I want to first want to thank all that made this trip possible, from Tinker’s workshop, who donated the $6,000 bike. I’m kidding – the bicycle I’m blessed with is a recycled bike, and that is the point of this journey: that we need to stop all this consumer madness and reuse perfectly good items. We are killing our mother and we need to stop – NOW!!! I would also give thanks to my former household, which basically got me off the streets and out of jail which reminds me to thank our federal government who is always trying to keep me out of the rain and give me three squares a day bless their hearts. Thunder, for organizing my only fundraiser; and I would also like to give thanks to my brother Faruq and family who watched over me for the first four days; and a special woman who threw down more than my entire community combined. There many other people I would like to thank publicly but I need to ask them if I can – that’s called respect. I would like to thank the creator who has blessed me with this unique way of delivering this message and to all my relations. Ah-ho
The first thing comes to mind is the media or the lack of it, except Indymedia. Yeah. I knew cooperate media wouldn’t show up, and I’m glad as a wise Dine medicine man once told me some wisdom: “Would you want them on your side?” So I rest assured they are not liking a red man on a bicycle with a message. What was disappointing on their part was that the liberal media like KPFA – a local radio station that preaches free speech and community radio – also did not demonstrate support. I’m glad I’ve read Steven Biko’s book I write what I like or something like that, and I do apologize if that is not the correct title – no disrespect. Steven Biko was the backbone of the South African student movement against Apartheid. He writes that your worst enemy is the one that is standing next to you – the “Liberal Left”. Who will only one of you to walk through the door and in the Native American community you better be carrying a abalone shell with some sage and say a blessing and get off the stage because you have nothing to offer to the dialogue. Right International ANSWER. You bunch of Maoists with blood on your hands – just the serpent in another costume. I do realize that this is our time to stand up and make the difference and I know we will do we are supposed to but the extreme racism in the left wing still hurts and I will smash on it and whoever keeps this backward thinking as my people are the most beautiful people in the world bar none.
Back to what we were talking about the left wing and it’s gross inconsistencies. Besides aren’t we all tired of marching down Market Street (in SF) and getting back into our BMW and gassing up and driving home to our house on the hill. People have that catch phrase “Don’t preach to the choir.” That is such a bunch of nonsense because the choir needs to get its ass kicked there – no continuity to the movement, everybody thinking they’re the one to pull us out of this mess. We need to support a good idea no matter what we think of that individual. Think about the children, as that is the way we (Natives) think: of what is going to help the seven generations, not just our immediate offspring. You see, we have the advanced way of thinking. I’m more into being pro-active and changing my behaviors – like driving, period – so I’ve been riding a bicycle for nearly four years – which has put a cramp in my lifestyle because I’m a carpenter and a caterer. But leaders must lead even if it seems like no one is following. The era of paid politicians is coming to an end – where your representative goes to the highest bidder. Just a high class HO. How are you doin’, Tom Delay? You know there is no such thing as a Republican Native American. Think about it. It’s like a Nazi Jew. How are you doin’, Sharon? Tear down that wall – you are the terrorist.
Back to Steven Biko’s wisdom in which he said that the students wouldn’t even deal with the oppressors media tool (the real opiate of the people – Mr. Karl Marx). Clear Channel, or Fear Channel because they would twist or manipulate for their own gains – thievery. So that is true power – not even playing their game – which has you grab your ankles and cough. This is why I use old traditional ways such as running, and now biking, to deliver a message to my people. The current trend is to send an E-mail or FAX the information to each other in this technological world and it is too easy to delete or ignore the information, but if someone takes the time and energy to deliver such a message it’s hard to deny the value of it. I personally am spiritually boycotting e-mail because the telephone took away the sight and touch and e-mail takes away the sound, and I believe this is extremely dangerous, especially when communicating with family or love ones.
George Bush and his group of thieves want you to think that you need 200 million dollars to be powerful but I’m throwing a wrench into this illusion with sometimes not even $1,000 – you can be powerful. The oppressors’ goal is for you to be scared (9-11, guess who did that?) and most of all to be apathetical. In the last election – or selection – they wanted you to see that they cheated by stealing at least 2.5 million votes so that you will simply give up, but I have faith that we will prove them wrong. Oh, make a note that we need to get rid of the Republican-made voting machines, which can be programmed or controlled by outside forces. In Native American prophecies there are stories of a people who come to this land and over-complicate life, and the creator calls on us to bring us back to a more respectable way – Traditional. You might have guessed it already that I’m a Traditional Indian and follow the old ways taught to us by the creator, our ancestors and elders. This brings me to "What are we going to do about the current mess?" I think it is a simple math equation: you take the way this country has been behaving for it brutal existence of 300 years, bringing the entire world human population to the brink of extinction compared to 50,000 years (by western standards but we’ve been here the whole time) living one with nature – which one are going to choose. You really don’t have a choice because Mother Nature bats last. This why I’m promoting alternative energy use in the Native community along with a critical mass twist to it because my community suffers from a abnormal rate of diabetes and obesity. 40% of all Native Americans by the time they reach the age of 40 have some form of diabetes. It was not long ago – maybe 5 years – that the average life expectancy of my community was 47 years of age. Compare that to the average life expectancy of the dominant culture: between 71 and 72. Remember, one of the Bush administration’s excuses to invade Afghanistan was that the Afghanis life expectancy was 46.5 of age. Of course the multi-billion dollar pipeline or the control of the heroine trade (which has expanded 5 times in output since the Taliban departure) had nothing to do with it. Please pay no attention to the men behind the curtain.
