Bear Grylls and How He's Changing Everything

Mission: Renaissance

Bear Grylls is mostly known for performing outrageous stunts and eating disgusting foods in his survival series, Man vs. Wild, which I frequently bring up on this blog. A while ago he suffered some weighty criticism when the media labeled him a fraud and blew the reality behind his show way out of proportion. While the negative media attention was pretty strong, Grylls handled it well and was honest with people about the "behind-the-scenes" life of filming an outdoor survival show. To make a long story short, it takes 12 days to film an hour's worth of adventure, and he generally spends 2 of those 12 days literally "surviving" in the wild. It is television, after all. There are liability concerns and logistics to deal with.

Luckily, he recovered from the conflict and so did Man vs. Wild, which continues to put out quality episodes on the Discovery Channel.When push comes to shove, the quarrels about authenticity and production techniques are really beside the point. The show is designed to entertain, and while he can't vouch for the television executives, Gryll's motivations are sound and noble. Bear Grylls is the real deal, a man concerned with the future of children across the world. His show has inspired hundreds upon hundreds of young people around the world to venture into the unknown again! And these days the "unknown" is as close as the backyard. Grylls, the new "Chief Scout" in the UK, is a role model for children (and some adults! can I get a show of hands??). It also seems, as time goes by, Grylls becomes ever more comfortable discussing his Christian faith, which you can witness in the video below. Here is a guy - incredibly famous - yet giving the glory to God... and on national television!



I will never forget the episode when he is stranded on a plateau somewhere in the wilderness of Patagonia, sheltered behind a rock. The stars are out; it is windy and nearly freezing; and he's got a fire going. Alone, he pulls out the hand held camera and talks about his faith in God and how nights like this one remind him how small he is while also revealing how big his God is... As he says on occasion, he "cherishes" these experiences and looks to God for his strength.

In the next video, Grylls talks about his new book series for young adults, which gets me very excited! Not that I intend to read them - although I wouldn't rule that out necessarily, because I imagine they are pretty fun! - but it so encouraging to hear him talk about these books, what they mean to him, to children, their focus, and what he hopes they will accomplish.



In this technology driven culture (exhibit A, right?) we need more people like Bear Grylls. We need to inspire optimism and activity. We need to get young people (and ourselves) outside, away from the computer screens (MUST-BLOG-LESS, UGHH) and into the fresh air. There is so much joy to be found in the simple things of this world.

Thanks, Bear, for reminding us.

Man vs. Wild Returns to the Discovery Channel

Wilderness Adventures with Bear Grylls!

This August, Man vs. Wild, Discovery Channel's hit show starring real-life adventurer, Bear Grylls, returned for its fourth season. Sadly, I just heard news of the show's return, so I have yet to watch any of the new episodes, but here follow some highlights, and if these are any indication, I think we're in for an exciting fall season of adventures!

TEXAS

He makes this look easy, but most people don't know that he nearly died in a parachuting accident when he was in the British Special Forces. His parachute failed to deploy, and he slammed into the earth, breaking his back in 3 places. From what I can tell, Bear Grylls is a walking miracle...



He looks genuinely scared!



ALABAMA

This one is heart-wrenching, but you do what is necessary when it comes to survival.



You can catch new episodes of Man vs. Wild on Wednesday nights @ 9 pm on the Discovery Channel. For more information, check out Discovery's Episode Guide.

Highlights from Bear's Adventures

The New Face of Adventure

Here follow some highlights from Season 2 of Man vs. Wild, which just finished its 3rd season and is available to order on DVD! In fact, this past week, Discovery Channel aired a special in which comedy actor, Will Ferrell, joined Bear in Sweden, deep inside the Arctic Circle. If you missed it, you can watch it in 5 parts on youtube. It was an amusing and exciting episode very much in the spirit of the show. Ferrell took his role seriously, obeying Bear's every command, even though it took him way out of his comfort zone. At times, viewers even saw a rarely-vulnerable Ferrell open up and discuss his reactions to the severe elements. Overall, it looks like Ferrell had a good experience and Bear really enjoyed taking him on an adventure!



