S07.E10: Pins And Needles

[Quilt Fairy]

Quote

As the participants march deeper into winter, it becomes increasingly difficult to procure food.  One participant gets a lucky break, but soon discovers things aren't what they seem.  Another attempts to do battle with his own mental demons while another's time in the Arctic comes to an explosive finish. 

Airdate: Thursday, August 13, 2020

[Survivalist]

Joe's a lazy idiot.  Period end of story.

[patty1h]

Tough break for Amos with the fire. 

[AZChristian]

Instead of the number of contestants remaining, the chryon should say:

Day 55
12.5% of the men remain
100% of the women remain

Callie and Cailyn are amazing!!!  To be fair . . . Roland is, too.

[overtherainbow]

Finally I have actually caught up with this show.

Amos – was that nature confirming his decision to tap? I have to say his shelter never looked all that durable for the winter anyway.

I’m not sure whether to be impressed or exasperated with Kielyn. She had a bit of a breakdown but was again able to pick herself back up and we got to learn of her past Olympic dreams. Now Alone has become her Olympics. I’m curious how she’ll keep enduring in the 3 hour finale. I predict her and Roland to be neck and neck, may even end up finishing together.

Callie looks to be doing good so far as well and has got the perfect arctic look down. Roland, Kielyn and Callie are some great and highly-skilled contestants. I hope next season can keep up that caliber. 

Edited August 14, 2020 by overtherainbow

[DrewPaul2010]

6 minutes ago, overtherainbow said:

Finally I have actually caught up with this show.

Amos – was that nature confirming his decision to tap? I have to say his shelter never looked all that durable for the winter anyway.

I’m not sure whether to be impressed or exasperated with Kielyn. She had a bit of a breakdown but was again able to pick herself back up and we got to learn of her past Olympic dreams. Now Alone has become her Olympics. I’m curious how she’ll keep enduring in the 3 hour finale. I predict her and Roland to be neck and neck, may even end up finishing together.

Callie looks to be doing good so far as well and has got the perfect arctic look down. Roland, Kielyn and Callie are some great and highly-skilled contestants. I hope next season can keep up that caliber. 

I wonder if Kielyn regrets taking her snares down?

[mlp]

It was really fortunate that Amos had tapped out before the fire because that meant the rescue crew had started whatever process they go through and he didn't have to wait as long out in the cold.  It was becoming increasingly obvious that he wasn't going to win but I liked him and felt bad for him.

I've warmed up to Roland.  He's rough but he seems to be a good guy at heart.  I won't be at all unhappy if he wins.  

[rmontro]

Once again I feel bad that a squirrel gets robbed of its mushrooms.  I hope he had several other stashes somewhere, that was a nice haul.  Resourceful of Roland though. 

They should have called this "Up in Smoke II".  I wonder if Amos hadn't been distracted with tapping out, if he would have been more alert to the fire and he would have caught it in time?  Looked like Amos ran out of fish and immediately tapped.  A little disappointing, but can't say I blame him, it was the realistic decision.  Nice to see him showing some human weakness by picking at the fish when he was wanting to ration them.

Roland said he is happiest when he is alone.  This is the type of person they should have on this show.  Next week is the finale, which is great, but I have a feeling that we are unfortunately going to be getting some drama with the medical teams weighing the contestants.  I hope the winner (if there is one) isn't determined that way.

[HurricaneVal]

I loved Roland's tidy housekeeping, though his use of the handy branch had more of the flavor of "serial killer trying to mask his tracks" than "groundskeeper trying to keep a tidy camp".  One of the other guys would have built a special purpose broom with a decorative carved handle for that chore.  I felt sorry for the squirrel who had all his hard labor stolen away.  But I consoled myself with the thought that Roland would probably end up eventually eating the squirrel before the squirrel went hungry due to the missing stash of mushrooms.  Interesting how the squirrel stored the mushrooms in such a way that they would dry rather than mold!

The cold weather gear Amos brought with him didn't seem quite as substantial as that awesome Siberian reindeer get-up.  I don't know if he is impervious to the cold temperatures, or if maybe he hadn't broken out his real cold weather gear yet, or what.  But I was thinking that if he didn't have anything more than what we were seeing him in, he was going to need to tap soon from the cold.  Hopefully before hypothermia got a hold of his reasoning functions.  I, too, am glad he called for the tap-out prior to his shelter catching on fire.  That really minimized any time he was going to spend in the cold, for sure.  Though for a while there, he'd be right toasty!  At least until it burned to the ground, that is....

