Andrew Nikiforuk is the author of Tarsands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent and the first Canadian to win the prestigious Rachel Carson Environment Book Award. He is coming to the Brew Creek Lodge in Whistler Oct. 2 (7:30 pm) to promote his new book: The Energy of Slaves. I am honoured to introduce him to the audience and share a little bit about Band Together BC. Tickets are just $10. There is also a dinner option- 3 courses of exquisite food for $50 (5:30 pm). Hope to see you there! Book your tickets here: http://thebrewcreekcentre.com/nikiforuk/

The next few days were spent finishing up the last few kilometres, saying good-bye to my amazing crew and husband and spending sweet moments with Annie’s family. It was a really grounding experience to be in one place for a whole day with nothing to do but eat and play Clue. It was especially nice to rest as some swelling in my foot and shin was causing me to hobble around. I guess my body was DONE! haha

I took the ferry home, a decision I was reluctant to make due to the cost, but ultimately it was so worth it. I traveled home through the inside passage and had a real chance to reflect on my journey and witness the marvellous coastline that so needs our protection. It was sunny day, with whales cresting in the silvery water. I even spotted one brave deer swimming across. Paradise. Its hard to believe that anyone that has spent any time here could possibly take even the slightest risk with moving oil tankers in and out. It is unfathomable that massive tankers could navigate the narrow passages and rough waters without an incident that would absolutely devastate marine ecosystems and those that depend on them for their livelihood and enjoyment. I wonder how much time Harper and his followers have spent here? I wonder if direct experience in nature would foster an attitude to protect and cherish it?

On the Ferry

Swimming deer, look closely!

After my morning run, we spent the day getting shots around town and down by the water. It was a chance to pour the water I’d collected from all the rivers, lakes and streams I’d crossed into the ocean at long last. It was a chance to reflect on the importance of water in its pristine state and the sacred connection we have with it. It was a moving moment and I was flooded with both joy and sadness for my journey fast coming to an end.

We scurried off to do a wrap up interview- back to the massive roadside stump and then it was time to meet the crowd of people gathered to run me into town. There were more people than I could’ve imagined and I was so overwhelmed by this show of support! We ran (and rolled) the 5 km into Prince Rupert everyone meeting at the steps of the courthouse. Photos were snapped and there was even TV coverage! It was a proud moment, followed by many happy hugs and more gifts of salmon. We whipped back to Lee’s house for a quick shower and then headed to Gary Coon’s house, where the celebration reception and dinner were set to take place. It was a packed house and food was just gorgeous. I was so honored that Hereditary Chief Joseph Brooks and Gerald Stewart were in attendance to welcome me onto their territory. Chief Brooks, presented me with a Devil’s Club flower, which is one of most spiritually significant plants with powerful medicine. After the ceremony, we helped ourselves to the heaping plates of food that Jimmy had created. His concept was an aromatherapy preparation of the food, so we enjoyed chamomile salmon and herbed halibut.

After the meal, I said a few words about my journey, conveying some of the stories and themes that emerged. I shared how touched I was at the tremendous support I had received along the way and that we must remain optimistic even in dark times. Gerald commented that he saw me as something of a messenger and wondered what the next stage for Band Together BC will be. It is a vision that I am still inviting and crafting and I am open to suggestions! I think there are powerful lessons in the stories that I heard and I am interested in sharing them in greater depth, perhaps in an interactive book format. I also have a lot of video content that I will be compiling and forming into a video essay, with the help of some editor friends! Finally, I think there is terrific value in growing the network of people that are thinking about transitioning away from fossil fuels and I am interested in exploring how Transition Town might work across BC. Connecting with Tides Canada when I return will also help in determining next steps. I will be sure to post as things come into focus!

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A HUGE thank you to Joseph Brooks and Gerald Stewart for welcoming me on Tsimshian traditional territory, Gary and Lois Coon’s for hosting the dinner at their beautiful home, Jennifer Rice and Annie Thompson for organizing and promoting the event, Lee Brain, for hosting us at his home, all of the venders and people that donated salmon, veggies and coffee, Jimmy King for preparing the food, Nate and Zack for filming and snapping photos and to my husband Nate for being there to support. Love all of you!

