Peace Rider is in the saddle again for anyone still monitoring the blogosphere for some signs of activity on this sight. Hi oh Silver and away! My new steed is an old, refurbished Schwinn my neighbor gave me.
I joined a 350SolutionsRevoltions ride already in progress. It was a good fit for a follow on to my first ride for the planet that ended in May.
Alec Neal, and Katherine Ball set out from Portland, OR in mid-August to film a documentary on local solutions to climate change. They were joined in Montana by Malcomb Boothroyd from Whitehorse. He actually began his ride from Skagway, Alaska In Edina, MN, a burb of Minneaopolis, they were joined by Paul Thompson, our sagwagon, driving a Toyota Prius.
In one of those coincidences not coincidences Malcomb is the son of Whitehorse friends I knew from flying days in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
I flew into Chicago from Fairbanks on 27 October. Paul met me at the airport thankfully, with none of those anxiety producing moments of arriving "cold turkey" in a new place.
The group had the use of an apartment for the Chicago stay. Kathy had moved out for three days to give the group a place to stay. Just one example of being cared for along the way by the generosity of friends and friends of friends.
We are in another such place this day near Toledo, Ohio the home of Becky and Dean Kasperzak, friends of Alec Neal. Yesterday we put nearly 80 miles behind us so it was slow getting going this morning. Next stop for interviews is Cleveland about 120 miles down the road, a shorter day in the offing today.
I have some inkling of where the expression "Holy Toledo" may have come from. Passing a landfill south of Detroit a roadside nail flattened my tire. Glueless patches failed thereafter and it took several attempts and an hour or so of fussing and glue down patch before the tube to held air. The delay put us into Toledo just at dark.
I should add that Malcomb is 18, Alec is 27 and Katherine 26. Paul and I are men of some vintage with me in the more elevated vintage category. At the outset I was wondering whether I could just keep up with these young folks. Luckily Paul is carrying much of our weight so the bicycles are lightly loaded. I also had two relatively low mileage days at the outset to gather strength after a four month layoff.
There must have been some residual conditioning from the earlier ride because I'm hanging in there, somewhat slower, but at least the rest of the group is still in sight at the end of the day. And after all, as Katherine said to me, they're not going to leave me behind.
It's a good mix of young and old that works well together. I am blessed to have these folks as traveling companions.
The plan is to reach DC on 15 November, spend a few days walking the halls of Congress lobbying members. Afterward, we'll leave by train for the southern coast and take a boat to Cancun or near vicinity. The latter has yet to be arranged. Several leads remain to be followed.
IF YOU CAN HELP WITH A BOAT CONNECTION ACROSS THE GULF TO PROGRESO, ON THE NORTH COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENN. LET ME KNOW.
Through contacts Katherine had developed, I have been able to volunteer with Klimaform, the climate talk organizers. Katherine and Alec are also volunteers as well as delegates to the conference. Food is provide and we will camp together in an eco-village. It should be interesting.
Malcomb is part of the Canadian youth delegation to the talks. Paul is also a delegate. I was too late to apply to attend the conference talks but I am happy to be a freelancer to go where I'm needed.
The talks run from late November thru 11 Dec.
After the talks not sure where the Universe would have me go. This is, after all, a faith walk. But have-wheels-will-travel. I plan to take my old Schwinn with me and will see, perhaps Cuba.
I will continue to add to the blog as computer access allows.
See 350Solutionsrevolutions web site for more information and a Face book page for updates on the ride progress.
Don - Peace Rider
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
End the Madness
I wrote the following article which appeared as a Community Perspective on the Opinion page of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Sunday, August 29, 2010. My title was "End the Madness." The text is unchanged from the original with the exception of one and universal, capitalized for emphasis. Editorial improvements were made to the author's punctuation.
Not all of the text appearing in the printed article was appropriately credited. That is corrected here.
