S05.E08: Slayer II

[raven]

4 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Or, we the viewers were misled to wonder why on earth he didn’t eat all of that fish and hang in there.

I don't think he ate any of it, which was the problem.  He probably should have been eating several a day with the stores he had.  Dave admitted, IIRC, in the post show for that season that in his mind, he didn't need to eat, which was obviously not true.  So some probably would have gone bad but he wouldn't have been literally starving if he had been eating the rest.

The contestants don't really have any way to store months worth of meat.  Even if Dave bags a deer, he'll have the unused portion and offal to think about - he doesn't want to attract predators to his camp and he has no way of freezing the meat.

[Token]

This has been a somewhat disappointing season.  I hate tap-outs for "I'm lonely" or "I've done what I came here to do".  WTF does that even mean?  Day 33 and only 4 people left?  Larry is annoying as fuck.  Dave is cray as fuck.  Sam sounds like a special needs kid.  I can't believe that someone voluntarily chose to breed with Sam.  I also can't believe that these people are here for a second time and still suck.

Britt is my only hope for some salvation this season.  He's the only person who hasn't irritated the shit out of me.  Once he's gone, if he goes, I'm out.

Am I the only one, when Dave was talking about losing the deer he was hunting, who thought, "that's because they never really existed, you hallucinating crazy mofo"?

Edited August 5, 2018 by Token

[roamyn]

1 hour ago, Token said:

Am I the only one, when Dave was talking about losing the deer he was hunting, who thought, "that's because they never really existed, you hallucinating crazy mofo"?

LOLOL!  I didn’t think that, but that’s funny.

BTW, they’re at day 35.  That’s when Randy left, and Britt remarked it was a hallmark day for him, since that’s when he left the first time.

If I remember correctly, that’s when Justin left in S2, and left only four people, who stayed another month.

[Auntie Anxiety]

3 hours ago, raven said:

The contestants don't really have any way to store months worth of meat.  Even if Dave bags a deer, he'll have the unused portion and offal to think about - he doesn't want to attract predators to his camp and he has no way of freezing the meat.

I’m thinking that it’s getting cold enough for them to just freeze the meat outside. And they can cook down the fat and refreeze it for future use (my Life Below Zero training is kicking in here). Make as much deer jerky as possible, use leftovers to bait some traps, use the skin as a blanket.

[cooksdelight]

Leaving the meat outside to freeze would be tricky, since predators would undoubtedly smell it and come running in to get some. 

My cat can smell a peanut from across the house. Trust me, the big cats out there would do the same.

[simplyme]

Well, I'm down to rooting for Britt and then Sam as my back-up. Yes, SAM!! Larry annoys the bejesus out of me with his mood swings, random yelling, and playing to the camera (and wasting bear spray), and I'm just so tired of Dave talking about hunting (especially his moral dilemma about taking life). 

If it were anyone other than Larry yelling to hear his own echo, I would have expected to hear Larry yelling back at them.

Yes, Dave. I'm completely shocked that the deer disappeared when you tried to run past them while talking constantly to the camera. They must have ESP.

Sad to see Randy go, but as soon as he started talking about missing community again this episode I knew he was tapping. Bah humbug.

I think the highlight of the episode for me was Britt putting the mouse head on the knife and doing a little mouse voice. Sad but true.

On 8/3/2018 at 11:03 PM, beatu said:

This stuff is a cakewalk compared to solitary confinement in prison, believe me.

 

...I'll just point out that one is a reality TV contest and the other is generally considered one of the worst punishments available for convicted criminals. 

[jvr]

At least we got to see Randy's beautiful body one last time before the tap-out. Thank you.

eta: Lets go Britt!

Edited August 5, 2018 by jvr

[rmontro]

13 hours ago, Charlesman said:

I believe last week, either a contestant or the graphics said the smoked fish only last a week or so. So stocking up only gives them 7-10 days past the river going cold? 

That's my understanding as well, that smoking only preserves for about a week.  But if you can freeze them on top of smoking they should be able to last the winter, I would think.  But even if you can't freeze them, if it's cool enough to simulate refrigeration (which is like 40 degrees or so), that would surely extend the preservation to some extent.  As has been said though, if Dave gets a deer, even if he can freeze it, how is he going to store it so that predators don't get to it.  They always show that info box that says bears can smell for miles, that scares me.

10 hours ago, Token said:

This has been a somewhat disappointing season.  I hate tap-outs for "I'm lonely" or "I've done what I came here to do". 

They've had these in every season though.  I agree they are irritating. 

