occasional Sunday morning newspaper. While I was out shopping, he had watched one of those Dateline type shows and the main story focused on a young man named Christopher McCandless. Chris had given away all his worldly possessions, including his name, which he changed to Alexander Supertramp, walked away from his family, his life, to walk into the Alaskan Wilderness alone. Jon Krakauer told his story in the book Into the Wild. The following is a letter Alex wrote to a friend while hitchhiking:
"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."Dale and I bought Into the Wild that weekend in Dallas and read it aloud together. That was our only option because neither wanted to wait on the other to finish reading it. I have never been more captivated by another person's story in my life. He moved every person that he met. And his story moved us. Dale and I both shed several tears throughout the book. Anyone who knows us has heard about this story and been encouraged to read it. To this day, Into the Wild has stayed at the top of our favorite's list. Dale and I have always wanted to visit that place, that bus, Chris McCandless stayed in during his last months of life. We have not yet given up on that trip, either. We now have our own bus. A trip to Alaska anyone? 
What are the stories that have moved or motivated you to step out of your comfort zone - encouraged you to be more than you are???
3 comments:
Hi Tyler, I hope all is well. I too was consumed by "Into The Wild." I read it in about 98 or 99. I believe it is the Sept. issue of Men's Journal that has a great article about the upcoming film. Apparently the bus is still in the same location as are his few belongings. I have read Krakauer's others, the one about Mt Everest, and the one about the Mormons, but they lacked the intensity of "Into the Wild". It was on my annual top ten that year close to the top. Love the bus, please bring it through Ft Worth sometime.
Sorry, I forgot to answer the question! Although, I loved Into The Wild, I have zero desire to make a pilgrimage to the bus. If I ever go to Alaska, you'll find me at the Ancorage Embassy Suites. For those of you who love a great disaster, or a meaningless trek in the wilderness, here are few of my favorites: In The Heart of The Sea, by Nathaniel Philbrick. True story of the whaleship Essex. Alive by Piers Paul Read, True Story of the Uraguayan rugby team that crashed in the Andes, and then The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason. Fiction about a quiet man sent by the British Crown into the jungles to repair the piano of an eccentric general. Great stories all. That's all for now.
I found an article about a man and his father who rented snow mobiles to get them to the bus. The trip was about an hour each way. Sounds way too cold to me! I think I would be interested in an ATV excursion sometime during the summer months. That way I could be back in time to meet you and Britta for the Manager's Reception at the Anchrage Embassy Suites. Now that sounds like a fun trip!
I will recommend Alive by Piers to Dale. Sounds like a book he'd really like.
The bus will be at the car races in November. Dale is camping out at the speedway with some friends. If it wasn't such a nightmare during that time, I would suggest that you head out there and check it out. I am skipping out on that little adventure. I'll be in the mountains. Some other time we'll come through and give you guys a call.
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