Account 1) The cycling day to Bad Belzig was meant to be a straight forward ride along the R1 cycle path, follwing the potsdam lakes and forrest. For some of us it was, including a swim, but for the food crew, they had a broken axel only 10 kms into ther route, so they had to redistribute the food and replace the axel. People ahead then rearranged lunch, and we cycled an extra 8km to a new lunch spot. The afternoon was less stressful, and even more beautiful then the first, as we obviously were leaving the tourist track of…

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Account 1) After a few great days in Berlin to get the tour going, we leave at midday – 3 or 4 o’clck in this meditterannean climate. It’s an almost perfect day for pedalling: Sun, heat, but plenty of shade along the road to keep the atmosphere fresh. We follow the Mauerweg, a cycle path which traces the route of the infamous Berlin wall. It is the perfect context given this year’s bike tour theme: ‘Beyond Borders.’ We reach Potsdam without any great difficulty, and in the district of Babelsberg we reach the project we have come to visit. All…

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So we are finally on the road, after a busy few days in Berlin. Here are few things we got up to during our Kick off days in Berlin…more on them is to follow… On Thursday We met at  New Yorck to share remaining tasks such as making food teams / sourcing rocket stove workshop materials and anything else we might need for the next few days, then cycled to our sleeping place en mass, to cook food together and wait for the others to arrive! On Friday We took part in a workday at Funkhaus a reletively new project…

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Verknappung ueberall: Immer mehr fleischfressende Menschen und essensverbrennende “Bio”sprit-Motoren, sowie profitable Errichtung der Infrastruktur fuer erneuerbarer Energien auf eigentlichen Agrarflaechen lassen Land knapp werden und Preise in die Hoehe schnellen. Vom “Land Grabbing” ist schon seit einigen Jahren die Rede – jener neuesten Ausformung des Neo(-Neo?)-Kolonialismus, in dem sich transnationale Konzerne durch legale Vertraege billigst Flaechen in einkommensschwachen Staaten sichern und damit der lokalen Bevoelkerung die Grundlage zur Produktion eigener Nahrungsmittel rauben. Aber ist das nur im globalen Sueden so? Nein, keinesfalls! Was wir heute berichtet bekommen haben, passiert viel naeher: Die grenzverschuldete Aufteilung von Land in Ost-Deutschland (nach der…

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The Morning I understand that biketour started very early but very well on Saturday; successful blocking a Nazi protest in Berlin. The Nazi supporters had to cancel their march after many people, including biketour participants, turned up to campaign against them. Das war gut! Mabesak & West Papua Beth and I did not meet up with biketour until after 1pm in front of the Lush shop in Friedichstrauss. Here Mabesak, West Papuan activists and musicians joined us to tell us about the persecution and genocide they currently face due to the 44 year Indonesian occupation of their country. West Papua…

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Open Event The Ecotopia Biketour – an activist community on wheels – will start its 24th yearly ride in Berlin this weekend! If you are interested in our project or theme, come and meet us at: XB – Liebig Liebigstrasse 34 10247 Berlin-Friedrichshain SATURDAY, 13-July 2013, 20:00 We’re going to present our project, this year’s route and theme – and you can meet the participants from all over the world! We’ll get more into detail about our theme of “Borders”: Screening a short film, comment it and discuss about what border issues are expecting to deal with on our route.…

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