1 minute ago, jvr said:

At least we got to see Randy's beautiful body one last time before the tap-out.

Thanks for giving me one reason that I can be glad that Randy's gone  :)

[qtpye]

13 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I guess they forgot to tell that to Dave last time, he had weeks worth of fish hanging there, Uneaten.

Or, we the viewers were misled to wonder why on earth he didn’t eat all of that fish and hang in there.

I think he had something like 43 fillets when he was forced out due to starvation. He was scary thin.

11 hours ago, Token said:

This has been a somewhat disappointing season.  I hate tap-outs for "I'm lonely" or "I've done what I came here to do".  WTF does that even mean?  Day 33 and only 4 people left?  Larry is annoying as fuck.  Dave is cray as fuck.  Sam sounds like a special needs kid.  I can't believe that someone voluntarily chose to breed with Sam.  I also can't believe that these people are here for a second time and still suck.

Britt is my only hope for some salvation this season.  He's the only person who hasn't irritated the shit out of me.  Once he's gone, if he goes, I'm out.

Am I the only one, when Dave was talking about losing the deer he was hunting, who thought, "that's because they never really existed, you hallucinating crazy mofo"?

 

Lol, that would be so funny but you really never know with Dave.

58 minutes ago, jvr said:

At least we got to see Randy's beautiful body one last time before the tap-out. Thank you.

eta: Lets go Britt!

 

When Randy came on his first season I thought he had amazing skills and a fairly powerful body (did not expect that muscle tone) but seemed like a flake. His original season he seemed to only be there because his daddy made him go. This time it felt like he used the show to advertise his skills and planned to be gone by the first snow, no matter what.  I had such high hopes for him and I understand some people are just not motivated by money. However, it is always annoying when the most highly skilled survival person taps out due to not being able to hack the solitude. I would guess the show likes extroverted people because they tend to have the more charisma on camera and, I say that as an introvert, even though most extroverts are powered by fairly constant interactions with people. I imagine Randy's dad is cursing somewhere "Dang it...that boy ain't never going to bring home a paycheck".  I don't know why, but I will be annoyed if effing Larry wins. It feels like some of the fame from his original season has kind of gotten to his head.

Edited August 5, 2018 by qtpye

[rmontro]

24 minutes ago, qtpye said:

I think he had something like 43 fillets when he was forced out due to starvation. He was scary thin.

That's why I think Dave has to have some sort of superhuman willpower when it comes to food.  As you noted, he was frigging starving and malnourished!  And yet he wasn't digging into those fillets.  Put Dave out in the wilderness and he would probably develop some sort of eating disorder.

[CowboyCO]

I just marathon watched the season up to this week.  It's been rather boring.  Frustrated with FAT Sam who does nothing but starve.  I mean really?  Gives up on the net after hours and hours to make it?  Stake that net down.  And the fish trap placed in what looks like a dead pond?  It seems his strategy has been to out mental and slowly starve to death.  Dave has expended way too many calories hunting.  For god sakes, he found out where the deer are,  so set up a ground blind just off the trail and sit in there and start expending fewer calories, not climbing all over the hills, making a stand, then not using it.  I think his brain is way too active, making him constantly expend calories unnecessarily.  I don't get why they don't focus on fishing and storing food.  Randy frustrated the hell out me.  The guy has all the skills, and was set up for the long haul and then taps out when it snows and it get s a little hard?  I'm rooting for Britt.  he appears to be doing everything right.  I'm hoping the preview of him losing his homemade treble hook doesn't mean he wasted all his hooks with that one idea.  If Sam wins, I'm done with the show.

[Tammee]

13 hours ago, Token said:

This has been a somewhat disappointing season.  I hate tap-outs for "I'm lonely" or "I've done what I came here to do".  WTF does that even mean?  Day 33 and only 4 people left?  Larry is annoying as fuck.  Dave is cray as fuck.  Sam sounds like a special needs kid.  I can't believe that someone voluntarily chose to breed with Sam.  I also can't believe that these people are here for a second time and still suck.

Britt is my only hope for some salvation this season.  He's the only person who hasn't irritated the shit out of me.  Once he's gone, if he goes, I'm out.

Am I the only one, when Dave was talking about losing the deer he was hunting, who thought, "that's because they never really existed, you hallucinating crazy mofo"?

Team Britt all the way!  Hes the only one seems like got it all together.  Its funny, i was thinking how it seems like when they made the decision to tap theres been no agonizing for hours about whether or not they should do it, they just pick up the phone and make the call 'thats it Im done, come get me' lol.  I dont know how it could be done logistically, but whenever someone taps they should let the rest pillage the campsite for stuff they could use hah no use wasting it

[cooksdelight]

3 hours ago, CowboyCO said:

It's been rather boring

I second that.

