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Hmmm, I’m really not someone to travel the world or even go to a different state. I feel like I should really explore California before I go somewhere else. Although, I do have fantasies of cottages in Switzerland and beaches in Greece. I feel like I just want to experience and enjoy all of the beautiful things in the world. I want to see flowers and fields and flower fields. But if I can find all of them in California then I will stay in California.

I’ve said in my first post that I don’t like the idea of traveling because it comes with the expectation that you have to do something. I think if I were to get out and about, I would take my car and a couple friends and we would go wherever we want. Of course, it would be a little more controlled. Like, we’d always have to do research about a place before we go and then book the next hotel before we leave. I don’t want to walk into the wild. I want to walk into the world.

#TheHermit #LushLife #freshmanyearflashback

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To be very honest, I don’t have very many thoughts about Chris. I struggle a lot on the chapter reflections because I can’t think of anything to say. I think he was just a person, crazy or stupid or extremely enlightened. He was someone that grew up in a certain unfortunate situation and made certain unfortunate choices because of it. I’m very indifferent about his journey and life and death. I can’t say “good for him” or “he’s delusional” because he died and he’s not.

Really all I can say is that I would never do what he did. After many episodes of Criminal Minds, hitchhiking is not on my bucket list. It scares me to think about being in the wild all by myself. I guess in a way I’m impressed that Chris was able to do that. How was he not worried about potential monsters and ghosts hiding behind the trees? I really wonder how he was able to sleep at night, not because I think he’s a terrible person for cutting off his whole family and such, but literally, how was he not too scared to close his eyes?

#AreYouAfraidOfTheDark #BigFootwya #human

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Summary:
In the epilogue, our author, Jon Krakauer takes a helicopter (200) ride with Walt and Billie to Bus 142. Billie had wanted to go overland (201), but the Teklanika would not allow. When they arrived on Chris's campsite, Walt, admitted that he could see the beauty (202) of the Alaskan bush that had Chris so drawn. Billie sits on Chris's mattress (202) and explores his possessions. His jeans still smell (202) like him. Both parents are able to come to an understanding (203) of Chris's choices, and they find his final resting place comforting (203).

Reflection:
I think this epilogue was a good choice. I feel that us, the readers, needed a sense of closure and we get to experience it through Walt and Billie. Reading that they were able to find understanding and comfort when they went to Alaska gave me those feelings too. It made me feel a little better about everything.

#closure #afteryou #reunion

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Summary:
In the last few weeks of July, after Chris returned to Bus 142, he was able to hunt a good number of game. Unfortunately, the meat was very lean (188), and he spent more calories catching it, so Chris was barely hanging on. Then, on July 30, he became very weak (189). There are 3 theories as to what happened. First is that Chris ate seeds (190) he bought in South Dakota that went toxic because he didn't plant them. Second is that he accidentally ate wild sweet pea (191), which is highly toxic because he mistook it for wild potato (192). It turns out that Chris actually ate the right plant, just the wrong part. It gave him swainsonine poisoning (194), rendering any food he ate useless which was detrimental to his condition as he was already starved. If Chris had just had a map, he would've known that there were three cabins (196) within just miles of his location. Though, they wouldn't have done him much good because they had been completely destroyed months prior. Sadly, Chris passed on August 18 due to starvation. We can only hope that we was at peace (199).

Reflection:
I want to know the actual reason Chris got sick. Krakauer's reasons were merely hypotheses at best. Although, I wonder if Chris would've made it out of the Alaskan wild if he hadn't got sick. Was it really the turning point for his demise? I also wonder what would happen if Chris had gotten weaker in a different way. What would have happened if he broke a leg instead?

#lean #tatertotsareevil #Nirvanaithink

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Summary:
In this chapter, Krakauer steps into Chris's shoes and heads onto the Stampede Trail with Roman Dial, Dan Solie, and Andrew Liske to figure out exactly why (173) the young hiker did just a year before. Except this time, Krakauer has the crucial tool that could've changed Chris's fate, a map (174). They follow Chris's footsteps and cross the Teklanika River via a thrilling (175) ride on a cable car, walk through beaver ponds, and make their way to Bus 142. On the way, Krakauer tells us that he's glad he's not alone (176), even though he was bit annoyed to have company at first. Inside and all around the bus are Chris's possessions (178) including mittens and matches, a bag of bird wings, and the skeleton of the moose he shot. Many people said that Chris actually killed a caribou (177) which shows how unready he was to be in the Alaskan wild, but they were wrong. Still, people believed Chris was too arrogant. Krakauer defends Chris by saying that young men like him like participating in risky behavior (182) and old folks just don't understand. Roman, who was 32 at the time, highly agreed. He said that people only criticized Chris because he reminds (186) them of their former selves.

