another week on our bikes…

thursday 26 july, after the long circle of wednesday, one of the conclusions was the lack of time for resting and organizing workshops, so the group decided to change a bit the plan for the next days and go directly to Montpelier in two days (just one night of wild camping). Some of us stopped in Beziers for internet and most of the day we followed paths near the canals till Agde where we found a field to camp. friday 27 july, yo and me took the train to Montpelier in order for her to hitchhike early and pass on her bike. The others…

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Biketour in poetry form :-)

Ecotopia Degrowth 2012 Follow the arrows and arrive to a buzz of energy, Vines to be weeded and a circle under an olive tree, Friendly faces and warm smiles welcome you to the group, Intrigued, wander about the farmhouse to have a better look. A Degrowth workshop to share information together, Sitting in groups discussing in lovely weather, Name games with which to remember everyone, Sign up for a task on the list – they’re lots of fun. Sleep side by side with strangers on the floor, A commune and family you feel you knew before, Close bonds form and…

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One paragraph per day…

(soon will try to upload some pictures to this post also) sunday  15 july, we said goodbye to our kind hosts of Can Piella in the morning and followed a nice road to San Pol de Mar, Iago arranged us a place to stay, the Poliesportiu municipal, and in the night we met with a orquestra band from the town and some friends of a known poet Perejaume to talk about comunity living and degrowth while we cooked our first dinner on our rocket stoves at the beach. monday 16 july, we continued following the sea, by a beautiful scenic road, and stoped…

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Decreciendo sobre ruedas

Participar en Ecotopia biketour es una formidable aventura personal y colectiva no exenta de múltiples y variados riesgos. Si uno no sabe mantener el sutil equilibrio entre las dos ruedas de su bicicleta podría verse obligado al descanso forzoso durante unos días e incluso a abandonar definitivamente su soñado viaje. El riesgo aumenta cuando uno se hace cargo del entrañable y viejo remolque lleno de utensilios de cocina, avena para el porridge matinal, cereales, frutos secos y verduras varias para las próximas comidas. Esto es lo que le pasó hace unos días a uno de nuestros compañeros cuando descendía por…

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Beaches, hitchbiking, wild fruit, pledges and police

Beaches As I write this, I’m on a warm sandy beach in Sant Pol de Mar on the Mediterranean coast in the evening. Our group is watching the fireworks dancing above the town. Somebody asked whether they were ‘eco-fireworks’. We thought about it, then gave a small ‘woop’ for the next green one. A firework after our own hearts. As the locals serenaded us with guitars, an oboe, tuba and stunning voices , and gave us beer, I thought, “I could get used to this degrowth lifestyle”. I am also enjoying all of the Spanish accents pronouncing ‘beach’, it makes…

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From Can Prim to Can Torres

We woke up in bright sunlight floating the Pyrenees in the background in bright colours. Over night some of our communal items (and some personal shoes) had been attacked and partly eaten by animals – a learning experience… After a breakfast with lots of warm leftover food from the night before, we had a short ride on a flat road leading us to Figueres. Our group was a focus of attention on the market square; several people came up to us, children looking skeptically and bicycle fans telling us about their own trips and admiring the tall bike among us.…

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