A Conversation

Friend (F) So what's the deal here, an early winter bike ride down the Alaska Highway going where and why? Is this an ego trip for you or what?

Peace Rider (PR) Not at all, although I have to be careful it doesn't become that. It's the last thing I expected to be doing this winter. But before I get into the "why of it" I have a few people I need to thank publicly for making it possible. My wife was not overjoyed at my going but has always come through in the end running errands, and buying and preparing food. New friends Pat Erwin and Kathy Sarns' owners of Free Spirit Wear.com in Homer made invaluable gear
suggestions. They are experienced long distance cyclists, which I am not. I am also the proud owner of a colorful buff and blue wind jacket from their shop. These happen to be the school colors of Punahoe High School on Oahu, Hawaii where I went for some of grade school. I added Peace Rider and Burn Fat Not Oil the back borrowed from another Fairbanks friend, as a fitting slogan for this ride, don't you think? Jason Tinsley, another Fairbanks friend, introduced me to Kifaru tipi tents. With a collapsible stove it takes the cold out of winter camping.

But hey this trip is not about me its about bringing people together to end the insanity and the kind of hell on earth we have created. There are many social inequities but climate change is the most urgent needing all our focused attention if we are to avoid its worst effects. Worldwide CO 2 emissions need to fall below 350 ppm, a safe level scientists tell us. National governments dither and this is unacceptable.

F So what motivated you to ride?

PR It was an inspiration, that is an in spirit prompting, the end result of a long spiritual journey with many twists and turns. I ride to honor the inspiration and the One who made it possible. This is the outward action from an inner journey. It's also necessary if we are to pull ourselves back from the brink. There are not decades remaining to make these changes.

F You mean God asked you to do it?

PR If you're implying that I'm a bit addled in the head and hearing voices you're wide of the mark. Really it's a lot more subtle than that, it is more like a thought that comes to mind then acted upon and later affirmed by circumstances and people met who can help. Those people I already mentioned, for example. I am discovering that as my life aligns more nearly with divine intention there is a harmony that arises along with a sense of inner peace.

But lets not use the God word here, it's overworked. To borrow an Ekhart Tolle quote the "the finger pointing at the moon is not the moon. The paradox here is that when you use a word with its accompanying thought to describe what we are talking about it implies there are two, the thinker and the object of thought. This creates the illusion of separation. When you use the God word or other descriptive words it cannot be that it's something else.

What we are talking about is formless, unnameable, and indescribable from our finite perspective but not unknowable. We and everything else in the universe is an expression in form of that which is formless. All of life then is a reflection of the divine and sacred. Think of it as the energy holding everything together including you and me. We are an inherent part of Universal or Source energy. We are One with it in the same sense that Jesus meant when he said I and the Father are One. Separation is the illusion and cause of all the dysfunction and insanity in our world.

F So okay but I really don't get this God stuff. If I can't see it I'm not inclined to believe it.

PR Welcome to the crowd. Your a nature lover and enjoy all the sights and sounds and beauty that's all around. Right?

F Sure.

PR Love of nature was my path to the sacred. Think of the simple beauty of the blue Forget-Me-Not flower, the AK state flower. But look deeper than the outward form. The flower form is a reflection of the that which is formless. Here especially love and beauty intertwine and point to things divine. Love is commonly understood as the essence of Universal energy. There is always more going on than meets the eye.

This is the perception shift we all need to make to throw off the yoke of our dysfunctional past and embrace Oneness. Humanity is at a crossroads and the choice of the future we wish to create is up to us. I ride with the hope that there are enough aware and like minded people out there, tired of the insanity and are ready and willing to come together under a common banner to alter course while there is still time.

F This is pretty deep stuff, did you just make this up or what?

PR None of this is new information. Others have said much the same in far more detail than we have talked about here. Check out Ekhart Tolle's writing. He's a great spiritual teacher.

F Hmm! But hey, what's this New Earth Movement thing? A movement takes a lot of people right, so how many people are in this movement.

PR I chose the name after Tolle's most recent book, A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. A lot of people have read his books which complements other recent works. This word choice will resonate with those who are familiar with his writing and spiritual teaching.

Fundamentally it's a shift of perspective away from the dysfunctional illusion of separation to embrace Oneness or Unity.

F This sounds like a religious movement to me with all this God talk stuff.

PR No, its not affiliated with any religious group but it has spiritual underpinnings that are necessary for any movement of this type to be successful. Nor is it a secular environmental movement lacking recognition of a sacred hand, so to speak, behind and guiding it.

F To have a movement you've got to have a cast of thousands, right? How many are in your so called Movement?

PR You're looking at him.

F You've got to be kidding. You remind me of Don Quixote tilting at windmills, except your horse is called Giant and it's a bicycle.

PR You can make fun all you like but all movements start with someone with an idea. Someone had to go first, so why not me. I couldn't just sit around and talk about it. So I'm on a bicycle headed south. I hope others will be inspired to join me along the way. The intention is to arrive in Washington, DC at a date as yet to be set, but probably in late April to urge Congress to get serious with climate change legislation. It's a little early to be date setting. I need to get a better feel for hows long it will take me to make my way south to the "lower 48."

F . This is pretty sketchy.

PR Yeah, I know, many details remain to be worked out. This all came together for me towards the end of the summer. Now I'm the only Peace Rider for the Planet, USA. With the internet it's my hope this will "go viral" and other cyclists will join me or plan there own routes to a rendevous in DC. Just imagine the spectacle and impact of one or more cyclists from each of the 50 states converging on the nations capital insisting on tough climate change legislation. It would also be way cool and colorful if we were all wearing FreeSpiritWear jackets or jerseys with Peace Rider and Burn Fat Not Oil on the back. And just imagine if all this went global on Ride for the Planet day.

This may not be enough as other movements have found. Peaceful civil disobedience may be necessary as a last resort to persuade governments and businesses to change. In the end it won't be government that saves us, it will be grassroots efforts like this that will.

F So I'm still not clear on some important details. Can anyone join in a Ride for the Planet day.

PR Yes, as long as the means of transportation is not fossil fuel powered.

F Tell, me more.

PR Okay, my hope is that following my example there will be many other Peace Riders who get on their bikes from all parts of the country and head for a rendezvous with me and many others in DC sometime in late April 2010 as I mentioned. Of course, not everyone will be able to go the entire distance. There could be relay teams. You may come by any modality of transportation that's not fossil fuel power. Many won't be able to come to DC and should plan their own events for that day as happened in 2007 with Bill McKibben's Step It Up Campaign. Maybe a demonstration at a coal fired power plant is needed, maybe a ride to local or national seat of government. Imagination is key.

If it went global there would be events in other countries insisting that their national governments adopt tough climate change legislation

Burn Fat Not Oil says it all. The goal is to bring CO2 emissions below 350 ppm which scientists say is a safe level. Check out 350.org. for more information.

This should be fun and not burdensome.

F If I drive my car to one of these events is that okay?

PR If it's the only way you can come to make your presence felt yes but car pool or use public transportation if possible. Buy meaningful carbon offsets if you must use a conventional means of
transportation.

F So would you still ride if noone came to your "parade."

PR Sure, can you think of a better way for me to spend my time? I'll be in great shape, been outdoors most of the time, not to mentioned all the new friends I am making and will make along the way. It's a great adventure. Don't be afraid to take risks with your life when opportunity knocks. Security is another grand illusion.

F Tell me more about the sail boat on your web site and the gear you have with you?

PR Let's save that for another conversation. I still have to make a few miles down the road today and it's well into the afternoon.

F Okay, Hasta Entonces (until then).