Reflection:
Having a different perspective of Chris's time in Alaska was really interesting. I find the moose vs caribou thing really funny because does it really matter? I also really agree with what Roman says. Projection is such a real thing and honestly, I feel like that's what I'm doing with Chris.

#hatersgonhate #ithinkdeersarecuter #WHY

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Summary:
On April 15, 1992, Chris begins his journey to Alaska. Getting rides on the Alaskan Highway was easy until he got to the Liard River. Luckily, he ran into a man named Gaylord Stuckey. Chris was able to charm Stuckey with his dandiness and courtesy into driving him all the way to Fairbanks, where he was able to buy rice (159), study edible plants at the university (159), and buy a gun (160) and bullets. After just a few days, Chris left Fairbanks for the George Park Highway where he was picked up by Jim Gallien. After being dropped off at the Stampede Trail, Chris headed into the Alaskan wild. By his second day, he reached the Teklanika River which he was able to pass due to the cold weather making the volume low. From there, he stumbled across Bus 142 and made his camp. The cold unfortunately was not so helpful in hunting and gathering, but when the weather started warming up in mid-May, Chris was able to find an abundance of food. Ironically, the warmth made it difficult to travel, so after a brief trip to the Sushana River, Chris went back to the bus. Chris was unknowingly surrounded by civilization, but that didn't matter because he was entirely independent. By July, he had had a successful hunting season, killing and poorly processing a moose (166), and decided that he was satisfied with his time in the wild. He was ready to return (168) to society, and his family. Unfortunately, the wild was not ready to let go of Chris; the Teklanika River had fully thawed, and its waters raged. Chris was not willing to take the risk and cross it anyway, especially due to his fear of water. So, he went back into the bush.

Reflection:
I KNEW IT! Ok well, I kinda found spoilers online, but Chris. Wanted. To. Go. Home. Although, this chapter has helped me realize what it took for him to decide that he was ready to live a "normal" life. He was deeply troubled and had some real traumatic issues. I really pity him.

#moose #mooses #meese

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Why are you smoking the MARE-RA-JUA-HUANIES?!

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Summary: So Krakauer makes it back to his tent, all butt hurt that he didn't achieve his goal of summiting Devil's Thumb.  In a genius move, he decided to smoke a joint to make himself feel better since he's a bit depressed.  Well, he ends up setting his tent on fire causing it to vaporize one of the walls so the temperature inside drops by 30 degrees or so.  Good job, Jon!  Anyway, this causes him to think about his reason for running away to climb:  his volatile (p. 147) history with his father!  They have a very similar relationship to Walt and Chris - dad is stubborn, treats his son poorly, pushes him away with his medical school expectations (p. 148) since he himself is a doctor.  Yeah, I know: we've heard this story before.  Jon uses these complicated (p. 147) family memories as motivation:  he's going to attempt to summit the Thumb to prove his disbelieving dad wrong!  He fixes his tent by packing it with snow and forges a plan to begin his final ascent on a slightly "easier" side of the mountain, the southeast side.  At sunrise, he summons ALL of his courage and overcoming all of the terrifying (p. 150) obstacles, he finally makes it to the top - YAY!  He enjoys the view for a minutes, snaps a few pics, and begins his descent.  When he finally makes it off the mountain, he tells a few people what he did.  They aren't extremely impressed.  This makes Jon think about what he did and why he did it, causing him to say, "I thought climbing Devil's Thumb would fix all that was wrong with my life.  In the end, of course, it changed almost nothing.  But I came to appreciate that mountains make poor receptacles for dreams. And I lived to tell my tale" (p. 155). Years later when writing this book, he realizes that his hubris (p.155) pushed him to his limits to achieve his goal, but that the impact his possible death had on those who loved him would've been catastrophic.  This is why he believes that Chris had NO intention to die in the wild, that he was only chasing his young, irresponsible dream.

