[Oe List ...] Fwd: GMCA Update Sept. 9-02

[David Zahrt via OE]

*TUE SEP  02*  Near Rochelle to Northern Illinois University (NIU) in
DeKalb, IL


After we finished the Climate Justice Gypsy Band on Monday eve the café/bar
was still open but the rest of the Center was closed. Izzy had left his
guitar case and computer in the Lounge and they gave him a password to get
back in. He tried to spend the night and sleep in the lounge. At 1am they
kicked him out. He came back to the tent but he found the mosquitoes so bad
he went to the cab of the Kitchen Truck. It was a 21-mile day so we were up
at 4:45am. We got our lunch made and the cooks made scrambled eggs for
breakfast. While breakfast was being cooked I got my gear into the truck.
The tent was empty so I took it down. Izzy came by to help when it was time
to pull the poles out of the roof. We put it back in the truck.


Circle-up came at 7am—as scheduled! There was an extended conversation
about the job our Illinois coordinator was doing. I the complainers should
assume responsibility for the coordinator’s job and see what it's like to
balance all the values. Some suggested that we continue the conversation in
the afternoon. Since it was a 21-mile day that wouldn’t work so they agreed
to continue the conversation. It seemed like a fruitless conversation so I
left and headed for NIU in DeKalb.


We were to check in with the campus police. I did so and found that the
trucks had not arrived. I waited so long in the station that I took a nap.
The staff wakened me and told me the trucks were here. I asked for
directions and scouted for the trucks and didn’t find them. I went to the
MLK Plaza where the Marchers were to meet. There were no Marchers there. I
went back to the police station. On the way Izzy rode by. I shared with him
the difficulty I was having. He went into the station to get information.
We were directed to the North Parking Lot. We rode there and discovered the
trucks way out east past the parking lot. We didn’t realize that there was
a bike trail along the creek that went to the parking lot where the trucks
were. We rode through the city to get to the trucks. The Marchers were
still on their way. Izzy decided to take a nap in the park out under a
tree. I went down the trail and tied a GMCA ribbon on the post where the
trail started so the Marchers could find the campsite.


 I had accepted an invitation for a home-stay in DeKalb from Bob Cook. He
phoned me to tell me he would meet me at the Gear truck in 10 minutes. I
rode back up to the truck to get my equipment out and ready to take. Bob
didn’t show up for another hour. While I was waiting for him a woman
interviewed me for a possible NPR presentation. She said it would be local,
and I don’t listen to the radio, so I don‘t know whether or not my
interview got on NPR. I locked my bike to a pole beside the building and
left with the hosts. They had known Bob since the mid-70’s. They took us on
a tour through DeKalb and adjoining Cities. We had a late dinner, Bob and I
had a chance to take a bath, and Phyllis did our laundry. Dinner, and
conversation, wasn’t over until 9pm. it had been a long day so we went to
bed.


 Every Home-stay has alarmed me because of the enormous residence that is
periodically used, and all of the electricity that is used for no good
reason, and the enormous phantom load that if constantly carried. Changing
personal/family habits will be a big task. It seems that the
middle-to-upper class Consume-and Throw-Away Lifestyle can’t be challenged
or changed.
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