Episode 5-Mike Lowe

On this episode we speak with Mike Lowe, a contestant from season 2 of the Alone show.

Mike shares why he tapped on day 21, speaks about being raised in an orphanage, talks about his faith in Jesus Christ and how it impacts every aspect of his life, and shares some amazing experiences from his time on Alone.

Find Mike at https://wildernesswayadventures.com/

Transcript:

Sam 0:13

Hello, and welcome to episode five of the alone podcast. Again, I'm going to say I'm super excited for for this episode and for this conversation, it's probably probably the time to hang it up if I ever say I'm not excited. But I'm truly excited and humbled for this opportunity. So our guest today is Mike Lowe, Mike was a participant in season two of alone. And Mike, just super excited to have you here today. And thank you so much for being here.

Mike Lowe 0:44

Andy, I'm really, really happy to be a part of it, too. I've enjoyed all the ones that that you've done before and thankful for what you're doing. I know there's a lot of folks out there who, who appreciate getting to know a little bit more about the people they watched on TV and and appreciate it or hated whichever one it was. And so thanks for doing it.

Sam 1:11

Now, I appreciate it. And really, I have to owe you a big piece of gratitude as well. Because, you know, the, I've never done this before. I'm not a podcaster. Right, I've got a normal full time job. And, and I had this idea of something that was going to be interesting to me, and I hoped it would be interesting to other people. Obviously, what I'm doing is completely dependent upon people like yourself, Mike and other participants from the show, being willing to sit down and share with a one a complete stranger and to, you know, complete nobody. But very quickly, you know, you commented and interacted with some of the posts that were out there and mentioned how supportive and excited you were, for this project that I'm starting. And, you know, that did a few things for me one, it gave me another episode to record, so thank you. But to it, it gave me the support and and helped me see that, okay, like this project is a value to somebody. And this is something that that is important and is worthwhile. So, you know, I just I'm really grateful. And you obviously, you wouldn't have known how important that was, but it really it kind of came at a time when I was just thinking like, Man, this is, you know, I've done two episodes, and maybe this just isn't gonna happen, because I wasn't hearing back from, you know, many people, but now I've got like a two month backlog on people that I need to get through. So anyways, thank you again, for that early support. And, and for being here today. It really means the world to me.

Mike Lowe 2:50

Well, yeah, and as to Barbara and I, in particular. But I just wanted to comment on what you said there and you refer to yourself as a nobody. And in one sense, I understand what you mean. But in other sense, it's, it takes us somebody to want to do what you're doing. And the fact that you care enough to do this is heartwarming and endearing for me. So thank you. I,

Sam 3:17

I appreciate that. Well, let me let me just see where we're at here and see where to where to start off. So I think first of all, when I for me, when I rewatched your alone, kind of bio, what I like to do before an episode is I like to go back through and watch you know, everyone's little pieces throughout the season and just kind of get reacquainted with the individual. And obviously a big part of that is reading through the the bio of the individual or listening rather to the bio of the individual that's put on the show. And, you know, I have to tell you, I had I had forgotten a lot of what you shared in your video introduction on the show. And I rewatching that has has humbled me again, and just you know, I don't want to keep going with the gratitude, but really excited to hear hear what you have to say. And so I think we'll just start with, with who you are and where you come from. So who are you and where do you come from?

Mike Lowe 4:25

So I was born in 60 in California. Yeah. And so that should help people understand a lot of things about about me because that that did shape, shape who I am to a large degree. Of course my DISKPART you heard on on television, my parents early on, were were unready to be parents and our relatives were on ready to step in though they tried. And I you know, looking back on that appreciate It's all of the hard work that they put in trying to keep us three boys together. So then it seemed like the best thing to do was for us to be in an orphanage in Nebraska. Father Flanagan, Boystown. So that that has a lot to do with, you know, the whole survival interest. Surviving emotionally, as a human being, nobody wants to be raised in an orphanage, unless it's the only option. And so and our tastes, that turned out to be the best option for reasons that everybody involved had come to terms with, and I was now an adult before I came to terms with it. In fact, it wasn't until I accepted Jesus Christ as my friend and savior that I was able to be in an emotional place to be able to understand it to some degree to the point where I can you know, forgive and lived, and to appreciate how hard it was for them not to just look at it from my perspective. So it's all a survival attitude, you know, when when life is tough, what do you do? Do you give up and hope to die? Or do you fight all the harder to to live on this planet? And there's a lot of different ways to live on this planet. And one way is in an orphanage, another way is to run away from the orphanage another way to get kicked out of the orphanage. And for me, that's what happened I, at one certain point, the origin said, you know, Mike, your, your behavior is just inconsistent with Boystown aims and goals and you're going to have to go and so is another, you know, difficult challenge. Where do you go when the orphanage kicks you out. And you're only 15 years old. Fortunately, my dad's sister, and her husband invited me to live with him in Colorado. Turns out that my uncle is is huge outdoor fan. So in 1975, you know, John Denver was making being outdoors really exciting and popular again, as well as Tom Brown and Larry Dan Olson, there was a resurgence in that is still going on to this day, fortunately, popular survival shows have kept it going. And so at 15, I started living in the wilderness. And spending a lot of time out there, how to how to get by without modern conveniences. And then I graduated high school, get a little bit of playing around for two years, join the US Air Force to teach wilderness survival to pilots and aircrew members. And that was the most exciting thing in my life up to that point. And to get paid to take 10 people into the wilderness and show them how to survive behind enemy lines. To make it even more difficult. Was was a was truly the best thing that had ever happened in my life. And it continues to be one of the best things of course now, being married, having children and grandchildren is definitely the best thing in my life. And having a relationship with Jesus is the ultimate. Being in an owning my own survival school I got out of the air force after eight years of teaching, wasn't interested in supervising or flying a desk, especially in the US in the Air Force. So then I got out of the military and started building this way adventures. And for the last