Reflection:
I agree with Krauker. I don't think Chris wanted to die either. But then I just get sad thinking about how he probably wanted to go home but got stuck in Alaska instead. It really makes his death feel more wasteful. His death is more palatable if you believe that he wanted to die and that he felt at peace when he died in the Alaskan bush. But I don't believe that.

#flower #pleasegetatherapist #andfindabettercopingmechanism

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Summary: To answer Billie McCandless' question at the end of Chapter 13 about why anyone would do what Chris did, Jon Krakauer flips the script and tells his own story of Alaska adventure.  At the age of 23, Krakauer decides to head to the great north to find himself not by living in the wild, but by climbing the major mountains in the 49th state.  He becomes obsessed with hiking Devil's Thumb, a very steep, challenging ascent on the glacier (p. 138) known as the Stikine Ice Cap.  Like Chris, completing this climb becomes the only important thing in Krakauer's life.  Chris obsessed over the bush, while Jon's obsession (p. 134) is this rare climbing achievement.  Much like he anticipated, the ascent is dangerous and potentially deadly.  Krakauer proceeds with caution during whiteout snow storms while crossing over delicate crevasses (p. 140) which could crack and send him tumbling down hundreds of feet.  On a beautiful May day, Krakauer decides that this is it, he must summon the courage and concentration (p. 142) he needs to summit this peak today or else...Even with the warm temps and sunny day, the ice is impenetrable and Krakauer panics (p. 143).  He can see the summit, but he can't reach it.  His only option is down.

Reflection:
It takes a very specific type of person to decide that they want to climb dangerous mountains or live in the deadly bush. I will never understand these persons. But at the same time, I kind of do. They grew up in shakey households and carry a lot of trauma; I guess putting themselves in trying situations is their form of self-harm, or they want to prove something by challenging nature.

#whycantwejustbuildasnowman #ItsTheClimb #ToeofSatanwho

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"You're my brother and I love you that's the truth"

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Summary:
In this chapter, we're with Carine, Chris's beloved sister. As she looks at old photographs, she reminisces about Chris's expression (128), how he never really looked happy to take pictures. She also tells us Chris's relationship with Buck, their dog (128). Chris wanted to take Buck with him after graduating from Emory but couldn't. Chris and Buck were almost as close as Chris and Carine. They were so similar in looks that people often thought they were twins (128), and their shared personality traits easily explain how they got on so well. However, they still had their differences. Carine is a sort of capitalist (129), working hard at C.A.R Services, Incorporated, the business she owns with her husband, Chris Fish. Still, their different ideals never got in the way of their relationship, and so of course, Carine was hysterical when Fish informed her of McCandless's death. She pulled herself together to go to Walt and Billie's house in Chesapeake Beach. After just a day in Chesapeake, Carine flew (131) with Sam to Fairbanks where she got Chris's possessions, Anchorage for Chris's ashes, and then back to Maryland. She ate all of the food on the plane because she couldn't bear to throw it away knowing Chris starved to death, but she lost weight over the following weeks. Chris's death effected the entire family's eating (132) habits. Like Carine, Billie also lost weight while Walt began to overeat.

Reflection:
I have a lot of sympathy for Carine, but I can't fully empathize with her. I think if any of my siblings did to me what Chris did to Carine, I could not be as understanding as her. I'd most definitely be angry and always feel a bit of resentment, whether or not they came back alive.

#heylilsis #whatsupbigbro #kindawantanolderbrother

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Summary:
This chapter begins with Chris's high school graduation where he got really drunk and gave an emotional (118) speech about his dad. Then, he left and traveled cross-country. He nearly died of dehydration (118) on the trip and came back with a beard and having lost 30 pounds. While Walt and Billie were concerned about his state, they were very relieved that he seemed thrilled (119) at college. However, the summer after sophomore year, Chris's relationship with them got worse. He was always mad (121) and angry. That's because on his cross-country trip after high school, he made a terrible discovery (121). Walt McCandless was living a double life; one with Chris, Carine, and Billie, and one with his ex-wife Marcia and all of their children. Chris greatly judged (122) his father, and many other people. He was only able to set aside that judgement for his heroes. Junior year Chris got very involved with politics, and he wrote about his intense (123) views in the school paper, The Emory Wheel. His travels got intense as well. That summer, he intended to go to Guatemala, but decided on Alaska instead. It left such an impression on him that he decided he'd have to return, and that's exactly what he did. After graduating from Emory University, Chris got rid of all his belongings, cut off all ties to his family, and set out on an adventure. Carine, the only family member that he deeply cared for, says that she isn't hurt (125) that he left her too. However, Walt, and especially Billie, were awfully worried for their son.

