Day 6 - Lincoln, Nebraska

In addition to visiting university campuses, we’re also heading for all 4 Debates to support Jill and Ajamu, so we need to drive many miles each day to be at Hofstra U on Long Island on Monday. Today, we did over 500 miles -  2,200 since Saturday - to stay on schedule, but we arrived too late to visit the U of Nebraska-Lincoln here in the state’s capital. We’ll make it up tomorrow morning by visiting U of Nebraska in Omaha before crossing the Missouri River and beginning our drive across Iowa.

No time to stop at Della's Cafe in the heartland. 

The good news: we’re finding millennials everywhere! Before leaving our motel in Laramie this morning, the young manager, a recent graduate of UW, accepted some leaflets to share with friends and clients. We’re constantly in search of good Wi-Fi (we don’t have it tonight!), so we were delighted at mid-day to see a Starbucks sign on Interstate 80 in Sidney, Nebraska, only to learn from the Visitors Center there that it was some 4 miles distant. I made 2 new friends for Jill, then left the Visitors Center with a map and drove the 4 miles, passing through Sidney’s charming old downtown area. We found Starbucks in a supermarket. No Wi-Fi but did  talk with the barista and two young ladies waiting in line, all of whom were grateful to learn there was an alternative to the two disliked candidates that the shallow media likes so much. All eagerly took extra leaflets, delighted to learn there was a great alternative. And I was delighted to find so much openness to Jill here in the heartland.

At lunchtime, we stopped in North Platte for a sandwich and engaged the young man who made our sandwich in a discussion about the election. He, like so many, was so pleased to learn of an alternative candidate that he extended his hand in gratitude when we said goodbye. I get to shake a lot of hands after talking about Jill!

I'm not the least bit discouraged by the numbers today. Cynthia Bourgault wrote this about hope: "Hope’s home is at the innermost point in us, and in all things. It is a quality of aliveness. It does not come at the end, as the feeling that results from a happy outcome. Rather, it lies at the beginning, as a pulse of truth that sends us forth." Every person I talk with about Jill and Ajamu is at the center of a personal network and his or her unique "pulse of truth" can send hundreds forth to bring real hope to millions. I just have to keep driving and telling people about Jill and Ajamu, sharing our pulse of truth.

Day 5 - Laramie, Wyoming

Four hundred miles today to arrive at the beautiful campus of the University of Wyoming with its 27,000 students. I didn't talk to all of them but the ones I talked to were ready to take action. What a great privilege for me to engage so much brightness and optimism on something as important as this. I was very encouraged by their willingness to consider Jill Stein as their President and their universal agreement that Trump and Clinton are poor options.

One of the campus buildings carries words that lay bare the student debt scam concocted by greedy bankers, slow-witted bureaucrats and politicians, and willing administrators. Placing our young in the learning space of our universities is a sacred responsibility. We place them there to do great "deeds of high resolve," not to enrich the banks and put an entire generation into servitude.

"Man [and woman] is of soul and body formed for deeds of high resolve"

Day 4 - Jackson Hole, Wyoming

We were in absolute jaw-dropping awe of nature's extravagance in Jackson Hole today - and also reminded of our great responsibility to care for our planet home.

I had two interesting conversations at the plush Jackson Lake Lodge, one with a busboy in one of the Lodge's restaurants who was being paid $5 an hour by the Lodge's concessionaire, not even the Federal minimum of $7.25 since 2009. He is paid $5 because he shares in tips and in a good week can make $11 an hour with no benefits. He had no plans to go to the university so, lucky for him, he didn't need to take out a student loan. Our federal parks are filled with young workers like him who are willing to take lousy jobs and lousy salaries because back home it's even worse - and the concessionaires are very happy to take advantage of them. They even import thousands of workers from other countries to exploit them, as well.

Outside the restaurant I met a man from Texas whose son was attending a meeting at the lodge. He told me his son was the CEO of an oil company. This man was a nature lover and especially loved the Grand Tetons because he had honeymooned there 48 years ago. He was a Democrat  who didn't believe there was any reason to panic about the climate, economy, or wars. Of course, when you're staying in $500 a night rooms in beautiful national parks, there doesnt seem to be any reason to panic about anything. And, certainly, not to panic about most of the workers in his plush hotel who earn lousy wages. 

He wasn't interested in taking my leaflet but we had a 20-minute conversation in which he parroted all the arguments for voting for the lesser evil (Hillary) to keep Trump from winning. I said the Democrats are losing because they screwed Bernie out of the nomination when the polls showed Bernie would defeat Trump. I also argued that if Bernie had joined Jill Stein instead of endorsing Hillary, the Trump thing would have been history. I always expect more from lovers of nature and I'm disappointed when we can't find common ground.

As we left the restaurant tonight, I talked with two young hostesses who had friends with student debts. They wanted extra leaflets to share so I gave them the ten I was carrying. I get very excited about Jill's chances when I see how eagerly millennials take the leaflets and when I hear their intentions to share the good news on social media. It was the same with a young Ranger working in the Visitor's Center. I reminded him how important it was for millennials to take the lead. He gave me a very reassuring smile and said, "I'm on it!"