33 years now I've been, you know, teaching through wilderness way adventures, traveling all over the country meeting different people in different situations. actually traveling through North and South America. It's such a blessing, you know, to be able to reach people in the wilderness people seem to to be better off in the wilderness, and that's becoming more and more and more evident because of the COVID Forcing people to not meet indoors but to meet outdoors and so that Matt, there's more climbers and more voters are bikers and more people are interested in bushcraft and survival. And, and so it is a great thing that TV shows like alone popped up with this great interest in so now people can watch folks, you know, ordinary people surviving, filming themselves. And and, you know, the editing is all over the map, you know, they got 10 people doing a TV show and they want to tell 10 different stories. You know, of course, we are filming ourselves and that part is absolutely true. But in the editing room, they could choose a storyline that's unique to what they've seen in the footage that we've supplied. And that's really a neat thing that they do. It's so you're not seeing the same story over and over and over and over again. I think if they had edited that way, we probably wouldn't be anticipating season nine right now. Yeah. So they're doing a great job. Not every time does it feel like a great drought when you watch it, what they've done with, with what you provided in the wilderness, and you see it, because all of us the first time we see ourselves on TV is when it airs, we have no participation in the editing, they don't consult with us and ask us, you know, is this storyline okay with you, they just whatever they want to tell, is, is what they do. And in my case, I was very thankful that they portrayed me as a clever, competent camper, like the professor on Gilligan's Island, who loved his wife dearly, and went home for that reason, you know, and I and I'm, I'm thankful for that the storyline is a tiny bit different than that. And I've shared it online. Many times, and people who follow me online are the alone discussion groups and things. That the real reason I went home is when they told us that the real reason I went home on day 21, or two days before they inserted that the game and fish guy came and says, so you can't basically can't eat anything that has her in feathers. That's, you know, that's off the list. And, and that's a frustrating thing, because I actually wanted to do well out there, but I didn't want to admit, or subject my body to the ravages of voluntarily starving, or, you know, pushing through malnutrition at our 55 when I did the show, and I, you know, just unlikely that you can recover very well from from doing that. So I told him, I wasn't interested in doing the show. We had two really good alternates. Larry, being one of them, you know, I wanted Larry's to take my place. And they said, Mike, please, you've got to do this, you know, we need an old fart to do this show. Well, gee, thanks for that. Well, let me pray about it. And so I did. And after, you know, talking it over with Jesus, I felt impressed. You know, what, I can give these guys 21 days as an old fart. And then they can do with that as they will. And so that's what I told him. They're very, very thankful. And so that's why I went home on day, 21 hours, because that's the day I ticked in advance. But doesn't take away from the fact that I missed my wife terribly on TV, I admitted that I felt like I was having a heart attack for the first five days. And then finally, that quit happening, and then I was perfectly, perfectly fine for the remaining 16 days. So yeah, what a what a great story they told, you know, and it is fun to watch it and to see some of the creations I came up with.

I can stop right here, if you got a question that you want to need to address before I move on, but I can I can just go nonstop without you ever.

Sam 14:24

Interviewing. There's a couple of things that I want to I want to circle back on some stuff and and I'll ask the pertinent question at this point. So you know, you had that that conversation and you felt that you were to stay. You know, sometimes sometimes following what I would call inspiration leads to an education or an enrichment moment for us as people right? When we listen to that call. Did you have anything like that when you made that decision to listen and to stay that that you're able to share?

Mike Lowe 15:00

You know, there is there were some things that that I had not experienced before, you know, I've done quite a few over the years, you know, doing this teaching professionally for 41 years, I have experienced a lot of solo outings, you know, never more than three weeks, or that was the longest I've done several of those. But I, but having to film it for a TV show, knowing that millions of people who are going to watch it around the world really created a, an impact that I did not really appreciate just how much it would affect me while out there. You know, being a teacher, and an instructor all of my adult life, I'm mindful of my students, I'm careful what I say and what I do and how I interact with them. You know, there's always a level of professionalism at the same time, I want to be personable. And so they feel like we're friends, too. I was a little bit different than military and I was always Sergeant low, and they were the students. And there was that, that kind of a barrier there that existed, because that's the way the military rolls. But as a civilian, you still want to maintain professionalism, but at same time, connect as friends. And, and so I, I take it very seriously when when I'm teaching. And so while the whole time I was out there, I was still in in instructor mode. And so I was instructing people through the camera. And it never occurred to me how impactful that is, in that, in that situation in that scenario, where I'm setting up all these cameras, and each time I've set them up together, very tedious, and, and burdensome many times, because I wanted this to be the very best learning for the people watching. And so I would put myself in the viewers position and say, Okay, if I was watching this listening to what Mike is saying, or showing, or doing, then I would want to be able to see it from this angle, that angle, this angle and that angle, so that I get the best feel for it. And then, of course, when you when you take the time to set everything up like that, then you're also hoping that in the editing room, when production is putting together my story that that they will, will have a sense of what I was trying to do for the viewers, and that they would include those same views, and all the hard work that I put into it, so that people watching could get could feel like they were there and that they understand what I'm what I'm showing and doing and saying, because I wasn't out there surviving, per se, even though I really was doing that. I was teaching and that's totally different than just living off the land. When you watch Roland, for example, Roland in season seven, was truly surviving, and he was not teaching, you know, and you get a wonderful perspective watching Roland. And in my case, I was everything I was doing was to teach. And I couldn't get out of that out of that mindset. And so that was shocking for me to realize that that I can't not be a teacher, for whatever reason. Now my wife makes sure that I am not her teacher, she says honey,

you're not my teacher, I'm not your student. Let's let's relate on a husband and wife level here. And so she's very good at making sure that I'm not in teacher mode all the time. And but but out there I truly was. Another thing that I did not anticipate was the value of talking out loud to God. And that, you know, normally when I pray to God, I'm just talking to him inside my head. I don't talk out loud. But during those 21 days out there, and I hadn't done this before, when I got another 21 days, solo in the wilderness, but talking out loud to God had a 10 fold effect. Talking to God has a wonderful effect, talking to God out loud. filming myself doing a survival show for millions of people to watch was phenomenal. And I did not ever foresee that being a reality. Because the other reason why I was talking out loud is so that when I came around the corner, I didn't start with a bear and, and create a rotten environment for him and me. Speaking of bears, my bears never left. The entire time I was, when you're watching the TV show, you see what's flying in by the helicopter, you see three bears on the beach. And then that's right where they land. And then those three bears fled into the forest. They dropped me off just minutes after they had gone, I was thinking Let's fly around. Wild up here before we land, but now they just went and landed the bears eye right, close. I mean, they were in the forest, I couldn't see him, but you could hear him. And when the helicopter flew away, you know, we had to film it, and then share our thoughts as it was leaving. And then soon as the helicopter was gone, and I did that point, I turned around, and you could see trees that were over 100 feet tall, swaying, because the bears in there were banging into them. And I'm thinking to myself, it's like, that's a big tree. And it would take a big bear to bump into it and make it sway that much. And so a man that freaked me out for a second, I was like, Whoa, those bears, they could swing and miss me by a few inches, and the wind would kill me. You know, and I was like, goodness gracious. So I just hollered out to the bears, just you know, I don't know where this came from, they just some primal thing. And I said, Hey, bears, I love you, Jesus loves you, I am not going to exploit you, I promise to not feel new, or to try to take advantage of you in any way. And in exchange for that, please, don't kill me. And then that's how I roll from then on. I never want tried to take pictures or video of the bears. And I saw them a lot. In fact, every night, starting a jam moved to my permanent site on day five. And that's the that's the main shelter that you see throughout the series. At the very beginning, when I'm when I'm laying in my tent, I'm describing how I feel like I'm having a heart attack. That was my temporary shelter before I picked out my permanent sitting my permanent sight every night at about nine o'clock. The beers six, there's four of them large, two of them still large, but not nearly as large. Probably the bigger ones were in the four, maybe 500 pound range, the smaller ones are probably 350, which in the lower 48. That's still a massive bear. And they would come by and have no idea. I've never heard bears make this sound before. But just right behind my tarp shelter about six feet away, the bears had created a new tab, because I looked at where their trails were. And I was on the way over there and went over here. And I said okay, I can put my shelter here. And I will not be in any danger of it airs going back and forth on their established trails. So they created a whole new one that went behind myself while he's six feet away. And so then they would come single file. And they would be making this Newing sound like kitten they're going to be and then they would get right abreast of myself there, they would stop and then they would sniff

