Proenneke

There are humans that become admirable not for their wealth, fame or power. They are admirable because of their audacity, confidence, and strength to do what is extraordinary. Richard Proenneke moved to Twin Lakes in Alaska when there was no one there except him and a captain named Babe (what a weird name for a man) who operated a cargo plane that dropped biweekly (or so) supplies; there were occasional hunters who gathered according to hunting seasons but he was not even noticed. For the most part of the year, he stayed alone, like those hermits of old, living off grid and supplementing his food by gardening, hunting, fishing. He built his cabin by his own hands and lived there for nearly thirty years. No nearby hospital or store or police station, or protection from bears. The only time he abandoned his place was when he was too old to manage himself. He died at his brother’s house in California, due to a stroke, at 86. I admire this man together with the likes of Thoreau(of Walden Pond), Abbey, Muir and others like holy men and hermits who decided to live in solitude. They were lovers of God and Nature, who proved they could be primitive without losing a thing in life. They provoked and challenged and protested what we ordinary people believe is a normal way of life. Fought hard against the harshness of Nature. And emerged victorious. Of course there were a few who failed - Christopher McCandles of Into the Wild fame written by Jon Krakauer and the madness of Timothy ‘Grizzly Bear ‘ Treadwell, who was eaten by a bear, then his girlfriend, while they videoed the whole thing. Even Proenneke encountered a violent bear in his book. But he was well prepared with his weapon. I don’t want to parlay the success of those who made it in the wild as a safe and sure venture, there are mistakes and failures too. For now, I cherish the experiences of those who made it in the wild.
2023-02-19 15:22:59
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