Comment made by another trapper on Brutal, Brutal Trail... story by Bryan.
"When I read some of the comments posted such as "I so envy you living your dream" I think "If only you fully understood". The sheer gut and dedication and commitment required to efficiently manage and operate a remote trapline is beyond the grasp of most people in todays society.
Vikki passed this comment on to Bryan on the SBX this morning.
Bryan said "I don't know of one other person who would have had the fortitude to be told they had to shovel 350 meters (1100 feet) of 5 feet snow and 4 feet wide.... starting at 2 pm and you have to have it done by dark 6pm. And that was after shoveling in 50 big trees wells. "
A lot of what has to be done out here is NO FUN.... To survive it takes a lot of effort.
Bryan's daughter said to him recently... "Just what do you spend your time doing out there?"
Bryan told her .... "You have to realize everything has to be done here. Everything is made from scratch. Our heat is a lot of work. To have water is a lot of work. Getting fuel into 5 gal carrying jugs from 45 gal barrels is a lot of work. Maintaining trail is tremendous work and has to be done. Once you lay out your line you have to keep going to check it. Then you have to handle the fur."
Living and working in a wilderness place used to be common. But people knew how to work then. Now most people would say "You've got to be kidding me."
Things are a lot different nowadays, when I was a boy my Dad worked shifts in a distillery. Then he would come home and work his large vegetable garden for hours to feed us and whatever extended family that would stay with us from time to time. But he was used to working long hard days when he was younger building hydro dams and blasting out for roads working 14 hour days in the highlands and islands of Scotland. Yes folks have forgotten what hard work is :)
ReplyDeleteOn my side , i understand you , people just see the perfect day ..
ReplyDeleteAbout the snow, and skydoo, you never think to put track under the 4wd .. look like miracle .. ???
My wife and I work full time and my wife and daughter own a small cafe. We've always done jobs and small businesses and worked. We have rural property which is constant battle of heat, fallen trees, challenges, etc. I have the luxury of being able to drive ten miles into town to the hardware store, or if really desperate get someone to come out to get one of my vehicles or engines running. I remain in awe of your resourcefulness in your life. Last year I asked how you planned for this and you said notebooks with many notes. Add to that the bears, errant chainsaws, snow and life in the bush and you add a considerable risk element. As a closing, random thought (like most of this comment) I spent lots of time last year thinking about your crawl space and preventing freezing of your food. I messed up my own back stock of food at my rural property and accidentally lost my potatoes and squash to frost in my 'cool room.' I can drive to the store ten miles and buy some potatoes and squash. You cannot. Be safe.
ReplyDeleteThose "fun" seekers should watch Dick Proenneke's 'Alone in the Wilderness' for a sample of what it is really like; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss
ReplyDeleteHi folks
ReplyDeleteOk, after reading your last post, I feel I need to make a comment or two.
You say "To survive it takes a lot of effort". Come on guys, you are running 4 skidoos, quads, you have generators, you are entireley dependent on fossil fuels. You bog for gosh sakes. Can't remember Alex Van Bibber blogging from any of his lines. If the Beaver stopped hauling fuel, you'd be out of business.
Not many guys I know actually making a living off fur. Most folks are using trapping to legitimize living a wilderness lifetsyle, and are essentially "hobby" trappers. Takes a heck of a lot of Martin to pay off a Skandic. Whats your annual bill from Atlin Air look like? Your line is small enough that you could run it efficently with a dog team, if you were so inclined.
Now while you have a great way of life, please don't blow it up to epic proportions. Yeah, trapping can be a lot of work. I know. But most good things in life are a lot of work. You chose this place to live, always remember that.
Please don't take this the wrong way, just appreciate what you have and don't make it out to be more than it is.
Take care out there.
wow....you dont get out much do you! Bryan and Vikki please ignore comments made like this one from this "Anonymous person"
DeleteIf you've never been there, I'm afraid you have NO idea AT ALL what any of it entails, the dangers out there OR the hard work.
DeleteI think Anonymous was more than a little harsh.
ReplyDeleteYou can have many modern things and still work incredibly hard out there! Its awkward to compare people in the bush today to the good old days when they had to use a river or walk. I have talked to people who went through the depression- pretty grim, lets hope we do not go there- you would do well in any event if you stayed where you are.
Depression- the oldest person living in Dawson City had to save for 3 years to buy a bicycle- we simply cannot compare today with those tough years.
I think people are actually jealous of you. Not just your lifestyle but because you go through the trouble of letting people know how you live. Many people have trapped as you do and lived in remote areas but few take the trouble to show the world what its like. Think it irks them a little that they did not have internet years ago and did not share some special things they saw and did. And in my opinion you are not being flamboyant or showing off- you are sharing your lifestyle which is very commendable.
Do not let these people get you down. And some subjects like bears and wolves will provoke controversy but thats part of debating.
I am too private to blog. FYI I have seen porcupines, a fox, a wolverine, moose, bear and many other things swim across rivers. Often saw deer swimming across inlets in QC Islands.
Keep sharing and ignore the people who want to slam you.
Patrick
I can't believe that these armchair critics, who don't have a clue, have the nerve to criticise your lifestyle or the work you do. Thankyou for sharing your life with us. Life in the bush is often a survival game of wits and sheer slave labour. I dare them to go there and try to do what you are doing. I don't think they'd last more than a day, if even that long.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the blog, you're doing a tremendous job of it! And there are a lot of us out here who are cheering you on!
For the record, I posted the Dick Proenneke youtube link and in no way affiliated with Anonymous poster #2. :)
ReplyDeleteI must agree with everyone's comments... with the exception of course of anonymous. Obviously living in ignorance!
ReplyDelete