Hi Lois,
Like earlier rides I've found it hard to keep in contact via blogging. I do have several more detailed posts at <ridefortheplanet.blogspot.com>. Please feel free to share this with others.
Will forward to other friends with time running out but know I will unintentionally miss some, apologies in advance. May just post this as another verbose PR blog. I have a cell phone that will work back in the States.
Well, let me just say - wow!. This experience has just been sooo enriching on the superficial as well as spiritual (energetic) level.
I reached Whitehorse the same day(9/5/12), left on the Borough bus for the Salcha Store, another to Big Delta, then with a GI, army now but ex Marine (was corrected, once a Marine always a Marine) in a nice way railing against socialism, Obama and more all the way to Whitehorse. Definitely not a boring ride and very much appreciated the kindness. On parting at the bus terminal he gave me a back pack water canteen that hikers and cyclists use.
Visited Malkomb Boothroyd, a friend and young rider I joined with others on my second trip to DC. He's amazing - really, working to help protect the Peel R. watershed in the Yukon from mineral withdrawals. The bus I intended to take from there broke down with a weekend to wait for the next. Instead took a cab to the Highway to try my luck with a cardboard sign saying Watson Lake and another Fort Nelson.
Three more interesting rides got me to an old friend's place outside Ft. Nelson and me with two large duffel's (one with the BOB trailer disassembled, one with food and more gear, one with the collapsed bike plus a day pack - no threat here. The bonus - I got a brief soak in Liard Hot Springs between Watson and Nelson while my ride ate lunch in a nearby Lodge. Would have missed it on the bus.
I found my friend not in good health. He had a heart attack a year ago but was fit to travel to Europe for an anniversay celebration with his brothers with help from a granddaughter. Only found this out after a call from Whitehorse.
I rode with John and his partner Vi to Grand Prairie where his daughter lives. They continued on a day later to the airport in Calgary after dropping me off outside town. So in the end I was very grateful to spend more time with them on the drive south to GP. Serendipity at work.
Started biking from GP (ahead of winter) going via Grand Cache to Entrance Ranch near Hinton, AB where an activist friend met on the first ride lives. Over many hills of green gold wondering what I'd gotten myself into again pushing up the steeper hills, arriving pretty whipped. I went a different way the first time due to snow conditions. This route passed directly by the Ranch on a long steep downhill, ya hoooo - and was far more scenic.
The richness of connecting with friends from the first trip in this area was precious. Don Laird met me at the Ranch one evening. We went for a long soak and more male bonding at Miette Hot Springs inside Jasper park. Towering mountains rise around it, simply awesome!
From the Ranch I haven't yet updated the blog. But from there I left for Jasper Park 9/21 to see Dave and Kim Wallace living in the town of Jasper inside the Park. She was a teacher in the French school there when I spoke to her class in '09 but has moved on. She's writing a thesis with a tentative title of Climate Change from the Inside (ourselves) Out, will be interesting.
All the while indian summer and warm temperatures reigned, fall colors were peaking. I was incredibly blessed to be there.
Undecided still upon a route south initially, all leadings seemed to point to the Icefield Parkway southbound through one of the most awesome pieces of real estate on the planet, the Canadian Rockies. Being late in the season there were fewer tourists about so leaving on 9/24 a Monday, was the right moment to depart, less traffic with the weekend over, temps in 70's. I went east in Nov. of '09 because of snow conditions on the Parkway.
The weather held until Tues, tent bound until a front with rain passed then skedaddled. From then on a few clouds but just drop dead gorgeous weather south to L. Louise, through Banff, Canmore followed by a jog south later onto Highway 40 through Kananaskis Country, 541 to Longview back tracking eight miles to another friend's (from flying days) place near Black Diamond, 40 miles south of Calgary.
He has an elk ranch near Black Diamond. I arrived just ahead of another front, with snow this time.Typing this from the nearby library in Turner Valley. Yesterday helped vet and Pat and Tanis Downey AI, artificially inseminate, 30 of his cow elk all the while cold and sleeting outside the unheated barn. Elk steaks upon arrival a superb treat. Just never know what you might get yourself into when you go for it. I was glad to help, more so to have a hard roof overhead, a shower and a bed.
