I'm reading The Death of Albert Johnson-Mad Trapper of Rat River , by Heritage House Publishing Co.
Albert Johnson was a sketchy individual who built himself an 8 x 12 fortress up near the Klondike in Canada. He dug 3 feet deep, built 5 foot walls, sloping roof, and covered it all with 2 feet of dirt. This structure was chinked with dirt, too, with a stout door, actually underwent a dynamite invasion and the man survived.
But, back to the story. The guy wasn't so much big as an endurance expert. Able to single handedly paddle upstream to the Rat River, accomplishing feats the mounted Police wondered at.
Trouble was, he wouldn't answer the door when they came knocking. Frustrated, the visiting police report him, obtain a search warrant and reinforcements. Johnson fires through his own front door, hitting a man and that is the end of life as he knew it.
This drama played out in the Northwest Territories in 1931-1932. His house was small enough he could shoot from inside in all four directions after knocking out some chinks. Then the dyanimte bundle was launched, hit the roof, exploded. No one thought he could survive, but he did and proceeded to lead his enemies on a chase through out the region.
The guy should have probably answered the door.
I was impressed by his endurance, able to lay 2 miles of false trail for every one mile of true. He would wear his snowshoes backwards, then retrace again. He'd cross rivers and mountains said to be impossible.
This leads to the conclusion, to survive a shit hits the fan scenario, we need to be in Shape!
Eventually they do catch the guy and a shoot out occurs on a frozen lake, resulting in17 bullets taking out Johnson. One of his sins is that he was a "hermit", taciturn and independent to the point of rudeness.
There's always two sides to a story. The guy wanted to be left alone in the frozen wilderness to trap and smoke his pipe. He didn't fit in, he did have skills.
This book is 94 pages with a lot of photos. An interesting read.
Laying a False Trail
Woodswoman-a Book Review
There Are No Rules-Just Owner's Manuals
The Road-A Movie and Book Review
I watched The Road last week on HBO.
This movie is based on the novel, a Post Apocalyptic scenario which is both profound and monotonous as to be genius. Written by Cormac McCarthy and published in 2006 it contains a few more dramatic scenes than the movie. Scenes which involve infanticide, pregnant women, slaves, canabalism, farming of body parts, and catalytic destruction are so moving as to cause dreams and nightmares.
I'm still pondering all the implications.
The movie follows the book in mood and theme quite well. If you want a fuller experience, read the book afterwards. Do not be surprised at the lack of sentence structure or normal punctuation, such as quotes. Whole conversations flowing along between the man and boy fill a page, yet the normal constraints and protocol of literature are abandoned.
How fitting. I found it very much in keeping with the end of world scenario. "Old and troubling issues resolved into nothingness and night...
Darkness implacable....There is no god and we are his prophets".
These sentences are examples of McCarthy's talent.
We find ourselves on The Road, along with the man and his son, hunting food, watching over our shoulders, wearing rags, freezing, ever scared of those that follow us. I read the book in two days; I found it so gripping even after seeing the movie.
An entire semester of high school English could be taught with through this one literary work. Ethics, economy, religion, relationships, history, and creative writing, would be just a few areas of exploration.
Many times the book is much better than the movie. I would say they are nearly equal in impact. However, the book does offer more understanding of the breakdown of humanity, the scavanging of trinkets, the years of wasteland invisioned in The Road. Thankfully, we are left with a ray of hope at the very end of the novel.
Where the Wind Blows Bittersweet-Book Review
Jim introduces us to the experienced mountaineers who we later will find spending the night up in the Beartooth Mountains when their snowmobile party becomes hopelessly stranded in a blizzard. The party of 16 breaks into 4 groups, and although one dies, the rest survive the chilling cold using different methods. One can learn much reading about each method, and the people who suffered through them. Bottom line: a little bit of the right gear and snacks can make a huge difference.
This harrowing experience does not prevent future explorations. Three go on to Oregon to hunt for signs of the elusive Bigfoot of the Siskiyous, up near Lonesome Ridge.
Thankfully, the book was written by a man who knows and enjoys his topic, reflecting a love for foot and ski travel as well as machine.
Only 128 pages, this book is a good read and sobering look at a winter world both amazing and terrifying. I turned the last page with a greater appreciation for preparation and the elements.
Over the Edge:Death In the Grand Canyon
A Book Review of this lengthy and well written book by authors Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas M. Myers would really take several postings to do it justice.
Three hundred ninety pages of gripping stories, statistical data, complete bibliography leave us with no doubt the authors have done their research.
Chapters include: Falls, Environmental Deaths, Flash Floods, Killer Colorado, Air Causalities, Freak Accidents, Suicide, and lastly, Murder.
I was amazed at some of the risks people took before their deaths: perching for photos, hiking with insufficient water, bushwhacking impossible terrain, disregarding flood warnings, swimming in swirling eddies. Also amazing were the seemingly benign circumstances and easily escaped dangers had the people paid attention.
The Epilogue sums it up quite well that as a people we have become so domesticated our adventures are sought out and not everyone who is ill prepared can be protected from them.
I highly recommend this book. At times the factual parts could bog you down, at times it reads like a Hollywood thriller. The charts at the end of each chapter summarize quite nicely the trends and highlights.
A very educational book as well, its lessons can be used in all survival situations. Be prepared, do not over estimate your abilities. Never disrespect or underestimate the wilderness or Mother Nature.