Below you will see a clip from the Will Ferrell special...

Bear Grylls Moving Into New Territory...

Recently, Bear Grylls of the Discovery Channel's hit show, Man vs. Wild, was announced as the new "Chief Scout" of the UK Scout Association. According to Grylls' website, the Chief Scout is responsible for inspiring the Scouts and the thousands of volunteers who make things possible. The first Chief Scout was Robert Baden-Powell, the father of Scouting, and upon Grylls' appointment, he will be the youngest Chief Scout in the history of the program.

It's easy to see why Grylls has been chosen for this role, as there are few modern day adventurers as recognizable and popular enough as him to serve as a figurehead for the Scout movement. It is my hope that young people will see, reflected in Grylls, the spirit of adventure so close to the core of Scouting in the UK and America. Frankly, I can't think of anyone better to serve as the figurehead of the Scouting movement. And if we are lucky, perhaps it will also inspire children to join Scouts in America!

For more information on Bear Grylls and the UK Scout Association, be sure to visit his website!

Plight in Pennsylvania: An Appalachian Adventure

June, 2008

"What would Bear Grylls do? He would survive! He would make a fire...out of nothing!" These are the words I chant to myself as I repeatedly strike my flint and steel over soggy tinder. I've been at it for a while now, and my back is aching from all the bending over. The humidity finally gets the better of me; the fire will not light. My head sags in defeat. From the Deerlick Shelter, Matt (my friend and fellow adventurer) jots down some notes for his newspaper article on the Appalachian Trail and the funny nomads who endeavor to explore it.

We have journeyed to the AT near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, this hot and stifling June weekend, for a backpacking adventure for the sake of documenting it in the local newspaper Matt writes for, The Record Herald. So far, we have traveled roughly 5 miles over rugged terrain, stopping once for a water and snack break, where we encounter a deer-fox, meaning we cannot tell the difference. Matt and I got off to a late start, so this is as far as we'll go today, and it is just as well, because literally minutes after we pitch our tents, dark clouds close in above us and unleash a torrent like we've never seen before. Forced to take shelter in our respective tents, we wait out the storm. But it only gets worse as darkness descends, and we start to worry not only about flooding but being struck by lightning. One lightning burst after another flashes across my tent, sending tremors through the ground strong enough to wake the dead. Just when we think it can't get any worse, a streak of electric energy slams into the earth a mere 50 yards away. It is so strong and startling, Matt and I howl in enthusiastic horror - enthusiastic because it's kind of cool, horror because we could die. After the weather's final and most violent demonstration, the rain dies down, and we can finally relax.

We wake early, eat a semi-decent breakfast - depending on who you ask - pack up quickly, and hit the trail ahead of the hot temperatures we'll later endure. Already, though, it is disgustingly humid, thanks to the rainfall the night before. Our shirts cling to our skin like paper mache'. We press on, covering a lot of miles. Over the course of the whole trip, we will hike somewhere between 12 and 15 miles. Early on, we cross several streams and train tracks, leading us to Penmar Park, a notable destination along the way, offering a stellar view of the Pennsylvania countryside. There, we rest and recharge, eating a typical "trail lunch" of crackers, summer sausage, and trail mix. During our hiatus, we speak with several hikers, who warn us of the rocky terrain ahead. We should have paid closer attention.

Later, Matt and I stagger up the mountainside, plagued by the intense heat and humidity. To make matters worse, we are nearly out of water (and there are no more streams to be found), and, indeed, this is one of the rockiest trails we have ever set foot on! The elevation gain is unbelievable, and we feel the pull of our packs as we ascend, one tired foot after another.

Soon, I am at the end of my rope. I have been dehydrated like this before, and it is a scary situation to be in, yet again. Amazingly, it takes me by surprise. I should have been more wary, knowing my past experience with heat exhaustion, but this time around not even all the water on the AT could have prevented it. This is why humidity is so dangerous. It will suck the water out of you faster than you can drink it.

Matt, better off than me, makes sure I get enough rest and even shares with me what little water he has left. By now, it's really hot out. We are close to High Rock, our next destination, from where we will supposedly have another mile and a half to go. But when we arrive at High Rock, a massive boulder jutting out of the mountainside, we make our decision.