Were ziplock bags not on the list of items they could take with them? That would be the way to store the smoked fish, in cold water.

[jvr]

22 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I second that.

Were ziplock bags not on the list of items they could take with them? That would be the way to store the smoked fish, in cold water.

I seem to recall from some other survival type show or maybe I read it but possibly burying the food might keep it cold in the winter and keep it safe from animals? Set a big trap on top of it just in case some animal does smell it and now you have even more food.

[simplyme]

On 8/3/2018 at 11:35 PM, Tighthead said:

Sam hasn’t exactly prospered out there but he is the best conditioned to win a starvation battle. I think 55 days wins it. 

I'd agree with this. The smallest person to win this so far was S2's David McIntyre, who started at 190 lbs. Alan Kay, Zach Fowler, and the Baird Brothers were all pretty large men to begin with. Yes, they burn more calories than smaller people, but they have more to lose before they get pulled.

So between Sam putting on significant extra weight before the show started and seeming to hunt, fish, and move less than most others, I'm not worried about him being pulled for his BMI.

I'm still cheering for Britt though.*

*Admitting that is probably the kiss of death.

[ProfCrash]

On 8/4/2018 at 5:30 PM, mlp said:

I've watched this show since the first episode of season 1 and I still don't understand how they're filming themselves when they're walking along for some distance.  It seems like they'd have to stop every 20 feet and move the tripod or hold a camera out at arm's length which they don't appear to be doing either.  ???

 

On 8/4/2018 at 5:32 PM, ClareWalks said:

I assume it's some sort of selfie stick

I am assuming that they are working with Go Pros. Small, easily changed batteries, light, weather proofed, and easily mounted to things. I know that they have cameras permenantly established around their camps, we have seen some of them attached to trees. I think there are a few that are motion triggered near the shelter, probably to catch contestants coming out of the shelter or animals that are in the area.

As someone who loved Survivorman, Les used to trek around with a backpack full of campera equipment. He would hike to a spot set up the cameras and then repeat the hike, carrying all the gear. Later seasons started to employ the Go Pros and I am sure that he was thrilled with that. I kind of want to know what Les could do with a drone... Maybe fewer approach shots but the drone could be used to fly the trail he was hiking or something cool. 

[cooksdelight]

They use GoPros, and they “set up” scenes by arranging the cameras and then acting out whatever it is they are doing.

[Tammee]

16 hours ago, simplyme said:

I'd agree with this. The smallest person to win this so far was S2's David McIntyre, who started at 190 lbs. Alan Kay, Zach Fowler, and the Baird Brothers were all pretty large men to begin with. Yes, they burn more calories than smaller people, but they have more to lose before they get pulled.

So between Sam putting on significant extra weight before the show started and seeming to hunt, fish, and move less than most others, I'm not worried about him being pulled for his BMI.

I'm still cheering for Britt though.*

*Admitting that is probably the kiss of death.

On what day did least season end?  All i remember was once the first dropped on that final, suddenly there was a succession of several one right after the other

[Chit Chat]

I have no doubt that Carleigh would've done really well with the isolation.  I don't think that being away from family would've affected her near as badly as it has for some of the other survivors.  Sigh.   I like them all just fine, but I was really in it these season for her.  It's good to see on her Instagram and FB page that she ended up having a great experience in Mongolia with other adventures.   I really don't care who wins at this point.  I had to FF the mouse killing scenes.  I could do without that image!

[HurricaneVal]

On 8/4/2018 at 5:18 PM, ClareWalks said:

For those curious about Sam's POV, venture over to the AloneTV Reddit - he posts there. In one of the posts he explains that his shelter is better than it looks, heh heh.

"Better than it looks"?  I certainly hope so, because when I look at it, I can see right through it!

[Riche1212]

Dave may be playing to the camera a bit but for me he's the most entertaing; a true warrior! He's exerting alot of energy but love that he's hunting and exploring.  With all his prior season succes in fishing,  I'm a little surprised he wasnt going after more fish early on.  Like his approach best.  If I had to survive he'd be the guy I'd think would be the best partner... Wouldnt turn my back on him for too long! LOL

Brett is resilient and my second favorite to watch.  Glad he caught the fish but would like to see him apply more skills in finding other food sources.  He seems content in his own skin and definitly entertaing. 