*From "Target Atmospheric C02: Where Should Humanity Aim?" by James Hansen, Makido Sato et al. in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
"Spontaneous Evolution," by Lipton and Bhaerman
Changing our mental climate
We must alter our ways now.
I recently returned from a seven-month winter bike ride from Fairbanks to Washington, DC. I rode, impelled by the urgency of reigning in C02 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, motivated by the way of peace which is the way of Love. See www.ridefortheplanet.blogspot.com. To get involved see www.350.org.
In Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 97 percent of the climate researchers published in the field say man-made climate change is real.*
I spoke with those who still believe climate change is part of a natural cycle and not human caused. It lets you off the hook for doing anything about it if that's your belief. There are those, of course, who just don't know or are misinformed. But it's also convenient if your motives are money-driven and you choose to ignore all the costs to the common good from continuing our addiction to burning fossil fuels. It's the "what's-in-it-for me?" mind set that places human needs above all other considerations that must change.
Climate has changed in the past but has occurred over the course of centuries allowing living systems to adapt. The changes we are experiencing now are occurring over a relatively few decades-- too short a period of time for plants, animals and humanity to readily adapt.
Riding south through Canada, I was struck by the sight of so many dead trees. I had seen this earlier on the Kenai Peninsula but had no idea it was happening over vast areas of the Yukon, into Alberta to southern British Columbia. Later, I saw a lot more in Colorado. The winters are no longer cold enough to kill the spruce and pine bark beetle infestations causing widespread dying of trees.
Trees are the lungs of the planet, producing oxygen we need to breathe and absorb carbon dioxide. The oceans absorb some C02 but are becoming more acidic, stressing coral reefs and shell fish fisheries with consequences for long term productivity. Acidification in some Alaskan waters is already cause for concern.
Climate science is complex, but our understanding and ability to model it is better than any time in history. Perceived deficiencies in data are not a rationale for doing nothing. The present global mean of 385 ppm C02 is already in the danger zone.* Positive feedback may set in motion dramatic climate changes that cannot be controlled if humans push the climate system far into disequilibrium.* The possibility of near term return of atmospheric composition beneath the tipping level for catastrophic effects is practically eliminated with continued growth of green house gas emission for just another decade.*
Everything is connected and separation is an illusion in our quantum mechanical Universe.^ We are part of a greater field called the Source, Universe, All-That-Is, God.^ No structure or thing exists apart from it.^ Another way of putting it is we are all One. What we give to another, whether ourselves or other living things returns to the self individually or collectively because of our interconnectedness.
A "four-alarm-fire" is raging on the planet and we are sleep-walking through it. Quantum mechanics acknowledges that the observer creates the reality.^ We have created a kind of hell on Earth through our misperceptions. Perpetuating the war way and continuing our polluting, plundering and poisoning way of life on the planet is a prescription for extinction.
The good news is people are waking up. I met some of them and was greatly encouraged. A new consciousness is arising. We must change our perceptions if we are to meet the many challenges facing us. If we are to survive as a species on this planet, it will be through strategies and ways of being that foster cooperation and sharing for the greater good, not perpetuating competitive strategies that benefit a relative few at the expense of the many-- whether human or the environment.
If your heart's desire is to end the "madness," make it your intention to do so by acting on your highest thought aligned with Universal values of love, compassion, honesty, integrity, courage and kindness. All thought is creative, actually arranging the particles of matter called reality through our conscious and unconscious beliefs.^ As improbable as it may seem, it's through the power of our intention and acts of kindness multiplied a million fold and more that will end the "madness" and create a new Earth. It is time.
Don Ross, aka Peace Rider is a long time Fairbanks resident and Bush air service pilot.
Not all of the text appearing in the printed article was appropriately credited. That is corrected here.
*From "Target Atmospheric C02: Where Should Humanity Aim?" by James Hansen, Makido Sato et al. in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
"Spontaneous Evolution," by Lipton and Bhaerman
Changing our mental climate
We must alter our ways now.
