BANGOR PEACE WALK

Yesterday I join the Hanford to Bangor Peace Walk that is heading to the submarine base where the Trident II missile subs are docked. I walked about 14 miles along with 30 other folks. The walk is being led by the Buddhist order Nipponzan Myohoji, the order that does peace walks around the world. The walk made it as far as Squamish, the place where Chief Seattle is buried.

Thursday night I spoke to a good audience at the St. Marks Episcopal Church in Seattle. Retired Episcopal minister Bob Beveridge has scheduled me four days worth of activities in the Seattle area. This evening we will attend the Hiroshima memorial service and lantern floating ceremony. On Sunday we will head back to the walk and to a day long non-violence program at Ground Zero, the name of the anti-nuclear activist group that has been protesting at the Bangor sub base for 30 or so years. I will speak there, stay the night, and then attend a protest at the base gates early Monday morning. Monday afternoon I will be back on the road heading north to speak in Bellingham, WA.

Long-time Florida friends John & Dorie Belisle moved to Bellingham years ago and bought an apple orchard there. They've been inviting me up for a visit for many years and now it will be possible to make the trip.

OLYMPIA

I spoke in Olympia, WA tonight on a panel talking about the need to get rid of nuclear weapons and Star Wars. I dragged my weary bones up here today from Hood River, Oregon where I spoke last night. I swam yesterday in the beautiful river that flows from the nearby mountains. Before that I was in Salem and Eugene. After one week on the road I am feeling the road weariness and look forward to getting to bed as soon as I get this written. In the morning I prepare to head to Seattle for a couple days of events there.

I am staying at the home long long-time Global Network member Holly Gwinn Graham who is also one of our great singer/songwriters who has written many fine space protest songs. Jackie Cabasso, from the group Abolition Now, is staying here and also spoke on the panel this evening.

Holly's home has a great view of the water, which is part of the lower fingers of Puget Sound, from her from door. A very special spot.

BOOK SELLS

Spoke to 75 people in Eugene last night and had the first test of how my book would sell. I had one box (32 books) shipped overnight to Eugene. After the talk sold 29 of them so was pleasantly surprised at the reaction. Folks were pleased with the turnout on a hot summer Sunday night. Said it was more than they had expected.

Earlier in the day, at noon, I did a one-hour radio interview on the local college NPR station. Show beams out throughout the region and got a great response from it when people arrived at the meeting last night. Got an e-mail from the host of the show this morning saying the station is already getting very positive reaction to the interview. Nice to hear.

Today I meet with a person at the editorial board of the local Eugene newspaper and then drive to Salem for a talk there tonight. Unfortunately I will only have 3 books with me. Don't get another box until I get to Olympa, WA.

Hope you all are doing well. I always enjoy reading the comments, even those from my critics. Think peace.

COASTAL FOG AND MAGIC

Spoke to a packed room at the Florence library last night - a beautiful coastal town in Oregon. Stuart Henderson worked hard, including sticking over 200 flyers on cars around town, to turn folks out. People said half the audience was not the regulars. Great energy in the room and it was a fun evening for me.

It's foggy along the coast as I look out the window now. Going for breakfast with my hosts to a place on the beach this morning so I can get a look at the ocean.

Today I head to Eugene for a radio interview on the college NPR radio station and then another talk in the evening.

Enjoying my Oregon visit. Have added another talk to my schedule as Bellingham, WA has now filled my only free day, Aug 8.

One thing I notice about Oregon, different from most places I visit, is that they seem to have more access to radio. Already done about 5 radio interviews and have just gotten started. Oregon also appears to be one state with very little military industrial complex presence....maybe there is a connection there. Hope they can keep it this way.