The Whole Earth Guide

There is a story here. It started 60 years ago, the summer of 1963, on a beach, on an island. My mom was swimming off Squibnocket Beach in the town of Chilmark, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. I was still in the womb and would not be born until November 27th, just a few days after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The assassination was that act of terror that most likely forced my birth into a troubled extraordinary world and set me on paths of great suffering, physically and mentally ( depression, anxiety attacks, was beaten severely at military school at the age of 14, self destructive behavior causing to weigh over 430 pounds twenty years ago, there is more), but I learned to look at each life challenge as a temporary obstacle and a new "mountain" to climb thereby invoking paths of extreme adventure and compassion. So, the story begins...

Earth Rise (Nasa)

Hi, my name is Bill Poindexter, I am many things; a writer, speaker, author, coach, career counselor, adventurer on foot and by bicycle, outdoor educator, naturalist, minimalist, yoga instructor, environmentalist, and the creator of the Whole Earth Guide (WEG). I have been many things, but always saw the Earth as fragile, and now feel the need to help save our home (Earth).

The Whole Earth Guide is a series of guides with an ever evolving role to create a world peace where the health of: people, the environment, and communities is paramount. This is being created as you read this by a cooperative group of like minded Whole Earth Guides.

Original brainstorming sheet '18

The WEGs will be in the form of books, articles, podcasts, blog posts, live feeds, FB post, instagram images, letters (on paper), and stories by humans like you and me. I am starting the first step, telling the story, mission and vision. The organization is a not for profit, but we will not be tied to any government. This is for the Earth, the Whole Earth. We see one Earth, but for it to survive we all must get along and create a World Peace, there are no more choices, certain things must change in order for the planet to survive, our home.

These guides are inspired by the Whole Earth Catalog, by Stewart Brand

Bill Poindexter,  Banff Nation Park, photo by Sarah Burch

The first phase is two publish two guides in the next few weeks, as I am authoring both, They will be about what I know best, how to travel by bicycle and sharing inspiring stories and adventures from my travels like:

Sage and Pine

"How to find a place to sleep while traveling on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR)

What “they” don’t tell you in the Guidebooks.

Jack, Anna, Bahne, and myself had come off a long climb from Pinedale, WY, heading north. We were a day away from Grand Teton National Park. At the bottom of Union Pass, we stopped at a lodge for the usual GDMBR fare of burgers, fries, and beer. I noticed a couple and an older woman. The older woman stared at our disheveled group, but being a vagabond and wanderer, I was used to the stares, as we were a live

story.

After we ate, I walked outside to gather water bottles for refills. The couple and older woman followed me out.

They smiled. “Where are you traveling from?” the man asked with kind eyes.

“New Mexico,” I said and explained the route to them. "We are bicycling, self-contained, from New Mexico along the Continental Divide, on dirt roads and trails, to Banff, Alberta, Canada. The four of us met on the road, and we’re traveling together for a few days."

“Where do you sleep,” the woman asked, as though somehow searching for her past.

“Any place,” I say simply. “On the side of the road, in a shelter, bathroom, campground, back of a restaurant, lawns, people invite us into their home, but really, when the sun starts to set any patch of earth will do.”

Their eyes widened, and they looked at each other and nodded in complete understanding.

“Where will you sleep tonight?” the woman asked.

“Dunno,” I said smiling. “There is a campground a few miles up the road, or we may just keep moving till we find something and head into the woods. Something will present itself; it always does.”

The couple thanked me for telling them about our travels.

I walked back in the restaurant and told my companions what happened. Seconds later the man came back in and said, “My wife says you all can stay in our cabin tonight.”

We graciously agreed, and, 30 minutes later, we were at the cabin. Jerry and Anna, and Anna’s mother, hosted us for the night.

Full-blooded Arapaho, Jerry later that night confided in me that he longed for the “old ways” of his people.

He said, “The way you are traveling on your bicycles, with your gear, free on the land, was the way my ancestors traveled on horseback or foot. I am envious.” He gave me a serious look, “You will always be welcomed here.”

That night I slept deeply. Embraced by kindness, present and past. That’s the Wild West; that is the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

The next morning, we rose to coffee, a view from the balcony, and good food. We took pictures of our new friends and us, then we rode.

Side note: While on the Divide three Native Tribes, the Pueblo, Apache, and Arapaho, showed me incredible hospitality. I came to the West to see how the past and present meshed with smells of sage and pine."