[TVbitch]

Roland is so rock steady. But I also felt bad for that poor little squirrel crying over the loss of its food stash. The mushrooms won't amount to any calories for Roland (maybe a few nutrients and some flavor).

All that smoke inside would be a deal-killer for me. That sucks for Kielyn. And she is still living meal to meal. I fear she can't last much longer. 

Callie is still all smiles. Really hope she is a winner. 

[rmontro]

8 hours ago, AZChristian said:

12.5% of the men remain
100% of the women remain

Quite an accomplishment.  Makes me wonder if women just have a natural proclivity for this, or if the show picked some really strong, skilled women.  This show makes you appreciate all the people in the past who had to try to survive and couldn't tap out.  Not too many tried to survive in that environment however, and it helps to have the whole year to prepare for winter.

That porcupine liver was gross!  Did Callie ever even eat any of the porcupine at all? I don't think they said.

I thought it was a little strange that Kielyn knew that she had shallow water but the other contestants did not.  Makes me wonder if they get some information about all the sites during training camp.

[eyelash]

Did they ever say whether or not she ate the porcupine meat even though it's liver indicated disease?  

[dbell1]

Amos: “I quit”. Shelter: “I’m fired”. Impressive that he got the memory cards out and camera set up to catch the destruction. 

Callie: “This liver is diseased.” Proceeds to fondle it, touch it, hang out with it, shop with it, name it,... she also kissed the dead porcupine a few times. I prefer Roland more, he didn’t nuzzle the musk ox, he’s making it into a “snout to tail” project.

Kielyn at least pulled her snares before the snow buried them. If she lasts to the end, I’ll be laughing.

[Quilt Fairy]

 I did not know squirrels ate mushrooms. 

[Chit Chat]

6 hours ago, mlp said:

I've warmed up to Roland.  He's rough but he seems to be a good guy at heart.  I won't be at all unhappy if he wins. 

I like his no-nonsense attitude.  I'm learning a lot from him!  Self-introspection is great and all, but it's a nice break to watch him just talk about the tasks at hand and what he's doing to survive.  I get bored with some of the chit chat from the other contestants.

4 hours ago, rmontro said:

Looked like Amos ran out of fish and immediately tapped. 

He was getting weaker and weaker.  Can you imagine the muscle spasms they probably have due to lack of nutrients?  Kudos to all of these people for what they've accomplished.  I couldn't make it a week in those conditions.

45 minutes ago, dbell1 said:

Amos: “I quit”. Shelter: “I’m fired”. Impressive that he got the memory cards out and camera set up to catch the destruction. 

I was thinking what a bitch it was to have to worry about getting the camera set up while everything was burning down around him.  I'm glad that he got some/most of his stuff out of there.  

[Jeanne222]

1 hour ago, Quilt Fairy said:

 I did not know squirrels ate mushrooms. 

I didn't know that either.  I know they hide acorns.  A new respect for the little pests!

That Porcupine liver about did me in!  I kept thinking about mine and hoping it's ok!!  Lolr

I cheer every time Callie catches another fish.

I thought Amos was a shoe in but I think the cold did him in!

[rmontro]

3 hours ago, dbell1 said:

I prefer Roland more, he didn’t nuzzle the musk ox

No, he just rubbed its brain grease all over his face.  Callie may have been kissy with the dead porcupine, but I'm impressed how she keeps such a cheery attitude out there.  And for all the talk about Roland being grumpy, he seems pretty content also, self professed loner that he is.  I did like his comments about his parents, his acknowledgement of what they did for him, and his regret that he made it hard to raise him.

I also liked that Kielyn pulled her snares.  

 

2 hours ago, Quilt Fairy said:

 I did not know squirrels ate mushrooms. 

Neither did I.  I was wondering how they knew which ones were poisonous.  I guess if it's in a squirrel cache, they're safe to eat?  What were those, chanterelles?

I've heard that squirrels keep a lot of different caches stashed around, so I'm hoping the squirrel still has enough to eat through the winter.