and then they would take off you and each one of the bears would come and do that new union stops next, next next new, new new and move on. And every night, they did that at nine o'clock going down to the beach to forage. And then about four o'clock between three or four o'clock in the morning, they go right back by and do the same thing all over again in reverse. And they did that every night until I left. And at first I was a bit nervous. But then I realized that the bears were cool with me being there, that they weren't afraid of me and felt like they needed to move somewhere else. But they just stayed the whole time. And and I think they did that for Nicole as well. I haven't had a chance to ask her about that I forgot to the other day. And I think we're bears stayed pretty sure most of the bears left just did not stay around. And so that kind of made me feel good to think that you know these six bears excepted me. chose not to beat me up or to threaten me in any way and I never wants to I so much wanted to there was a couple of nights there, right so that, you know, I'm just gonna go ahead and, and put the infrared on with the audio I was gonna put the lab might close to the trailer, they would stop and do the new sniff sniff sniff wanted to at least catch the audio if I couldn't get a good video of it. But I remembered you had promised these guys I would not exploit them. So I didn't. And it all appeared to to work out well, you know. So being on the show making that decision to do 21 days had another side effect in that I was counting down. Whereas nobody else could do that. Nobody else that I know of picked, departing date, the day that they would stop and go home. And so it was probably 100 times easier for me, knowing that I was counting down to day 21. In fact, you know, morning and evening, we had to do our, our interview with the audience to the camera by saying, Hey, guys, I had a great night of sleep. Here's what happened last night while the cameras were off. And for today, here's what I'm going to do. I mean, at the end of the day, you'd say, well, here's what I accomplished. And really, you know, and then you just share some thoughts and you know, hopefully it is usable, and interesting to people. And so every morning, I would say Alright, today is day 15 I've only got six more days to go. And then I'm going to be back home and be done with the accident. And then an evening I'd say Okay, pretty much wraps up. Day 15. Tomorrow is day 16. So we'll see that in the course of editing, they eliminated all of that. And because they didn't want anybody number one to know that we couldn't hunt anything with for feathers. And number two, they didn't want to know that I was counting down that I had chosen day 21 in advance. And to tell you the truth, though, the story that they that they did tell, you know, they, I hate to say this, but it's what happened is they created sentences that made it sound like at the end, where I say I don't think I can do this anymore. And this barber too much. They took some license and editing to to portray it that way cuz I actually never said it that way. And, but other than other than that, you know, the, you know, them portraying me that I just didn't bother too much. I feel like I'm wasting resources and timeout here. You know, I miss BARDA. I'm just going to go home now I've learned all I can I poured my heart and soul into this. For those of you watching, say she's trying to go home, you know, and to add that, this my wife a lot, I'm just don't think I can do this anymore. Without her. It's actually a better story than than the truth. So God bless them for thinking that out. You know,

Sam 28:11

they're just gonna say your your relationship is obviously in a very good place that you didn't need to keep those bonus points with, with your wife.

Mike Lowe 28:22

Oh, a funny thing is is you know, after watching season one, my when they call me for season two, my wife, Barbara, who's whose name is more known than my own, it's funny. I'll be in the airport traveling somewhere to teach, and someone will recognize me and they'll come up and say, dude, man, what you did on that show was amazing. Man, Barbara, you know, must be a wonderful woman. And so what was your name again? You hit it. My name is Barbara's husband. That's pretty much who I am. So it's really cool for me to know that you don't remember my name, but they remember her names. I like that a lot. But anyhow, so Barbara tells me when they call the state Mike, we'd like you to do this show. And she says all right, I'd be willing for you to do that. But to two things you have to do for me. Number one is don't complain about the weather on camera. And don't come home because you missed me. Now we're watching it and then we're both shocked to see that the reason why I go home is because I miss my wife and I was like, Baby I did not say that drama. And

Sam 29:38

so you're telling the real story is a survival mechanism more than anything else? Is that what you're saying? You know it's not that you needed to keep bonus points. Is that you? You need? I promise I this is not why I came home. That's funny.

Mike Lowe 30:00

Yeah, no, Barbara and I are, as you can well imagine, and anybody who follows me on Facebook, I don't do any other social media other than Facebook. And people are very aware of the fact that Barbara and I are wildly in love. We just celebrated our 18th anniversary the other day. And, you know, it still feels like a honeymoon. So obviously it was meant to be and is, is a rewarding life to be married to your best friend and business, buddy. And it doesn't hurt that Barbara's is saying the beautiful.

Sam 30:43

So how did you meet Barbara? How that story go down?

Mike Lowe 30:48

Well, so we met at a singles party Super Bowl gathering. And I had just been climbing some mountains down South America and finish that expedition and came back. And so I was I had my mother's husband had just passed away and I helped her get settled into her retirement house should work to the Bay Area or life in California and I bought a place in Flagstaff, Arizona, while they were moving her husband passed away of cancer. So you know, I quit my job. I was working as a pastor in Colorado. And let that and helps you get settled in. So mom says Well, hey, why don't you? Why don't you go to the Super Bowl party with me? The singles club. I said, I take great, I didn't have plans. So we show up. And Barbara walks into the room. And I was just do this let you know what an amazing woman was like you could heal the angels singing Hallelujah. And so we got to talking and we exchanged numbers. We became Patriots fans at that time, because it was the same year that Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl. And so we became Tom fans and Patriots fans for that reason. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have we might have been Tom haters, because we were actually reading for the rams that year. And so Barbara and I, I called her the next day. And then I called her the next day, and I called it the next day, and I've been pretty much calling her every day for 20 years now. And it was just, yeah, it was just a perfect match. Really, really just what a blessing. And I don't take work, it does take work, that's for sure. And there's a there's a lot of give and take and a lot of compromise and a lot of understanding and being patient and letting someone vent when they need to and don't try to tandem event that doesn't work they turned. And so you know, it's been a blessing life. Very, very thankful. We don't have children together, we were much older, Barbara's 15 years older than I am. And back when we were in our 40s and 50s. That didn't seem to matter much. But now that she's 75, and I'm 61 that there's a huge difference. But we actually look at that difference as a blessing to I got this thing where I am young enough and healthy enough that if need be, if something happened, I could just throw her I can build a little harness and put her on my back and I can carry her everywhere we need to go. So she can see everything she wants to see. And I'll be able to do that.

Sam 34:07

That's awesome. That's funny, anyone who's out there who actually does the whole marriage advice thing you might tell me that I'm wrong here but now the biggest thing for me that if I were to sum up a successful relationship, in whatever term you know, for me, I look at it as I have to love my partner more than I love myself. And if I if I love my partner more than I I obviously have to love myself but if I love my partner more than I love myself, then it it makes that compromise and it makes that makes all of that so much easier. So anyways, that it's probably terrible advice, but for me, it's been really helpful.