Sage and Pine is one of hundreds of stories I have. 

I wish I could tell you all how this idea will play out, but truthfully, I do not know. I never know. I just follow my gut and let every day unravel, and see what happens. Oh there is some planning, but mostly I am curious to see how this story unfolds.

Next?

Whole Earth Bikepacking Summit-ever rolling, continuous, think of a bunch of curious, environmentally friendly, compassionate, healthy, Earth loving, World Peace optimists, cycling together and creating real change in a troubled world. 


I will be sharing stories from the road. Stories about the people with us and the ones we meet,  environmental conditions of the places we travel and the patches of dirt we sleep on, and we will share the commonalities of humanity with communities we pass through, and will seek out nature and the wilderness on many different levels, and we will ask questions, seek solutions to issues, and travel by bicycle to show a simple way to live. Can't make it? You can still be a part of it. This is grassroots. 

Grassroots movements and organizations use collective action from the local level to effect change at the local, regional, national, or international level.

If you are interested in following this "live" journalistic endeavor please let me know.
We could use your help financially, you can Venmo me, or will put a paypal link for you to click, and open to cash if you meet me on the road. The money is to help support the mission so we can tell the stories that need to be told, without condition:

Mission: To inspire good health: for people, the Earth, and community. And ultimately help create World Peace so the Earth can survive. 

There will be links coming as we evolve to our You Tube Channel as well.

How will it unfold?
Good question

If you would like me to speak to your organization about our focus, or teach how to: travel by bike, wilderness ethics, living car-free, tell stories of my adventures, or even teach a simple Yoga class, please let me know asap.

Things we need? Marketing folk, administrative and operational help, money, food, like minded folks who wanna make the Earth a better, livable, healthier home.

Hope to see you soon. 
Bill


Get your Whole Earth Guide here

Dispatches from the road cycling on Trans America Trail

 Dispatches from the road by Bill Poindexter

(Reposted with links to a video the day before I wrote this amd then second just a few hours when I woke cold and it started to snow)

Well I am here in Hartville Missouri, finally got on the Transamerica Route also known at US Bike Route 76 Going to be sleeping under a pavilion in  city park-I had to build a barrier to block the 20 mph constant wind that just happens to be blowing perfectly on my tent. But I’m in the tent now warm and toasty with a cuppa coffee by my side three slices of pizza in my tummy along with some chocolate milk. Not gonna be cooking tonight too much wind. I decided to take advantage of the wind on my back today after three or four days Of headwinds. And today was fairly easy I made sure I had enough food as yesterday I bonked

In the afternoon if you don’t know what bonking is Basically it’s when you haven’t eaten enough food it’s the nemesis of endurance athletes you get a little confused, erratic heart rate, irritable, it’s not a pleasant experience as I was heading from Bolivar to Fair Grove. I happen to meet a young woman on the road Jessica who introduced me to her brother-in-law, Sid, Who was kind enough to offer me a place to crash in take a shower but also told me about a sweet camping spot which I took advantage of by creek last night it was absolutely beautiful. He even brought me some water and cookies after dinner with his family. A true trail angel both he and Jessica. Even though I did get a visit from the police later in the evening, but the cop was cool cool and just wanted to make sure I wasn’t a vagrant looking to set up camp for a month or two. Ha ha. And this morning I did do a video and I tried to download it to my Rumble account but for some reason it’s not downloading so I might have to have Wi-Fi I’ll check it out later. Anyway I’m tired I’m going to try to sleep tonight even though the winds blowing crazy. But I’d rather be outside even though I’m on a slab of concrete tonight than inside any day. I think it’s going to get colder tonight glad I brought my winter gear hence why my bike is so loaded. This time of year April and May you have to be prepared for anything. So if you like my words in my soon to be videos feel free to connect with me, make comments, and/or buy me a cup of coffee and a sandwich I’m on a tight budget on this trip so a cup of coffee and a sandwich would be a joy! Thanks to all of you who have contributed and you will be getting more good content coming soon!

Let me know your thoughts

https://rumble.com/v2f5uie-bicycle-tour-a-humility-day.html

Later that night…

 https://rumble.com/v1u4apo-cold-night-biking-from-kansas-city-to-yorktown-virginia-in-a-city-park-in-s.html

How spraying for mosquitoes can hurt us

• What “they” don’t tell in the Earth Day celebrations!

