When Chris first began his journey to the wild, he caught Jim Gallien’s eye while walking on the side of an Alaskan highway. Gallien offered Chris a ride, and shortly into their conversation he learned considerable amount concerning Chris’s plans to live in the Alaskan wilderness. According to Gallien, it was easy to notice how lacking Chris was in terms of supplies and knowledge about where he was going and what exactly he was getting himself into. For his time in the wilderness, Chris only packed a twenty-pound bag of rice to sustain him. Gallien recollected, “He wasn't carrying anywhere near as much food and gear you'd expect a guy to be carrying for that kind of trip.” (Krakauer 4) Gallien took pity on the boy and tried to steer him away