I recently returned from a seven-month winter bike ride from Fairbanks to Washington, DC. I rode, impelled by the urgency of reigning in C02 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, motivated by the way of peace which is the way of Love. See www.ridefortheplanet.blogspot.com. To get involved see www.350.org.
In Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 97 percent of the climate researchers published in the field say man-made climate change is real.*
I spoke with those who still believe climate change is part of a natural cycle and not human caused. It lets you off the hook for doing anything about it if that's your belief. There are those, of course, who just don't know or are misinformed. But it's also convenient if your motives are money-driven and you choose to ignore all the costs to the common good from continuing our addiction to burning fossil fuels. It's the "what's-in-it-for me?" mind set that places human needs above all other considerations that must change.
Climate has changed in the past but has occurred over the course of centuries allowing living systems to adapt. The changes we are experiencing now are occurring over a relatively few decades-- too short a period of time for plants, animals and humanity to readily adapt.
Riding south through Canada, I was struck by the sight of so many dead trees. I had seen this earlier on the Kenai Peninsula but had no idea it was happening over vast areas of the Yukon, into Alberta to southern British Columbia. Later, I saw a lot more in Colorado. The winters are no longer cold enough to kill the spruce and pine bark beetle infestations causing widespread dying of trees.
Trees are the lungs of the planet, producing oxygen we need to breathe and absorb carbon dioxide. The oceans absorb some C02 but are becoming more acidic, stressing coral reefs and shell fish fisheries with consequences for long term productivity. Acidification in some Alaskan waters is already cause for concern.
Climate science is complex, but our understanding and ability to model it is better than any time in history. Perceived deficiencies in data are not a rationale for doing nothing. The present global mean of 385 ppm C02 is already in the danger zone.* Positive feedback may set in motion dramatic climate changes that cannot be controlled if humans push the climate system far into disequilibrium.* The possibility of near term return of atmospheric composition beneath the tipping level for catastrophic effects is practically eliminated with continued growth of green house gas emission for just another decade.*
Everything is connected and separation is an illusion in our quantum mechanical Universe.^ We are part of a greater field called the Source, Universe, All-That-Is, God.^ No structure or thing exists apart from it.^ Another way of putting it is we are all One. What we give to another, whether ourselves or other living things returns to the self individually or collectively because of our interconnectedness.
A "four-alarm-fire" is raging on the planet and we are sleep-walking through it. Quantum mechanics acknowledges that the observer creates the reality.^ We have created a kind of hell on Earth through our misperceptions. Perpetuating the war way and continuing our polluting, plundering and poisoning way of life on the planet is a prescription for extinction.
The good news is people are waking up. I met some of them and was greatly encouraged. A new consciousness is arising. We must change our perceptions if we are to meet the many challenges facing us. If we are to survive as a species on this planet, it will be through strategies and ways of being that foster cooperation and sharing for the greater good, not perpetuating competitive strategies that benefit a relative few at the expense of the many-- whether human or the environment.
If your heart's desire is to end the "madness," make it your intention to do so by acting on your highest thought aligned with Universal values of love, compassion, honesty, integrity, courage and kindness. All thought is creative, actually arranging the particles of matter called reality through our conscious and unconscious beliefs.^ As improbable as it may seem, it's through the power of our intention and acts of kindness multiplied a million fold and more that will end the "madness" and create a new Earth. It is time.
Don Ross, aka Peace Rider is a long time Fairbanks resident and Bush air service pilot.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Off the Road in Fairbanks 6/16/10
Friend (Joe) - Hey Peace Rider long time no hear from you. What happened?
PR - Sorry about that. I forgot to let folks know that I'd be out of touch for awhile. Besides that my sag wagon went on a much deserved break. It was an oversight.
F - You still plan to do something like a summary of your trip?
PR - I do but that will take a bit of time. I wanted to just let everyone know what has passed since I left Washington, DC May 18th.
F - Did you visit your friend in New York as you mentioned earlier.
PR - I did. It was great seeing him.
