Walden On Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom

Ken embarked on an eight-day journey up the Noatak River with another ranger, Whitney, as they looked for sheep poachers. A plane dropped them off a quarter mile from the river, and Ken went ahead, reaching the river before Whitney. At the river’s edge, Ken saw a grizzly bear 15 yards from him. He took off his pack, realizing that the wind direction would render his bear mace useless, and waited for Whitney. Staring at the bear, Ken felt like the wilderness inside him was battling his civilized nature, revealing his own capacity to become completely wild. He realized that his civilized upbringing would never truly allow him to embrace the wilderness, but he felt like the grizzly bear represented the total freedom he had always craved. When Whitney caught up, they waved their hands and retreated into the bush, heading back to their supplies to load their shotgun. The bear did not follow them, and they proceeded with their journey, seeing many wild animals, and Ken was enchanted with Alaska again. Whitney reminded him of the perils of wildlife, but Ken said he would rather have a full life than a long life.