4 years ago I felt lost, even though society had clearly paved the path for me. I was 17 and living in Stockholm Sweden. After seeing the documentary “Alone in the wilderness” by Dick Proenneke, I became completely obsessed with the idea of just packing a rucksack of hand tools and wondering off into the vast forest of Sweden to create my own life, living off the land and build a log cabin. I found my meaning, but I was still in high school. My Grandparents owned forest so I started spending more and more time with them every weekend, wandering out, dreaming of my obsession and asking for advise. I had absolutely no prior knowledge of anything how I was going to do this, just the obsession to learn. When I turned 18 I told everyone of my plans. I received a gopro camera from my parents, so I could at least film some of my adventures. I hadn’t even thought about filming anything but I did so and am I glad I did. It is a long story from here of hard work, pain, cold, making many many mistakes and figuring out how to solve problems all alone by trial and error. But I finally built the cabin all alone after 3 years. Along the way I also became passionate in filmmaking, so I invested in a better camera. The whole journey is filmed on a tripod by myself, which was lets just say a struggle (I am insane). Some people will doubt this and say I had a film crew and construction team, which I just take as a big complement. I know my journey and I hope to inspire others the same way Dick Proenneke inspired me.
20 Comments on I Spent 3 Years Alone Building A Log Cabin
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Happy Swanza ya Schlongers
A FRIEND OF MINE, RETIRED NAVY OFFICER, DUD THIS…
LIVED IN A TEEPEE FOR A FEW YRS IN NORTHERN MONTANA, AMONG THE GRIZZLIES, BUILT A LOG HOME AND BARN, LIVES AS A MOUNTAIN MAN, UNMARTIED, HAPPY AS A PIG IN SHIT
I ENVY HIM EVERY TIME WE COMPARE NOTES
I’m 20 minutes into this, pretty impressive. I’ll see the rest a little later.
it’s very zen.. The star of the piece is the dog.
I had a German Short Hair named Ruby…15.5 years of all of that…..Fantastic!….I’ve got others now not GSP’s, Tex and Emmylou. They are different yet cherished the same…..That video makes my back hurt….
How many hours do you think he spent keeping his tools sharp?
How many hours do you think he spent keeping his tools sharp?
Why did it post twice? Sometimes I can’t get it to post once.
We saw Dick Proenneke’s films a long time ago and were envious of his unique experiences. Being completely alone isn’t for everyone, but those who find pleasure in the work of their hands and pitting themselves against the brutality of nature in this way are amazing to see.
Chop wood, carry water. No time for procrastination.
…how many calories per day do you think this guy burned?
We watched a PBS series (one of several similar) of 3 families who spent 6 months in Montana. They had to build their homes, plant crops for food/fodder, keep animals, etc. One of the families was from southern CA — the father was the head of a tech company. After about 3 months he insisted on seeing doctor and was certain he had cancer because he’d lost a lot of weight. Turned out he was exactly the right size for a 1880’s homesteader doing the kinds of work needed to homestead.
That’s really impressive, but there’s no way he grew those lemons out there.
Long story short. I worked one summer on a salmon seiner in Prince Williams Sound with a high school friend who was encouraged to go live in Alaska with his godfather or go to prison. He was established by when I went there, he got married etc. His father in law homesteaded there in 1948. Kasilov area, Kenai peninsula…..His father in laws homestead cabin was still standing and usable. It was maybe 8′ X 12′ with a 6 foot ceiling…..I can’t imagine an 8 month fall/winter living like that….
I wuns bilt a airplane outta popsickle stix …… well, actally i din’t ………
but I thot about it!
There’s a pretty good Book called “An Island to Oneself ” about a Guy in the
Pacific taking over a WWII Coastwatcher Hut….I’ve Read it twice…Then
lent it to My Sister..Who lent it to My Stoner Nephew….Guess I’ll go buy
another Copy. Author was Tom Neale…Just checked…I got it for a $1…
It’s now a bit Pricier…
Bobcat, try to get that book back. It’s $54 in hardback now; and for some reason even more in paperback….
I saw that…and was shocked !!
I t probably helped to have a free place to build. Free materials. The tractor helped a lot. Shouldn’t have to suffer anymore.
“Erik Grankvist’s exact net worth is unverified, but networthspot.com predicts it to be about $2.12 million.”
Yeah… it’s really not hard to do this sort of whim if you’ve got backup in the form of a wealthy land owning family. Back in the old days we called this sort of people trust fund hippies. They participated but they always had that fallback for when things got too real.
You haven’t been lonely until you feel like you could physically die from it.
These used to be the kind of people who immigrated to America, until Ted Kennedy, and the dems changed the law. Now legal and illegal immigrants come here for the freebies. And white Europeans need not apply.