Shalain later called to let me know that out Couchsurfer had arrived at our place in Santa Fe, and she wanted info on what to see in California. I sent her directly to Santa Barbara and Highway 1! Jennie is here from England, and had been working at a Boy Scout ranch in northern New Mexico, and will now be traveling the US through the end of the year. It was a bit odd setting up a Couchsurfer at my home when I'm not there, but I didn't see the phrase "World Citizen" anywhere in her profile, and ultimately Shalain ran with it and seemed to be enjoying herself.
Rich came over again last night and we sat on the couch playing on You Tube. I like You Tube. Seems to be that last bastion of original art and entertainment, and I find it much more entertaining than TV. A bit late to the party, as always.
I did some research on Digihitch trying to get more information on hitchhiking in Tennessee and the rest of the Southeast. The people from the website seem to give good reviews, with the exception of recommending that I hide the fact that I may be a 'yankee'. Yeah, a few are still fighting THAT war! I got an email from a guy in Kentucky who was interested in chatting to see if we'd like to travel together. Preston I believe was his name. I wrote back to say hi, we'll see how that goes.
Later, I found an interesting website, Terra Incognita Films, who have done their own documentary on Chris McCandless and "Into the Wild". I've had a slight problem with the movie, since I have read the book. Sean Penn took a bit too much creative license, even for Hollywood.
In the movie, McCandless burns all of his IDs and Social Security Card, then eventually all his money. Unfortunately, there's a picture of the man who found his backpack, which was mysteriously left in the bus after they found his body. It held about $300, A MAP, and his wallet... with a drivers license, social security card, library cards. It's interesting to read how Krakour seems to have conveniently omitted or nuanced the facts to fit a story. One that he has been VERY successful in selling.
I am NOT saying that everything in the book and movie is bullshit, and I am NOT diminishing McCandless; his story is still remarkable. I'm just wondering if he has been a bit bastardized, Santa Clausified, for the purpose of exploiting his story for obscene profit. If so, the 'McCandless Cultists' are chasing a fairytale.
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”Apparently McCandless loved that quote, and so do I. I wonder, if this is the case, how he would feel about the book and the movie.
—Henry David Thoreau
Fay was still a tropical storm, and they have no clear idea as to where it is going to strike, other than the Florida Keys. I decided to wait on calling Ken until I had a better idea of how that was going to play out.