Reflection:
Okay, so I can definitely see where Chris is coming from now. I have this feeling that he's quite a sensitive soul, so finding out about his dad's polygamy must've absolutely crushed it. I think it's totally fair that he spent his summers traveling to stay away from his family mess, but I think his final adventure is still just a little too extreme. Or maybe intense is a better word?

#amitheproblem #runfastFROMyourmotherrunfastFROMyourfather #ialmostappliedtoEmorytoo

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Summary:
In this chapter, we dive deep into Chris, his family, and his upbringing. Through his dad, Walt, who is highly experienced and respected in the space industry, we understand Chris's personality (107); how he was so good with people and his temper. Walt had 5 children with his first wife named Marcia before separating and marrying Wilhemina Johnson aka Billie, Chris's mother from who he inherited his eyes (110). Walt and Billie were always working (107) when Chris and his sister, Carine, were young which led to arguments and caused the two siblings to grow very close. Their whole family carried a sense of wanderlust (108) which was especially strong in Chris. Thus, he got along well with his grandpa (108), Loren Johnson, a man that also loved the wilderness and everything in it. Despite being gifted in academics and a variety of extracurricular activities, including a friendly french horn competition with Carine, Chris never liked to follow a format or the rules. That's why he enjoyed running (111) so much. On his time off the track, Chris would feed and hang out with prostitutes and the homeless. He didn't want to go to college (114), but surprisingly did after much pressure from Walt and Billie. He believed it was a waste of time and money which is something that he always had an issue with. Walt says it's ironic because Chris had always been an entrepreneur (115), and a successful one too. He was even offered to have his college education paid for if he just didn't move away and worked while studying, but he refused. Chris had other plans (116) to travel and see the country.

Reflection:
I enjoyed this chapter. It was really interesting to hear about Chris's life before his big adventure and what kind of led up to it. I feel like I can relate to him a little because I understand how he just wanted to do things his way. I'm also really passionate about the homeless, so I think it's amazing that he helped them and treated them well. However, I think he took things a little too extreme, as he does.

#ChriswouldvelovedH4H #RunnersHigh #almostbecameaterrorist

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Summary:
This chapter briefly dives into what happened after Chris was found. Alaska State Troopers spent a lot of time trying to figure out who Chris was, even falsely deducing that he was a field biologist (99) from his diary entries about plants and animals. However, they eventually got on the right trial thanks to Jim Gallien who saw a headline about Chris's story on September 10. He was able to identify Chris as Alex from pictures (99) and even led the troopers to South Dakota. However, their search was unsuccessful until Wayne Westerberg became one of 150 calls (100) claiming to know the hiker's identity. He provided Chris's real name and Social Security number. From there, they got in contact with Sam McCandless, Chris's half-brother. When he was shown a photograph, he knew it was Chris right away despite his scruffy and gaunt (102) appearance. The only thing left was for Sam to tell Walt and Billie that Chris was dead (102).

Reflection:
This chapter was really short but really informative. It definitely filled in some gaps for me which I really appreciate. I don't really have an opinion on the 90s detective work, but I guess it's impressive.

#iwishtheNYTwasfree #Fairbanks92 #tragedy

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Summary: Another chapter about a dude who isn't Chris McCandless.  Everett Ruess shares many similarities with our main character though - he's a wanderer (p. 90), free spirit, well liked risk taker and lover of all things solitude and wilderness.  Everett is a bit younger than Chris when he begins his vagabond (p. 91) journey, dropping out of UCLA after only one semester to follow his dream (p. 96) of living a nomadic existence.  Unlike Chris, Everett focuses his travels in the southwest rather than north, but like Chris he also renames himself choosing the moniker Nemo after the character Captain Nemo in the Jules Verne classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. And yes, Nemo the fish we know today is named after that character, too!  While on a solo expedition in Utah, Ruess seemingly disappears, never to be heard from again.  A search party is sent to find him after he goes incommunicado (p. 93), but other than finding his donkey, some cave drawings/graffiti he made and pieces of his gear, Ruess was never seen again.  Stories vary on what happen to him - maybe he was a victim of his own reckless innocence (p, 97) and fell while hiking or possibly drown, but some speculate that he was murdered by Native Americans.  No one ever found him or his remains, so Everett's end remains a mystery.  Like Chris, Everett's passion for nature and adventure won out over a conventional life, yet neither man made it out of the wild...