Mike Lowe 34:44

Well, I have a little different take on it. I like what you're saying tonight and I get the point but if because of my relationship with Jesus, I love myself as much as I as anybody could love anyone. And if I can love my wife As much as I love myself, because he just loved me, then that works out magnificently. And then so I'm thankful for how all all of those dynamics worked out, in, you know, in heaven and on earth. You know, because Heaven on Earth, truly is being happily married. And, and, you know, being able to live the life that you want to live, not the life that you have to live, because of economic stresses or whatever, or because of health conditions, being having good health, and then having the finances to live the life that you want to live, you know, Richard, modest thing. Not not lavish in our case, is, it's truly heaven on earth. And, and it's, yes, heaven, half as good as it is here, and it will be twice as good as it needs to be for it to be heaven.

Sam 36:06

I like that, I'm going to have to re listen to that, do the math and make sure I fully understand that. But I like that. I want to, I don't know if this is a level set, or if this is just, you know, bring me up to speed. So you've mentioned one, obviously, working with your mother there when her spouse passed away, and then that your father's family took you in? Do you did you maintain a relationship? Or did you rebuild a relationship with your birth parents? Or what what does that look like?

Mike Lowe 36:43

So that that evolved and got better over time. You know, Mom and Dad were were struggling to make their way in life. And then to be able to wrap their mind around not raising their boys. You know that that had to be hesitates hesitation, serious mental gymnastics, and emotional energy to do that. And my I was actually not interested in connecting with my parents until after I became a Christian. And it was at that point, that I realized that it would be healthier for me and healthier for them, healthier for my children, because children crave grandparents, and they deserve that children don't, I don't want to perpetuate a problem by by robbing my children of their grandparents. nip that in the bud, don't pass that on, you know, I was denied my parents. And I don't want to deny my children, their grandparents, because that would just be a terrible, terrible thing. And I would not have taught that way if I hadn't learned to appreciate the way Jesus thinks about life and living. And knowing that Jesus would forgive and try to build relationships, despite the hardships that that make up our history that that painful past and hurtful history that I referred to on the TV show. So it was a very difficult thing for my mom and dad. And for me, it was awkward and challenging was emotionally difficult. But in time it worked. And then eventually, my older brother also became a Christian after after years of trying, trying like other ways, and then led him to want to reach out to mom and dad and build a relationship that was, you know, difficult. And so I'm happy that it all worked out that way. So yeah, we now Barbara and I go on vacations with mom and her boyfriend, who just recently got married so they are husband and wife. So over the last 20 years, we have gone on lots of vacations together and spend holidays. So you know making up for for what was lost is not as mad as a reality or a possibility in this lifetime. can go back and feel like I was raised by my mom and dad and that that they were at every ball game and at every parent teacher conference and are with me at every milestone in my life. Can't go back and make that happen. But I can make memories that I can look back on for the rest of my life and be thankful for that.

Sam 40:10

Yeah, that decision, you know, when you mentioned your, you had a conversion? And then and then you decided to, to work on that relationship? Was that decision to, to work on that relationship? Did it happen, kind of as an overnight thing was there some sort of experience that, that spurred you in that direction, or was it kind of a slow awakening is, you know, like you mentioned with children and your own family that you realize that would probably be beneficial to to try and repair that.

Mike Lowe 40:42

So it really did all kind of come together. A lot of life. Landmarks came together, at one time, my wife, and I were expecting our first child. And so then I felt like, in order for my child, to have a happy home and a happy life, I need to be a Christian, like my uncle. So then that's when I reached out to Jesus, and, and made that made that connection. And then, at the same time with that same wanting to, to look at who I am as a person, and what I need to do in order to be the best person. So I can be a great husband and a great father to my children. And, you know, this is this is a lot, I was only 22 years old at the time. And that's a lot for a 22 year old. So coming from my background, to wrap your mind and heart around. And so be in that focusing on that relationship with Jesus enabled me to make decisions that I probably never would have, I probably wouldn't have connected with my parents, I might have still been bitter and angry about that. And then that would have been miserable for my children. I doubt that, that my wife and children were beloved to me anyhow, as a person, because I was pretty jacked up, you know, from from the way things had gone in my life up to that point. And I needed a lot of healing and a lot of changes, and I need to evolve as a person. So connecting with Jesus, in that way, enabled me to be the kind of father that my children can love to be the kind of person that my wife could love. And then, and then, and then here's my parents, I love my kids, that grandparent and I actually wanted to have parents too. And I wanted to be able to, I want to be able to call somebody, Mom, I want to be able to call somebody, dad and have that and have that need something deeply and wonderfully, and have that be a beautiful thing. I wanted that. And I didn't have it. You know, my aunt and uncle, they were you know, at mommy and Uncle H oh, they weren't mom and dad, and I couldn't go there with them. And so there was a lot of wonderful, meaningful, powerful things that happened all in a short amount of time, I'd say within a year. So yeah, it all just converged in fortunately, happened in a way that was the best thing for me.

Sam 43:32

That's awesome. I it's you know, it's interesting when you look at anyone who follows you and obviously, you can see this from the show, but if you're someone who follows Mike and you see a staff you can see that you appear to be a very happy person and you appear to be someone who has been able to successfully navigate those challenges and overcome the the feelings that that would be easy to to dwell on and to live with. And so what you mentioned your uncle is that the uncle that you lived with, who you who helped you see in whatever way that you needed to make some changes, or was this a different uncle?

Mike Lowe 44:13

Yeah, it's a very same one when I was kicked out of the orphanage. It was him and his wife that took me into their family in Colorado when I was 15. And they had children my age. My cousin and I are more like brothers because we grew up together as teenagers and and then of course, my cousin ginger. So I you know, I have a sister that I never had because there was just the three boys. So yeah, stay my uncle was a great Christian. Great Outdoors man. Yeah, definitely helped me see a path that I was willing to to Follow? I'm so thankful that I did.

Sam 45:06

Yeah, that's it. I mean, it sounds like when you went into their home, they were already religious and spiritual people and, and how did they handle that with you, if I can ask you to coming in from your background, in your experience today? Where they just, Hey, Mike, we love you, and we're gonna go do this thing on Sunday and whatnot? Or did they mean, how did they involve you in that when you were young in their home? And how did that, I guess translate when you were 22?