Was rooting for Randy.  Id like to think I could build a shelter like that.  I think the security it provides psyhologically from preditors would keep me in in game longer. He just couldnt overcome the demons of no stimuli and no food. The trips up to the mountain top for one last look seem to be an indicator the end is near!

I respect Sam but sorry to say he's a TV nightmare.  Just BORING.  BUT its survival so guess he's just pacing.  If they focused on him more Id have to turn it off.  Just doesnt seem to be doing ANYTHING.  

 

LARRY is actually growing on me! Couldnt stand him at first  but hey,  he's entertaining! Yeah,  and playing to the camera but always interesting to watch a guy who walks to the beat of a different drummer. 

 

If you had to team up with one of these guys to survive who would you choose?!  Dave to survive for me.  Brett more to hang with!

[MostlyContent]

1 hour ago, Riche1212 said:

LARRY is actually growing on me! Couldnt stand him at first  but hey,  he's entertaining! Yeah,  and playing to the camera but always interesting to watch a guy who walks to the beat of a different drummer. 

To me?  He was entertaining (somewhat) in his first season.  That's when he seemed to be walking to a different beat.  Now?  He simply seems to replay all the crap that got him some attention the first season.  "Mouse!  FUCK mouse!  Fuck! Fuck!  MOUSE!"  Rather boring, although seeing him realize he had an echo and cry when he heard his OWN voice was interesting.  He already knows he's got a gig when this season ends .  They probably all do.   Plus, now he's celebrating cold weather because the mice are gone?  As far as we know, they were the only thing he was eating.   Could be production tricks.  Who knows.  

 

1 hour ago, Riche1212 said:

f you had to team up with one of these guys to survive who would you choose?!  Dave to survive for me.  Brett more to hang with!

For me, it would have been Randy.   The man has some skills.

Now?  Probably the same as you.  Brett.  Not because I think he's going to last the longest (I honestly don't have an opinion now), but because I like him.  

I'd be worried that Dave might kill me in my sleep and smoke my innards, and then not eat them......so no.  Not him.  I do think he has mad skills with his bow and I respect that.  If he actually gets a deer from atop his weird ass, shaky, scary, dangerous deer stand, then good for him.  I appreciate his skills, but I wouldn't want to spend one minute in his company.  

Sam?  Just ........um...........no.  

[MostlyContent]

Plus, I'm tired of seeing little vermin get skinned.   Is that all they've got this season?  Hours and hours of mice and tiny birds get skinned?  

I'd much rather watch someone actually build something.  

I think Mongolia was a mistake for 'Alone'.  

Still love the show, but tired of what I see as production getting too involved.  

Perhaps I'll change my mind in the remaining episodes.  

[ClareWalks]

It's Britt, not Brett

[ProfCrash]

Randy. I would team up with Randy. He had skills and would crush a season that provided him a partner. He keeps leaving due to the lack of social contact so a partner would keep him in the game.

[rmontro]

7 hours ago, Riche1212 said:

Dave may be playing to the camera a bit but for me he's the most entertaing; a true warrior! He's exerting alot of energy but love that he's hunting and exploring.  With all his prior season succes in fishing,  I'm a little surprised he wasnt going after more fish early on.  Like his approach best.  If I had to survive he'd be the guy I'd think would be the best partner...

I'd partner with Dave as long as he understands that I am eating those fillets.  He may not be interested in eating but I am.

Dave's playing a big gamble with his hunting, sort of like Jose did with his boat.  If it pays off for him, it will pay off big.  If not, he's going to be out of there.  We saw how it worked out for Jose.

3 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

Randy. I would team up with Randy. He had skills and would crush a season that provided him a partner. He keeps leaving due to the lack of social contact so a partner would keep him in the game.

Randy would probably quit because he wanted to be around more people.  "I need a community, not a duo".

[ProfCrash]

29 minutes ago, rmontro said:

I'd partner with Dave as long as he understands that I am eating those fillets.  He may not be interested in eating but I am.

Dave's playing a big gamble with his hunting, sort of like Jose did with his boat.  If it pays off for him, it will pay off big.  If not, he's going to be out of there.  We saw how it worked out for Jose.

Randy would probably quit because he wanted to be around more people.  "I need a community, not a duo".

LOL I had not thought of the Dave/Jose similarity. But they are pretty much the same thing aren't they? They are both focused on one and only one strategy for getting food. Dave fished for a bit but pretty quickly turned to hunting a deer. He built that "deer stand" and has been off building a second camp for hunting purposes. I am sure he has been eating something during all of that but we have not seen what it is and he mentioned eating tree bark in the near future.

And, yeah, Randy might decide that two people is not enough but it might buy a few more weeks or even a month.....

