The Supertramp

I recently learned the story of Christopher McCandless and while I do understand his need to search for something beyond the fairly easy life of the 21st century, some things are a bit weird. The need to go back in time is something I've dreamed of quite frequently. Not because I think it was a simpler life, but because I think the modern world tend to throw a bit too much at us. Life in the older times was more about primary survival needs than luxury goods and cravings for things we don't need. So living off the land and separating oneself from being owned by possessions is noble, I wouldn't want to go without most of my shit thought.

However at some point you have to take a look at what is idealism and what is just plain stupid. McCandless or Alexander Supertramp as he called himself on his journey, went into the Alaskan wilderness with a .22 calliber rifle, 400 rounds of hollowpoints and 10 lbs of rice.
No map, no compass, no axe, no decent knife. At the very least anyone heading "into the wild" should bring sufficient equipment. Now for the shotbus fuckers that means; Knife, first aid kit, axe, sharpening stone/iron, clothes suited for the climate and clothing repair kit, a flint or another reliable tool to make a fire. Weapon (s) suitable for what he or she may come across. This means that in an area where you may run into this fellow you might want to bring something with a bit more punch than this peashooter. Shooting a grizzly with that is the equivalent of shooting Fat Albert at 20 paces with a BB gun. Unless you get a direct eye hit that bear will keep coming at you, and now he/she is pissed!
 Maybe something like a proper hunting rifle and a second rifle for small game, perhaps a fishing pole or some form of nets since the rivers tend to have quite a bit of fish in them, you know in case you get hungry. I mean you wouldn't want to starve to death right by a river full of fish, after you try to preserve meat in a way unsuited for the area in effect spoiling it.

Am I calling Chris McCandless a moron, I guess I am. Sure he's portrayed as someone who rejected the life his parents wanted for him, he's not the first nor will he be the last to do that. In the movie we get a picture of charming, intelligent young man, and I'm sure he was. however he cannot possibly have been of sound mind when he went into the wild.
At one point his behavior started to show way to many signs of being reckless rather than on an adventure. I might feel this way since I've grown up among people who frequently go into nature to hunt, fish and whatever else they feel like. None of them would voluntarily go into the wilderness unprepared. My uncle who used to spend weeks in the mountains hunting would do laps where he placed dry goods depots around where he would be hunting later, so that if shit happens he knew where he could find food.

Now am I saying that people shouldn't try to live off the land for long periods of time? No I'm not, I'm saying that if you insist on doing this shit, prepare first. Get a map, get a compass, you don't have to look at either, just have them with you. Spend a little time speaking to people who are used to living in the same type of terrain, the best ways to preserve meat isn't always the same.
Get a fucking first aid kit, with a few bandages and such. Even the great adventurers of history didn't go out completely unprepared. If Christopher Columbus had done what Supertramp did he would have sunk before he left harbor. If Lewis and Clark pulled this shit they would have died before hitting the halfway mark.

Being an adventurer isn't the same as being reckless and having no regard for your own life.