Monday, November 21, 2016   It was a cold somber day. I had been up all night watching the horrible actions of the Morton County Sheriff’s Department and DAPL mercenaries, and National Guard?(really, our National Guard) firing on innocent civilians. I felt very worried about my new friend and how she was since she had just arrived at the camp that evening. I decided to drive out after making some calls, my personal finance stuff, and deliver the banner my school had signed. I left the hotel around 12:30 p.m. and it was a very long drive. North Dakota is a very vast landscape. There was a little blue sky peeking out from mostly a cloudy sky as I drove the roundabout way to the camp. This issue of roads will come up again. The main road 1806 is closed by DAPL and Morton County. Why? In order to protect the drill site and maintain an access route for delivering their equipment. What this means is that the bridge is barricaded and the route 1806 is closed. No emergency equipment can go straight through from Standing Rock to Bismarck which puts lives in jeopardy when and if there is a medical or natural emergency.  I had to take 94 north and go through Mandan, then take 6 south to 21 through Solen, then take 1806 north from the south to Sacred Stone main camp near Cannonball. The Oceti Sakowin camp is just a mile north of the main camp. What might be a 30 -40 minute trip is a little over an hour now.

from: Google Maps

I arrived at the Sacred Stone main camp. I was met at the gate and a young woman gave me an orientation about the camp. It is very beautiful there, overlooking the Missouri River. While we spoke a police helicopter flew overhead. I was told where I could drop off the clothing I had brought. I drove on down the hill through the camp. Everyone was fixing their shelters, I saw very many vehicles from many states of the country, Wisconsin, Florida, Nevada, to name a few. There are no weapons allowed in the camp – that is stated on a sign right at the entrance. Everyone entering is greeted and asked what they are there for. You are encouraged to be self-sufficient and bring something to share. However, if you have nothing, others will share with you and you will not be turned away. I saw two women at the clothing drop off and spoke to them as I gave them the clothes I donated. They said there would be a ceremony on Sunday and that they would be at the concert at the Prairie Knights Casino http://prairieknights.com/ in Standing Rock.

I was given directions to get to the Oceti Sakowin camp and was driving when I got a call from Ashley. She said she would meet me at the gate with her friend.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bSUk_5hCwcchIDkTX61Ax5IHagzvEMN_Ig