[qtpye]

18 minutes ago, rmontro said:

I'd partner with Dave as long as he understands that I am eating those fillets.  He may not be interested in eating but I am.

Dave's playing a big gamble with his hunting, sort of like Jose did with his boat.  If it pays off for him, it will pay off big.  If not, he's going to be out of there.  We saw how it worked out for Jose.

Randy would probably quit because he wanted to be around more people.  "I need a community, not a duo".

It’s always an odd situation when someone has all the skills needed to be successful but not the desire. I think Randy could of found food and could of gone on longer. He looked to be in great shape and had not dropped that much weight. He just did not have it in him.

[simplyme]

8 hours ago, Riche1212 said:

If you had to team up with one of these guys to survive who would you choose?!  Dave to survive for me.  Brett more to hang with!

Is this a survival scenario or an Alone-type reality TV scenario with cameras?

Randy for the scenario with cameras.

Flat-out survival is a little harder. I think I'd still choose Randy, but there's some part of my lizard brain that points out that Sam is a big guy, and if things got truly desperate... uh, well, think Donner party. I just don't know if I could do it. So, yeah, probably Randy.

I'm never getting dinner invites from this crowd now, am I?

[Token]

41 minutes ago, simplyme said:

Is this a survival scenario or an Alone-type reality TV scenario with cameras?

Randy for the scenario with cameras.

Flat-out survival is a little harder. I think I'd still choose Randy, but there's some part of my lizard brain that points out that Sam is a big guy, and if things got truly desperate... uh, well, think Donner party. I just don't know if I could do it. So, yeah, probably Randy.

I'm never getting dinner invites from this crowd now, am I?

Nothing wrong with saying that.  Right now, I choose not to eat animal products.  Someone said to me once, "oh, but I bet if you were starving, you'd eat an animal, wouldn't you?"  I looked at him and said, "honey, if it came down to it, I'd eat you if I had to".  We do what we have to!  I did enjoy the look on his face.  I don't think I'm getting an invite from him during the apocalypse! 

[holly4755]

In defense of everyone on this show, being alone can get things stuck in your head with nothing to knock it out. I am not a psychologist but can see where you are just haunted by a thought stuck in your head and that can translate into I don't want to be alone.  I used to have a vacation home and would be lying on the beach enjoying the sights and smells and suddenly a desire to share it with someone would come over me, and I was not even hungry or tired. 

 

as to Sam not doing anything but laying around, I recommend you to the media thread where i posted the Carly explaining the cameras video or to Reddit where Sam is posting a bit about his stay, not too much because of DNAs, sometimes about season 1 as a cover.  should i be posting a link to this stuff? even on this same forum?

[roamyn]

I’d pick Nicole, as long as she had access to her medicinal plants.  She has more survivalist skills than anyone I’ve seen on this show - except maybe Mike.

[Yeah No]

Yes to the Dave/Jose similarity.  And yes to rooting for Britt, but because I like him he's bound not to, of course.  I haven't been hating this season as much as some others here have, but I have a feeling we're going to have an unsatisfying ending with a lot of tap outs one after the other once the weather gets really bad.

[ProfCrash]

18 hours ago, holly4755 said:

In defense of everyone on this show, being alone can get things stuck in your head with nothing to knock it out. I am not a psychologist but can see where you are just haunted by a thought stuck in your head and that can translate into I don't want to be alone.  I used to have a vacation home and would be lying on the beach enjoying the sights and smells and suddenly a desire to share it with someone would come over me, and I was not even hungry or tired. 

 

as to Sam not doing anything but laying around, I recommend you to the media thread where i posted the Carly explaining the cameras video or to Reddit where Sam is posting a bit about his stay, not too much because of DNAs, sometimes about season 1 as a cover.  should i be posting a link to this stuff? even on this same forum?

I get the loneliness factor. When it is a season of newbies I tend to whine a bit when someone drops because they have "Done what they needed to do" or know that their "kids need them" via telepathy.  But I don't whine too much because it is their first time out there and being alone has to be hard, especially when you are trying to survive. Normally I am bummed when Randy or Lucas or some of the other folks who are building a nice little camp and seem to be fine with the survival element decide that they are done because they are lonely. But I get it.

This season is different. Randy knew that it was hard to be out there for a long time by yourself. He tapped in the first season for that very reason. Brooke knew that it was hard to be out there for a long time. She tapped the first season because she was hungry and losing a ton of weight. Watching them both tap for the same reason they did the first time is annoying. If you don't think that you can stick it out, then don't come back. These are returnees. They know the game. They knew they were going to Mongolia and that it would be harder then the first season. Either set your mind to deal with the original problem and be determined to stick it out or don't come back.

