On the Road Barriere to Kamloops, BC 12/9-13/09

Friend (Joe) - what's the name of that pooch curled up by you.

PR - Oh, he's Buddy, a lovable golden retriever belonging to my Warm Shower hosts Tom and Lorna Webb. They went out this morning. I have the run of the house and use of their computer.

F - So you're in from the cold for awhile?

PR - Thankfully, yes. And it has been COLD, below zero F here.

You know a recurring theme of this journey is meeting people I need to meet. In turn they've helped me build on what I started, especially in areas I'm weakest in. It's a joyful process. I've made many new friends. My hosts are more of such folks.

F - So how are you feeling at this point in the journey, going to "extremes?"

PR - I wouldn't have jumped on a bicycle for a "cool" winter bike ride if I didn't feel the need was urgent. We're fouling our own nest. It's our children that will suffer the worst consequences of climate change if we get it wrong.

It's our moral obligation to do it for them. It's up to us to get off the dime and transition to a clean energy future. They'll need the oil that remains for petrochemicals. There's only so much of the stuff left. Why take the risk of dragging this out until 2030 or 2050.

Future generations may look back on this era with a single question, "they really burned it." Why?

F - It's like being handed a stick of dynamite with a slow burning fuse, eh?

PR Something like that, you don't know when it will explode in your face. A sane person would defuse it, whatever it took, in as short a time as possible, rather than dither, dally and delay.

F - End our addiction to fossil fuels in an orderly fashion. Make sure the needs of everyone are met in a well planned transition to a clean energy future. Is that your idea?

PR - That's right! The USA put a man on the moon in a decade. Set a goal of having all atmospheric poisons planet wide in decline by the end of the next decade. Don't mess around with this. We're literally playing with dynamite.

F - Canada and the USA should be leading the way to a clean, energy independent future instead of being Neanderthals.

PR - At a Peace Conference I attended Dr. Vincent Hardy said, "Obama can't save you, you have to save Obama." And he's right on. It's going to take a real shove and "tough love" from citizens at the grass roots level to make it happen. Look at what Gandhi and Martin Luther King had to do in their struggles for social justice.

F - And look what happened to them?

PR - Yeah, I know but maybe, just maybe, it will be different this time.

But here's the key, we'll continue to make the same mistakes of the past as long as we see ourselves as separate from one another at a deeper level, separate from creation and the consequences of our behavior, and separate from that which is Higher than self. What we give to the other we give to ourselves individually or collectively because of these underlying relationships. A lot more people understand this now.

We are the dreamer awaking from a nightmare. It's time to follow the red flashing detour sign. It's time to end it, unite and come together.

F - Preach on bro, "I'm pulling for you, we're all in this together."

PR - Yeah, it's doable. There's great strength in unity. But how do you wake people up?

F - You're riding and speaking to young people aren't you, gaining more attention because you're riding in winter.

PR - Yes, and I've noticed a shortage of other cyclists on the road. But seriously, it's a great opportunity and privilege I've been given to speak. It's beyond my comfort zone at times, but I'm committed to the journey, whatever it takes.

F- How did your presentation go at the Barriere Secondary School?

PR - Better this time, my message and voice are stronger. There were good questions afterward too. The aftermath was especially rewarding.

F - Glad to hear it but I forgot to ask where you spent the night, camped out somewhere?

PR - No, Jonathan Brady the Principal and Sheri McGregor the custodian, pulled out all the stops to find a place for me. A lot of teachers commute from Kamloops so it wasn't like - easy.

I met Jonathan and Sheri when I walked into the school and told them who I was. I'd called ahead. She found a place 5 km north of town, but I'd have to bike there. Oops, long way, me tired. More calling.

She called the Elementary school and talked to the Secretary. At that moment she "just happened" to overhear Gay Conan, leaving the building, "call her back she said." Gay Conan and Robert Bach were the owners of the place north of town.

I could leave my bike at the school. I changed back to touring tires in the wood shop while I waited for Gay to come.

The shoulders of the road here were mostly clear, a good time to change over inside a warm building it seemed. I'd been on studded tires since Jasper, slower going, more drag. But I really needed them with snow and ice on the shoulders for most of the way to Barriere.

And that's how I ended up spending a delightful evening with Gay and Robert at their Bar F, Hacienda Costalota. You've got to have a sense of humor as a farmer. Small farmers like them are just getting by.

They enjoy the life style with a menagerie of horses, a llama, sheep, chickens, cows, donkeys, pigs, dogs, cats and an occasional coyote that nips in for an easy meal.

A sheep guard dog they had on permanent assignment near the barn stopped most of the "bandits" I was told.

I joined Gay and Robert doing morning chores, feeding, watering and cleaning up after their extended family.

In the distance I saw a cat crossing the yard. Three dogs lit out after it. Robert said, "they don't chase the two resident cats but they'll chase strays off." "Once," he said, "a coyote came in the yard and grabbed a rooster in front of me but he couldn't get it through the fence and dropped it." "I got it back at least," he said.

I was a little slow in getting to Gay's car to head for the school after chores. By the time we arrived classes had resumed. We were supposed to arrive beforehand. But it worked out. More students came later.

Touring tires came off again, whew, and studded tires went back on while I waited. It was snowing again in the AM. At least I had a warm place in the school to do it and air from the wood shop.

Later I wheeled my loaded bike into the gym where 50-60 or so high school students sat on bleachers with their teachers and Principal.

I would never have imagined myself making presentations before high school students but there I was.

