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The Start of Chris's Journey
Chris took his old Datsun and drove out west. Chris to abandon his Datsun in Arizona after a flash flood soaked the engine and it wouldn't start for Chris. He attached a note to the car saying if someone found the car, they could have it. Along with his car Chris, had left most of his belongings behind. At this point, Chris learns that life is going to be hard out there and that he is just going to have to persevere if he wants to achieve his dream. -
Jan and Bob Burres
In Northern California, Alex got a ride from Jan Burres who seemed to be like Chris except that she had a car. Jan was around the age of Chris's mother, and took a liking towards him. Chris grew close to Jan in their short time together, and when he left, he sent her postcards as often as possible. Here he makes a new friend and he learns that there still are good people in the world that wanted to help him on his journey -
Wayne Westerburg
Chris gets a ride from Wayne Westerberg, in South Dakota. Wayne offers Chris a job for working at his grain elevator in Carthage. Chris accepted this job because he needed more money. Wayne ends up becoming one of Chris's closest friend. Chris stays with Wayne until Wayne gets in trouble and after that, Chris decides to go to Mexico. Chris didn't really learn much here, but he did leave an affect on Wayne because of the hard-work Chris had put in in to help him. -
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Kayaking down the Colorado River
Chris had caught a ride from a trucker which had taken him to the Colorado river. He later walked 12 miles down to Topock, Arizona and bought a kayak. After he bought the kayak, he had paddled through through Yuma by the end of November. After he reached Yuma, he stopped to replenish his food supply and send a few postcards out. Chris realizes that this trip only reinforces his desire to journey of into the wild. -
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Mexico
Chris sneaks across the border in a kayak, and as He tried to paddle to the Gulf Coast, it was blocked by blocked by swamps. He tries to reach the coast again the next day where he gets even more lost. By luck, some Mexican duck hunters give him a ride to the Coast where he spends a lot of time there, exploring the area. After a rough patch of water through high winds and rough waves, Chris abandons his kayak. Chris ventures into a deserted beach eating only on rice and whatever fish he caught. -
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Mexico Cont.
Through this trip to Mexico and the coast, Chris would later think he could survive Alaska because of his adventure to Mexico -
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Returning to the U.S
Chris is caught by immigration police at the border, and is held at the jail overnight. He tries explain to the police what his situation is and they later let him into back into America, but they take away the gun that he had with him. Next Chris spends the next six weeks traveling across the Southwest. On February 3rd, he tries to get a I.D in California, but feels to uncomfortable in society and later hits the road again. He later hitches a ride with a German couple from the Grand Canyon. -
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Returning to the U.S cont.
On February 24th, he returned to the Detrital Wash where he dig up some of his old belongings. On February 27th, he hitches to Las Vegas where he describes he is not happy there. Through this though, he learns that true joy is living your life to the fullest extent. -
Bullhead City
Chris arrives in Bullhead City, Arizona, where he lives in a trailer and has a job at McDonald's flipping burgers. He stays there for a couple of months working under his real name Chris and opening a savings account. He even used his real social security number which could have resulted in exposure to his parents. Some of his co-workers described him as odd but hardworking, while others said he was slow and disobedient. He never really learned much here except how to flip burgers. -
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Chris meets Ron Franz
Chris set up camp outside Salton City, California. When looking for a ride into town for supplies, he was picked up by Ronald Franz. The two seemed to bond and Chris even delayed his trip to Alaska for awhile. Both of of them stayed in Salton City for a little bit other than a few short trips elsewhere. Franz, having no relatives of his own, treated Alex like a grandson and also taught him some of his leather-working skills and he even wanted to adopt Chris as his grandson. -
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Chris meets Ron Franz cont.
On March 13th, Alex left Franz and went towards San Diego, trying to make some good money for supplies. He later tells Franz in a letter that work is hard to find out there bu he will keep trying. He also tells Ron to try to live his life to the fullest and venture out. He learns that he doesn't like to get attached to people because the would slow his dream down. -
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Back to Carthage
Chris, who was homeless would hop trains and was able to get close to Franz's house again before getting arrested for getting on the trains. Chris later calls Franz and asks him to pick him up. Franz picks up Chris and drives him as far as Grand Junction. Chris finds a ride and arrives three days later in Carthage and continues to work for Wayne. When Chris decided to leave, a guy named Rod Wolf took him out to interstate 94.He later finds that he is sad to leave Wayne and Carthage behind. -
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To Alaska
Chris finally decides that he is ready to go to Alaska. After Wolf dropped him off at interstate 94, Chris got a ride to Laird River and after he arrives, he finds difficulty with finding a ride. A man with the name of Stuckey offered him a ride to Fairbanks and he started to enjoy Chris's presence. When they arrive, Stuckey buys him some food, a berry book, and a .22 caliber rifle. After this, Chris started to walk down the highway to the Denali park where he later met Jim Gallien. -
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Drive With Jim
While Chris is looking for a ride he meets Jim, they later become friends and Jim is concerned by the young man who is venturing out into the wilderness. Jim wants Chris to get better equipment, but Chris has his mind set on going as he is. Jim even tried to scare him with some bear stories, but hey didn't seem to affect Chris. Chris later accepts some rubber boots from Jim to keep his feet warm. Chris later arrives at the Stampede Trail. He would later learn not accepting help was a mistake. -
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The Road to Death
After crossing the Teklanika River, which would later be a fatal mistake, Alex arrived at an abandoned bus sitting on the trail. After arriving, Chris would have trouble hunting game, but he later started to start killing some animals. On June 9th, Chris shot and killed a moose, but most of the meat ended up spoiling which seemed to get Chris down. This could show how he wasn't properly informed on how to live in the wild, which eventually led to his death. -
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Road to Death Cont.
Chris was weak due to the lack of food. Before he had died, he left a note on the door saying that he needed help, and that if anyone found the bus, he needed their help. On the 112th day Chris dies. Nineteen days later, six people found Chris's dead body inside his sleeping bag.The end of his journey was mostly because of starvation.