Dave is a bit manic but he is showing that he learned something from last time and is trying something different. It might not work but he is doing something different. Britt has changed his game and has lasted longer then his first time out. The two of them are fun to watch, although Dave can drive me a bit crazy, because they learned something and are doing something different.

Sam and Larry are pretty much playing the same game they did last time. It worked for them pretty well, they lasted a good long time, but neither of them seem to have learned anything and they are probably not going to win it all. Sam eventually tapped because he was hungry and bored and wanted to be at home. His season lasted the shortest of all the seasons so I suspect that he will not make it past 60 days. Larry has not shown me that he is able to last longer then any last time because he has not changed his game.

Honestly, Dave is hard for me can a part of me appreciates what he is doing and brings but he has this manic energy to him that is off putting to me.

[rmontro]

22 hours ago, simplyme said:

Flat-out survival is a little harder. I think I'd still choose Randy, but there's some part of my lizard brain that points out that Sam is a big guy, and if things got truly desperate... uh, well, think Donner party.

Randy would be a tempting pick, because he would build a nice cabin before he went and threw himself off a cliff because there wasn't enough people to talk to.

But I still think I would pick Dave, because he wouldn't eat much (more for me).  The bad thing is if things got to the "Donner party" point, he wouldn't have much meat on him.

[cooksdelight]

3 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

Watching them both tap for the same reason they did the first time is annoying. If you don't think that you can stick it out, then don't come back. These are returnees. They know the game. They knew they were going to Mongolia and that it would be harder then the first season. Either set your mind to deal with the original problem and be determined to stick it out or don't come back.

Amen to this. It’s why I do not like this season. At all.

[ProfCrash]

13 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Amen to this. It’s why I do not like this season. At all.

It doesn't help that three of my favorites tapped early for medical reasons.

I want to like Sam but he is boring. Larry is the exact opposite, fun for a bit but then too loud and too into being a character. Dave is sincere but something is just off. Randy and Brooke tapped for the same reason they did in their first season. The younger kid would have been an early tap if his brother hadn't hurt himself and probably wouldn't have been voted out.

I am hoping that Britt wins it all. I like his attitude and what he has done. He does enough that he is engaging without being a ham. He is not Sam or Larry. And he feels far more balanced then Dave.

I almost get he feeling that Dave is auditioning for his own survival show, like Survivorman or Bear Grylls type thing.

[rmontro]

6 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

Watching them both tap for the same reason they did the first time is annoying. If you don't think that you can stick it out, then don't come back. These are returnees. They know the game. They knew they were going to Mongolia and that it would be harder then the first season. Either set your mind to deal with the original problem and be determined to stick it out or don't come back.

Maybe there's some sort of psychological lesson to be learned here.  That people will tend to make the same mistakes over and over.  Sort of like madness is supposed to be doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Perhaps the contestant who wins will be the one who actually learned from the first time and finds a way around it.

 

2 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

It doesn't help that three of my favorites tapped early for medical reasons.

Nicole and Carleigh were two of my favorites.  I wouldn't mind seeing them given another chance, to be honest.  

In any case, I'm enjoying the season.  People complained so much after last year's "partners" season, I would think they would be overjoyed to see the original format back, even if it is with recycled contestants.

[cooksdelight]

I compare these folks to alcoholics or addicts. They keep going back to the things they know they cannot control, they can’t help themselves.

[Kelda Feegle]

I love how Fkn Larry gets out of bed, exclaims what a great day it is and how happy he is and the first thing he does is hit his head on his shelter, bless him.

[dgpolo]

I've been thinking, maybe it's easier to tap out early just because they already know the consequences aren't really that bad. They get publicity, if they are smart they can probably parlay that into some actual money. they get support from their families, some of them have businesses that benefit, etc. I think Carleigh was the only one that really wanted to win because she came so close last time.

[simplyme]

On 8/11/2018 at 10:07 AM, dgpolo said:

I've been thinking, maybe it's easier to tap out early just because they already know the consequences aren't really that bad. They get publicity, if they are smart they can probably parlay that into some actual money. they get support from their families, some of them have businesses that benefit, etc. I think Carleigh was the only one that really wanted to win because she came so close last time.

I think there are a couple others that want to win, too, namely Sam and Britt. I think we all knew Carleigh wanted to win because of how she went out last time, but I think it's somewhat sunk in for both Britt and Sam that if they were going to choose to be away from their families again, they better either come home with the $500k or get medevaced, and it better not be a weaselly medevac.

