Day 10/11...The Welu Farm in Milroy to Morton...

This is pretty awesome right now. Pancho and I are sitting in the front seat of the US engineered awesomeness that is our rocket on the road..."The Boneville" checking our emails and blogging while borrowing a signal from the farmhouse that we're staying at. It's a pretty hilarious scene. We're going to sleep in the barn tonight so I think a little technology before sleeping on a haystack is allowed. Today was a day of schools. We were up early to do a presentation and assembly in Russell, MN and then on to Milroy, MN for another later in the afternoon. We had a few of the riders speak to the kids and it was great to see the interaction between the students and riders. Questions were asked, answers were given and nobody blinked while discussing a very difficult subject for young people to understand and feel. A few light highlights came when we interviewed a few of the young girls who saw the presentation at Russell. During the interview it came out that one young girl had a crush on Chris who is one of the riders. Over the course of the next 5 minutes through loud giggles and physical movements that could have either been excitement or sugar(check that school lunch), the girls went on to express their crushes on Chris in a very sweet way ending with a C H R S...chant...I know I know I forgot the I in his name you say. But I'm just reporting what they did. In spelling his name it seemed as though they were so excited that knowledge of the alphabet went out the window. Oh yes, and just to set the scene on Chris' exit it went something like this...

Chris: Thank you everyone for your time, I appreciate it. I gotta go RIDE...(said Clint Eastwood style steely and smoothly)

Middle School girls melt and cue the video...and scene...

Ok, so that was pretty hilarious tonight when we watched the footage enlarged on the barn wall that we're staying at. It's great to be able to share this footage with the riders/supporters as we go. Pardon the cheesy reference but tonight felt like camp. It's pitch black, there's a pig farm, chickens, a peacock, the horses are right outside, there's a few dogs running around and the Welu family and their friends have been nothing short of spectacular. They cooked for us, provided us with a place to stay and even have matching sweaters with their names on the back with a Native American greeting on the front and the word PEACE in rainbow colors on the front. An amazing gesture and really only adds to my camp reference so I feel validated and officially less cheesy.

On a personal note, tomorrow I get back on a horse for the first time since my near bucking experience in Canada. I'm ready. I'm in the third leg of the relay and I believe it's my turn to step up. Some of the riders have gone home to see their families and will return, others are tired and could use the rest, and also I am inspired to get on, show my solidarity and not ride for me, but ride for these people. The people who I've spent the last 10 days with and have gotten to know. I feel their passion and struggle and tomorrow just happens to be the day I ride. All of us on this ride and the people we've interacted with, if you've read this blog, looked at the website, have all played a part during the journey. There is no job that is better than the other, not one person who is above someone else. From riding horse to cooking a meal or from cleaning dishes or singing a song after dinner, we all play a part and I'm happy to be a part of something beautiful and historic.

I can't get over the fact that I'm in the front seat of a car on a random farm in Milroy, MN writing this blog. We truly all are connected. And whether that's the internet, or GOD or what the Natives call Creator, it's nice to know there are people out there who think of you, pray for you if you like. Send you good thoughts and good vibes for a better life and a better world. I have so many thoughts running through my head but lately they've been slowing down and coming out of me at just the way I'd like them to. It sometimes feel like this blog is writing me. Ooooooooo, that sounded so new agey I almost scared myself out here in the dark. My only light is this laptop and a blow up Frosty the Snowman lawn ornament that looks like he's loosing light but still maintains the Frosty shape that we all know and love. That's another thing I realized. The holidays are upon us. Xmas, Channukah, Kwanza, New Years, (my birthday, call me...cough) It really feels like the holidays even though I'm on this ride away from my family. I feel very close to them and I know that they know I'm thinking of them every step of the way. That has been expressed very clearly by everyone here how although they are sacrificing their holidays away from their families, they feel like family here and the 10 day unfolding prayer and journey is for their children, for the youth of all communities. It feels great to be a part of that. You should all feel proud that in reading this you are a part of it. We're all the same, one planet, one people. I used to think that was a little too much, but if you can give yourself some space and find your voice, you might be saying the same thing. And that doesn't mean you have to leave your job or school and become a radical. The real joy is finding your voice and space in your everyday lives. What's your horseback ride? Maybe it's waking up in the morning and feeding your child. Or getting your kids ready for school, studying for a test, saying I love you to someone, giving someone a hot meal who needs it, there are infinite ways to find your ride. Actually here's a trip. You're already on it. We're already on it. Everyday is a different path along the way but the ride always is, always was and always will be. That's something that I've understood while being here. Even though I'm in MN on a ride for healing, my journey is with the people and within myself. It's not magic, there's no spiritual fairy dust I'm sprinkling on myself. It's living my life in different circumstances and doing the best job I can. I like that. I like that a lot.

