So - Where am I?? Seems to be the question on a few people's minds as of late. I'm in Willits CA making my way back north to Vancouver. I'll be arriving back to Lotus Land on the second making stops in Arcata, Ashland, Agness, Eugene, Ozzette and Orcas Island. Internet is limited at best at some of these stops, most of the access is Wi-Fi and I am without a laptop, oh well. It's a bit tricky finding an actual desktop computer anywhere these days.

I've been focusing on my film photography, neglecting the digital but I'll send a few more images in the future if I'm able to upload them. The pace has quickened with a self imposed deadline looming, leaving little time for pleasure. Thankfully, each and every day is full of interactions with people who are inspiring, generous and encouraging. This is my pleasure.

I've managed to sleep in the hills and swim in the creeks and I've become accustomed to waking with the chickens poking their heads into my sleeping bag. I've spent a lot of time in the gardens of my hosts, sharing space with all sorts of foul. Tomorrow I'll be in Arcata - soaking in the Finnish Hot tubs, sipping espresso in the grotto amongst the ferns. I'm sure I'll be able to supply a few pix to keep everyone happy !!

Dave

After a long ride from Gold Beach, through the mountain town of Agness OR, Kayla welcomed me into her Ashland home. With the sun just setting over the hills, she offered me something to drink and a place to sleep out back behind their house, over from the chicken coop near the garden that she would be watering the following morning at 6:30. Her husband Hawkeye was away camping and wouldn’t be returning until later that Sunday, Kayla is quick to mention, and he’ll be able to answer my questions about the garden when he returns.

I had slept in the back yard of Hawkeye and Kayla for two days, nestled between the experimental circular garden plot and the bed of clover, which Kayla offered as a sleeping surface. As I crawled into my bag, a chorus of crickets welcomed the moths, Hawkeye’s favourite nighttime pollinators, joining me in sleep's fast approach.

Traveling amongst the grains and grasses my mind wanders carelessly with the passing breeze. Lavender and carnations and the stars above appear, a quiet confidence in their approach. Night, garden and sky are alive and I lie somewhere in between, tempted to wander with the breeze yet grounded in a place that is of the earth as much as it is of the sun.

“It’s all about the soil”, Hawkeye later tells me.

“People tend to ignore the soil and it’s something that has to be grown just like the vegetables and the flowers”.

This 6 month old garden has the feel of years of hard work. At approximately 40 x 100 feet, every square inch of space is alive and growing. Surrounded on two sides by a fence of suspended squash and cucumber and the occasional Morning Glory, which Hawkeye tells me he grew as much for his wife as for the insects, this Annual Garden is producing for their future. Every vegetable you could imagine, a broad arrangement of flowering plants, herbs, and even grains can be seen from fence to fence.

Hawkeye calls this style of food growing “Annual Gardening” and it fills a gap between the long term Permaculture model and the simple vegetable garden that some of us are accustomed to. Without the tracts of land that can be cultivated into a Permaculture Garden, the idea of an Annual Garden is inviting to those living in an urban setting. With the North American population so completely over burdened in debt, the notion of owning land for most is daunting if not impossible. So in the face of an Oil Crisis, how do we feed ourselves, our families and our neighbours? Hawkeye thinks he has the answer inCo-Creative gardening.

Co-creative gardening as described to me by Hawkeye, is asking the intelligence of the garden and land how each wants to be utilized.

“The intention is to work with the garden as a co-creative partner, relying on the plants to determine what wants to be planted, where they should be planted and how they should be oriented. Plants are conscious beings and have a collective intelligence,” Hawkeye says, and through the practice of Muscle Testing and Applied Kinesiology he’s been able to communicate with the plant kingdom, a skill that he’s been working on for the last 20 years. “Muscle testing is the biological mechanism we have to bridge the language barrier with the non language species”, he states.

Hawkeye’s communication breakthrough came when he was tending a garden in Santa Cruz at the Crepe restaurant. After working with his partner to create a garden space of herbs and roses out back of the restaurant where patrons could dine, the restaurant was sold to new owners who had no intention of maintaining the space, allowing the plants to wither away. Hawkeye was not going to sit idle, allowing his hard work to go to waste. A plan was hatched to remove the plants late one night, liberating them from their certain demise yet something wasn’t sitting well with Hawkeye. Receiving intense waves of thought impressions, Hawkeye sat with the plants and their intentions became clear. The overwhelming message that Hawkeye received that day was that the plants were not as attached to their bodies as we are.

"They loop in and out of the soil just as dolphins jump in and out of the sky. Plants will always send out new runners, release seeds or lie dormant over the winter”.

He was then asked by the plants to be clear of his intentions. When faced with the question of whether he was doing this for himself or for the well being of the plants, the midnight rescue was left behind.