Mike Lowe 45:32

Right. So at 15, it was the being in an orphanage, where there's 1000, boys, and just counselors who do their eight hour shift and leave. So there's not a whole lot of connecting in meaningful, heartfelt ways, with adults. Because there's just too many of us, most of us were on the little things. And I, I had perspective being on lovely apparently, because your change kicked me out. And so I did not have a favorable opinion of adults. I actually believe that once you got old enough, you became an older and, and just unfit for, for the human race. And that, you know, that the world would be better off if adults would would self destruct by the time they got to that point where they no longer thought like a young man and started thinking like an adult, then they should just self eliminate. And so then, when I started looking at this family, I was like, these guys are different, you know, they're happy, loving, enlightened me, they thought I was smart and clever and gifted. And, you know, we were in a rural area. And so there was ranchers and farmers around the area. And so they, these guys would invite me to come and drive their tractor. And they were just treating me like a grown up and they weren't treating me like a nuisance or like, like something that they put up with, because they're getting paid. And so I, I started to form a totally different opinion about adults. And when I first got Yeah, I literally knew nothing about Jesus, even though Boystown is a Catholic institution, the element or aspect of Jesus and God and creation and, you know, eternal life to come and all that none of that really was evident to me, and I never chewed in on it. And so I was still quite ignorant as to these things. And so when I first got there, they kept talking about Jesus. And first I thought, We'll see Jesus, but it talked about him all the time. And then I thought, well, maybe there was there was a building down the road or something. And he lived in there, maybe he was on a life support machine or something. And, and I just had no idea who this Jesus was, he just had this invisible friend, but but I really liked their invisible friend, because I associated with him being nice, kind, loving, wonderful people to be around, who loved and adored me and appreciated me and made me feel great. I associated all of that with Jesus. And so at that point, whatever, whoever Jesus was, I liked it. I liked him. And then the longer I stayed with him, I started to realize that that wasn't a fictional story, you know, that there, that there really is a God, who created everything keeps everything alive, and all the natural laws working so that we could, you know, live on this planet, and be, you know, and achieve peace of mind and happiness here. If we live in harmony with the way we were designed, you know, if you if you take a diesel engine as an example, it was designed to run on diesel, but if you put gasoline in, it's gonna run hot seas up. It's not the gasoline fault. It's the fact that the engine was designed to live on or to run on, on diesel. And in the same way, we were designed to run on righteousness, we weren't designed to run on sin. So if we live in a way that is contrary to the way we were designed to live, and experience peace and happiness, then it's going to be struggle after struggle after struggle, if we tore in gasoline where we should be playing in diesel. So I got that and it makes sense. And so then, you know, seven years later, you know, by the time I was 22, I was ready to go all in and so that I can have that I could provide a family for my children, the way my uncle provided a family for me. So I just knew that Jesus had to be involved. And so that's the way I went.

Sam 49:59

That's interesting. And I guess, how is your journey of faith evolving today? You know, as you look back, and as you look forward and your experiences, how are you still evolving and changing and growing? Do you think?

Mike Lowe 50:15

Just every day, Jesus seemed more real, more personal, more effect, and less, and not just all faith, you know, it just seemed, I mean, at this point in my life, Jesus is as real to me as my wife is, or as you are way over there, on the other side of the phone, even though I can't see you or touch you, you're a real person. And even though I can't see and touch Jesus, he's a real person. And everything that he taught while he was here, make sense, because when I personally choose to live in harmony with the way he said, his best to live, because that's how we were designed to live, every time I put the test what He commanded or recommended in the Bible, when I choose to live that way, the fact is, I do feel my best, I'm at more, I'm at peace. In difficult times, I'm able to, to get along, you know, despite the difficult times, and I've learned that peace and pain, cohabitate in the hearts of those who love and live according to God's will. And that's evidence in and of itself, that, you know, he just says, If you do this, you're going to be a happy camper. And then when you do it, and you are a happy camper, well, there's the proof. And so if I can trust him on this one, and this one, I should be able to trust him on these other things that he that he's talked about. And so I've found that every time I've trusted him, and incorporated in my life, what he has said will be best, every time I find it to be that much better. I'm much happier because of it. So I continue to grow, continue to believe and continue to be blessed. And one of the greatest things is knowing that all of our loved ones who pass you know, on TV, I mentioned that my my daughter passed when she was 10. And now, knowing that I'll see her again. Fantastic, is something it is a feeling that you cannot possibly articulate with words. But you can certainly feel it to the core of your soul. And it's a fantastic thing to know. That, that I'll see my little lady again, someday. I'd hate it. I hate it. I hate to do life without that.

Sam 53:00

A Amen. i Yeah. i Yeah, it's, it's something that yeah, I guess you can't really describe it. You have to you have to experience it to know. But it's there. And it's it's there for us. Right?

Mike Lowe 53:17

It definitely. Yeah, definitely. Yes. And thank you, Jesus, that it is a reality and it's ours to live with.

Sam 53:29

You know, I, I appreciate you sharing that. And, obviously, knowing that that was one of those questions that was out there. I was curious to see if and how that would come up. So thank you for for sharing and, and opening up with that. It's life is difficult and well, it's, it's, it's a it's a difficult thing, but it's also very beautiful. And, and there's amazing. There's so much here. You know,

Mike Lowe 53:59

one of my one of my reasons, probably my primary reasons for consenting to do the show alone was to demonstrate the viewing audience, that being outside spending time outdoors in some wholesome way, like surviving off the land is something that I want to inspire people to do more of. So I wanted to represent it being out there as a happy, joyful, triumphant, fabulous thing to do. And I was thankful that in my case my area was great for surviving. I was able to get firewood and food and water pretty easily. It came quite handily for me. I didn't have to spend tons of time doing it. And so when you watch me on TV, and I just thank the editors of left field productions, for, for how they portrayed my experience out there because they, they caught the essence of it, that I truly was a blast and truly was enjoying it and having fun and learning things. And I wasn't suffering. And so people can watch that. And some it, I hope that they would say, Well, I want to go spend that kind of time outdoors too. And so, like I said earlier, in our conversation here, I travel a lot teaching. So I'm in the airport regularly going to catch a plane, and people will see me walking along. And they'll run up to me and say, Mike, what you did out there was just phenomenal. Actually, they didn't use the same I couldn't remember my name, but everyone's while they would

Sam 56:02

Barbie. There was

Mike Lowe 56:03

exactly. And so they, it was phenomenal was amazing. You know what, you inspired me to take my family outdoors, we go camping now. And we spend time out there and we try to duplicate Well, what we saw you doing what we saw the other folks out there do? You know you people say that what you and Jose did out there was amazing, because both of you were were crafting things and making stuff. And it was just thrilling. You know, watching you guys do what you did out there. And now you know, we attend primitive skills gatherings because of that, and how how cool then just thank you for turning us on to that. And to hear people say that is just is just like eating dark chocolate after I got off the show. You know, it was wonderful.

Sam 57:08

Yeah, and you and you had to earn right, you have to you have to earn the taste for dark chocolate by growing up a little bit. Just like you had to earn, earn those feelings of gratitude.