HAND CRAMP!!! oohhhhh, lesson number 1, when hunched over a laptop in the front seat of a car take hand breaks because the mix of cold and constant movement is not good for the joints. I'm not a doctor but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn express last night...yeah right, I slept on the floor at a community center. So cool. Pool table, good food, good people. Thank you to the communities of Russell and Milroy, MN for their hospitality and good will to all. We could have done this without you...

Alright off to sleep. Early morning tomorrow and I'm riding so I could use the rest. BIG UPS! to the Dakota 38 riders!!! (said in an Ali G type voice) We're creating a character here on the road that keeps us light, wait for the footage.


Day 11...Blizzard #2...I can't really explain the footage we shot today. The riders took off today into driving snow. I was expected to ride the 3rd leg. I must admit that I was a little frustrated with the disorganization this morning. One point that has been stressed during the ride is that we are all leaders on this journey. It has been pretty empowering to the group and actually there have been very few slip ups along the way with this large a project. But this morning for instance there was very little discussion about some of the dangers of taking off into the snow, wind and freezing conditions. My first concern is for the safety of the ride. Recently I've been straddling both worlds of being involved and on the ride and simply helping to document. I've come to the realization that I can do both, and now it's just about going through the process. It was a little messy today. We took off on 19E from the farm with 6 riders. The conditions were very bad and when Pancho and I caught up to the lead team, we could barely see the road ahead of us. Within the messy conditions however we did manage to get some pretty terrific shots so all was not lost. Midway through the second relay the ride was called. In other words, it was being shut down for the day. The conditions had worsened and Gus Higheagle's (our brother from Canada) truck and horse trailer with one horse in it had slid into the ditch. Oh and also, I'm running on EMPTY on my gas gauge. We pull up to the horse trailer in the ditch and everyone is pitching in to help out, Pancho jumps out to help and when I get out to film, I'm told to not get out of the car and move ahead as it was dangerous for my car to be on the road unattended. I wanted that shot of people coming together to help in the middle of the blizzard but the story of it will have to do. I didn't get the shot but moved on and finally got some gas. At the end of the day everyone involved was safe and save a young girl getting kicked in the hand by a horse everyone was was healthy. (she's fine now)

We're currently in Lower Sioux, MN at the Jackpot Junction Casino and had an early dinner at the community center here. We left the camera at home and really had the chance to just sit with the group and bond after a messy and unexpected day. Bill Miller said it best today. Sometimes things go wrong. There's something to learn from both approaches today I feel. Preparing and talking about what everyone feels and then making an informed decision, (the model I'm used to) and the other of, get the horses ready, and let's ride, (one I'm not used to.) We rode about 7 miles today and we'll go back tomorrow and pick up the remaining mileage for the day so all is well. I'm beginning to see a whole world that I was never privy to. Tonight at dinner we heard some great stories from Jim, Bill, Orville and a few others. It really felt like a family tonight. No cameras, mics, just a Xmas tree in the background and people talking about their lives, what they're thankful for and what this ride means to them. Very cool.

It's been a long day and this is a double long post so a quick ending is in order now...Day 12, possible quick ride then a day and a half of rest. That's the plan. But like I'm learning, sometimes there is no plan, it's ok to just go and trust. ADAM