Day 3 - Jackson Hole, Wyoming

What a day! I’ve never done anything in my life that has been so enthusiastically received. Talked this morning with hundreds of students at Idaho State U in Pocatello. At the moment, we’re in Idaho Falls, 50 miles north of Pocatello, on our way to Jackson Hole. We stopped at a Starbucks to use the WiFi and to share the good news with local millennials. When I asked students this morning at ISU if they knew anyone with student debt, many smiled and said, “Everyone!” After I explain our mission, many students take extra leaflets to share with friends.

Idaho Stat U sign in student union

When I can, I tell them this: “I have just passed you the baton. It is now totally up to you.You millennials have the power right now to change everything, to end your debt, change the climate, and end wars. Use your computer, use the Internet. Only you can make it happen. All the power is in your hands!” 

How the hell did we manage to put an entire generation in hock? Few jobs, lousy jobs, overwhelming debt. Did you know the U.S. government earns $50 billion a year in student loan interest on the backs of our students and our young student debtors are graduating with an average of $35,000 in debt? Not counting interest! How insane is this? And we’re not even talking about the climate or nuclear and war crises! 

Typical of the student stories, one young man, also a debtor, working part-time in the ISU Student Union, told me his girlfriend was $30,000 in debt and is working 3 jobs as she attends the university. We need to do what we can to lift this terrible weight from their young shoulders. Sending Dr. Jill Stein to the White House will do just that … and so much more.

Tomorrow we focus on one of the truly great things about our country, it’s natural beauty and national parks. We’ll be at the Grand Tetons. Stay tuned!

Day 2 - Twin Falls, Idaho

No universities on our route to Idaho through Nevada's Great Basin desert. Besides, it’s Sunday, a quiet day on most campuses. (Oh, BTW, last night the Nevada Wolf Pack beat the Buffalo Bulls, 34-18.)

Our day began in our Reno motel with the motel owner getting excited about Jill’s promise to end student debt. His motel is a stone’s throw from the medical school where too many graduate with $300k in debt. He immediately made the connection, took our leaflet and promised to make many copies and promote Jill to the students and their families.

Mid-morning we stopped at a Starbucks where there was a long line of millennials with nothing to occupy their minds so they all got a leaflet and a few words. One group of 4 young people were thrilled to get the information. Of course, there were a few pundits (not millennials) who only express their opposition in vitriol. One very old timer said he always voted conservative values and never for “communists” but was unwilling to elaborate. Then there was the very angry 40-something guy on a Harley who had dropped out of high school and said that bailing out student debtors would only increase his taxes and their laziness so he was against it.

The best moment of the day came in a Nevada State Rest Area on U.S. 80 in Nevada's Great Basin desert when I approached a woman who turned out to be a Jill supporter and couldn’t express her joy enough when she learned we were doing a 7k journey. She gave me a big hug and wouldn’t let us leave until she had dug out her two favorite Trader Joe energy bars from the bottom of her cooler and gave them to us. A very caring way to express her support for the marathon.

What we’re doing on our cross-country marathon you could do in your town, in your cafe. Just print out the leaflets on the End Student Debt Leaflets page on this blog. Always carry some with you and use every opportunity to pass them out, especially to millennials. Most people appreciate your efforts, student debtors especially, and you meet a lot of new people! And millennials will get the word out. Do it!

Day 1 - Reno, Nevada

We left Mariposa at 8:30 this morning and summited Donner Summit at 4 pm. Here I am with Donner Lake behind me. I was very conscious of the Donner Party story as we arrived at the U of Nevada-Reno campus at 5:30, just before their football game with U of Buffalo. Thousands of Nevada fans heading for the stadium and me trying to engage them with something as superficial as ending student debt and the possible end of the planet in our lifetime. As I handed out my leaflets to distracted football fans, I thought, these folks are just as oblivious to the great danger in front of them as was the Donner Party. Only the Donner Party didn’t have someone handing out leaflets saying there was a way to avoid the catastrophe, so I kept going. A security guard told me to stop but I asserted my constitutional right to free speech and that seemed to calm him. At least I didn’t see him again. 

Although it was not surprising to run into a few Trump supporters in Nevada, it was relatively simple to engage small groups of millennials and alert them to the option Jill presents. And, as always, the ones with student debt were excited to hear there was someone out there trying to rescue them. The biggest, warmest reactions I get are when I apologize to a group of young people for us previous generations having screwed up their lives and futures. They are really hurting but are clearly heartened when they learn of Jill’s vision and leadership.

36 Hours and Counting ...

36 hours from now, at 8:00 Saturday morning, the End Student Debt 7k Marathon heads out of Mariposa, 45 minutes from Yosemite. Destination: Reno, Nevada - 280 miles, a short ride for our first day. We'll spend the night  at a motel just outside the University of Nevada and we'll be wandering around the campus and nearby neighborhoods looking for millennials to bring them the good news.

Eight days later, we'll join Jill and hundreds of supporters at Hofstra U and the first Presidential Debate. Lots to do before then!