Part 1 the Cities 

 

All nature is related in some form. For example, bees pollinate plants it’s pretty commonly known. But when those bees get exterminated, because people fret about mosquitoes in their yard, guess what you’re not gonna have very many plants blooming same reason why you see a decline in lightning bugs… specially in the Kansas City area where I live. 

When I was a boy, the yard was full of lightning bugs now-not as common. These are just two examples of what happens when you use insecticides on lawns. Collateral damages happen. One day I watched one of the service people from Mosquito Joe’s spraying insecticide for mosquitoes on lawn and, smartly, he was wearing a mask and not the type of mask you wore with Covid nonsense but an actual gas mask.

“Do you think it’s really safe to spray what you’re spraying, is it safe for the pets for children for humans?” I asked.

“As long as you don’t inhale it directly, it is safe.” He said confidently.

“So I guess you’re poisoning me right now because I can smell it!” I said.

He went back to spraying.

And that’s just me… If it kills mosquitoes, it kills other things to like the lightning bugs and the bees, and the ladybugs and all the other critters, and it has toxic effects on your pets in your children and you, as those toxins get into your skin it stays in your body and that’s what causes Cancer amongst other things. These are neurotoxins and it’s not just with the pesticides and insecticides but also with fertilizers.

Consider this, do you have children? Or pets? Does your neighbor utilize companies like mosquito Joe’s …your neighbors poisoning you all.

The critters that eat the insects that die from insecticides are getting poisoned as well. 

Birds, bats, dragonflies, frogs, spiders, (just to name a few)

eat mosquitos!

Another thing to consider to is all these insecticide‘s in pesticides and fertilizers are running off into or water supplies or poisoning anything in an ecosystem with water, and eventually getting out to the oceans, and the tributary‘s, estuaries, and there’s no way to filter these out of your drinking water. Which means that if you’re drinking any kind of water, whether it’s bottled water or tapwater, you’re going to be ingesting some of these insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers. 

Want to help the Earth? Don’t use any man-made product that is a pesticide, insecticide or fertilizer. Period. We must get to a point where we do not poison the Earth and the food we eat… as many of the people that grow our food use these products as well on the food. Organic food… That’s a joke. Trust me pesticides and insecticides are used.

I would like to encourage you to read the silent spring by Rachel Carson. Almost everything you do (cause) has a direct (effect) on our world. That’s important to remember. Kind of future you creating for the future generations? You have to want to make a change. There’s plenty of information out there. But the below links and Silent Spring is a good place to start.

One Earth, one home let’s save it!

peace and love.

Cause/effect

Reference: 

Silent Spring, Rachel Carson

https://www.amazon.com/What-Really-Makes-You-Ill/dp/1673104037

https://colinpurrington.com/2018/09/buzz-on-mosquito-sprays/

https://www.treehugger.com/how-to-kill-mosquitoes-naturally-4864217

Part 3 tomorrow 

Cars and air pollution

Bill Poindexter is an independent journalist, naturalist, eco-philosopher, nature poet, adventurer, just reporting what he witnessing as he explores the Earth. He encourages readers to try and prove him wrong. 

Wholeearthguide.blogspot.com

Dispatches from the road

Dispatches from the road: day 4 and the rainy beginning of day 5 

by Bill Poindexter

This is re-posted from my trip a year ago… Enjoy

I lay in my tent on the morning of day five of my journey having a little meditation of how grateful I am just to be alive and be able to do the things I’m doing. My friend Monica reminding me she was the one who called me the “traveling monk” I resonate with that very much as my spiritual belief is strong no matter what religion I meet along my journey and right now I feel very Zen like. I’m laying on a forest bed in a conservation area just outside of Wheatland, Missouri. I’ve been up for a while listening to the pattering of the rain -I retrieved my stove from my panniers and had a fine breakfast of oatmeal with raisins, honey and banana along with copious amounts of coffee. I love the word copious don’t you? Not exactly sure of my route today and when the rain is going to stop. The sun is supposed to come out so I think I’m gonna hang out here and read my book,  Provence 1970, and let everything dry out including my boots which got soaked yesterday because of the two stream crossings – thanks Mac for that adventurous route on the Butterfield Stagecoach Trail! I’m starting to feel stronger getting used to the heavy weight of the load I’m carrying-70ish lbs. For you Bikepacker‘s out there I’m on a surly long-haul trucker, with two front Salsa bags on anything cages and two rear expeditionary panniers from Arkle out of Canada -xm-45s. 