[LittleIggy]

I can’t even stand to hear Roland’s voice with his weird accent. When he stole that poor squirrel’s ‘shroom stash, I was, like, hope you get sick from them, greedy mother fucker. Of course, he’ll win. No one I have liked has won since Alan.

When they showed the porcupine’s liver, I said, “Wow, an alcoholic porcupine!” 😆

 

[Eataton]

 It was kind of funny when Kielyn was looking at herself and commenting how skinny she's getting. She looked super toned and fit. The story of her being an olympic athlete was interesting. I believe it looking at those guns when she flexed!💪😄. Despite the fake outs about her tapping and being too emotional, I now think she'll make it. This is her chance to go for the gold. I wish them all good luck.

[Chit Chat]

6 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

When he stole that poor squirrel’s ‘shroom stash, I was, like, hope you get sick from them, greedy mother fucker.

If it's any consolation, I'm sure that with the hundreds of trees out there, the squirrel probably found more mushrooms to nibble on.  He just needs to stay as far away from Roland as he can!  Actually, I thought it was pretty smart of Roland to watch what the squirrel was doing.  At least he let the squirrel live!  

[AZChristian]

9 hours ago, rmontro said:

Neither did I.  I was wondering how they knew which ones were poisonous. 

Maybe squirrels are smart enough to know that if a bunch of mushrooms are surrounded by the bodies of dead squirrels . . . they're not safe to eat.  LOL.

[madmax]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

. No one I have liked has won since Alan.

 

Same here, except for Sam.  I was very happy when Sam won.

[rmontro]

5 hours ago, ChitChat said:

If it's any consolation, I'm sure that with the hundreds of trees out there, the squirrel probably found more mushrooms to nibble on.

The problem is at that point in time, mushroom season is likely over.  That was most likely his provisions for winter.  Like I said before though, I've heard that squirrels keep multiple stashes, so hopefully he'll be okay.  I'm surprised Roland hasn't tried to shoot him.

I actually like all the contestants left.  I understand why people don't like Roland, but he doesn't bother me.  I like the fact that he's an introvert.  I didn't care for the musk ox stabbing, but again I blame that on the show and its rules.  Although I'm still surprised he didn't have another arrow with him.

[Melina22]

20 hours ago, rmontro said:

That porcupine liver was gross!  Did Callie ever even eat any of the porcupine at all? I don't think they said.

If I never have to see that again I'll be happy. It's hard to imagine that an animal with a horror show liver like that would be safe to eat. I also don't want to see Roland do any more crafts with the musk ox's face. 

15 hours ago, rmontro said:

Callie may have been kissy with the dead porcupine, but I'm impressed how she keeps such a cheery attitude out there. 

Like Nicole in season 2 (I haven't seen 3 through 6 yet) Callie and Kielyn continue the strange tradition of women who speak sweetly to animals and fish right before (and after) they murder them. "HI, sweetie. You're so lovely. Let me just bash your head in." 😁

I'm really impressed with all 3 remaining people. I do understand Amos leaving. He knew his body was no longer able to fight the cold. But if this was fiction I would never buy his shelter burning down seconds after he tapped. I guess he was leaving either way, but seriously, what are the odds? 

I do wonder how any human ever has survived winters out in the wild. I live in a much more southern part of Canada, but in January, I often look out into the blizzard and ponder how the indigenous peoples here used to survive in whatever dwellings they used. Or even the early white settlers. This show constantly makes me think of them all in awe. Meanwhile I'm all, "Poor me. My furnace is making my hair staticky. Pass the Cheezies." 😕

 

[humbleopinion]

I thought that not only would Roland chop down the tree to steal eat Mr. Squirrel's mushrooms he would kill Mr. Squirrel and cook him with the mushrooms....

[rmontro]

49 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

I do wonder how any human ever has survived winters out in the wild. I live in a much more southern part of Canada, but in January, I often look out into the blizzard and ponder how the indigenous peoples here used to survive in whatever dwellings they used. 

If you've got a good shelter built and have adequate firewood and food laid in, your chances are decent I think.  Of course a lot of people didn't make it.  And most people are further south.  Having the whole year to prepare and the knowledge of what to do helps a lot.

