On the Road from Valemount, British Columbia 12/1/09

Peace Rider: Hey Joe you out there somewhere? Joe's my imaginary friend.

Friend (Joe): Yeah, I'm never far away. So you made it to Valemount in spite of the snow?

PR I did, but it was challenging. How about those young people and their teachers I spoke to in Jasper, aren't they amazing! Some of them have been to Kenya's Masai, Mara to help build a school.. One of those young students, Teresa, got on here bike along with my host Art Jackson and we rode a short way together as I headed out of town. I was especially moved to stand with them in front of a monument honoring Canadian war dead from WWI, WWII and the Korean War.

F Aren't you a veteran

PR I was an Air Force pilot during the Viet Nam war. You know being with them gave me hope that one day maybe there will be no reason to fight evil with more evil, killing each other over our differences.

F You're a dreamer!

PR Perhaps, but when I see young people doing good things I'm greatly encouraged. Overcoming our differences and working together we can create a different future and world. This is true power, power with that comes from unity and understanding not power over. That's what this ride is all about bringing people together to end the insanity.

F Weren't you standing on a street corner protesting against starting the Iraq war? Where did that get you?

PR Well, nowhere. Me and a lot of like minded souls stood in the cold, peacefully protesting and were ignored. The war began as you well know.

F What makes you think it will be different this time?

PR Because it is urgent we do so. Climate change affects all of us. We dare not continue down the same path of misunderstanding, doing our own thing, ignoring what's happening under our very noses. It's time to throw off our dysfunctional past and embrace Oneness. It's the only way we can heal and restore the planet while there's still time.

More people than ever before embrace this concept. If more come to realize we are One, violence becomes less likely. It comes with the understanding we are only harming ourselves individually and collectively. We see that in young soldiers coming home from the battle field, torn apart inside by killing others. At the soul level there is understanding that it's harm done to the self creating internal conflict.

F I don't get it.

PR At the spiritual level, the level of energetics we are all connected one to another. It's a part of our internal programming, to use computer lingo. Buddhists might call it our Buddha nature, Others the kingdom of God within, or inner light.

It's like we are waves on the ocean who have seen ourselves as separate from the ocean but are now awakening to a new understanding. looking deeper. We are a part of the ocean in all its vastness, our minds limited, not able to completely understand fully. Nothing created exists apart from it. That is Oneness. Separation is an illusion.

Native Americans have a good grasp of this seeing themselves as part of the natural world, not separate from it. It is why we need still wild places to reconnect people in cities with their roots in creation, for its value to the human spirit.

F Aren't we way off the subject of your bike ride?

PR Not really, a peace rider's message, mine at least, is the same as that of many spiritual teachers like Jesus of old or Peace Pilgrim in the modern era. The Way of Peace is the Way of love. My ride is modeled after what she did, walk for peace with a simple message, overcome evil with good, hatred with love and falsehood with truth.

Love is misunderstood. We have ignored it believing power over is greater than power with. That is changing, many now are waking up to a new perspective. We are one humanity, not separated from creation and least of all from the "ocean," that which is greater than self known by many names

F Okay, but how does that have anything to do with climate change.

PR Ever heard of tough Love?

F Isn't that what parents use all the time for the greater good of their children even though they may not appreciate it at the time?

PR Yeah, you know none of the great social changes have come without a struggle and resistance from those in positions of power. Mahatma Ghandi used peaceful civil disobedience to end British rule in India. Martin Luther KIng, in my country, used the same approach to end the era of segregation and discrimination in the South. It was a struggle and there was violence by those opposed to change. But it works.

F But why does it work?

PR Love understands we are all connected to one another and the "ocean" at the soul level. Violence only leads to more of the same. What you give to another comes back to the self. It is why only good and love can, in the end, overcome evil and hatred.

F I still don't get the connection with climate change.

PR To create a new earth it may take "tough love." Non-violent civil disobedience in word and action may be necessary when peaceful protests are ignored. This is always a last resort keeping in mind potential consequences.

It's already beginning to happen. If we are to peacefully end the fossil fuel burning era it is like-minded souls coming together that will make it happen. All thought is creative and a collective consciousness of many people wanting to create a new earth is very powerful.

It won't be political leaders that save us. It will be ordinary citizens coming together that will save some of our leaders from themselves. That's why I ride, to bring people together, to ride for a new earth, to end the insanity.

F You are a dreamer?

PR So be it but what is a dreamer but one who hopes for a better future. We can end the mess we've made but it's urgent we come together and act decisively very soon if we are to reverse current trends.

There are not decades remaining to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. We'll 'have to see if government words are matched by appropriate measures to reduce global emission of contaminates or if it's just business as usual.

F You haven't given up hope then.

PR No, there is a purpose behind what's happening now even if out of sight of mainstream media. There is always more going on than meets the eye when you look deeper.

F Can't you lighten up a bit. This is heavy stuff.

PR Let's do.

F The forecast called for snow while you were en route between Jasper and Valemount. How did that turn out?

PR I got hammered. I paid for two nights in the Park and just made it outside the entrance the day I left after a late start. The shoulders were clear and icy. Luckily, I had changed to studded tires after a light early morning snow in Jasper made the roads slick. Art had said It was mostly downhill from town and it was, which really helped.

By the time I got my tent set up it was dark. I was looking for dry wood under a three quarter moon. I had a heck of time finding any. I went out twice more looking for drier stuff before I had fire in my stove and heat.

The next day it began to snow lightly and was pretty good going on cleared shoulders. I filled my water jug from the headwaters of the Fraser River.

Over night six inches or snow of new snow fell on top of a foot and a half base and continued coming down. This was my first cold camp. I couldn't find any dry wood.

In the morning I boogied or tried with snow still falling. The shoulders weren't plowed clear yet. It was slow going on new snow. I couldn't go fast without risking a fall even if it was mostly down hill.

I called Beth and Bill Russell from the Terry Fox rest area, friends of people I met in Jasper. They graciously invited me to stay at their place where I'm at at this writing. Bill, "as it happened," saw me pull into the Shell station in Valemount. He led me to their cozy and welcoming home not far down the road.

On top of that they had thoughtfully built a warm fire in their garage so I could dry all my stuff.

Their Chatahoola Leopard dog, Trooper, greeted me. I loved his friendly and good natured disposition.

New friends, loads in common and many kindnesses were extended. I will miss them.

I arrived just ahead of a big dump of new snow in Valemount. I leave later today after several events this morning. The roads should be clear or clearing. All is now snow covered but the sun is out. A great day to be alive! PR