I’m carrying water, food, shelter clothing, couple books, maps and as my kiwi friends would say an assortment of ‘bits and bobs. Yesterday I left Mac Vorce’s home in Warsaw and hopped on the Butterfield stage coach route, on section 8 from Warsaw to Wheatland. This route is one of the hardest I’ve ever done I would compare it to the great divide mountain bike route in terms of its challenging terrain and endless ups and downs stream crossings, muddy dirt roads, gravel,  and more loose gravel… Lots of solitude and very little people and very beautiful. I rode for nine hours and ended up taking a short cut in the end to Wheatland because of a pending storm,  which, of course, never happened. I found this patch of dirt I’m laying on and slept very well. I’m eager to get down to the Transamerica Trail to get started heading east as that is my ultimate destination. I am laying in the tent fully caffeinated dictating this to you from my phone. I feel good. Many people yesterday gave me water as I rode by their homes. There was a little dog named Little Missy who befriended me and kindly ran beside me for almost 4 miles-yes 4 miles until the owners niece and husband retrieved her. Little Missy was the strongest dog or I should say is the strongest dog I’ve ever seen. No matter how fast I went down the hill I would have to go slow up the next hill and I would look in my rearview mirror and she would be that little spot in the center of the mirror running to me. It was a soulful encounter between a human and an animal and there was so much beauty in that moment it brings tears to my eyes, seriously. It’s a kind reminder that we all living beings are connected.

If you like my words let me know 

Wholeearthguide.blogspot.com

To see a little missy just click here

https://rumble.com/v2jt1q6-bikepacking-school-with-bill-poindexter.html

Earth week: what they don’t tell you in the Earth Day celebrations

 What “they” don’t tell in the Earth Day celebrations!

Part 1 the Cities 

Black boxes outside your house or supermarket: they contain poison a mouse/ rat/chipmunk die an excruciating painful death after exiting, then some other up the food chain-bird, raccoon, opossum, cat, dog, coyote all die the same death then the scavengers - fox, starlings, crows, stray cats and dogs, or vultures. 

The bodies decompose, and leech into the Earth killing anything- and eventually into the drinking water or the ocean.

I’ve seen the effects, and watched animals die, slowly. A coyote and a raccoon most recently. Heart breaking. 

It’s not just the black boxes, some homeowners just put out poison. Or they call a “pest control company “ and guess what they do? They will trap or get the critters with a long pole with a wire on the end, and put the animal in a cage and then throw it, alive into a drowning tank. I saw three baby raccoons be extracted this way and will never forget their cries. 

Cause/effect

Reference: Silent Spring, Rachel Carson

Part 2 tomorrow 

Fertilizers and the truth about Mosquito Joe

Bill Poindexter is an independent journalist just reporting what he witnessing as he explores the Earth. He encourages readers to try and prove him wrong. 

Wholeearthguide.blogspot.com

Bicycle touring with Jesus

 On a bicycle tour with Jesus (pronounced hey-zeus)

Easter Synchronicity 2022

I’m not gonna tell you whether or not God exist, or that Jesus was his begotten son… I’m just not that arrogant. I don’t really know. I wish I did, I’d like to think it true. 

Here’s what I do know: The earth, nature, animals insects and most people are good. The moon, the sun the stars in the universe are beautiful… And came from somewhere. I feel everything. I always have. I can’t explain it, and I’ve always been on a search for truth and where we come from and why are we here.

And more recent years, I have come to see that synchronicity plays a big part of my life, especially on my bicycle journeys. If you don’t know this about me, I travel by bicycle and ride whenever I get a chance. I’ve ridden all over the states of Missouri and Kansas, rode from New Mexico crisscrossing the continental divide multiple times all the way up to Banff Alberta Canada. I’ve ridden all through Montana and from California down through Baja Mexico, across Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, all trips are self contained meaning I carry all my camping equipment, clothes, tools, food and water. 

In recent years, I’ve actually had people come up to me, strangers telling me that God loves me and has a purpose for me. I’m serious. I’ve also had people that I know say the same things “Jesus has something in mind for you“ they say. I smile, and I wonder how they know this. I like what they’re saying, but shouldn’t I know it? I’ve always been open the supernatural. 