I still think that maybe the reason Amos' shelter burned down is that he wasn't paying his usual attention to the fire, since he was preoccupied with leaving.

Edited August 15, 2020 by rmontro

[Melina22]

3 minutes ago, rmontro said:

Having the whole year to prepare and the knowledge of what to do helps a lot.

Very true. Generations of knowledge. And usually you didn't have just one person doing it all. 

Still, the boredom during months of winter must have been tough, even for people used to it, with hours and hours of darkness every day. 

Meanwhile, watching tonight's show I started to wonder how the Inuit people above the tree line used to heat their dwellings. This show gives me so much to think about, and questions to research. 

I do feel sad though, thinking of how people in the wilds in the past had no sat phone, no helicopter to save them. Injure yourself, or fall in icy water, or run out of food, or get stuck trying to find a porcupine, or burn down your shelter in a blizzard and it was probably all over. (Some of the thoughts I have during this show can get pretty disturbing.) 

[Eataton]

11 hours ago, Melina22 said:

Still, the boredom during months of winter must have been tough, even for people used to it, with hours and hours of darkness every day. 

Yeah, sitting in silence in a dark shelter for months would drive me nuts. Cabin fever was probably a much more serious thing when you don't have home entertainment or the option of hopping in your car. 

[humbleopinion]

15 hours ago, Melina22 said:

Meanwhile, watching tonight's show I started to wonder how the Inuit people above the tree line used to heat their dwellings. This show gives me so much to think about, and questions to research. 

 

They herded reindeer and used their dung to heat their fires.

[Melina22]

1 hour ago, humbleopinion said:

They herded reindeer and used their dung to heat their fires.

Is this true in the North American Arctic though? I know there's caribou but are there reindeer? (You could be right, and I should know but I'm too tired to google it right now. Maybe later after more coffee.) 

[humbleopinion]

Reindeer, caribou, the herd animal in their homelands that would cooperate.

 

[AZChristian]

11 hours ago, Eataton said:

Yeah, sitting in silence in a dark shelter for months would drive me nuts. Cabin fever was probably a much more serious thing when you don't have home entertainment or the option of hopping in your car. 

The thought popped into my mind last night that those of us who have been self-quarantining during the covid epidemic have now been sheltered at home for about 150 days (since mid-March).  We have only been out of our homes for absolutely necessary things - curbside library, grocery (and wine) pickups, doctor visits, etc.  So we've been "locked down" for 150% of the time the Alone folks have to be isolated.

But what a different situation they are in.  No phones, no Netflix, no TV at all, freezing temperatures.  And some of us are blessed to be isolated WITH someone.  

I could NOT do what they have been doing for more than 3 days.  About when my emergency food packet ran out.

Mad props to every one of them!

Edited August 16, 2020 by AZChristian

[rmontro]

8 hours ago, humbleopinion said:

They herded reindeer and used their dung to heat their fires.

 

Does that mean they stockpiled dung throughout the year to get through winter?

 

7 hours ago, AZChristian said:

But what a different situation they are in.  No phones, no Netflix, no TV at all, freezing temperatures.

Like Robinson Crusoe, as primitive as can be.

[endure]

I binged this season over the weekend, it is probably one of the best I’ve watched.  The women are killing it, and I would be thrilled to see either of them win.  I adore Amos and he should be so proud of surviving the Arctic for as long as he did.  Roland has a wealth of skills and experience.  I can’t wait to see the finale and will be happy if one of them makes it to the 100th Day.....a huge feat.

[endure]

One thing I’ve wondered about and it may have been addressed is if the contestants ever see the boat or helicopter on the way to pick up a tap out person.  I heard someone, I think it was Roland saying the plots were maybe about 5 miles apart.  Even if they didn’t see they could possibly hear and assume.  I would think they would definitely be on the alert to those sounds.

[AZChristian]

13 minutes ago, endure said:

One thing I’ve wondered about and it may have been addressed is if the contestants ever see the boat or helicopter on the way to pick up a tap out person.  I heard someone, I think it was Roland saying the plots were maybe about 5 miles apart.  Even if they didn’t see they could possibly hear and assume.  I would think they would definitely be on the alert to those sounds.