This adventure has taken it out of us (me mostly, to be honest). We are satisfied with High Rock and make it our final destination, calling Matt's folks to pick us up. While we wait, we enjoy the view, noticing Pennsylvania's unique "patchwork" landscape of farms and meadows. High Rock is a popular destination and easily accessed by road, so we are not alone. Matt tells me how, years before, a young woman fell to her death after venturing too close to the edge. Later, as we descend High Rock by way of car, we count our blessings.

While our backyard exploits fail to merit a hit show on the Discovery Channel, we are pretty sure Bear Grylls would be proud of us. We have endured a freak lightning storm, life-draining humidity, painful terrain, and dehydration. And we have lived to tell about it! If you are looking for a challenging adventure, head to the foothills of Pennsylvania. The Appalachian Trail is waiting.

Book Review: The Faith of Adventure

"The Incredible Story of a 25-Year-Old's Summit of Mt. Everest"

The Lyons Press
Copyright 2000
279 pgs.

An interesting black and white painting graces the title page of Bear Gryll's first non-fiction endeavor, "The Kid Who Climbed Everest." A mountaineer dangles over a seemingly bottomless crevasse, while his partner sits near the edge, coaching him across. In the bottom right corner, it says, "I lift my eyes up to the mountain - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven, Creator of the earth" (Psalm 121). It is a fitting intro, because it accurately foreshadows Gryll's novel from start to finish, as he consistently gives glory to whom glory is deserved - our Father in Heaven.

The book begins with Gryll's tragic parachuting accident over the skies of Africa. In 1996, Grylls, 23, was on a routine exercise for the British Army, but his chute failed to open, and his back all but shattered when he slammed into the desert floor. It was by the grace of God he survived. For months upon months, Grylls endured painful physical therapies and lived in hospitals. No one thought he would ever walk again. But Bear had a dream, kindled at a young age when his father gave him a photo of Mt. Everest. Bear saw his hopes and dreams fading, but through prayer and determination, he relearned to walk, and 18 months after his accident, he set foot on the summit of Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.

From here, Grylls recounts his tale in moderately good fashion. He is not a writer, rather, a personality, and this is what saves him. But this good ole' yarn is hard to put down, as he transcribes the excitement and chaos of base camp - full of Sherpa guides, cooks, and yaks - the harrowing climb up the Lhotse Face Icewall - always shifting, sometimes swallowing climbers without warning - and his near-death experiences, from falling 90 feet into a crevasse, to having serious altitude sickness and being at the mercy of his friends and Sherpa guides.

Throughout his book, Grylls quotes scripture and boldly acknowledges his dependence on God. He consistently prays for safety and even leads his team members in worship, citing lyrics from the song, Amazing Grace:

"Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come, 'tis grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will bring me home."

During particularly difficult times, he would turn to a seashell his fiance had given him; in it, she had written, "Be sure of this, that I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20), and this was his great comfort and source of strength.

Also in Gryll's book, readers will recognize sincere reverence for the natural world. His reflections on the mountains mirror his awe and love for the Creator. Grylls writes:

"[...] The draw of the mountains is their simplicity. That fierce force of nature, where the wind howls around you and you struggle for breath and life itself; it is strangely irresistible to man. The simple sound of ice beneath your crampons, crunching as the teeth bite into the frozen surface. The raw beauty of being so high and so remote, [seeing] the greatest mountain range in the world sprawled beneath you. All of it inexplicably draws us to them" (271).

While Grylls' adventure is the stuff of epic storytelling, the biggest draw to his book is the faith and perseverance he portrays up and down the summit. Plenty of people have climbed Everest. But not as many give the credit to God. Upon his return, he was repeatedly asked if he had found God on the mountain. His response...no. "You don't have to climb a big mountain to find a faith. [It] is the wonderful thing about God; He is always there, wherever you are" (272).

To anyone who is interested in reading about a man's struggles and his Father's helping hand, "The Kid Who Climbed Everest," would make a fine addition to the summer reading list.