(click article for larger version) | The top of the article "Hoofing It" references President Carter and Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Glenn Seaborg, our HikaNation California coordinator, sat next to Senator Kennedy on Glenn's flight out to California to spearhead the beginning of HikaNation on April 12, 1980. Glenn Seaborg's journal excerpt is below:
Friday, April 11, 1980 - Washington/San Francisco
I took a taxi to Dulles Airport, where I boarded United Airlines flight #53. Senator Ted Kennedy occupied the seat just behind me. We took off at about 9:30 a.m.
I sat next to Jan Wall of EPRI, who worked with Tom Pigford on the preparation of his section of the Kemeny Report.
After breakfast was served, Ted Kennedy joined me, occupying Wall's seat, and we had a long discussion on energy policy. I told him I think he lost a lot of voter support, from the segment of the population where he needs it most, on the basis of his anti-nuclear stance. I said we need nuclear energy as a part of our energy mix, that the U.S. has never been in as vulnerable a position as it is today, that this could even lead to our involvement in a war in the Mideast. In answer to his question, I said I believe that the nuclear waste disposal problem has been solved technically, that what is needed is a political decision to adopt a system. I described the action of ion exchange in surrounding soil as an insurance against the migration of fission products. I described the Oklo incident in Gabon, Africa, to him and told him about Sweden's progress in this field. We commented on the recent favorable vote in Sweden on nuclear power. In answer to a question, I estimated that practical power from nuclear fusion is 30 to 50 years away. I said, nevertheless, we should develop nuclear fusion. In answer to a question, I told him that energy from ocean thermal gradients doesn't look too hopeful. We agreed that geothermal energy will not make an appreciable contribution. In reply to his observation that the U.S. demand for electricity is going down, I cited the growing number of new families in the U.s., the needs of the poor people, and the worldwide need for energy in the rest of the world and that we must cooperate in meeting this need. With respect to solar energy, I agreed that solar heating of homes can make a contribution but practical solar electricity, as advocated by Jerry Brown, is actually many years away. I emphasized the reliance of countries like France on nuclear power. In answer to his questions about France's and the Soviet Union's progress on the breeder reactor, I said they have forged ahead of us. I decried President Carter's policy on the breeder reactor, explained why this is counterproductive in the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons. I said nuclear power is relatively safe compared to other forms of energy, told him that coal burning releases more radioactivity to the atmosphere than comes from nuclear plants. I said that nuclear wastes decay at a rate so that after 500-1000 years, the amount of radioactivity is less than in .uranium ores, which are widespread throughoutthe earth. I commended to him the National Academy of Sciences CONAES Report, with which he was familiar, saying that this was put together by hundreds of the most competent scientists in the United States. I suggested he adopt its recommendations as his energy platform. He has talked to his friend, Harvey Brooks, about this; said he will talk to him: again.
I told him about my forthcoming book, "Kennedy, Khrushchev and the Test Ban--An Eyewitness Account" and about Averell Harriman's help with this. I said I believe the Limited Test Ban was the best achievement of President John Kennedy's administration, and this needs to be brought before the American people. I said that, had President Kennedy lived and Khrushchev remained in power, a Comprehensive Test Ban would have been early in Kennedy's second term.
I said to him I presume he is going to stay in the race for the presidential nomination and he assured me he is. He expressed some confidence over a favorable outcome in Pennsylvania. In response to my observation about the item in today's
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paper that he will try to maneuver at the Democratic Convention a means of releasing Carter's delegates to vote as they wish, he said this plays only a minor role in his strategy. He suggested we should talk again sometime soon and asked when I was next traveling to Washington.
Later I had a long talk with Dwight Ink, who was aboard the plane. He is disgusted with President Carter and his policies, including his energy policy. He is assembling representatives of a number of key groups to try to convince the presidential winner, in the transition period, to appoint able people to key federal positions. He will keep me informed of progress in this enterprise. I told Dwight about my Kennedy book. We should let him read the draft of this because he has some recollections of McCone's favorable view toward the Limited Test Ban Treaty.
We arrived at San Francisco International Airport at about 11:40 a.m. As we were leaving the plane, I continued my conversation with Teddy Kennedy. We talked about the poor performance of the Carter administration and his poor choice of people to work in his administration. Kennedy suggested I get in touch With him when I visit Washington. Helen met me at the airport and drove us to Berkeley. She dropped off at the Rockridge BART station and took BART home to Lafayette and I drove on to my LBL office where I had lunch at my desk.
Later in the evening (April 11, 1980) we drove to San Francisco where we went to the Glide Memorial Methodist Church. Here we met with the 50-60 hikers who plan to go all the way on the HikaNation. Jim Kern and Mike McReynolds gave the instructions to the hikers. Dave Buller, from Lawrence Hall of Science, gave some physical examinations through some simple measurements. Monty Montgomery and his son Mark were present. Hughes and his two sons from Ishpeming, Michigan were there; his son Brian plans to go all the way. Jim Kern introduced Helen and me. We talked to Jeannie Harmon, who spent the night in Mike McReynolds' apartment.
