*FRI AUG 01* We left Treynor Park at 7:15am. The nice thing about city parks is that they have roofed shelters and lights. It was much easier to make lunch, eat breakfast, pack up and clean up yesterday morning and today. It was 16 miles to Oakland, IA. I didn't realize how much SW Iowa is up and down hill. I got my Marching in pushing the bike uphill! In Oakland I checked for Western Iowa Tourism (WIT), and found that their office is no longer in Oakland. I got Chad Graeve’s (Pottawattamie Co. Conserv. Officer) phone number and phoned him. He might be able to visit us at tomorrow’s campsite. The March had a conference call to discuss the next kind of activities we’re planning down the road. I discovered that we will have a rest day in Atlantic. I got Jeffrey to help me, on the web, identify the Atlantic host. Sure enough, it was Denise O’Brian, a colleague of mine from Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Natural Heritage Fdn. I got her phone number and gave her a call, but had to leave a message. After the phone conference—at least an hour—Ed had a meeting he calls ‘Listening post". He entertains questions that the Marchers have for him about the March. We had a pavilion to sleep under. Some slept on the tables. I slept on the floor. *Sat. AUG 02* We headed for Cold Springs Park--16 + miles. We went through Carson, IA. I should have taken a picture of it. Maybe we can get a picture on the Web. At Lewis, IA I stopped to see what kind of access they might have to the Internet. The library was the only thing open. They gave me some hot water for my green tea. They had access to the Internet but they closed at noon. I decided I wouldn’t be able to get to camp, to get my computer, and back before they closed so I rode on. I had been having some difficulty with the pedals and when I got to camp I discovered why. The aluminum tube frame for the seat had broken once in CO and I fixed it with a clamp. It came loose and the frame broke in a second place. Thank goodness it waited to break until I got to camp. Old Faithful was no longer rideable. We had an all-camp meeting in the afternoon. As I understood it the main topic was the use of the Internet to get additional publicity and participation in the Climate March.with the use of the HUB. I had difficulty hearing so I didn’t understand what the HUB was or how/why you’d use it. I think it is subscribed to on the Internet. My solution is finding someone to have a one-to-one conversation with after the meetings. David Oosterberg has been Marching with us since Omaha. After dinner he gave a personal introduction. He’s been in the State Legislature, and been active in Iowa’s adoption of renewable energy. He’s known Ed for a long time. He told us that whenever Ed was making a major decision he would contact David O and inquire about his opinion. When Ed asked “Should I run for Governor?” David said “No”. When Ed asked “Should I sponsor a Climate March?” David said “Yes”. After his introduction the Climate Justice Gypsy Band went into Lewis and played at the town bar for an hour and ½. Overnight there was a ½ inch rainstorm; lots of lightening and thunder. We were in the tents and stayed dry. -- Peace, David