Reflection:
It's a little interesting how similar Everett is to Chris, but since they traveled in opposite directions, I see them like fire and ice. I kind of find it interesting that Everett had a donkey; I wonder what furry companion Chris would have. Really curious about what happened to Everett though...

#DONKEYYYY #whenwillnemohaveahappyending #daddyissues2

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Summary: Jon Krakauer uses this chapter to show his readers that other men have come to their demise (p. 70) on Alaskan adventures, even if the circumstances are a bit different from those of Chris McCandless.  First up is Gene Rossellini, the modern day caveman!  Gene heads north from the lower 48 in the early 1970's.  He's a super intelligent guy looking to test himself in Alaska ...sound like anyone we know??  Well, "the mayor of Hippie Cove" as Gene is called lives a prehistoric existence, testing himself to see if modern day man can live in the same way as the cavemen did it back in the day. Gene tries his hardest, but sadly writes, "I learned that it is not possible for human beings as we know to live off the land" (p. 75) before plunging a knife through his heart when he realizes the true extent of his failure (p. 75).  Next up is crazy John Waterman.  Lots of similarities to Chris:  he's from the D.C. area, has MAJOR issues with his dad and is super smart.  John is an accomplish climber and alpinist (p. 79) before he starts losing his marbles, running for president of the United States on a platform to end hunger.  SPOILER ALERT:  He doesn't win the election!  Anywho, John comes unhinged, decides to climb the most difficult mountain in all of Alaska in the dead of winter and is never heard from again.  Alaska state troopers believe he probably fell down a crevasse (p. 80) to his death, although his remains were never found.  And last up is poor Carl McCunn.  Another transplant from the lower 48, Carl is the life of the party - just like Chris.  Good guy, fun to be around, charming, but lacks common sense & thinks someone will bail him out if he ends up in trouble.  Similar to Chris, he hatches a plan to go off into the wild for a few months BUT he fails to set up an Uber (think Uber plane!) to come back and pick him up.  The summer turns to fall and McCunn is starving and freezing.  But wait...a plane flies overhead and it looks like Carl is going to be rescued!!!  Unfortunately, Carl doesn't know that waving ONE hand in the air means you're good, no need to rescue you instead of throwing TWO hands in the air, the universal sign for HELP!!!  Carl is dying a slow and painful death by a mix of starvation and frostbite, so in his final diary (p. 81) he explains that he shot himself in the head to end his misery.  Guess Chris doesn't sound that crazy or unprepared after all, huh???

Reflection:
This chapter was disturbing. Honestly, hearing about other people like Chris who developed mental illnesses and became essentially deranged does not make me feel better about his story either. I think the only thing that sets him apart from them is luck.

#regretreadingthisat1am #manvswildS1234 #tragiccc

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Summary:
This chapter gives us an insight into why Chris cut off his family and his relationship with relationships. In March, Chris returns to Carthage for work and reunites with Westerberg and his girlfriend (63), Gail Borah. From their accounts, Chris's issues with family were mostly due to his dad (64). They shared the same stubbornness which they used to uphold their clashing ideaologies. Chris's relationship with his dad also potentially affected his relationship with women. He committed to chastity (65), only having lust (66) for nature and adventure. Despite his reserved values, Chris was able to charm anyone he came across. Just two nights before he left for Alaska, Chris spent a few hours with Westerberg's mom, Mary. She recalls that he acted older (67) than he was. On Chris's final night, he partied (67) hard, impressing everyone with his piano (68) skills. As he parted ways with Carthage and everyone in it, Chris was crying (68).

Reflection:
I really liked this chapter because it helped explain why Chris chose to do what he did which is something I have trouble understanding. I can definitely understand having issues with your parents, but I don't think I would ever cut them off and disappear. Or at least not how Chris did.