F - So how did it go?

PR - In a sea of faces it's hard to tell but very well from later responses. We don't speak from the heart often enough. What happened later was really special.

F - Let's hear it.

PR - I got on the road a little past l PM. The next town down the road was McLure about 6 miles south. I figured I could make 10 miles in the remaining daylight.

I pulled even with McLure with less than half an hour before camp time, about 3:15 PM. Opposite the Post Office, five people walked out from their driveway to meet me. Noel introduced himself, then Josie his wife, and their three daughters Karina, Kimberly and Kathrine.

They handed me a paper bag filled with goodies, food for the road. They are Filipino, slight in stature but tall where it counts most.

It turns out Karina and Kimbery heard me speak at school earlier in the day. They were inspired. Wow, I say that a lot! After speaking the students went off to their next class. I hadn't seen them. They were home from school by the time I reached their modest mobile home near the Canadian Railroad tracks.

They waited, knowing I was coming. Karina said, "remember me, I saw you at the Elementary School?" I stopped there briefly asking for directions to the Secondary School (high school). I went the long way through Barriere to find it.

Noel handed me his card which said they were The Pelayo Family, Musicians and Singers. Josie told me about a place further on where I could camp in the pines. Then Noel said, "we have a bungalow beside our house, why don't you stay here." I thought a moment and said, "why not." I accepted.

I'm being taken care of. I knew it. You cannot give selflessly without receiving, it's the way Love works.

They were in a hurry to leave for Kamloops. Kimberly had a violin lesson. Afterward they were going to church. I was about to go with them, but they were hurrying to leave and I said, "you go on without me." I was in my traveling clothes. I wanted to change. I'll have a relaxing evening I thought. In the bungalow, I found a We Are The World cassette. I'm a low tech guy in a high tech world you know. Their Cadillac of boom boxes had more buttons than some aircraft console panels. Eventually I got it going. It was really nice to hear music again. I miss that on the road. Still, there was a tinge of regret at not going just as they found me.

I was heating water for a hot drink when the phone began ringing in the adjacent room. I picked it up but nothing. I was not pressing the key down hard enough I discovered later. The phone kept ringing then stopped.

I got changed was just about to fix dinner when I heard knocking. I opened the door. Jerry introduced himself. "We have come to pick you up." " What?" I responded, "Josie called me and Alice, she tried to call you. We're taking you to their church with us," he said, "can you be ready in five minutes?"

They didn't tell me they were smokers until I was in the car. "It won't kill me," I responded after their warning.

They were good friends and benefactors of the family I learned. Jerry had helped the family build their small food concession wagon where they sold Filipino food.

Noel was a farm hand. He had lost his job, and for the first time getting an unemployment check. They decided to try something else, maybe a restaurant later. They didn't start until Sept. It was not set up for winter. They had to stop, when it started freezing. It was parked beside their home for the winter.

We arrived at the Kamloops Alliance Church where I caught up with the family. Karina and Kimberley were playing Christmas music, Karina on piano and Kimberly the violin. It was a Christmas dinner with a drama, The Inn Keepers Dilemma afterward. They bought a $20.00 ticket and gave it to me so I could go with them. I was really moved knowing their circumstances.

It was a delightful evening, good food, meeting new people, enjoying a well rehearsed and acted drama.

Karina 16, the oldest, told me she was trying to raise $4000 to go to Ecuador on a Me and We exchange program. She was earning money towards that by playing at the church she said but well shy of the money needed to make a deposit deadline by Christmas day. Wendy, who was seated next to me at the dinner table, had helped her apply.

In the basement shower room of Tom and Lorna's home where I'm at, there is a sign, "kindness is power." What greater love than this to welcome me, a stranger, into their homes and be treated as part of the family.

It is time to end the madness. We're all One.

F - So what are your plans in Kamloops?

PR - I will try and speak at North Kamloops High school on Monday. The local TV station and newspaper were interested in an interview so we'll see. I arrived late Friday so the latter two didn't work out.

Tom and Lorna have taken such good care of me.
Tom ran me around town yesterday looking for replacement rain gear and a camera. The former was old when I started. I need the latter now.

F - I heard there's one long grind heading south from Kamloops, eh?

PR - Yeah, it will be the longest so far but not as steep as some on the Alaska Highway. Part of the package!

F - You know you don't have much on your bike to tell folks what you're up to when vehicles pass.

PR - You're right! Tom had a great idea. He suggested I put easily removable signs with Ride For The Planet on both sides of the B.O.B. I'll put that on the back of my wind jacket as well.

F - So then you're all set for the next leg?

PR - Well, not quite, the sign shop is backed up with Christmas orders so that's on hold for the moment. I was able to get it embroidered on my jacket. That will help until I can get signs made.

F - You haven't told me much about Tom and Lorna?

PR - Sorry, Tom is a master mechanic and retired Safeway store exec., Lorna is a real estate agent and real sweetheart. She's still working.

While I was working on this Tom lubed and made adjustments on my bike. He's amazing!

He has a neat project underway I've not seen, building a solar, electric car using a fifties vintage Chevy chassis. It's not at the house where I'm staying. As he said, "there's not a bolt on it I've not removed in the rebuilding process."

I am deeply grateful our paths crossed. My days ahead will be better and stronger for it. Kindness is their power.

Wild blessings, PEACE, LOVE and JOY to all of you as we close in on Christmas and I on Bellingham, WA about that time.

Peace Rider Don