Mike Lowe 57:21

Yeah, yeah, yes, there is a certain degree of earning reward. You know, if you're just given everything, then that level of appreciation doesn't exist. So that contrast with not having it and then having it after a lot of saving up and hard work. You're there things like that are earned life experiences. And, you know, to be to be one of the very few if you are seven and a half billion people on this planet. And then not that that was, you know, the pool from which that field drew arm to find people for the show. But you know, there's 10s of 1000s of people who want to be on this show. And then I was selected. And I will never, ever take that for granted of how fortunate I was and how blessed I was. And I know all the others feel the same way that it was truly a privilege. But it was also a responsibility, you know, to, to take that time and to spend it in a way that that is meaningful and valuable for the viewers. And that's the teacher coming out of me. I mean, I truly would not do it to satisfy some unmet need in my own life. You know, I did not need that what I needed to do was to showcase survival and living outdoors in a way that people would be inspired to do the same. And, and so that's why I was very serious about it. There are complaints though, that that sometimes you hear you say on social media early on, people would say, Well, dude, if you if you knew you were going to miss your wife out there, then you shouldn't have gone out there you should have saved that spot for somebody else. Somebody who was willing to fight tooth and nail and suffer through whatever in order to win the show. You know, people could actually get upset, you know that I made a decision to go home on day 21. They felt like I was disrespecting the opportunity disrespecting the challenge. And I suppose in depending on how you look at the challenge, there's some validity to that. But in my mind, there's there is life and then there's a TV show In my life, I need to be able to, to have good health to live a long life, so that I can continue to be a blessing to my wife, number one, my children, my grandchildren. And so I did not want to squander my help by pushing through malnutrition and starvation at age 55. I was unwilling to do that, because I have a higher priority, and that my family and in order to be there, for my family, I wanted to be healthy, strong. And I have this theory that all of us are born with a certain amount of vital force, kind of like a battery. And, and you can make that last a long time by living carefully. Or you could use it up and die young. And so I made a decision when I was 16 years old, my uncle was 16, at the time when he took me in. And yet he was more active and stronger and healthier, had more endurance than I did, it just came. So I made a decision to imitate his lifestyle choices. And he was a vegetarian at the time. And that's when I chose to be a vegetarian was Nautilus 15. Back in 75, that was a weird thing. Going through to survive, you know, being a survival instructor in the air force in the 80s. That was a really weird thing, most of my friends didn't quite get it. And then, of course, when I when I am surviving off the land, and for the TV show, I do eat meat. But when I'm just living my knife, normally, I do not eat meat. And, and so I did not want to share it in our life. So for the folks who feel like I had disrespected the program by going home early the way I did. I am sorry, but I have to disagree with you on that. And overall, I have to believe what we want about like that. Shoot my ear, your buddies about to go out on me and I can't seem to find the other ones. I do find it curious.

Sam 1:02:17

You know, it's, it's, to me, that's been kind of a fun thing about this project. And this process of going through is, is mean there's, there's a lot of I mean, obviously, there's always going to be a lot of negativity, right. But it's, it's just interesting to get to know, the other side of the people and understand motivations and feelings and, and the experiences. You know, so hopefully, for me the concept is that people will get to understand each other better. Because I think only good things can come from listening and understanding each other. Right. So

Mike Lowe 1:02:55

yeah, yeah. And, and for me, too, I, you know, sort of folks, you know, one of the one of the unfortunate things that happen on social media, when watching people do the alone show their way, you know, they're what motivates them, what drives them, what keeps them hanging in there, when, you know, they haven't eaten in a while and they're cold, hungry, starving, their clothes aren't fitting, you know, they're afraid that on a medical check, they're going to be told because, you know, their their body mass index has dropped to a unacceptable level for continuing for the folks who, so then because of that there are people who feel like, watching alone is watching people starve to death for money. And, and that is unfortunate that that's the conclusion they come to, because I don't believe any of the 70 or 80 folks who have done this show truly feel that way. Because maybe early on, you know, like, Yeah, I'd love to go, you know, camping and win $500,000 Or in rowland's case, a million dollars. You know, they that might be the initial motivation. But when you're out there, you you evolve the motivation changes to the point where the reason why you're doing it is now more more spiritual. And even if you're not a religious person, it's still a spiritual component of who we are as human beings, that that begs to be acknowledged. And when you're out there in those circumstances, I can. I would be surprised if there was any one of us who has been on this show, who could say after doing especially for the folks who went for 6070 8090 days.

Who who could say, I was hanging in there cuz I wanted the money.

Sam 1:05:12

It's funny, I was gonna mention a minute ago that the the show kind of seems like a pressure cooker. Right? If you will, where it's you might come in for whatever reason, but so far everyone I've spoken to, for whatever, whatever individual circumstances are the the heat and pressure, if you will kind of forces some, some human growth and human understanding and, and some level of change. And certainly I don't think anyone that I've spoken to yet and or that I will speak to has, has come out the same as they were when they went in.

Mike Lowe 1:05:49

Absolutely, there's zero, even for folks who went home on day one, or within the first couple weeks. Those, the change that you experience happens, even before you go out and start filming, there is a significant life altering change that happens during the process of getting selected during the process of training to film properly for the show. And, and then hanging out with one another. I mean, conversation isn't the same. For for those of us who are hanging out before we start surviving and filming, you know, it's, you know, a lot of life can be mundane, and a lot of life can be, you know, focus on things that that aren't deep and meaningful and life changing. But when you're getting ready to go out and film a TV show, like like we do, it has a profound effect on you, even before you go out there. And then that just that just continues to accelerate, and magnify, to the point where you will never, ever see like the same again, you will never go into a restaurant and sit down at the table and, and eat food, you'll never pick up a fork, you'll never drink a glass of water, you'll never drink a glass of juice or alcohol or whatever it is, you'll never go into a store to buy something and feel the same, you will always see the little simple things of life as profound and wonderful. Unfortunately, to many of us in society, and growing up in an affluent country, like like America, or Canada, or anywhere else, where it's affluent you are you take all of these things for granted. And you could try really hard not to. But when you go out in a situation like like we do, and then there's other folks, you know, like, like the folks who do Naked and Afraid they have a similar evolution. And you will just never take those things for granted. Ever again, I always marvel now when I go into a store, and all of this stuff that I worked so hard to create with my hands out of wood and, and rocks and weeds and things, you know, to be able to make those to have a comfortable camp. And that was, you know, the thing that I focused on because I had so much free time is to is to focus on building a comfortable camp and and after a while. That was what it was as I was building a palace for Barbara, you know, and I wanted to take her back there and to see that place. Unfortunately, they dismantled it right after I left. You know my boat, that boat that I was able to build is nothing compared to what Jose build. I started off with something that was already waterproof and could float. Jose started off with a tarp and created something that can float. And it was just masterful what he did. And and but my boat was called the USS Barbara nobody knew that because that didn't come out on TV. I christened the USS Barbara and so I just don't see things the same way and I know all of us feel that way. And for that I'm very thankful and you know I left field may not even be left field production company may not even be aware this phenomenal difference that they've made in the lives of people by creating an opportunity for us to do this for national and international television. One thing to take your camera and go out and film yourself for a YouTube channel. And some people actually build a really great following, you know, like Fowler and Greg ovens, their their YouTube channels or tire amazing Brooke and Dave Whipple,

Sam 1:10:18

Joe Robin.