He and I met on a Pastor's for Peace Caravan to Cuba, in '98, as I recall. In addition to taking aid for the Cuban people it was a protest against the US embargo.
One thing I learned you don't hear about is that after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor melt down the Cuban government took in thousands of children affected by radiation poisoning and resulting cancers and treated them. We visited the clinic in Havana and met some of the children there. One of the donated items was an ambulance for the clinic.
Cuba also provides free education and medical care for its citizens which we don't. Their system may be flawed but so is ours.
The embargo hurt the average "Joe" in Cuba more that it did the government. It should be ended.
F - Where did you go after NY?
PR - I hopped on another bus headed for Toronto. From there I took the Via Rail Canadienne train to Edson, Alberta.
F - How was that experience?
PR - It was nice having a bunk for the three nights it took to get to Edson. The food was excellent. The rub came after I got off the train.
F - How's that?
PR - Somewhere between getting off the bus in Toronto and Edson my front handle bar bag took a walk. It was in my BOB trailer with some of my other stuff secured with bungee cords.
F - It could have just fallen out, eh?
PR - Yeah, it's possible but I had wedged it in pretty good. I didn't notice it missing until after I was off the train. It was well out of sight by then. The problem was that my pedals were also in that bag. I'm standing on the platform with a bicycle and no pedals, no go power. Great!
F - What'd you do?
PR - I went into the station. A CN railway worker was inside. I told him my problem. He said there's a recycling center just down the street. Check to see if any bicycles were left there. I did that but found nothing. I did talk to a man there dropping off stuff. I asked him if there was a bike shop in town? He said yes but it was likely closed. It was Sunday. And he added it will be closed on Monday, the equivalent of our Memorial Day weekend.
When I told him my problem he said why don't you check the dump there's lots of bicycles there. He gave me directions. It was not too far away.
But first I had to walk back to the station where I'd left my bike and make sure it was going to be open when I got back.
F - So how did you make out at the dump?
PR - I was pretty amazed in the end. Not only did I find bike pedals, I found the same style pedals that were on my bike minus the reflectors. I had to borrow a wrench at the dump office to get them off. But that done I walked back to the station, put the pedals on and hit the road. I'm being taken care of and grateful for it.
F - I thought you were going to visit Don Laird in Edson?
PR - I was but he took a job and was out of town. I got off there anyway, since I didn't want to lose too much conditioning when I hit the road again from Haines, AK.
F - So smooth sailing from there on.
PR - Pretty much. I visited friends made on the way down in Hinton and Jasper. I biked from Hinton to Jasper then caught the train from there to Prince Rupert.
While I was in Hinton my friend Rocky Notnes reminded me to call the newspaper for a post ride interview. I did that and Virginia Carnagham interviewed me again for an article in the Edson Leader. It also appeared in the Hinton Parklander. That was way cool to touch bases again after the trip.
F - When was that?
PR - About the 28th or 29th of May.
F- How was the train ride from Jasper.?
PR - A lovely ride through the mountains, well worth taking. We saw plenty of black bears en route. It retraced part of my bike route west. It wasn't snowing at least but Mt. Robson, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies, was obscured in clouds.
The train to Prince Rupert overnights in Prince George. I arranged in advance to stay with Warm Showers hosts Richard and Mattie Thompson.
He's a retired writer of children's books and she a soon to retire school teacher. It was really nice of them to take me in for such a short stay. I got my bike off the train to get to there house but had to make an 8:00 AM departure the next morning.
They are an amazing couple. They have never owned an automobile.
F - When did you leave Prince Rupert?
PR - I caught the ferry to Haines on 1 June and got there early on 3 June. The ferry was packed. There was a native festival happening in Juneau and people from coastal communities were traveling north to join this every two year event.
F- How was your stateroom on the ferry?
PR - My "stateroom" was on deck seven outside under the solarium. It was the least crowded and quietest place on the ship. Slept on the available reclining deck chairs. Some pitched their tents on the deck but they got rained out.
F - From Haines you biked to Fairbanks, right?