Prince Rupert Runners (Photo: Zack Embree)

Prince Rupert Runners-start

Kim and Jen Rice- organizer extraordinaire!

Lee Brain with piles of donated salmon!

Wow, almost near the end! It’s hard to believe how much has transpired and how many km I’ve run to get here: 1150! Sadly, I had to say good-bye to Cody this morning. I will miss this Sage with the many epiphanies! I will miss coming to the Delica for a drink of water and hearing some super interesting piece of wisdom from a book he was reading. So tempting to just stay at the van and philosophize!  I am still amazed at Cody’s devotion to service, I feel truly lucky to have met him in a time of need.

Shortly after saying good-bye to Cody I said hello to my husband Nate who had come to see me cross the finish line. It was amazing to see him after so long apart and pretty cool for him to experience what my days had been like.

We made our way to Prince Rupert, one of the most beautiful stretches of highway I’ve ever experienced. It earns every one of its Michelin stars by my book. The power emanating from the mountains fringed by glaciers is spell bounding and always the Skeena curls at their feet. The rain held out, which made it all the more enjoyable. We joined Zack at a marsh with stumps as big as cabins jutting up from the glassy water. Eagles stood atop tree snags and made the call that I had heard Andrew attempt on so many occasions. Zack took a bunch of pictures and we were soon joined by my friends James and Nate, who had come all the way from Squamish to participate in the final celebration. Jimmy is a chef with vision to prepare food with love, exploring traditional preparations and sustainably grown and harvested foods. He is working on a show for the food network that celebrates these elements and kindly came to prepare the food for the celebration. Nate, a friend of his came to film the event. We all had a happy reunion on the side of the road!

We continued into Prince Rupert, where we had dinner at Annie and Cam Thompson’s house. I met Annie and her two awesome kids Leif and Lilly at CLAW and it was wonderful to see them again! We were joined by Lee Brain, a local who is starting up transition town in Prince Rupert and who offered to host us at his house, as well as Riki Ott and her partner Kevin. It was such a pleasant surprise to meet Riki in person- a renowned marine toxicologist who has been a strong voice for protecting our coast, sharing her experiences about the Exxon Valdez spill and impact of other spills on communities.

We enjoyed a delicious meal of yam burritos and guacamole and listened to Riki and Kevin’s stories. After dinner, Kevin who is a healer and massage therapist, did some work on me and it was interesting to hear his descriptions of massaging horses- his favourite patients (after women).

We finally left and fell into bed at Lee’s.

Prince Rupert

Kim and Kevin

I spent the morning running and mentally preparing for the gathering that Douglas Channel Watch and North West Watch had organized for the afternoon. Mike and Margaret are forces of tremendous organizing might in their respective communities of Terrace and Kitimat and it was really amazing of them to join forces in organizing a joint “cookout” gathering. The location was set in the beautiful picnic area at Lakelse Lake amidst ancient cedars by the water. I was really excited for an outdoor gathering and was delighted by all the folks that turned up…and bearing food! Unfortunately the picnic tables were welded in place and we had to opt for sitting on the ground, which wasn’t comfortable for some, but did foster nice grounded energy for a bit.

I invited the group to take an inventory of local values- asking people what they loved about living in the area. The list was long and heartfelt. Then I asked everyone to think about the energy that was being expended on fighting Enbridge. I had noticed at the protest the other evening that everyone was really agitated and that the fighting might be taking its toll. In particular, one man’s comment “years have been stolen from me- time that can’t give back to my daughter,” really saddened me. I believe that fighting to stop the pipeline is necessary of course, but I wonder if it’s possible to turn it into something proactive instead of reactive? It’s been said many times that this issue has galvanized communities, and I’m interested in finding ways of retooling the incredible capacity that’s been built and applying it to the challenges and deficiencies within the community. Addressing chronic unemployment and poverty, food and energy security makes communities more vibrant and less likely to succumb to the propositions of oil companies. Some great ideas were shared although I’m not sure people were willing to admit the toll fighting against Enbridge might be having. I wondered if another proposal came along in 5 years time if everyone would have the same energy to fight it? I wonder how do we heal the healers?