I digress let me get to the point. It’s like I said synchronicity plays a big part of my life and I have lots of examples for you all all and will share more about it later but for now I’m gonna talk about one example. Which happened in a small town last year the day before Easter 2022.

It was late afternoon. I’ve been on the road all day. It was day 17 of my bicycle trip from Kansas City Missouri to Yorktown Virginia via the Transamerica trail. I just rolled into the town Clay, Kentucky, and on my maps  there was a notation the town had a outdoor shelter in a  city park that I could set up my tent. It was the day before Easter. Clay Kentucky is a small town with just over 1000 people. I decided to explore the town while I was looking for the park. After a bit I thought it would be a good idea to ask for help and looked for a place where I could ask for directions, just then, I turned a corner and I saw a young man mowing the lawn, and I asked him where the park was in town.

He turned off his lawnmower, and came over and smiled. I saw he had some gray on his beard, little bit of a belly, and very kind eyes. 

I asked him a question.

“I am cycling the Transamerica trail and I’m looking for a place to stay for the night and I know there’s a park with a shelter”

He smiled, “Yes there is, and you can stay there, but, if you’re open to an alternative, I am the Pastor of the Baptist Church we have a youth center you can stay at if you like?”

A town of 1000 people, and I just happened to stop and I asked one person and happen to be the pastor of a church. I guess if you were playing the odds -one in a 1000? Synchronicity.  

I graciously agreed and rolled to the church. He met me there later and showed me where I could stay, invited me to his Easter service the next day, which I attended after a breakfast with the congregation and was welcomed by a lot of lovely people. 

I’m not gonna go into details about that. 

I left shortly after the service. Spent the afternoon riding in the rain. It was cold, but my heart was warm with that experience… this is what happens next:

From my journal dispatch,

“April 18. I’m in Sebree Kentucky right now, yesterday, Easter, I spent the morning and Clay Kentucky at the first Baptist church with their congregation had a fine breakfast, Easter egg hunt, and joined their service. It was a lovely time and very nice people. I ended up leaving town around 1 PM so I rode through the lovely hilly countryside of Kentucky, so far a beautiful state, and I just made my way to the second town over -Sebree and as I rolled through town a older gentlemen stopped me and asked me if I wanted to have some food with him and his wife there was a bike bike hostel in town at the first Baptist Church, his name is Bob and at the time I told him I wanted to keep going because it was still fairly early only around 330 but as I thought about it and the weather was cool and look like rain was coming how decided to take him up on it and I met he and his wife Violet, and made my way back to the church where there’s a fine bicycle hostel hostel here in the town, I was able to shower do some laundry and Violet invited me over to their home for a fine meal of Cornish game hen, baked potato green beans and a salad and some fun conversation. Bob and Violet have lived in a town for 35 years, where Bob had been the Pastor of the Church amd recently retired. Violet, Could only be described as a southern belle from Mississippi, is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met. 

Going to roll out fairly early this morning. A cold start 42f, it did rain last night so I’m glad I was inside. 

Thankful for this opportunity although I tend to feel like I’m rushing it a little bit even though the mileage is not that great, I feel like I need to still relax a little bit and really enjoy countryside nature, the people of been fantastic go on the whole route. I’m very grateful to be here.

 I sent a note to a friend of mine, Fred, who is a good soul and that he and his wife Lauralyn in Kansas City. Fred is very unassuming just a very good man Low-key and has a wonderful soul.

Told Fred I felt a little rushed, and these are his wise words he sent, and to me it’s really more of a poem and metaphor for life so I thought I’d share:

“h Bill

we both have u in our minds

… all the time

u got born with  all the molecules needed  that getu where u need to go

lucky man you are

im a complainer when it comes to cold and rain

… the only way id get thru… is have buddy like u thee to tell me to shut up and get back on my bike

;)

yes

older guys are like someone hungry at food counter ordering too much food

u know your pace… u ll get there soon enough

when its over … u ll probably wish it lasted longer

 

see ya on the other end

:)”

Wise words in deed, I love it! Well that’s it for now it’s about 4:42 AM in my sleep for a couple more hours and then get up and make a pot of coffee pack up some food and roll. “

Was any of this Providence? Chance, fate, or destiny?

I don’t know. But I do know that something good happened and it was very comforting. And sometimes when I’m on these long-distance cycling trips, I catch myself talking to Jesus.

Thanks for reading my writing. Happy Easter 

Bill Poindexter