[This is the earliest piece of my writing that I have saved. This was the fall of 1974 and I was a 17-year-old freshman in my 1st semester at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. And I hated it! I spent my free timing reading books about Alaska and dreaming of living there one day. I also discovered the word “misanthrope” and I said “That’s me!” I eventually did move to Alaska six years later in 1980, but that’s another story!]
Objective:
To become so thoroughly experienced in “living off the land” to be able to remain throughout my life, if necessary, completely independent of all human beings (outside of a wide if I choose to take one).
Preliminary Ideas:
- To gain enough immediate knowledge of Alaska, and specifically the area around Fairbanks and all land north of the Koyakuk River
- To become practiced in all arts of obtaining food, particularly hunting with rifle and bow & arrow, and trapping
- To attempt a preliminary excursion to Alaska to determine the feasibility of the project
- To, in the meantime, obtain an education and enough fiscal backing to start out in my project w/o any undue hardship
Preliminary Opinions:
I will attend Texas A&M for approximately 3 ½ years, in which time I will earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, barring the event that I choose to pursue a different major. If I choose another major, it will most probably be in an area related to forestry, etc., and I will then, most probably, move to Alaska and attend the University of Alaska where I will be close to the source of my project. However, this does not appear to be an immediate concern at the moment. Obtaining a B,S, in Chemical Engineering, I will move to Fairbanks and obtain employment in one of the many industries where my services will be needed. At the time I will purchase land on which to start my homestead and become accustomed to life in the wilderness with weekend excursions, vacations, and leaves w/o pay. This process will take an indefinite amount of time but will not be more than ten years. I will then choose a general area and retreat to a life of general bliss and survival.
Purpose:
My main purpose is twofold: first, survival and independence. With the world situation strangling me and others, it appears that it is now useless to work within the system. I feel I would rather be removed because this is my nature. Second, happiness. My greatest joy comes from living in the woods, and thus my first purpose. It is genuinely thrilling to be independent and to experience nature’s beauty.