One of the earliest influences I had towards the wilderness was my family. We would often go backpacking, far away into the mountains. Each time I never wanted to leave. Growing up as a child I remember seeing in our living room bookshelf a paperback titled, "We Like It Wild" by Bradford Angier. He was called "Mr. Outdoors" and wrote dozens of books on how to live in the mountains with as few things as possible. He was well known in the back-to-earth movement. Though he was not an Old Believer he is an inspiration to me in living the strong Old Believer way of life, due to many of his down-to-earth ways. Below are photos of the front and back covers from this book of my childhood.
Forgive
The Stranniki (Russian for Runaways or Wanderers) are the strong Pomorsky Old Believers who rejected prayers for Tsar Peter and all government papers (identification, passports, money, etc). They would not wear clothing contrary to Old Orthodox Russia, nor eat with those of contrary Faith and Practice. Keeping themselves separate from the antichrist society they went far into the Siberian wilderness. This blog is about these people and my effort to conform my life to theirs.