Mid-way or so up Highway 40 to Highwood Pass at 7239' I stopped at a small grocery/gas store to make a phone call and buy some food. I was so focused on looking for an outside pay phone I missed the fact I was going wrong way around the parking lot. I only discovered this on leaving. There must have been 20 motorcyclists parked there gasing up and buying food (a weekend). They certainly didn't miss some dude on a bicycle riding in, BOB trailer flag flying, with two big polar bear signs draped on either side broadcasting Ride for the Planet on each. No one said a thing but you could slice the vibes inside that store with a knife. Wearing my Peace Rider jacket would have been overkill. I arrived wearing a black wool, long sleeve undershirt, my "black leather jacket." I left with a smile. Canadians are generally a peaceful lot and all wore helmets, likely required.
Didn't see a lot of wildlife. Unlike Denali, the roads through these parks don't restrict access or speed so latter not surprising. The Bow River Parkway was an exception, an alternate route, from Lake Louise to Banff off the main highway. It had more of the intimate feeling on a narrow winding road with fewer cars and slower speed.
For me being in the wilderness and finding solitude is a time I've received clarity on what I'm supposed to do when I really grow up. So it seems there's this balancing of energy between the journey inward, then outward again to rejoin the human melieu. I also sense a shift going on beneath the surface to bring the divine male and female energies within us back into balance. Interestingly this is happening more among women I'm meeting. Perhaps, in the distant past as some suggest, it was female energy that was out of balance.
In brief my work and goal in very general terms is peace on earth and peace with the earth through an elevation of consciousness, guided by the Way of Peace which is Love. Each of us has a role to play, as one thread in the unique tapestry of creation. If nothing else in these chaotic times cling to peace and love in your hearts and make that your daily focus. I'm going with the flow to see where this errant thread is woven.
It may seem at superficial glance to be hopeless. But one young woman I met at Entrance Ranch, a Reiki Master (energy healing), said to me that a source whose name escapes me now predicted that to cause a paradigm shift it would take the square root of one percent of the world population focused on peace, love and change to make it happen. She said across the planet this number now exists. Hmmmm?
Thought is creative energy individually and collectively. Focused thought of a relatively small number of people (prayer) is powerful indeed as you know. Love, peace, joy are energies with the highest frequency of vibration (divine light being the highest) that lower frequencies of anger, hate, envy and the like simply cannot overcome. Beware, be aware what you think lest you create that in your experience. All thought is creative.
Kim told me that the meaning of apocalypse is lifting of the veil. It seems to be happening beneath the surface as we are impelled to a greater understanding of who and what we are in relation to All That Is.
A lot to here to digest. Please especially thank Chuck and Cari for me with my warmest regards for keeping me on the road with their generous donation of king salmon bellies and strips. I'm carefully rationing them. They would love biking here in the fall time.
The trailer is great, lighter now that I forwarded my carrying bags to Colorado and eaten into my food stock furthe. Thank to you and Robert for that. That's my shorter term destination with more friends then it seems to Mexico again to be in the Yucatan in December.
Leaving here tomorrow southbound on Rte 22, then by or through Waterton Peace Park, how appropriate, then into Montana, I think passing near the Custer battlefield site. Of course, all subject to change depending on weather. Staying out of the mountains with winter nipping at my heels.
Using a lighter weight tent from Tent Tarp in CA, a Stratospire 1, you might care to check out on line. Weighs only two pounds but a tight fit for two people. I love it.
A jumble of thoughts but I'm well taken cared of and must run or bike back!
So if your still awake to this point ---
Love and abrazos to all,
Peace Rider
On Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 11:54 AM, Lois Hendersonn <loisinak@gmail.com> wrote:
And how you are doing? I'd love to hear what your current plan is and how this trip is for you.At meeting we had a baby welcoming with bonfire for Niko Adair. Notzahia made a beautiful poster for him that we all signed. Next week meeting for business and the week after we will have a cake or something to welcome Diane Preston in to membership. (I think that's when we teach her the secret hand shake too!) Hope things are going well. Lois
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