#daddyissues #byeCarthage #onlyhavethehotsforMotherNature

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Summary:
In this chapter, we learn about Chris's meaningful relationship with an old, widowed veteran who lost his son while overseas named Ronald Franz. They met in January 1992 when Ron offered Chris a ride back from Salton City into the bajada (49) where he camped. Ron immediately developed a fond affection for the young man, teaching him how to do leatherwork which produced a belt (51) that illustrated Chris's adventure up to that point. One day early February, Chris told Ron he was going to San Diego to get more funds for his Alaska trip. In San Diego, Chris struggled to find work (53) and after messing around with trains (53) in Seattle, Chris asked Ron to pick him up. Then, they got to spend time together on the way to Grand Junction, Colorado for Chris's job in Carthage. Ron asked Chris to be his adopted grandson (55), but Chris slipped out of the request and Ron's life on March 14. In early April, Chris sends Ron a letter advising him to adventure for his spirit (57). Ron takes his advice and moves out to Chris's old campsite, waiting for his return (60). Sadly, he finds out Chris will never return from two hitchhikers that he picks up and denounces his Christian faith, breaks his sobriety, and feels "real, real sick".

Reflection:
This chapter is really sad. I always feel bad for lonely old people. I really wish Chris would've spent some more time with Ron. I know he really hates parental figures because they are overbearing and such, but I think all of the parental figures he met, Wayne, Jan, and Ron, tried to be understanding and truly just wanted for him to stay with them.

#UPbutnotwiththePixarending #OhMyGod #justalittlelonger

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20 piece chicken nuggets and a large fry.

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Summary:
In this chapter, we settle down with Chris in Bullhead City, Arizona, though not for too long. He makes it to Bullhead in early October 1991 after Las Vegas and some time in Oregon. Chris stayed (39) in Bullhead for two months, the longest time during his adventure from Atlanta to Alaska, working at McDonald's. His coworkers don't remember much, but Assistant Manager George Dreeszen recalls that he hated wearing socks (40). While working, he lived in a house trailer (41) offered by a man named Charlie. In late November, Chris sends a postcard to Jan Burres who's in Niland, and she writes back to tell him that she'll come for a visit (43). Before she and Bob could leave for Bullhead, Chris had gone to them instead. He stayed with them in the Slabs and even helped watch Jan's used paperback books for the swap meet. Jan lets us know that Chris really loved the classics. His favorite was Jack London's The Call of the Wild but he definitely forgot that it is simply a work of fiction (44). Chris stayed in the Slabs long enough for someone to develop a crush (44) on him, Tracy. However, he did not forget about his plans for Alaska and would prepare for the journey every day. When it was time for him to leave, Jan, who saw Chris like her kid (45), tried to offer as much help and support as she could, but he ended up leaving most of it behind. Jan was concerned but believed that Chris would figure out Alaska just as he figured (46) out everything else.

Reflection:
I really enjoyed this chapter. I felt at ease knowing that Chris had a little stability both in Bullhead and then Niland. I like his relationship with Jan Burre, and Wayne Westerberg, because they act like his surrogate parents. This furthers my belief that what Chris was really looking for was unconditional acceptance from loved ones.

#Maccas #socksrule #wildonwild

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Summary:
This chapter highlights Chris's adversity and walks us through his journey in the West. It begins with his abandoned (26) car, found in the Mojave Desert by Bud Walsh. Chris had taken camp there at the edge of Detrital Wash in early July despite it being strictly forbidden. A flood (28) occurred which wet his car's engine so he left it where it was as well as got rid of some baggage (29) including all of the cash he had. A few days later, after hiking around Lake Mead in the extreme temperatures, he managed to get out and began traveling the West for the next two months. He briefly got a job with other vagabonds (29) and met a woman named Jan Burre and her boyfriend, Bob. They fed the hungry (30) Chris and made a lifelong connection. Chris had received a hitchhiking ticket a few days before meeting them, and he had that ticket sent to his parent's address. They hired a private investigator (31) to look for Chris but to no avail. In late October, Chris makes it to the Colorado River and canoes down it into Mexico where he wants to canoe the ocean as well. He gets to the ocean after a long struggle but has a near-death experience which makes him decide to go back north. Immigration places him into custody for trying to slip into the country with no ID, but he gets out, only losing his handgun. He spends six weeks making his way to LA to get an ID and a job but quickly decides to keep traveling instead. After a couple of weeks in Vegas, Chris visits Detrital Wash to recover his belongings before heading back.