It was a windy day and we tried to nestle ourselves on the ground, but the wind proved too strong and had the effect of dispersing the group’s energy.  We left without quite wrapping things up, which was disappointing, but the discussion had been great and a genuine learning experience for me in the art of facilitation.

Lakelse Lake Gathering Under the Cedars

Aug 17

Today was another hot day and a 40 km run. My feet are really taking a beating and I appreciated the healing gesture of Fred the dog that came to lick my sore toe. We spent another lovely evening with Wilma and Ian, by the lake, enjoying their easygoing and friendly conversation. They had a couple of friends over and we enjoyed burgers and meringue for dessert.

Aug 18

Last night I discovered that Wilma and Ian’s house is heated with geothermal and so I did an interview with them this morning to learn more about it and what first enticed them to adopt it. There had been a tech in the area that was really passionate about it and set everything up for them at a bit of a discount. The system was easy to use and means the combined total of their utility bills is $1200 per year- not bad! After the interview, we headed to Terrace’s Farmer’s market. We strolled around and enjoyed the atmosphere and community vibe. There were many booths offering crafts and non-food items, displaying the talent for cottage industry that the town possessed.

I bumped into Patrick (the guy that had worn the “running Sucks” t-shirt at the Kispiox Music fest that I thought was hilarious) and later bumped into Brett Mackenzie who had made the WVO donation.  Brett was busy selling shrimp, but spared a few minutes to show his truck’s WVO set up.

I spent the rest of the afternoon running in heat and then we retired to Ferry Island campground in Terrace.

Wilma and Ian (AKA Stewart)

Wilma and Ian's Place on Lakelse Lake

Their View

Another super hot day, on a road that I discovered gets little in the way of breezes. I made it to Kitimat though, which was certainly a milestone. We spent the afternoon in a café discussing a vision for the next phase of Band Together. Zack and Cody’s suggestions were really insightful and I’m looking forward to really exploring them when I return home.

That evening we attended an Enbridge sponsored information session at Riverlodge, advertised by opposition groups as a “dog and pony show.” Having gone to many pony shows in my youth and knowing that Enbridge sponsors charity bike rides, dragon boat races and music festivals, I arrived expecting to see a horse or two. I was a little abashed to discovery the true meaning of this turn of phrase, but Wilma, Ian and my crew thought it was hilarious. Ha ha.

We were greeted by folks from Douglas Channel Watch, a group that is vehemently fighting the pipeline. They had set up a table out front with information to set the record straight about the pipeline. They had also made a sign welcoming me, which was really sweet and a fellow named Angus presented me with a beautiful crystal from the Sacred Headwaters.  Mayor Joanne Monahan was in attendance. Interestingly, when a reporter asked to get us both in a photo she declined, saying that she was trying to appear neutral on the Enbridge issue. To many, however, she appears to be cautiously supporting the project. With Kitimat’s economy flagging, it is no surprise that the lure of jobs is finding some supporters. Unfortunately, the safety of the pipeline and tankers in the Inside Passage can never be assured and it would be Kitimat and other coastal communities that would be hit hardest in the event of an oil spill.

Douglas Channel Watch understands this reality and is willing to do what it takes to stop the pipeline from being built. I heard people declare unequivocally that they are prepared to go to jail and even have childcare arranged if it comes to that.  I really felt for their terrible burden of being locked in a battle for so many years. One fellow said; “This [fight] has taken 2 years of my time. That’s time I can never give back to my family, my daughter.”