Sam didn't mention his wife, but Britt specifically mentioned his wife saying if he was going to do this, don't tap for them. Stay and get the money for them. Sam has talked quite a bit about getting the money for his family. And My God, the man ate leeches to prove to his kids that he was going to keep trying. My mother may never forgive him for that. She was exceedingly grossed out.

[qtpye]

On 8/12/2018 at 9:05 PM, simplyme said:

I think there are a couple others that want to win, too, namely Sam and Britt. I think we all knew Carleigh wanted to win because of how she went out last time, but I think it's somewhat sunk in for both Britt and Sam that if they were going to choose to be away from their families again, they better either come home with the $500k or get medevaced, and it better not be a weaselly medevac.

Sam didn't mention his wife, but Britt specifically mentioned his wife saying if he was going to do this, don't tap for them. Stay and get the money for them. Sam has talked quite a bit about getting the money for his family. And My God, the man ate leeches to prove to his kids that he was going to keep trying. My mother may never forgive him for that. She was exceedingly grossed out.

Unless they are injured or really starving, it is what I scream at my tv when anyone uses "my family needs me" excuse to tap out. I bet Barbara was really furious that her husband who was doing so well tapped out just because he "missed her" on a previous season.

Edited August 14, 2018 by qtpye

[cooksdelight]

I totally agree. The “family” excuse says they should have stayed home and never done this in the first place. It’s what’s making this season a real dud for me, since they knew what they were signing up for.

[ramble]

On 8/12/2018 at 8:05 PM, simplyme said:

Sam didn't mention his wife, but Britt specifically mentioned his wife saying if he was going to do this, don't tap for them. Stay and get the money for them. Sam has talked quite a bit about getting the money for his family. And My God, the man ate leeches to prove to his kids that he was going to keep trying. My mother may never forgive him for that. She was exceedingly grossed out.

I’m with your mom! As someone who had to bathe in a creek when I visited my grandparents I have a strong dislike for leeches. My cousins and I would put on our bathing suits and wade in. We thought it was fun and different not realizing at our age that my grandparents had limited water resources. We would pass around a bar of soap and bottle of shampoo. After dunking ourselves in the deeper parts to rinse off we would check each other for leeches. They usually were from our knees down if we had them. At least a couple of times I was the lucky winner. We had one uncle who was the designated leech remover. Ugh. If one was really stubborn he’d hold a lit match next to it. I have fond memories of my large pack of cousins and the creek. The leeches? Not so much. I can’t imagine eating them. *shivers*

[writbest]

none of them did the slightest BIT of research, even tho they had most ofa year to get ready. If they had, they'd have known that the rivers freeze solid there, and that within a month or so  of their arrrival, the fish were all going to be back in the deep lakes. So making a cabin, instead of making 1500 sq ft of 2" mesh netting, using it as baited net-weirs and a seine to push fish towards those weirs, was stupid. they were dropped off in the middle of the 2 month long SUMMER, with the fall lasting just one month.  It takes just one day to make a pontoon outrigger raft out of stuff that they were given, so it wouldn't matter with the local wood floats well. It only takes  3 days, at most, to make a small dugout, and stuff it with dried grass. No need to bother with more than a tarp shelter for at least 6 weeks, and not then if you have not fed yourself well  the entire time and have at LEAST 50 lbs of preserved fish/game. Cause you'll starve out before winter hits. I"ll bet you that none of them can tell you how many feet that the tide rises and falls on Vancouver Island, without researching it, which is what they should have done before going there. The answer is "six feet".  So you drive some stakes, out in the tidal flats, at low and high tide,  lash some poles to them and mark each foot, so you'll know what's what at any given time of the day and any place on your section of the shore.  You also memorize the tidal charts for a week or so in that area and as soon as  you're dropped off, you notch that info into a tree. you can extrapolate out whatever you can't remember. That's very useful info to a net-fisherman.

[writbest]

wooded beardsman has said that Mike told him that he had medical issues that he did not want brought up on the show. he's another one with no judgement, making lots of luxuries when he couldn't even feed himself worth a hoot.  There's kelp all OVER the shoreline on Vancouver Island, but it only offers  50 calories to the POUND, so there's too much fiber for the calories gained. In ONE day, however, you can make a big wooden mortar and pestle, embed the mortar nearly flush with the ground, with a hole bored into the bottom of the chamber, at an angle to drain it, into a little  basket-tarp  cup that you set outside of it, in a little trench that you dig down alongside of the mortar. You make a fulcrum, a long pole and 3 guideposts to ensure that the pestle falls straight into the mortar, when you easily lift it with the lever.  In a couple of hours, you can generate 1000 calories worth of kelp juice, beyond what you burned to get it (ie,  20 lbs of kelp)  A bit of T shirt material blocks the exit hole, keeping the pulp from flowing into your cup.