Mike Lowe 1:10:21

Yes, Joe, Joe is another one. So in Donnie does, too, there's just so many of the folks who are excelling at it, I mean, making 1000s, hundreds of 1000s of dollars through YouTube. And, but being able to be on on the History Channel, and then to know that that is just going to go worldwide. Other Other folks are going to, in different countries are going to buy it in their in their country. And either they'll put subtitles in or they'll do voiceovers, you should hear what we sound like in Japanese. And to know that, and to know that part of part of them preparing us to be on this show was to prepare us for all of the attention, that that it's going to draw and steer toward us, you know, that, that there are going to be people out there talking about us, there's going to be people say I like Mike, I like her, I like him, I like what they did, and, and then people are gonna feel privileged to talk to you and people are gonna feel giddy around you, because they saw you on TV, there's that, that kind of that same element that is not normally associated in my life. Because people see me on TV, there's that dynamic that exist. And you want to respect that, because this is something you know, for these people who are watching us, and they have a feelings for us, even though they've never met us. And that when they do reach out to you, you owe it to them to be kind and loving and appreciative because you made an impact on their life to the point where they wanted to, to reach out and say so. And so they you know, they taught us about all of that and prepared us for it. And so that's, that's a it's a gift. It's a responsibility, a privilege, and I want to do my very best to honor that.

Sam 1:12:35

Well, I'm grateful that they did give you guys that that little chat, and I'm grateful that you're trying to honor it, because here we are today. Right. So yeah, I'm glad. And I will, I will say that, that so far, everyone that I've spoken to are, whether that be you know, people that I've recorded in that we've released or people that I'm working with, to speak to, because there's like, I think like nine, nine more lined up at this point. To a to a person, great, you know, great, fantastic people. And it's, it's really been fantastic. But you mentioned how you don't take things for granted anymore. And I know that you you mentioned you're still getting ready to listen to Brett's episode. But one of the funny things that came from that conversation with with Britt that I need to I need to tell him he needs to make T shirts is you know, basically don't tell Britt that you're starving, or that you're freezing? Because there's there's a whole different element, you know, to those words. And and he's experienced that and you know, so that's something for him, he doesn't take for granted. And we had that conversation as well of what is it like to have nothing for such a long period of time. And then to come back to, to having everything, like you mentioned, you go to the store, and you spend hours or days building a chair or whatever, right? And then you can just go to the store buy one for 20 bucks, right? It's got to be kind of a surreal experience. And you know, for me, I haven't I mentioned this with Jose as well that something that I try and do. It's super simple, and it seems kind of kind of dumb and maybe kind of crazy, but I will try and say you know what, it's cold outside, it's snowing, it's whatever, but I'm just running errands. I'm just gonna go outside for five minutes. I'm not gonna wear a coat. I'm just gonna, you know, be alive and experience that and so I while I've never been on nor will I ever be on something such as alone, and trying to find little ways to, to keep in touch with with the reality of life and not being comfortable all the time and not not needing to be perfect for every minute of every day to just keep in touch with that side. You know

Mike Lowe 1:14:55

that's a good thing and I appreciate You take it as a takeaway from watching alone is, is to be in that frame of mind. And this kind of goes along the thinking of being prepared if the grid shuts down, you know, it's like, how are we as a as a society, where we've grown accustomed to flipping a switch, or opening the refrigerator or hopping in our car and turning, turning the ignition on and driving away? What if none of that were available to us? for an extended period of time? What if the grid shut down for a say a month? You know, if you if you read the the information and what people have deduced, under that scenario, what could happen, there's the 9090, Outlook is that within, if the grid shut down for 90 days, 90% of the population would be dead. That is, that is grueling to think of. But if, you know, if they can't bring stuff to the stores, and you don't know how to get it from the wilderness, then 90% of the people are going to perish within 90 days of a grid shutdown. Because they don't know what to do. And so if you've ever watched the Mad Max type shows, when that happens? Well, look at look what happened at the most recent market crash in oh eight, you probably heard of all the people who committed suicide because they lost all their assets. Basically overnight, and they made a decision to kill themselves, because they couldn't imagine living without that wealth. And I mean, how many people would would fight to live, if the grid shut down for a long period of time, when they don't have food, they don't have water, they don't have clothing, they don't have heat, they don't have transportation, they don't have internet, they can't, you know, all the gamers can't do their games now. You know, all that quits. And I can tell you how hard it is to have nothing but free time, all day long, how difficult it is to the guy all those hours to occupy that time. It is very, very, very difficult. When you have food, firewood, and water, and shelter, all locked into that day, how hard it is to do something for the rest of that day. And then all that night too, before you fall asleep. So most people would not do well in an affluent nation. And so the idea that 90% of the people would would die within those first 90 days, is not hard to believe, now that I've been on alone. So what we need to do is anticipate that and mitigate it by learning how to prepare, when the grid shut down. So how to live off the land within without lots of tools. So you should be able to do it with nothing, you should be able to do it easier with a knife, you should be able to do it easier with snare wire, you should be able to do it easier with rope, you should be able to do it easier with a gun, and a bow and ammunition and arrows and a shelter already picked out. You know you're in all the clothing, you need to get through that kind of a situation. And then to be able to defend and protect that stuff from people who didn't and now want to come and take it from you. You need to be able to protect that and preserve that for your family. And so this whole prepper mindset is is a legitimate concern. Even if the grid only shuts down for three weeks. You know, what are you going to do during those three weeks, think of all the people on the 25th floor in New York City when the grid shuts down and they don't have a way to get electric electric heat now and it's in the wintertime. You hear about it every winter where people die because the grid shut down. And they didn't have a backup. And then you know the people die in their homes.

Sam 1:19:31

Hey, man, I lived. I lived on the fourth floor of a condo and I tell you what, when that elevator was down, I thought that the world was coming to you know, like lugging groceries for stories, you know?

Mike Lowe 1:19:46

Oh, yeah. Praise God that you were still able to get groceries. Right. So yeah, I mean, we can't just continue to take this stuff for granted. We should be very, very brave. thankful part of what my wife and I have done to be prepared. But but not to take it too far, you know, I want to live a normal life too, but then I want to be prepared to maintain that normal life if the grid should shut down. And so my wife and I are almost done for the last three years, three winters, we've been building an off grid home in southeast Arizona. And so we are not dependent on any outside utilities in order to live, and so we have, you know, enough food stored up enough ammo and enough wherewithal to survive off the land, from our stored food. And, and to be able to get by a, for a year, if we had to,

Sam 1:20:53

that's awesome, you

Mike Lowe 1:20:54

know, and so, and I realized that, that that's not available to everybody. So then, just at the beginning of time, we had nothing. So learn how to survive off the land with nothing, you know, you should be able to make stone tools, now you got a knife. So now you're, you're hundreds of years ahead of where man was originally. And now you can make a need to know how to make your own bows and arrows and cordage. So that you could take down animals and you can feed your family and, and live out there. So you should, even if you can't have your own property and have everything equipped, so that you can live off the grid for a year or more, you should be able to live off the land. And this is where knowing how to survive, comes in handy having a bug out bag, so that you've got some equipment to make surviving on the land a lot easier. But what if you can't take that bug out bag with you? What if someone takes it from you and you're left with nothing, you should be able to live off the land. And you owe that to yourself, you owe that to our Creator, you owe that to your family, you owe it to your friends, you owe it to your community, to be skilled enough to provide for your family to provide for the tribe. And to live well not to just scrape by, but to survive and thrive. That that is what we that that's what we owe for the for the gift of life. We need to pervert preserve, and protect that gift with every possible way. And then there's people who can't because they're physically handicapped, or they're elderly, not only should you be able to take care of yourself, but you should be able to take care of them to