PR - That's right. I had a wonderful first night's camp high up near Chilkat Pass with a grand view of distant glaciers and mountain peaks. It was one of those less common nearly cloudless days without rain.
I made good time and got to Fairbanks on 12 June, 10 days to go 650 miles. I was crus'in.
F - Any problems?
PR - In the end no but I was warned off the road and avoided an encounter that could have been ugly.
F - You want to say more about it?
PR - Maybe sometime. But for now all I want to say is listen to that intuitive voice expressed through one's feelings.
F- What are your plans now?
PR - I'm not hanging up my sandals just yet. Another ride across the country is being planned by some folks with 350.org. I'm considering joining that in August. It would end up in DC, then train and boat to Cancun for climate talks convening in Cancun Mexico in November.
F - Seems like a good fit for you?
PR - Yeah, it does, need to sit with it awhile before I commit.
F - Talk to you again soon. Let me know what you decide.
PR - Will do!
Viajero por la paz
PR - Sorry about that. I forgot to let folks know that I'd be out of touch for awhile. Besides that my sag wagon went on a much deserved break. It was an oversight.
F - You still plan to do something like a summary of your trip?
PR - I do but that will take a bit of time. I wanted to just let everyone know what has passed since I left Washington, DC May 18th.
F - Did you visit your friend in New York as you mentioned earlier.
PR - I did. It was great seeing him.
He and I met on a Pastor's for Peace Caravan to Cuba, in '98, as I recall. In addition to taking aid for the Cuban people it was a protest against the US embargo.
One thing I learned you don't hear about is that after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor melt down the Cuban government took in thousands of children affected by radiation poisoning and resulting cancers and treated them. We visited the clinic in Havana and met some of the children there. One of the donated items was an ambulance for the clinic.
Cuba also provides free education and medical care for its citizens which we don't. Their system may be flawed but so is ours.
The embargo hurt the average "Joe" in Cuba more that it did the government. It should be ended.
F - Where did you go after NY?
PR - I hopped on another bus headed for Toronto. From there I took the Via Rail Canadienne train to Edson, Alberta.
F - How was that experience?
PR - It was nice having a bunk for the three nights it took to get to Edson. The food was excellent. The rub came after I got off the train.
F - How's that?
PR - Somewhere between getting off the bus in Toronto and Edson my front handle bar bag took a walk. It was in my BOB trailer with some of my other stuff secured with bungee cords.
F - It could have just fallen out, eh?
PR - Yeah, it's possible but I had wedged it in pretty good. I didn't notice it missing until after I was off the train. It was well out of sight by then. The problem was that my pedals were also in that bag. I'm standing on the platform with a bicycle and no pedals, no go power. Great!
F - What'd you do?
PR - I went into the station. A CN railway worker was inside. I told him my problem. He said there's a recycling center just down the street. Check to see if any bicycles were left there. I did that but found nothing. I did talk to a man there dropping off stuff. I asked him if there was a bike shop in town? He said yes but it was likely closed. It was Sunday. And he added it will be closed on Monday, the equivalent of our Memorial Day weekend.
When I told him my problem he said why don't you check the dump there's lots of bicycles there. He gave me directions. It was not too far away.
But first I had to walk back to the station where I'd left my bike and make sure it was going to be open when I got back.
F - So how did you make out at the dump?
PR - I was pretty amazed in the end. Not only did I find bike pedals, I found the same style pedals that were on my bike minus the reflectors. I had to borrow a wrench at the dump office to get them off. But that done I walked back to the station, put the pedals on and hit the road. I'm being taken care of and grateful for it.
F - I thought you were going to visit Don Laird in Edson?
PR - I was but he took a job and was out of town. I got off there anyway, since I didn't want to lose too much conditioning when I hit the road again from Haines, AK.
F - So smooth sailing from there on.
PR - Pretty much. I visited friends made on the way down in Hinton and Jasper. I biked from Hinton to Jasper then caught the train from there to Prince Rupert.
