Self-reliance and survival

The overriding theme that pervades "One Man's Wilderness, An Alaskan Odyssey" is the requirement that Dick rely only upon himself every day if he wants to survive and thrive in the Alaskan wilderness. He has no social system or structure in place on which he can depend for his welfare like a city-dweller or even rural American might. There is no cell phone, no convenience store and no way out readily available. There is also no safety in the environment around him. Whatever he wants or needs must be found, grown, hunted or made by him, or he must do without. Babe flies in on one of his planes on a regular but unscheduled and often sporadic basis.

Dick is originally from Primrose, Iowa. His varied working background as carpenter, diesel mechanic, sheep rancher, heavy equipment operator, and commercial fisherman gives him the skills of self-reliance...