This morning Mayor David Pernarowski ran with me out of town. We ran the first part of the leg from Terrace to Kitimat-a lovely run with parts that overlook Lakelse Lake, which to my embarrassment I mistook for the ocean! We discussed the Enbridge issue and its impact on Terrace. He conveyed his desire to represent his constituents and stick with popular opinion on the issue, which is always a bit of a balancing act. I am happy that Terrace is one of several municipalities that have taken a stand against Enbridge, and the endorsement for a clean energy future is a great step in a new direction.

The sun continues to shine bright and hot and I feel so lucky that my entire journey has suffered little rain. That being said it was super hot today and promises to be hotter tomorrow! With just one week left until completion, time is starting to feel short. I decided to run 50 km, despite the heat. A cool stream by the road was my salvation. Fortunately, we were taken in by Wilma and Ian Maxwell, parents of my friend Sue, who had dinner and a bed ready to go. They live right on Lakelse Lake and their view is beyond enviable.  Zack, a friend I met at Social Change Institute and wicked photographer arrived to shoot some of the journey. Now we are a trio

Kim and Mayor David Pernarowski

Cody and Zack, eating up on some corn

After my run around Terrace, I picked up some waste veggie oil kindly donated by Brett MacKenzie. Brett was the one that had shared news of my campaign with Ed Beggs and requested that he donate in lieu of paying him for the WVO. We met Brett’s friend Rob, who was storing the oil, and I invited him to attend the upcoming gathering.

Sadly, I had to say good-bye to Andrew who had been with me for 2 weeks. He was such an awesome partner on the road- making me laugh and keeping me company on his bike for many runs. An amazing spokesperson for the campaign too- there were several times that I returned from running and someone had given him a donation. Andeloo I will miss your thoughtful questions and boundless energy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your contribution.

Picking up WVO oil at Rob's house. Thanks for the donation Brett MacKenzie

Andeloo

Saying good-bye to Andrew, meant saying hello to Cody- my next support driver. Incredibly, I had only met Cody in Williams Lake on this journey, but when he found out I was short on drivers he immediately offered his time and to cover the expense of getting to Terrace from Williams Lake. He is something of a Bhakti Yogi- devoted to service for spiritual enlightenment.

Hand Off

We spent another night at Byron’s and set off for Kitwanga in the morning. Gorgeous scenery through the mountains as the Skeena snaked by my side (the water of which Andrew kindly collected in my blue bottle).

Francois suggested I get in touch with his good friend Thom Henley who has a camp and lodge at Kitwanga. He said it was ‘a must’ so we planned to stay unfortunately we got in on the late side and just set up camp in the dark without seeing Thom. The next day was a big running day and once again I got in late and went to sleep without so much as a peep from Thom.

The following morning, Andrew ran into Thom on his way to the outhouse and there was no way we were escaping without a breakfast and a story or two. We found ourselves sitting in the coziest of lodges with the rain gently coming down, gobbling homemade preserves on fresh baked bread simultaneously trying to digest Thom’s phenomenal stories. At one point Andrew excused himself from the table and returned with his notebook so he could start taking notes! I did my best to commit everything to memory, but it was like a piece of paper trying to hold back a flood. He told us the story of how he arrived on the West coast, and the dream that had lead him to the stunning property where he built the camp. He shared stories from his travels around the globe and his experience speaking at conferences with Jane Goodall. There is much to share so these details will come at a later point in time…

Thom sent us away with berries, salmon and a couple copies of his beautiful coffee table book: River of Mist, Journey of Dreams. As if his stories weren’t present enough!

It was beyond difficult to tear ourselves away, but I had kms to put in and a Council presentation for which to prepare. The run fell by the wayside, but the presentation to Terrace Council went well and resulted in them passing a resolution in support of Tides Canada Vision for a new energy future. Yesss! Mayor David Pernarowski also promised to run me out of town as a show of support.

Skeena at dusk

Thom Henley, Soaring Spirits Camp & Lodge

Soaring Spirits Camp, on the bank of the Skeena in the Shadow of the 7 Sisters