While I was in Hinton my friend Rocky Notnes reminded me to call the newspaper for a post ride interview. I did that and Virginia Carnagham interviewed me again for an article in the Edson Leader. It also appeared in the Hinton Parklander. That was way cool to touch bases again after the trip.
F - When was that?
PR - About the 28th or 29th of May.
F- How was the train ride from Jasper.?
PR - A lovely ride through the mountains, well worth taking. We saw plenty of black bears en route. It retraced part of my bike route west. It wasn't snowing at least but Mt. Robson, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies, was obscured in clouds.
The train to Prince Rupert overnights in Prince George. I arranged in advance to stay with Warm Showers hosts Richard and Mattie Thompson.
He's a retired writer of children's books and she a soon to retire school teacher. It was really nice of them to take me in for such a short stay. I got my bike off the train to get to there house but had to make an 8:00 AM departure the next morning.
They are an amazing couple. They have never owned an automobile.
F - When did you leave Prince Rupert?
PR - I caught the ferry to Haines on 1 June and got there early on 3 June. The ferry was packed. There was a native festival happening in Juneau and people from coastal communities were traveling north to join this every two year event.
F- How was your stateroom on the ferry?
PR - My "stateroom" was on deck seven outside under the solarium. It was the least crowded and quietest place on the ship. Slept on the available reclining deck chairs. Some pitched their tents on the deck but they got rained out.
F - From Haines you biked to Fairbanks, right?
PR - That's right. I had a wonderful first night's camp high up near Chilkat Pass with a grand view of distant glaciers and mountain peaks. It was one of those less common nearly cloudless days without rain.
I made good time and got to Fairbanks on 12 June, 10 days to go 650 miles. I was crus'in.
F - Any problems?
PR - In the end no but I was warned off the road and avoided an encounter that could have been ugly.
F - You want to say more about it?
PR - Maybe sometime. But for now all I want to say is listen to that intuitive voice expressed through one's feelings.
F- What are your plans now?
PR - I'm not hanging up my sandals just yet. Another ride across the country is being planned by some folks with 350.org. I'm considering joining that in August. It would end up in DC, then train and boat to Cancun for climate talks convening in Cancun Mexico in November.
F - Seems like a good fit for you?
PR - Yeah, it does, need to sit with it awhile before I commit.
F - Talk to you again soon. Let me know what you decide.
PR - Will do!
Viajero por la paz
Monday, May 17, 2010
On the Road from Washington, DC 5/17/2010
Friend (Joe) - Congratulations, you made it to DC.
PR - Yeah, hard to believe seven month or so on the road with some of the best for last. Connections with friends new and old, things that really matter. I'll have more to say when time and computer access allows.
For now I want to just thank all of you across Canada and America for your prayers, well wishes and travel safety. There was a Greater Hand in this journey, lighting my path and giving me the strength and fortitude to continue under some really demanding conditions.
F - So what are your plans now?
PR - Well, I'm waiting for a call from President Obama. But failing a command performance at the White House I'll head out of here tomorrow by Greyhound Bus to Newark, NY to visit friends. May 20th I'll catch the train from Toronto across Canada to Prince Rupert, the Alaska Ferry from there to Haines and to Fairbanks again by bicycle. With luck I'll by back home the middle of June.
PR - A special thanks to my friends Ed and Jackie Debevec for their help and support with my journey and the blog. Maybe they should take a vacation, go to Scotland, have fun.
F - I thought he was going to do that?
PR - He is, just being light hearted, have a good one Ed and Jackie!
Viajero por la Paz!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Peace Rider in Washington, D.C. 5/13/2010
Got a call from Don today. He arrived in Washington D.C. on Thursday, May 13th. He met with staff of both Senators Begich and Murkowski yesterday. Later today he was going to a bit of a reception for him arranged by Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado. He will hopefully find a computer in the next couple days and compose a post reflecting on the completion of this part of his journey and some clues as to what he'll do next.
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