EFLIUS Day 13: only 61 miles today but all morning was spent switching to the new plan so, not too bad. Tomorrow needs to be about a 90-mile day. For the first 13 days I was almost entirely off-grid. That's unlikely to happen in the future. The......

EFLIUS Day 13: only 61 miles today but all morning was spent switching to the new plan so, not too bad. Tomorrow needs to be about a 90-mile day. For the first 13 days I was almost entirely off-grid. That's unlikely to happen in the future. The primary reason is I'm now traveling for Speed, LOL, speed and distance. I need to be doing about 80 miles a day rather than 45. Only on the most extremely sunny, non hazy day, without significant climbing, and without trees to obstruct the sun, will that happen again. But on many days I'll be getting roughly half of my electricity from the Sun which will dramatically shortened the 2 times a day I'll need to plug in. So by and large I'll be half on the grid and half off. A number of people made Financial contributions to the mission today, one was breathtakingly large. I've gone deep into debt to get this far in the mission and that contribution will substantially help me climb toward sunlight. I'll be Reeling for many days to come and the mission was hugely strengthened. A fellow set up a go fund me site for the mission. In 12 years of similarly devoted activism I have never had that kind of help. I'm deeply touched,  greatly humbled. The mission is greatly helped. This morning at a Wawa which I never went into, I was trying to collect my thoughts on the new trajectory for the mission, North Dakota, accelerating the visit to Organic Transit for repairs, to this Saturday I hoped, and other planning had me just sitting at the convenience store outside pondering. Oh, did I mention major repairs I needed to do to the vehicle? A Jovial mid fifties white lady came over and if she is not, or was not, Nun, she certainly is the epitome of what that brings to mind. Extremely friendly. Extremely interested in the vehicle and its solar aspects, extremely interested in free Palestine, extremely interested in the message on the religion of loving. She asked me what I was doing and I told her a ridiculous Hail Mary pass to try and Spark some life in the country to stand up for our children's future. She asked how would anyone do that? I said, the only way I've ever seen it done, is to stoke the fire in oneself by redirecting one's attention from oneself to those who really need help, rekindling the fire that Gandhi counted on, the love of the mother or her child but for all children. And that by doing so in oneself and stoking the fire white hot sometimes it caused the fire to rekindle in others. I wasn't guessing that would mesh with her religious beliefs. She uttered some words not mystically but honestly that I didn't understand. I take them to be Indian words. She dug in both pockets and handed me all the contents of bills and change. Spoke very warmly to me and departed. There have been half a dozen at least meaningful encounters today in the largely impoverished areas that I've been traveling through. This continues to be my experience that where people are not plagued with the addiction of over privilege there is room among some of them for the spirit to live., many little flames encountered and encouraged today. As this post is written the author is sitting on a curb Stone having finished two cans of cold corn and a cold can of chicken noodle soup given me by a student at William and Mary. my planning and process is infantile as it relates to structuring days where I travel 80 or 90 miles per day. Seems trivial except the need to fuel this vehicle now from the grid while I'm traveling on largely back roads with no services adds some complexity and risk. I arrived at this location with probably only 5 miles of electricity to spare. in another three miles I know that there is a large truck stop. This is a much less prosperous convenience store and non-branded gas station. as I gain experience and courage I'll always follow my inclination to favor the less prosperous non corporate with what limited funds I can. And sometimes no funds at all if I think that's the best spiritual service. And that may be the case tonight. I walked into the store empty of customers and the Young Middle Eastern man at the counter, I explained that I saw a plug outside and hoped I would be allowed to plug in for several hours. a bit to my surprise he went right into risk management, I'm not sure my boss would allow it, can I bring the batteries inside and plug them in, we don't do that. I simply allowed my disappointment and Mild disgust to show. my mind immediately went to plan b, the place 3 miles down the road. As I was getting in the vehicle a voice got my attention. It was the young man. Where is the receptacle that you were talking about? I pointed to the receptacle 10 feet adjacent to the vehicle on the wall. He said, if it works, you're welcome to use it. He had simply had a change of heart. that's what it's about isn't it? Giving people an opportunity and inspiration for a change of heart? By first changing our own? I immediately directed his attention to the free Palestine signage which he had not seen. He asked me how America was going to stop Israel. How Americans were going to stop Israel. I said, we are not. But I can't control that. I can control me. I will not sit by and watch this unfold without trying to get in the way. This is my attempt. when he wasn't helping customers he's come out several times since. He said, come in for water or whatever you want. One time he came out and I was speaking to a customer of his,  a farmer white guy my age, and telling him that I was going to fail but I was not going to fail to try. The young shopkeeper jumped in and said, this man is a hero, To his customer. A new and very generous benefactor to the mission today said, I know you have to go through with this, but when you're done, I hope you take care of yourself. This is so understandable. But to understand myself, and for anyone to understand me, they need to understand that I experience the people of Palestine as intimately as some people might experience their own leg, or their skin, or their arms,  or their very own face. I experience all of the creatures whose habitats we are destroying totally and forever including all humans, as my own arms or legs or torso. I am exactly taking care of myself.