If you cut a sapling, you can make a long handle for the Cold Steel e-tool, which lets you stand up and move a LOT of dirt, snow, sand, etc. If you cut a sapling with a right angle limb, the shovel becomes an adze/hoe, pick, letting you  scrape out the wood that you coal burn down into the mortar. The mortise only has top be a bit deeper than the juices splash up when you drop the pestle on the kelp. Set it up so that you can sit there very comfortably on a padded sling-chair , hunk of log, pile of big stones, etc, and easily move the lever, switch hands as needed, etc.  Not much more work than writing with pen and pad, actually.

[writbest]

did anyone NOTICE that Fowler weighed a good 80 lbs more than Carleigh did? Yet she nearly beat him, despite his catching 60 fish and her catching only 6? She just holed up and conserved her bodyfat, while he wasted a ton of calories and time building a fishing dock (instead of a pontoon outrigger raft),  handrails and steps (instead of using the raft to find a beach without the steep hillside). And just use a 10x10 chunk of the 20x20 under  the 'camera"  10x10 tarp, with dry debris between, as his sleeping shelter.  You only want something about 4 ft wide,  3.5 ft tall, tapering to 2.5 ft wide, 2.5 ft wide, about 8 ft long, for sleeping.  Just enough for your body, some dry debris, your sleeping bag, your gear, your raised wooden bed, that's it.  This lets you use very little of the tarp material, which you also need for making a cover for your seep well, making a water filter, making chaps and a poncho, so you can use the rainsuit as a water holder/carrier and a pontoon. Spray waterproof the pack and one set of outer clothing before you go. Stuff them with dry debris, sew them and tape the seams, and they'll make fine pontoons.  The camera case will make another. The life preserver, airhorn and bear spray will all float. More pontoons can be made out of the netting and tarp material, if need be. You need 8 poles, 8 ft long, 4" OD, and 2 poles that are 6" OD, 11 ft long, notched in their centers. They are your diagonal braces for the outriggers.

[writbest]

every lb of your bodyweight is about 3000 calories that you can burn. Fowler lost 73 lbs in 87 days. That's 200,000 calories, along with the 60 fish, which he claims were about a lb each. with the exception of salmon (during their runs) fish have almost zero fat. They are 650 calories to the lb, ready to eat. Only half of a fish or animal's live weight is edible flesh. So he had say, 20,000 calories of food-gain while he was there. Out in the cold, dampness and wind, working as hard as he did, you can easily burn  thru 4000 calories per day. Top swimmers have to eat 10,000 calories per day while they are training, did you know that?  :-) The heavy duty shelter was unnecessary, and inferior and way too big. All you need is the 10x 10 tarp as a work awning, with a Siberian fire lay projecting heat 2m in one direction, heating big stones that you then put near you as a heat source. If need be, you can close in the walls around your awning, with piles of brush, debris,  and dirt, to keep out the cold wind and somewhat retain the heat of your fire for you. Take at most 2 days, when you can have the long handle on the shovel, piling brush and then debris onto the 10x10 and dragging it where you need it to be. You do NOT want your fire inside of your shelter, killing you in your sleep with CO poisoning, putting your gear, your shelter and your hair at risk of being ruined, and ruining your lungs with all the smoke, rendering you barely able to see, etc.

Edited November 26, 2018 by writbest

[writbest]

Dave N did NOT have "piles of fish". He's said in other places that he had a couple of dozen little  1/4 lb fillets.  Big deal, 6 lbs of fish, 3800 calories. that's ONE day's hard working caloric need.  2 days if he's just laying around. That's nothing . If you go on this challenge, not outweighing everyone by at LEAST 20 lbs, you can't win unless the fattest guy screws up, gets hurt or sick (ie, luck) or you have to do it my way, making a lot of netting, catching 500 lbs of fish in 6 weeks and catching a deer and a wolf, or catching a 10-20 smaller critters,, or catching 600 lbs of fish.  The netting can be used to catch birds, crabs, crawfish, small mammals, like rabbits, possums, skunks,  If you make such 'box traps" out of green sticks, 3/4" OD,  they will hold squirrles and coons, too, at least for a while. You want your traps positioned along a couple of routes between your camp and the water source. Check the traps as you come and go, so that the animals dont get much time in which to gnaw their way free.