Donny Dust is one with nature.
No, really he is.
Dust is not only known for choosing to live off the grid, but his life of living in a cave.
Yes, a cave.
It’s no wonder Dust teamed up with Ray Livingston for the USA Network series, “Mud, Sweat & Beards.”
The four-part adventure series follows the duo as they tackle some of Earth’s most remote locations.
While there, they’ll build a new primitive paradise using their unrivaled wit and wilderness ingenuity.
The best friends and world-class wilderness experts will work together as they do everything from building elaborate shelters to tracking down natural food sources, all while combating extreme weather, hunger and predators.
During the season, Dust and Livingston explore the Alaskan wilderness, Louisiana swampland, Icelandic shores and the New Mexico desert.
The episode featuring New Mexico will air at 9 p.m. Monday, April 25, on USA Network.
Production for the episode took two weeks up in Abiquiú. The pair worked together to build a mud hogan.
“People will definitely see Georgia O’Keeffe country,” Dust says. “We were on the northern side of Abiquiú last June. We had good weather and lots of snakes around. It’s was an interesting time.”
The series picked only four destinations for its first season.
Dust says New Mexico was on the list because he enjoys himself when he’s in the state.
“I have some land near Grants right by El Morro National Monument,” he says. “New Mexico was right up the show’s alley. We had lots of fun things to do and did some traditional builds.”
Dust is known as a survival expert and professional caveman.
When the opportunity came to be on the series – he jumped at it.
“I think when anyone presents to me an opportunity to live and play in the woods, I jump at it,” he says. “I grab the bull by its horns and really live within the land.”
Dust describes himself as a problem solver.
He says there are a lot of influences that come with living within the landscape.
“I go back 20,000 years and people were living within the land. I have to adapt to the world today. The natural world gives you everything.”
Dust did enjoy his time traveling the world for the series.
Though he does feel at home in New Mexico.
“I head to my land all the time and I wear the loin cloth and become a caveman,” he says. “Some of the cool things is finding the ancient stone tools around and being able to recreate them for use.”
Being part of “Mud, Sweat & Beards,” was a challenge.
“I think the newness of the hourly challenges for me personally are the best,” he says. “I seek out those challenges to test myself. I want to convey to an audience that there’s always a way to accomplish something. The way I do it is not the only way.”