My understanding is that they do random health checks of each of the participants, approximately once a week for each.  Different days, different times of day for all of them.  So they can't memorize a schedule and realize that the boat or chopper is coming in on a different day.

[humbleopinion]

3 hours ago, rmontro said:

 

Does that mean they stockpiled dung throughout the year to get through winter?

They live with the reindeer/herd so year round supply to gather, dry and use the dung pies for fire

[endure]

Here’s an article about Kielyn for anyone who’s interested.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7049066/alone-season-7-kielyn-marrone-canadian-interview/

[Eataton]

Could someone tell me the longest number of days they made it on past seasons?

3 hours ago, endure said:

Here’s an article about Kielyn for anyone who’s interested.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7049066/alone-season-7-kielyn-marrone-canadian-interview/

Thanks Endure, good article. I see that they started on September 18, so the winner would have to stay until Christmastime. That Great Slave wind has to be pretty bitter by the end of December. I live close to Lake Michigan and it's bad enough here where the damp wind just cuts through you sometimes. I give them lots of credit just for enduring that for 24 hrs. a day.

[Whyyouneedaname]

6 hours ago, Eataton said:

Could someone tell me the longest number of days they made it on past seasons?

Thanks Endure, good article. I see that they started on September 18, so the winner would have to stay until Christmastime. That Great Slave wind has to be pretty bitter by the end of December. I live close to Lake Michigan and it's bad enough here where the damp wind just cuts through you sometimes. I give them lots of credit just for enduring that for 24 hrs. a day.

Zachary Fowler made it 87 days, not sure if anyone has made it further than this or not. This was the same season that they pulled Carleigh Fairchild for medical reasons as the runner up, she had lost too much weight. 

[Blackie]

On 8/14/2020 at 1:15 PM, overtherainbow said:

Callie looks to be doing good so far as well and has got the perfect arctic look down. R

 

But how did she fit that giant reindeer coat in her pack??  They all seem to have a couple giant parkas that don't seem "packable". Except Amos.

 

On 8/14/2020 at 11:23 PM, Jeanne222 said:

I cheer every time Callie catches another fish.

 

Kielyn 🙂

On 8/14/2020 at 5:30 PM, HurricaneVal said:

though his use of the handy branch had more of the flavor of "serial killer trying to mask his tracks" than "groundskeeper trying to keep a tidy camp"

 

haha especially when it kinda almost sounded like he murdered his parents??? 

 

16 hours ago, endure said:

One thing I’ve wondered about and it may have been addressed is if the contestants ever see the boat or helicopter on the way to pick up a tap out person.  I heard someone, I think it was Roland saying the plots were maybe about 5 miles apart.  Even if they didn’t see they could possibly hear and assume.  I would think they would definitely be on the alert to those sounds.

 

I was wondering if they would have seen the smoke of Amos's shelter burning and then hear the helicopter.  That would have been disturbing.

[Yeah No]

On 8/14/2020 at 7:28 PM, rmontro said:

That porcupine liver was gross!  Did Callie ever even eat any of the porcupine at all? I don't think they said.

No, they didn't.  They're messing with us, setting us up to wonder about this until the next episode.

On 8/16/2020 at 10:00 AM, AZChristian said:

The thought popped into my mind last night that those of us who have been self-quarantining during the covid epidemic have now been sheltered at home for about 150 days (since mid-March).  We have only been out of our homes for absolutely necessary things - curbside library, grocery (and wine) pickups, doctor visits, etc.  So we've been "locked down" for 150% of the time the Alone folks have to be isolated.

But what a different situation they are in.  No phones, no Netflix, no TV at all, freezing temperatures.  And some of us are blessed to be isolated WITH someone.  

I could NOT do what they have been doing for more than 3 days.  About when my emergency food packet ran out.

Mad props to every one of them!

Heck, when I think back to when I was a kid I wonder how I managed with only TV, phone, books and magazines.  And TV had far fewer channels!  But I can at least remember a time when there were far fewer options and we were content with them.  Plus I was a "latchkey" kid from the age of 9 on, and was alone a lot of the time (no siblings) until my parents came home from work in the evening.  My pandemic quarantine didn't look too different from my ordinary life either, except for not being able to have lunch with friends every now and then, which I still haven't done and have missed.  I actually missed shopping in the supermarket too! 

