LivermoreNuclearWeaponsLab

On Tuesday we arrived at Livermore Lab. We need the Lab to shut down its nuclear operations and convert to clean-up ONLY operations.

In Berkeley and Oakland

Off to a great start for the California leg of the Trinity To Trident Peace Walk

At Berkeley Unitarian Universal fellowship on Saturday, Takashi Tanemori spoke of his Hibakusha experience: he was eight when Hiroshima was obliterated. He vowed revenge at his father’s grave site at 18 years of age, then, after forty long years of hate for the destroyers of his town of Hiroshima and six members of his family, he was finally able to forgive.

It’s a forgiveness which begins in ones heart, and is permanent in peace. Takashi just published a book called Bridge to Forgiveness.

At UC Berkeley one of our Native American participants–Zachary Running Wolf–spoke to us about a “Bevatron”, built in 1950’s smashing sub-atomic particles. He also told us about the Oak Grove issues at the campus. While with us, he was arrested (because of a prior warrant for his arrest related to tree sitting at UCB). Running Wolf was convicted and released under the agreement that he would not return to campus.

The 12th Day in NM

TTT Walk starts with a Japanese News Crew

On the final day of the New Mexico portion, the seven peace walkers prayed at the White Sands Missile Range base gate. Tomorrow the Peace Walkers will drive to California, ready for the next leg of the Walk to begin on Saturday. Today was a successful prayer time for the 7 who made it all the way from LANL to the Trinity Site’s gate.

Days 10-11

On the 10th day we reached San Antonio. Employees with Socorro County and other local workers were EXTREMELY helpful for our Peace Walkers in securing resources such as food and housing. At the County Park in San Antonio, other local media people came out to visit. We camped there next to the future fire station. San Antonio is the nearest village to the first nuclear blast of July 16th 1945. Many of the local folks who were showered with nuclear fallout 64 years ago later had reproductive problems due to genetic exposure to radiation from the Trinity Test.

On Wednesday the 15th–our eleventh day of walking–we walked 15 miles and reached the Rosary Camp where people prepared for the 26-hour peace vigil.

Peace Walkers passed the bar & cafe where Los Alamos scientists & engineers once hung out prior to shooting off the "gadget" bomb on July 16th 1945.

Tomorrow the Japanese Nippon-TV (NTV) will come to document the prayer-action for peace at the Stallion Gate of White Sands Missile Range and the Rosary Camp on BLM land.

Day 9

In the past 9 days, some of us got mosquito bites, poison oak or sumac, horrendous sunburns, sore, achey muscles, and of course, BLISTERS. Despite the physical hardships, the spiritual rewards are great, and the physical HOSPITALITY of local people is beautifully divine, often coming forth in food and housing for the pilgrims…

We leave Socorro tomorrow morning at 7:30am, on our way to San Antonio, NM.

We walked through farmland and highway desert lands today…

Days 7-8

Yesterday Rhonda fed us a great meal. 6 of us had walked from the Isleta Pueblo to Adelino. Today we’ll skip forward 20 extra miles via car because we couldn’t get a campsite in Bernardo for free and will stay in Polvadera instead.

a few days ago in the 'Burque with supporters from Chicago...

Day 6

The Peace Walkers and supporters mingle at Vecinos del Bosque Park after the first hour of walking.

Today six of the Peace Walkers covered about 18 miles before bedding down for the night in Albuquerque’s South Valley. Hiro is terribly sunburnt but able to offer wonderful massages to his fellow Walkers. Before leaving the site of a future garden, two of the monks (Senji & Gilberto) blessed the land with Catholic Worker Marcus. Planting starts in 2010 there on Bernardino Rd NW.

Gilberto, Senji & Hiro won't forget the Church Rock Uranium Spill of 1979.

Yesterday we made it to Bernalillo

Interfaith Peace Walk passes through Santo Domingo Pueblo

On Wednesday, the Walk included 5 walkers, no kittens and one support driver. Today it’s the same group. Tomorrow they stop in Albuquerque at 9:00 am at Vecinos del Bosque Park to meet other folks who might walk for a day with the group.

Days 3-4

Ranger Dale helped Erica and Gilberto out the Canyon.

Erica & Gilberto made it out of the canyon, and friendly Ranger Dale helped drive them to catch up with the rest of the Walkers in Pena Blanca and at Santo Domingo. All is well. On Tuesday, Marilyn provided an outstanding dinner, we adopted a stray kitten (named Heiwa) and had an early sleep. On Wednesday, we have 18 miles to get to Bernalillo, and the Walkers are: Erica, Gilberto, Dennis, Iris, Hiro & Senji. Will Heiwa stay with us, or will he keep flowing like a river???

Heiwa on his first day of recovery in the company of Peace Walkers.

The First 2 Days

Seven Walkers and Supporters Ready to Start Walking In Los Alamos

We started at Ashley Pond in Los Alamos–seven Peace Walkers and four supporters. At the Laboratory the Walkers chanted and vigilled for 15 minutes, then headed for Bandelier.

Knowing that Bandelier would be grueling, only four Peace Walkers entered. Only three came out the next morning. One supporter stayed in Bandelier with one sick Walker. (A combination of altitude sickness and intense water imbalances stole Erica’s energy, so Gilberto nurtured her until Park Ranger Dale came to help guide the Walkers out on Tuesday morning.) The three Peace Walkers who walked 6 miles of trails and 6 miles of roads to Monday’s campsite in Cochiti were Senji, Dennis and Hiro.