Sam 1:22:51

certainly and this seems like a perfect spot to transition that and say, You know what, if you want to talk about wilderness way, and what you're doing and how you can or do help provide that training for people and, and what that looks like for you. Wilderness

Mike Lowe 1:23:06

way, is just one of many excellent ways that people can learn about wilderness survival. There's some excellent YouTube videos out there. You know, lots and lots and lots of them, even from the ones that that don't seem all that good, you could still learn something from it, maybe how not to do something. And so take the time, of course, there's books and and then when you when you start getting into it, you know, maybe you're just self motivated. And I'm just going to read books and watch videos, I'm just going to go out and learn. Learn from that. But eventually you're going to want to hang out with like minded people. And then you can go to gatherings there's there's plenty of primitive skills, gatherings that happened throughout the country. And so you can start going to those and then meet people like you and learn from them. You can share what you've learned. And so with wilderness way itself, there's there's myself and my two partners, and I do primarily the wilderness survival teaching, and then my other partners do the search and rescue elements. Being outdoors, so using ropes and rafts to rescue people who are stranded in the wilderness. And so, you just simply either on Facebook or on online or go to the wilderness way adventures.com website. And if if you prefer safe based Christ centered, wilderness survival environment to learn skills, then give me a call. And as you know, Faith and relationship with Jesus isn't your thing. And a lot of people still attend, you know, because you're gonna get good skills. It's not just all about, you know, reading the Bible and praising God, it's, it's genuinely we spend 99% of our time, hardcore learning skills. And you're going to be good at learning how to rub two sticks together to make a fire, you're gonna know how to build a shelter, how to find water, and make it safe to drink at the edible plants and make a bow and use traps and snares to catch animals so that you can have food and heights for clothing and other things. You're gonna you're gonna learn all of that. And then also, you could visit us at our we call the Roundhouse, we actually made it earthbag house just took Adobe play and, and that's what our house is made out of, and see how to live off the grid and learn prepper techniques and ideas. And so that's, that's available to people who are interested. And yeah, like, I was gonna say, if, if, you know, the fact that I include Jesus is part of what we do, if that's offensive to you, then there's plenty of excellent programs out there where you could learn skills. And so reach out and do that, and, and take your responsibility as as being an adult, and, and a provider. And so that if the grid should shut down, there's no surprise because there's no handicap because you were taught and skilled and can get by without the grid. And that's, that's the person you want to be it really, there's a sense of satisfaction, there's this sense of of a healthy type of pride, that that makes you a better decent, more compassionate person. And it's well worth it to take the time to learn those skills for all the above reasons.

Sam 1:27:06

Mike, I, I appreciate you sharing all of that and, and sharing everything you have with us today. I will go ahead and link your website and your public pages in the show notes. For those that are interested in finding those you can link right over to Mike and and find him readily. But as we're kind of wrapping up, I just want to give you the opportunity if there's anything else that you want to share, if there's something that I've missed that that you want to put out there any any last words for us before we wrap up.

Mike Lowe 1:27:37

I would like to share two stories from being on alone that I think are great takeaways. And while I was out there, I was catching several different species of fish in my gill net. And had been a few days since I caught one of my favorite fish. So I was sitting on on my, my little meditation spot. And looking out over the day, the little colver I was and I see this rogue wave making its way toward me. And I just prayed to God, you know, please, I would love my favorite little since it was the rat fish. It's kind of like a shark. And so here comes his roadway across the cove. And it curls and crashes on the beach. And when that water receded, it left one of those fish for me slopping, ran over you know, hit it with my with my stick. And and I had an answer to my prayer. I got my favorite fish. I just love that. So I wish I filmed the whole thing and unfortunately didn't make it on television. But it was you know, very endearing and heartwarming to pray for something. And then God provided in that really cool way, you know, just just brought that that fish in on a roadway and deposit it right up right on the shore, right where I was sitting. And then the other one is I had been using my jacket is tillow. And you know I, I sleep with two objectives in mind, apparently, one to get rest and the other is to exercise because I just toss and turn all night long. My poor whites, and so my pillow would come undone. So I'd have to wake up, you know, five or six times at night refold it and then tuck it under my head. So one morning I just woke up and I said Father I would love a pillow please give me a pillow. Two hours later I was beach combing down around the cove right and look out and see the Pacific Ocean. And there was this log that at low tide would be above water and high tide to be underwater. So it was low tide. And here was a kilo sitting on top of that log. And I ran over I grabbed it drain the water out it got it as dry as I could. And then I had a pillow for the rest of my time out there. And I call that my prayed for pillow. And was I ever excited about that?

Sam 1:30:12

So you still have that?

Mike Lowe 1:30:15

You know, they wouldn't let me have it. There was there was something they didn't have it also that precisely you know why, you know, I saw were folks did bring home a lot of the stuff that they crafted. But that Teller was one of them I couldn't take it came from Japan, by the way, because you know, just before we went out, I think was it was it 2011 Was when the Fukushima event happened with the earthquake and the tsunami and all that. And, and all that stuff went out into the ocean. And we were there in 2015 was the year that we were filming. And all that stuff was still drifting up on the island, coming from Japan. And so the pillow I had had Japanese writing on is

Sam 1:31:04

fantastic. Unfortunately, that

Mike Lowe 1:31:05

didn't. And that didn't make it on TV either. So one of these days, I'll have to ask the lead editor. Okay, so why yes. I don't know if they'll remember enough about it to be able to answer it. But it's like, why did you leave that out? That was actually pretty cool. So I'm just curious, and see what they say.

Sam 1:31:28

Yeah, hates I kind of distract from there. I think the obviously the point you're getting at is that God is great. And God provides. Right? And if you have faith in that trust, so I didn't mean to kind of derail there. But I think that's I'm assuming that's what you were getting at. And certain Yeah, yeah, I think that's true.

Mike Lowe 1:31:48

How, how cool it is to ask and to receive. I did ask for a whole bunch of other stuff and never got it. But I'm okay with that, too.

Sam 1:31:56

Yeah, there's also that side that sometimes we're not ready for that thing, right. So

Mike Lowe 1:32:01

well, you know, I, so I don't drink alcohol, but a can of beer did wash up and I kept thinking, Man, I wish I could have given this to one of the other guys. And then the other the other thing I prayed for every day was Father, can you just like have a pizza dressed in one of these days? that's ever happened.

Sam 1:32:22

That's funny. Well, Mike, I really appreciate this time. It's it's been a pleasure to, to visit and to get to know you and to hear your experiences in your life. And, you know, hopefully, like you talk about people knowing you that now we've had this conversation, people can feel like they know you a little bit better and, and feel a little bit closer to you. So thank you so much. And I look forward to following and seeing you in the future.

Mike Lowe 1:32:47

Alright, Sam, thank you for having me. And I look forward to listening to this again with my wife, and then listening to the rest of the ones that you do. And hopefully you'll be able to get a hold of everybody and do it because it's the wonderful thing that you're doing. So God bless you, brother.

Sam 1:33:05

I appreciate that and back at you and you take care. Alrighty man, bye