But anyway, I can definitely imagine being able to last out there for weeks without either feeling bored or lonely.  I would probably find ways to occupy myself.  I've never been a person to get bored, I always have "projects".  I think in that kind of situation I'd take advantage of the filming to "journal" about my life and maybe take stock of myself and my future goals.  Plus I'd consider it a spiritual quest of sorts as well.  But that's me, I've always been content to be alone.

[ProfCrash]

I think there is a world of difference between what the contestants are doing and what we are doing. There might be a good amount of time alone during quarantine but there are lots of ways to reach out to people using the computer or the phone. And while we might have had less tech in the 80's, there was still TV and radios and the start of video games. Not to mention books, toys, bikes, and all that fun. Same for quarantine. I have learned how to make a mean sourdough loaf, organize rooms, and find plenty to do around the house. I also have a full fridge and can snack, or eat my homemade bread, when I want so I am not burning valuable calories.

The contestants are in an environment where they see the medical check team on a random number of days but are not allowed to converse with them. They don't have anything to occupy their time but the work that they make for themselves to do. And the things that they can do burn calories that are in short supply. Amos tapped because he couldn't stay warm in his sleeping bag with a fire going in his shelter due to the lack of fat in his diet. There was no way he was going to make up projects that would burn calories and fat. 

And there is just a world of difference when you are solely responsible for everything in your life, including your life. I backpack and love being out in the woods and the quiet. I don't think that I could handle any of the long hikes, like the Muir Trail or the Appalachian trail. The solitude seems like it would be great but I would go nuts after a week or so of only occassional contact with other people. 

[Yeah No]

41 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

I think there is a world of difference between what the contestants are doing and what we are doing. There might be a good amount of time alone during quarantine but there are lots of ways to reach out to people using the computer or the phone. And while we might have had less tech in the 80's, there was still TV and radios and the start of video games. Not to mention books, toys, bikes, and all that fun. Same for quarantine. I have learned how to make a mean sourdough loaf, organize rooms, and find plenty to do around the house. I also have a full fridge and can snack, or eat my homemade bread, when I want so I am not burning valuable calories.

The contestants are in an environment where they see the medical check team on a random number of days but are not allowed to converse with them. They don't have anything to occupy their time but the work that they make for themselves to do. And the things that they can do burn calories that are in short supply. Amos tapped because he couldn't stay warm in his sleeping bag with a fire going in his shelter due to the lack of fat in his diet. There was no way he was going to make up projects that would burn calories and fat. 

And there is just a world of difference when you are solely responsible for everything in your life, including your life. I backpack and love being out in the woods and the quiet. I don't think that I could handle any of the long hikes, like the Muir Trail or the Appalachian trail. The solitude seems like it would be great but I would go nuts after a week or so of only occassional contact with other people. 

Ah, but that's the thing, my "projects" often don't involve burning that many calories.  I didn't grow up with money in the '60s and '70s.  Life often felt more like survival in the Bronx, especially when I was alone with no adults to bail me out.  I remember when us kids were given a board, a hammer and some nails as a "toy".  You get inventive, you become resourceful to find ways to survive.  There was a world of technological difference between the '60s and the '80s.  I often feel like I grew up in the stone ages, lol.  I once got stranded with my travel camp in the White Mountains of New Hampshire when I was 13.  Our bus broke down and we were in the middle of nowhere.  We literally had to spend two nights outside in the woods with no shelter except for our own personal sleeping bags (the next night we were transported a few at a time in cars to an abandoned sleep away camp where we spent the next two nights until a replacement bus could be arranged - there were no motels that could accept a large group).  We built a fire, we survived until someone could find us help.  Life was rough in the old days, LOL.  And here I thought it was great fun, LOL.  My parents thought it was a great story when I got home, but showed no great shock or anxiety.  They had experienced rougher things in WWII.  Today something like that would have made the national news!

Edited August 18, 2020 by Yeah No

[rmontro]

13 hours ago, Yeah No said:

No, they didn't.  They're messing with us, setting us up to wonder about this until the next episode.

Yeah, next episode when Callie is puled out with trichinosis poisoning.  Just kidding - I hope. 

[batesj]

On 8/15/2020 at 3:50 PM, Melina22 said:

Very true. Generations of knowledge. And usually you didn't have just one person doing it all. 