Reflection:
This chapter stressed me out. He went to so many places in so little time, and without a car! I could not just walk endlessly; I'd go insane. I also think it's so crazy that he just decided to canoe in the ocean. Why??? Very impressive that he was able to find the exact spot he buried all of his belongings though.

#Fthepolice #hungry #beachboy

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Summary:
This chapter takes us to Carthage, a small and sleepy (15) town in North Dakota, where Chris met a man named Wayne Westerberg. It begins with Westerberg remembering (16) Chris and describing their first meeting. On September 10, 1990, Westerberg picked up the hitchhiker and took him to Saco Hot Springs. However, by the time they got there, it was pouring rain, so they ended up spending three days together in Sunburst. Westerberg offered Chris a job (17) if he was ever in Carthage and a couple of weeks later, Chris took up that offer. With the job also came a surrogate family (18) of sorts, but unfortunately, it fell apart when Westerberg got arrested. On October 23rd, Chris went back to his nomadic (19) ways. We also learn more about Chris's background and real family. They were certainly comfortable; his parents, Walt and Billie, were even happily willing to pay for law school for him had he decided to pursue it after graduating from Emory University. However, Chris had other plans and greatly refused any sort of gifts (20) that could be used to persuade him otherwise. He would determine his own destiny (23).

Reflection:
I really liked the relationship that Chris developed with Wayne. I think it was what Chris was really looking for, a loved one that just accepted him for what he was and didn't expect anything more. I wonder what would've happened if Wayne had never been arrested.

#foundfamily #bloodisthickerthanwater #ilovemycartoo

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Summary:
This chapter starts with a description and the history of the Stampede Trail, including a bus (10) which would later become Chris's final resting place. On September 6, 1992, a couple visited Bus 142 which had a signal flag (12) tied to it and a bad smell coming out of it. The spooked couple was found by three men, one of whom named Gordon Samuel, discovered a sleeping bag with a head sticking out inside the bus. A hunter (13) happened to join the two other parties and suggested calling state troopers. The next day, they took Chris's belongings, including rolls of film and a diary. An autopsy performed on his remains determined that he died of starvation (14). Since he had no identification (14), authorities didn't actually know who he was, his reasons, or his story.

Reflection:
This chapter is a bit chilling. I would be traumatized if I was one of the people that found Chris. His last few days must've been very scary, and he must've been devastated that no one came to help.

#SOS #RIP #toolate

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Summary:
Into the Wild begins with our hitchhiker (3) and adventurer, Chris Johnson McCandless, being picked up by a man named Jim Gallien on April 28, 1992. Despite carrying a rifle (3), Jim still gave Chris a ride because "he looked friendly enough". Chris informs Jim that he plans on living in the bush (4) which concerns Jim, so he decides to warn the young man about the difficulties of hunting (5) and even tries to scare him with the possibility of bears (5). However, "Alex" is not shaken. After dropping him off at the Stampede Trail, Jim considers telling the state troopers about Chris but ultimately decided not to.

Reflection:
I think it's very sweet how much Jim tried to look out for Chris. I wonder how he felt when he found out about Chris's death. About Chris, I don't particularly admire how determined he was, only because he was so unprepared. Although, I can empathize with what he felt and why he made such a rash decision. Too bad it didn't end so well for him...

#YOLO #adventure #surviving

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Unfortunately, I've never really been able to experience the wild. My family is not one to go out and explore the outdoors. Our vacations typically involve a city with lots of landmarks and attractions to see and take pictures with. I've never gone hiking or fishing or done any other wilderness activities. My experiences, or lack thereof, have definitely affected the way I feel about seeing and traveling the world. I just don't get it. I like staying in one place, where I'm comfortable and familiar.

However, something I would like to experience in the wild is frolicking in an open, sunny field of hills. I've never wanted to visit Yosemite or Big Bear because there are things to do and rules to follow. Instead, I want to go to a place with no name, no itinerary, and no promises. I want the sunlight to blind me as I watch the clouds. I want to feel the grass tickle my skin as I roll up and down the hills. I'd run until I tripped and fall into a bed of flowers. Nature could swallow me whole.