. Chris would continue his odyssey (pg. 29) on foot but he felt more exhilarated (pg. 29) than distraught. He would keep a journal, written in the third person, describing his journey around the West for the next months. Along the way, he got a job from Crazy Ernie, lived with Jan Burres and her boyfriend Bob in Orick Beach, and continued up north up to Seattle. During this time, his parents Walt and Billie became terribly concerned over Chris especially after an unpaid ticket arrived at their house in Annandale. They hired a private investigator named Peter Kalitka to find Chris. However, Chris was all the way in Topock, Arizona, where he bought an aluminum canoe and used it to paddle down the Colorado River across the border with Mexico. He sneaked into Mexico by paddling through the Morelos Dam's open floodgates but got lost in the maze of canals, marshland, and dead-end channels.  Eventually, Chris found some Mexican duck hunting guides who spoke English and took him to El Golfo de Santa Clara. His mood became more contemplative (pg. 35) and his journal entries became shorter. He abandoned his canoe on January 16, 1991, and was back at the U.S. border on the 18th. He spent the next six weeks on the move across the Southwest, where he felt very uncomfortable (pg. 37) among civilization, and returned to Detrital Wash on February 24. He retrieved the belongings that he had buried and entered Las Vegas.

Analysis: I think it was a bad idea for Chris to go offroad. He could've kept his Datsun for a longer period which would've saved him time walking. I am really awestruck by his determination to keep walking; I would have given up if I was in his shoes. What caused Chris to be so afraid of his family, friends, and society? Why does he want to live such an isolated life?

#InTrouble #StillWalking #OneStepAtATime

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A 1982 Datsun B210, similar to the car Chris owned

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Summary: Carthage, South Dakota, with a population of 274, is home to one grocery store, one bank, a single gas station, and a bar. Wayne Westerberg owns a grain elevator here. In the fall of 1990, he pulls over for a hitchhiker, as he is driving down the road. The kid told him his name was Alex McCandless. He told Westerberg that his destination was Saco Hot Springs, a place he had heard from some rubber tramps (pg. 17). Alex would stay with Wayne for three days and soon, he got a job working at the grain elevator. Wayne recalled him as one of the hardest workers ever as well as being very intelligent (pg. 18). He set high standards for himself and some would call him extremely ethical (pg. 18). McCandless soon found a family (pg. 18) with Westerberg and his employees and he became enamored of Carthage. He would stay there until Wayne got arrested for his involvement in a scheme to build and sell black boxes. The backstory of Chris tells us that he gew up in a middle class family in Annandale, Virginia. He graduated from Emory University in 1990. What Chris loved the most was his 1982 Datsun B210, which he would drive on solo road trips. After sending his parents his last transcript, Chris' family would never hear from him again. He had drove west out of Atlanta and intended to live a new life for himself, one in which he would be free from his parents or friends. He adopted a new name: Alexander Supertramp.

Analysis: Chris seemed very at home in Carthage, South Dakota living his new life. I would have assumed he liked it so much so that he would stay there longer. I'm not surprised that he left, however, because of his intentions to live a nomadic lifestyle. After learning of his background, I have more questions regarding Chris' decisions. Why did he decide to leave his parents and especially his sister whom he was so close with? Why did he want to live such an isolated life?

#Freedom #NewLife #PeaceOut

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Summary: The bus that once served as part of the Fairbanks City Transit System now sits abandoned amid the thawing permafrost (pg. 10) and seasonal floods. The badly oxidized paint and the weathered (pg. 10) lettering indicate how long it has been there. It is here that Ken Thompson, Ferdie Swanson, and Gordon Samel discovered Chris McCandless' fate. Out to hunt moose, they used their ATVs to cross the treacherous Teklanika River. Once they reached the bus, they spot a couple from Anchorage standing fifty feet away looking spooked. The men see a disquieting (pg. 12) note next to the bus door, which read of Chris' SOS message. Samel then saw the decomposed (pg. 13) body inside. Another man, Butch Killian, soon called for authorities, who flew the remains away with a police helicopter. An autopsy revealed that the body had virtually no fat left and the muscles had withered (pg. 14) significantly prior to death. The authorities had no idea who Chris McCandless was, where he was from, or why he was there.

Analysis: It is unfortunate to learn that Chris has passed away, but it is to be expected. After reading that he had brought inadequate supplies with him on his journey, I knew that odds were against him. I'm wondering why it took so long to find and recover his body. He had been dead for two and a half weeks before the men discovered his remains. Prior to his death, Chris left an SOS message for help. Could Chris still be alive if someone had found him sooner? Nobody will know the answers to these questions.

#RIP #Warrior #Why?

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Summary: The journey begins with Jim Gallien encountering a scrawny hitchhiker along the road. He explained his name as "Alex" and wanted to live off the wilderness deep in the Denali National Park. Jim saw that he was not carrying much on him, with only a 22 caliber rifle and a 10-pound bag of rice. He knew that Alex was not going to last long in the harsh (pg. 5) conditions of the outdoors. He thought Alex's plan of living by himself was foolhardy (pg. 5) and he attempted to dissuade him without success. Through the entire ordeal, Alex seemed very excited (pg. 6) and determined (pg. 6) to reach his destination. Eventually, they reached past the unnavigable (pg. 6) road where Jim dropped off Alex.

Analysis: After reading this passage, I believe that Alex, or Chris, is stupid but also very brave. If you are going to do something as crazy as living by yourself in the Alaskan wilderness, you might as well go all in. Chris isn't shy about what he wants to do and he won't let anyone get in his way. While I still wonder why he decided to go down the path that he did, I can't deny his determination, which is what I respect the most about him.

#BeBrave #Fearless #YOLO

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Me and my team at Black Star Canyon Falls Trailhead in 2019.

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During my time in cross country, I was able to explore various trails throughout southern California. Along with my team, I would run through dirt trails, tall grass, and steep hills. This not only prepared me for actual races, but it gave me an appreciation for nature and the beauty of the wild.

Seeing the birds chirping and flying across the sky and smelling the different scents of flowers and trees, I felt relaxed and calm. It was a feeling unique only when I am outside and in the wild. While the drive there was long, the wait was worth all the time. Even after I had finished my hiking and trail runs, I still had an urge to go back and redo the entire experience.