New Motivation from the "Alone" show on the History Channel

Although I fell behind a bit on my regular "New Moon" posts here through the fall, I have discovered a new and greater motivation to keep going: The "Alone" Show on the History Channel!

Basic premise of the show:  10 Contestants are left in a wilderness area scattered about three to eight miles apart from one another. They are allowed clothing and 10 essential survival items chosen from lists provided and minimal safety/emergency gear including a satellite phone with a GPS tracker so that the producers know where they are at all times.  The challenge is to stay as long as they can stand it - being completely alone - as they demonstrate their survival skills, self-videotaping along the way with equipment provided by the producers. They are encouraged to plan for as long as a year, but as of the second season, the duration has been 66 days. Each person uses the satellite phone to "tap out" when they've had enough. The last person standing wins $500,000.

First of all, at least in my mind, this is much more an "introvert's" game! Which would suit me just fine! It doesn't involve "forced" challenges like on "Survivor", only the challenge of building and maintaining shelter, making the most of the resources available to you for food and fuel, and accepting the experience of being isolated from all other human contact for an extended period of time. Although I am still building on my survival skill-set, I keep thinking of something Tom Brown, Jr. said, "If you go into the woods with a knife, you might as well be living in the Holiday Inn!" And not only do people get to take knives, they can take Nine other items as well including things like parachord, sleeping bags, and tarps, not to mention all of their clothing and shoes, boots, etc.

So, yes! I sent in an e-mail to present myself as a potential contestant on the show! The immediate (auto) response I received let me know that they have already cast the next season, but that they would send me notice as soon as they start accepting applications again.  In the mean time, I figure I'll just keep working on what I've already been planning to work on...only with more motivation than ever given the long term potential rewards.

You may wonder what I would do with $500,000 (once the government has taken it's cut, of course...) - First, I would give a percentage to Tom Brown, Jr's Tracker School because that's where most of my inspiration and instruction has come from and I am (already) Very Grateful for that. Second, I would buy a piece of wilderness (or near wilderness) property, build an off-grid tiny house on it, and then make it into a retreat where others can come and learn and practice survival skills themselves! What better way to "spread the wealth" on multiple levels?!

To that end, I'm going to review what I already know here, starting with shelter building. If you are not already familiar with "debris shelters" here is a quick review in photos, based on the shelter I built in Williamsburg, VA after hurricane Irene blew through.

Demonstration Announcement

Ground should be level and covered with a thick layer of pine needles, leaves or moss for comfort. The "Ridgepole" needs to be 1.5-2 feet taller than user's height. This one ended up being a bit short. I would use a longer one next time.

Ridgepole is first covered with "Ribs" about 1 inch in diameter.

More ribs.

Completed Ribs. Keep in mind this is going to support all of the weight your your debris. So it needs to be sturdy.

Lattice=Branchy Branches

First layers of debris, "trapped" by the lattice work.

More debris. Tom Brown, Jr. teaches that optimum depth is about 3 feet. I didn't have quite enough leaves to do that, but would use more in a true "survival" situation. Also, you can alternate between layers of debris and more lattice branches.

Getting help from one of my neighbors.

Initial test without "door" entrance.

Another neighbor posing with the "door" partially completed. Stakes driven into the ground with others resting on them and driven into the sides of the shelter at right angles. Then covered with more debris.

The finished shelter. Again, in a true survival situation, I would have added much more debris and a "door plug" made of leaves and branches strapped together, or a flap woven from dry grasses.

 Just with the depth of debris shown, this structure remained for about a week, with continuing rains. When I took it back down, the ground was dry underneath.

As I continue to imagine What I Would Do as an "Alone" show contestant, I think I would still build a debris shelter to sleep in, as I suspect it would keep me warmer than just about anything else. I would save any tarps, etc. to protect my gear and/or make into a daily work space. Sleeping bags are "optional" gear. There might be some other of the Ten Survival Items I would rather have, although every other contestant in the current season has chosen to take a sleeping bag!

So this month's "New Moon Challenge": Find a place where you can build and sleep in a debris shelter for at least one night! I'll be doing the same here in Campbellsville, KY (or nearby)!