He is solver of spatial and mechanic problems. With a hammer or screw driver in hands, he is an artist. It doesn't matter what the shape of an old house or how sorry looking a broken down machine. Allan will find a way to put it all back together--and, if need be, with bailing wire and rusty nails. Because of his inventiveness and ability to make do, he has always been in demand by those working in remote places. His stint in the Arctic in 1968 was during a four-and-half-year tour with the Coast Guard. He was one the mechanics running the all-important power plant at a navigation station. In Antarctica, he was a construction coordinator, managing construction of remote field camps used for scientific purposes.
The type of survival Allan teaches at ISU deals with helping people prepare for a 72 hour emergency situation. He is also personally interested in primitive survival: starting fires without matches, tanning hides and other forms of native American survival.
Dutch oven cooking is one of Allan's favorite activities. It shows: he is a superb dutch oven chef. If you ever have a chance to attend a dinner catered by Allan, don't miss it. It is a epicurean experience that you'll never forget.
Allan is a favorite among students. He has an unpretentious, informal style, a bonhomie, mountain man demeanor, and a fun and lighthearted way of teaching. Since the early 1970s, he has been participating and helping with Outdoor Program activities, and we can't think of anyone we'd rather have with us on a trip.
He has an interest in knots, both ornamental and practical, and serves
as the president of the local knot tying club. He's also a member
of the International Knot Tyers
Guild based in London. Self employed as a remodeling contractor,
Allan calls his business the "Have It All Company." He and his wife,
Kathy, live in Pocatello.