“In sailing, I single-hand, and I want to do the Horn. The Horn is the ...” — Gary Paulsen Quote

In sailing, I single-hand, and I want to do the Horn. The Horn is the maximum expression of sailing, the way the Iditarod is the maximum expression of running dogs. It's not to write about it; it's to experience the maximum thing.

My folks were drunks, and I had a rough childhood - really rough - in fact, rougher than I thought about.

Humans are the big thing that cause damage in life - in war or whatever - and if I can get away from that and into a wilderness situation, I'm OK. You can more or less live on your own merit.

Look at Inuit clothing. Their stuff still works better than Cabela's. I've made my own parkas, mukluks, footgear, and it is good to 60 degrees below zero. All I did was copy the patterns that came down from the Inuits.

I don't really even go out that much now, except to walk my dogs, because I don't want to be recognised. I used to be a really friendly person, and now I just want to be invisible. I liked myself much more before I got famous. I was much friendlier and had more energy.

We seriously irritate each other and don't want to spend any time together. And yet we have a profound respect for the partnership. We're like a couple of dogs with a rag.

I like being able to go to a local pub and have great food and particularly love pubs that welcome my dogs.

Dogs do provide security on the street but often people don't train them properly and they will go for you.