[Oe List ...] Fwd: GMCA Update Oct 10

[David Zahrt via OE]

*FRI OCT 10* *Unitarian Universalist Church, Youngstown to Maggie’s Farm
Bessemer, PA*



The church members and local supporters showed up in the morning to give us
a breakfast. Lots of leftover food set out for lunch making.sandwiches.
Dawn was happening at 7:30am I couldn’t tell where the sun was rising. I
created a bike route on Mapquest and took it. I put on my red flasher
lights—one on the backpack behind the seat and one on my helmet. The fog
was so thick that I couldn’t read the street signs until I got to the
corner of the intersection. There were several hills that I walked.
Eventually I got to Stateline Rd and went south along the Ohio/Pennsylvania
border. I passed a huge dumpsite for carbon/limestone waste. It was on the
Ohio side and there were tractor-trailer dump trucks.


One of the locals, Maggie, offered us a campsite so I set off for her farm
near Bessemer. Soon after I arrived the Kitchen Truck arrived. At 3pm some
of us were shuttled, by our host, Maggie, back up Stateline Road to meet
the other Marchers and celebrate another borderline crossing. We held the
big sign that Maggie gave us—WELCOME TO PA, took some pictures and then did
our borderline crossing ritual. Elizabeth (Beth) Engleman and her partner
Steve arrived at the border crossing and stayed around all afternoon. Steve
and Ed talked about a Rally, the route, and overnight accommodations.



Maggie lives by herself. She has lots of ‘leftovers’. She farmed at one
time. All of the equipment and accumulation was disorganized. She had a
large tunnel (greenhouse) full of plants that had gone out of control. Her
basement was damaged by an earthquake caused by local drilling for natural
gas.  She is an avid demonstrator against Fracking and has initiated and
prolonged a protest against the Fracking that is happening in eastern Ohio
and southwestern Pennsylvania.  It seems that the PA folks are delighted to
host, join in, and have the March attend events they have planned—some of
the events just because the March is in their vicinity. The dinner was a PA
potluck. After dinner there was a Circle-up. Some of the locals shared
their concerns and the March anticipated some upcoming issues. By the time
the discussion was finished it was dark. I had claimed a spot in the
basement for my sleeping pad so I went downstairs and went to bed. These
days I’m realizing that it’s important to find the handrail when I'm going
downstairs! So I'm doing it.
-- 
Peace, David
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