We as Indian people have always been the US government’s worst and most dangerous enemy. Why, you say? Because communism and socialism are a junior tribalism without a spiritual base. This why the anarchists keep running to Ward Churchill and believing we are anarchists – nothing could be further from the truth, as we have spiritual guidelines which are very strict. As we say in the Native community "It’s tough be Indian" sometimes I wonder who I was in a past life because coming back as a Traditional Native American leader in this time of history is torture. I mean, I’ve been promoting biodiesel for more than 2 years, and I thought with a war about oil, greedy politicians, global warming and skyrocketing gas prices this would be a no-brainer – especially with biodiesel being cheaper 50 cents / gallon if you make it yourself. And if you go to SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil), you can drive for free, as every restaurant pays to dispose of their used vegetable oil so they are happy to give it away. Finally and most importantly, it releases approximately one quarter the green house gasses that petroleum-based fuel does, slowing down global warming.
As far as the trip is concerned I’m amazed at how well I’m riding, as putting 100-mile-plus back-to-back at the age of 42 just goes to show what prayer and walking right will do for you. I’m just a vehicle for this prayer. I wasn’t able to go directly to the California tribes as complications altered plans. Except for the first night and the last 3 nights at a friends house here in Tempe, Arizona, I’ve been staying in hotels, which hurts the pocketbook. But there is no way around it as the police are trying to disrupt my schedule. Today (Tuesday) an Arizona State University cop tried to nab me, but quick thinking and a fast move off the campus left him frustrated. He actually followed me all the way across campus, hiding behind trees and pretending to make a call on a payphone. Even the students caught this bogus attempt to violate my Miranda rights, which I quickly informed him of (badge# 563). I guess yesterday’s radio interview on the campus radio station got the administration disturbed, or maybe it was my contact with Indian people – which I will hold confidential on their behalf because of the rats in charge. They truly are vermin to think they can impose their selfish behavior on Indian people. Check your feet: you are on Indian land. We have noticed the authorities along the way, but it is getting more intense.
The ride after Faruq left was fast and cool, crossing the desert where at one point I didn’t have a water or food break for 100 miles. But the creator blessed me with overcast skies and I passed no problem. The next day I rode from Parker, AZ to the outskirts of Phoenix some 130 miles, and thirty of it on a dirt road. I was riding about 2 to 3 hours in darkness on a country road – which is stressful, as you are sure a good ol’ boy is going to come along having had too many beers and not see you. While in Phoenix I went by this cool café (Willow Café) and met a guy working there who is operating on biodiesel, and he pointed me to the only place you can get biodiesel. It is 450 S 15th Avenue (Western States Petroleum, Inc), telephone: 1-800-220-1353. I caution you: it’s owned by Shell. Yuck! But maybe they see the writing on the wall and will start face-saving.
There are cities which have their diesel fleets on biodiesel, and they are Berkeley, Oakland, El Cerrito and Santa Cruz of the SF Bay Area. Other places are Flagstaff AR and Cincinnati OH. The University of California at Berkeley is also using biodiesel in its fleet. Finally yours-truly spearheaded a possible pilot program with AC Transit (East Bay) which reminds me: could someone attend the May meeting to push the Pilot program, as hopefully I will still be on the road and will unable to attend the meeting. So people go to your local city council meetings and demand your city maintenance vehicles go biodiesel. All they need to do is change the fuel lines to a more synthetic line – a minor cost. They usually meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 2 pm at the AC transit office at 1600 Franklin Street Oakland, CA.
The bike needed some repairs in Phoenix: a new brake cable and a tire from a blowout. Money is tight, but thanks to a few donations I will make to Gathering of the Nations – but if anybody can spare any dollars for the ride back it would be deeply appreciated. And on the trip back we would be much more thorough, as we wouldn’t be pressed by this deadline. We are going to hit the majority of the Rezs on the way home. I named this ride the “Tour de Rez”. Thanks for all the prayers. We are making a difference. Ah-ho.