Helen and I spent the night in the YMCA Hotel (351 Turk St.).
Saturday, April 12, 1980 - San Francisco
Helen and I had breakfast at Penny's Coffee Shop (on Taylor St. near Eddy). Joe and Betty Goldstein came by and rode with us to the Polo Grounds in Golden Gate Park. Here the opening ceremonies for HikaNation began at about 10:15 a.m. Jim Kern (President of the American Hiking Society) served as Master of Ceremonies. He introduced, for a few remarks, in order of appearance--State Senator Milton Marks, Governor Brown's representative Rusty Schweikert, San Francisco Supervisor John Bardis, HikaNation leader Monty Montgomery, George Cardinet (U.S. Geological Survey), John Cherry (Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service of the Department of the Interior), Mike McReynolds, me and Bill Kemsley(editor of Backpacker magazine). In my remarks I paid tribute to Jim Kern, Craig Evans, Bill Kemsley, Mike McReynolds and emphasized the purpose of HikaNation and the need for a national east-west trail, described the 21 segment (12 mile each) breakdown of the route across California, and expressed satisfaction at the extent I managed to find a route through the Sierra staying off Highway 50. I paid tribute to Joe and Betty Goldstein and Jeannie Harmon for their help. Jeannie Harmon was introduced as the pathfinder for today's hike.
At 11 a.m. sharp, with about 300 hikers, to the music of a band of bagpipers, we started the hike. We followed the planned route, first west to the Pacific Ocean (where everyone touched their shoes in the water), then north and around the periphery of the San Francisco peninsula through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area past the southern terminus of the Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped for lunch at Baker's Beach. We stopped at Wendy's in the Courtyard of the Anchorage at Fisherman's Wharf to have our names inscribed on HikaNation Participation Certificates. I hiked the last part, along the Embarcadero, with Jim Kern and Craig Evans. We terminated this first day's hike at the Ferry Building, then continued on to the parking lot under the Fremont Street on-ramp to the Bay Bridge, where many of the hikers were scheduled to spend the night.
Before and during the hike Helen and I took pictures with our Olympus and movie camera, (G type fast film). A helicopter, for Channel 4 TV news took pictures as we approached the Golden Gate Bridge in single file on a narrow part of the trail. Representatives of the news media, including Newsweek magazine, covered the beginning and other parts of the hike.
Helen and I rode with the Goldsteins to our car (parked at the Polo Grounds). We drove back to the Embarcadero area where I checked into room 853 of the YMCA Hotel there. We had dinner in the hotel cafeteria, joined by John McGee.
Helen then drove home to Lafayette to spend the night. She will give the Segres a ride with her when she returns very early tomorrow for the hike across the Bay Bridge.
I spent the night in the Embarcadero YMCA Hotel, joined by Dave at about 1
a.m.
Sunday, April 13, 1980 - San Francisco/Berkeley
Dave and I got up at about 5 a.m., had a bite to eat in our room, walked to the Fremont Street off-ramp of the Bay Bridge. Here I joined Helen who had driven there, with the Segres and Jack Ingram in our Phoenix.
We started the hike across the Bay Bridge at precisely 6 a.m. Jeannie Harmon, Norman Gee and I were in the front row. Bill Kemsley and others took numerous pictures. Helen took movies and I took pictures with our Olympus camera.
It was a marvelous day, clear and warm. The views were outstanding. Hikers poured on to the bridge from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., some 5,000-10,000 in number. We in front reached the opposite end at about 7:30 a.m.
We followed the designated route to the Army Base. Here the cross country hikers, about 60-70 in number, rested a little over an hour, then joined by about 30 others, continued via Emeryville, Oakland and Berkeley streets to Aquatic Park in Berkeley, where most arrived at a little after 10:30 a.m. We had our back pack lunches here, then rested until about 12 noon. I talked to the assembled group, describing our route to Tilden Park, then introduced Berkeley mayor Eugene "Gus" Newport, who gave a few words of greeting.
The group then continued along Dwight Way, through the University of California campus, then along the V.C. Trail to Grizzly Peak Blvd., and the Grizzly Peak Trail and on to Lake Anza in Tilden Park. Helen met us on the Grizzly Peak Trail, helped guide front hikers and lagging hikers to Lake Anza. Joe and Betty Goldstein also helped guide lagging hikers from Aquatic Park to Lake Anza. The main contingent of hikers arrived at Lake Anza at about 5:30 p.m.
At Lake Anza we were met by EBRPD President Mary Lee Jefferds, Director Harlan Kessel, General Manager Dick and Mrs. Trudeau, and Land Chief Hulet and . Mrs. Hornbeck and Nancy McKay (Public Relations). Talking to the assembled hikers I described the EBRPD, introduced Mary Lee Jefferds, Harlan Kessel, Dick Trudeau and Hulet Hornbeck. Mary Lee Jefferds then made some welcoming remarks and presented me with an EBRPD tee-shirt. Jim Kern then made some announcements.
Helen and I drove home, arriving about 7 p.m.
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