Every time I mention this guy people come out of the woodwork with all sorts of crazy explanations for why he died, all of them an effort to deny reality so that it doesn’t mess up the fictional beliefs they are emotionally attached to.
There are so many guys out there who want so badly to believe that solitary people can survive extended periods of time simply on what they catch, kill, or pluck out of the woods - which is absolutely not true. It wasn’t true a hundred years ago, and it’s not true today.
It is amazing to see these people fly into denial and do acrobatics around the true cause of McCandless’s death. They want to believe anything except for the truth: He simply starved. To accept this means they would have to give up their childish, false beliefs about single men being able to live completely on only what the woods provide.
Here’s the truth: McCandless starved. There wasn’t any food to keep him alive. He got so weak that even if food did show up, he wouldn’t have had the energy to get it. Solitary persons cannot live for extended periods of time merely on what they catch, kill, or pluck from the woods. It’s not a matter of skill. It’s a matter of what is possible or not, and it’s not possible.
I got tired of carrying booze, fuel, and medicine and got the bright idea to see if a strong enough whiskey might not serve all three purposes.
#WhiskeyStoves #BoozeForFuel #PocketCooking #ThePracticalWoodsman #PleasantHillbillyPickle
For centuries, families across Britain slept in what was known as a box bed, a wooden bed built into the wall or enclosed with doors, designed to keep out the bitter cold of winter.
Far more than a place to sleep, the box bed was a practical solution in cottages where space was limited and every bit of warmth mattered. By enclosing the bed, families trapped precious heat, reduced draughts and gained a little privacy in homes where several generations often lived under one roof.
These humble beds witnessed every stage of life. Children were tucked into them at night, babies were born in them, and loved ones spent their final hours there, surrounded by family. In many cottages, the box bed even formed part of the wall itself, helping divide the living and sleeping areas of a single-room home.
To modern eyes they may seem cramped, but to those who lived through harsh winters with little comfort, the box bed was a warm, secure refuge, a simple piece of craftsmanship that helped ordinary families ...