Still, the boredom during months of winter must have been tough, even for people used to it, with hours and hours of darkness every day. 

Meanwhile, watching tonight's show I started to wonder how the Inuit people above the tree line used to heat their dwellings. This show gives me so much to think about, and questions to research. 

I do feel sad though, thinking of how people in the wilds in the past had no sat phone, no helicopter to save them. Injure yourself, or fall in icy water, or run out of food, or get stuck trying to find a porcupine, or burn down your shelter in a blizzard and it was probably all over. (Some of the thoughts I have during this show can get pretty disturbing.) 

when you have a cold sink, debris, animal skins, an igloo and shared body heat, lots of brown fat on your body and fat meat to eat, you dont need to heat the igloo. Just shared body heat gets the temp to 30F, and it can't be warmer or the snow melts. The Innuit had raised snow "beds" with caribou, polar bear  or seal skins and a lower area to where the cold air would be displaced by their body heat. They had a tiny seal oil lamp for light and a larger one for cooking.  Mostly, the innuit stayed on the sea coasts, so they'd  have seal, whales, walruss, large, FAT animals. Great slave lake is a barren area to be avoided in winter., unless you could use netting to catch several hundred lbs of ducks and geese.

[batesj]

On 8/18/2020 at 7:37 AM, ProfCrash said:

I think there is a world of difference between what the contestants are doing and what we are doing. There might be a good amount of time alone during quarantine but there are lots of ways to reach out to people using the computer or the phone. And while we might have had less tech in the 80's, there was still TV and radios and the start of video games. Not to mention books, toys, bikes, and all that fun. Same for quarantine. I have learned how to make a mean sourdough loaf, organize rooms, and find plenty to do around the house. I also have a full fridge and can snack, or eat my homemade bread, when I want so I am not burning valuable calories.

The contestants are in an environment where they see the medical check team on a random number of days but are not allowed to converse with them. They don't have anything to occupy their time but the work that they make for themselves to do. And the things that they can do burn calories that are in short supply. Amos tapped because he couldn't stay warm in his sleeping bag with a fire going in his shelter due to the lack of fat in his diet. There was no way he was going to make up projects that would burn calories and fat. 

And there is just a world of difference when you are solely responsible for everything in your life, including your life. I backpack and love being out in the woods and the quiet. I don't think that I could handle any of the long hikes, like the Muir Trail or the Appalachian trail. The solitude seems like it would be great but I would go nuts after a week or so of only occassional contact with other people. 

insulation is insulation. It doesn't matter how you get it if you're not moving around. I would not bother to take the sleeping bag. I'd rather have the 12x12 tarp, the rope hammock, the 3 lb block of salt and the duct tape than the saw, the sleeping bag, the ferrorod, the gillnet and the parracord. I"ll make a lot more cordage and netting out of the 20x20 tarp that i dont need for anything else. I'll be able to do more with the saw edged E tool and the modified Crunch tool than with the axe, saw and belt knife.  I can gather enough debris and use hot rocks under a raised wooden bed, to not need the sleeping bag, in a SEALED (tape) tarp shelter or igloo.I can take some of my snarewire as copper wire. With that wire, the duct tape, a battery and some lint scraped off of my shemagh, I can easily start a fire and then just bury the coals in the ashes, not needing to start another one. So there's no need of the ferrrorod.

[Melina22]

23 minutes ago, batesj said:

the 3 lb block of salt

I was surprised I never saw anyone use salt. I thought it was necessary for health and to lessen fatigue and muscle pain. 

[batesj]

6 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

I was surprised I never saw anyone use salt. I thought it was necessary for health and to lessen fatigue and muscle pain. 

it is, but 3 seasons were on the sea, on vancouver island, the other seasons, they've been dummies to not take it. They can't even start fires without a ferrorod, when they've got wire and big, powerful battery banks. :-).  So you just take the salt and not the ferrorod. The more important use for the salt is as bait for porcupines and big critters and to preserve fish before the weather's cold enough to do so for you. Salt helps you eat bland food and helps prevent dehydration. when you lack enough electrolytes, your body does not properly ingest water and that's part of why they are always constipated.

Edited September 11, 2020 by batesj