“A garden is about humans finally living in harmony with nature.”

Traditionally there have been two approaches to gardening as Hawkeye sees it.

“Manipulation and coercion. That is where the split is. We’ve inherited the idea that plants are here for us to use and that we can do what we want to them if we give them the right food. We need to be talking to a “who” and not a “what”. For example: there is no such thing in the garden as a pest or a weed. This is cultural baggage. A pest is an insect whose population is out of balance because we are growing a corporate monoculture with chemicals creating an imbalance. We need diversity which in turn solves these issues and balances the insect population”.

When Hawkeye sees an over abundance of an insect, he doesn’t run for the pesticide, he allows the bug to live in the garden over the course of a year, encouraging the bugs predator to show up and do the work for him.

“Although the garden is used to feed humans, it is also a habitat for insects and birds and by providing this space for the creatures, we are demonstrating that we are no longer waging war on the plant and animal kingdom. The plant kingdom is the key to any sustainability equation. They are it.”

I asked Hawkeye what he thinks will mitigate the impact of an Oil Crisis. He responded by suggesting educational programs to teach basic plant craft skills are a first step. He continued on by saying that we need not be running out and buying canned food and generators and candles for the day that the oil dries up, we need to be investing now in seeds and we need to be growing seeds and creating our own personal seed bag. This is the best place to start.

I continued, “But what of those without the land to grow their basic staples?”

He then rephrased my question to say, “How are we going to work out the relationship with the land and who claims to own it to create permanent food systems? It will be the marginal areas, areas outside of the prime chemically blasted farmland, this will be where the growth will occur. Small pockets of land and fields will be worked intensively by the neighbourhoods, by the community”.

I was beginning to sense that there was hope for our human population should an oil crisis occur, that if we banded together and reworked the land to grow our basic staples, that somehow we could weather this storm and move back to a time where community mattered and survival was built on relationships, not on an accumulation of material wealth. That bubble quickly burst when Hawkeye raised the issue of Peak Nitrogen.

Hawkeye feels that a major reason for the massive growth spike in population we’ve experienced over the last 150 years is due to a fairly reliable supply of food, food grown with a petroleum derived Nitrogen. The agriculture industry that supplies this food depends heavily on the introduction of nitrogen into the soil in the form of ammonia fertilizers thus “fixing” the soil, enabling the vegetables to grow. The problem is that this nitrogen is derived from natural gas and if the estimates are correct, the peak of natural gas production is, or has already come and when the gas stops producing, it stops suddenly.

“How is the agricultural industry preparing for that?” I asked.

Hawkeye replies with yet another question. “How are we preparing for that?”

His answer is less than comforting.

“Massive starvation, as there are no mass produced alternatives for the cheap nitrogen we’ve been using from natural gas. The use of nitrogen fixing plants will play a role, as will animals, but not in the amounts that we’ve been used to. Population will inevitably decline.”

The idea of Peak Nitrogen had never occurred to me. I usually float between the Organic/Transitional produce section of the grocery store or Rae Abbott’s front porch Organic Veggie Collective. My produce doesn’t rely on the nitrogen produced by natural gas, or so I thought. I don’t always eat organic, actually when I think about it, including meals with friends or in restaurants, my organic consumption is perhaps around 35% of my total intake, so I guess I do rely quite heavily on conventional non-organic goods. And where do these groceries come from if the natural gas runs out? I wish I had the answer but I don’t and no one seems to.

When I ask, “What will we do then?” the question comes back unanswered.

The sun had set and the crickets began once again with their chorus and I was with friends in the garden in a strange but familiar town and yet I felt like I was not alone. Hawkeye is energetic and his love for the garden, his family, the plants and this earth is remarkable. If I learned only one thing from our conversation it was to be open to new ideas, new ways of doing things. There may come a time when we’ll be needing to look for answers to our pressing issues, answers that may come from the places we’d never thought to look.

David

Ashland OR

July 29th – 31st

Orcas Island, Astoria and Ashland OR. Every town that I’ve spent more than a day in feels so much like my hometown of Nelson BC, probably a reason why I have stayed so long. My hosts in Ashland, Kayla and Hawkeye are an exceptional example of living simply and working hard. Their garden is spectacular and their willingness to teach me about anything I ask is greatly appreciated. More to come on Ashland as I’ve been sitting in front of a computer screen for hours and have to make way to California.

I will tell you that I spent the evening in the garden discussing the importance of annual gardening as opposed to the Permaculture approach, which is often a ten year commitment. Yesterday, I was under my motorcycle for the better part of the day fixing a small oil leak that turned into a long project trying to extract broken bolts from my exhaust system. The evening before, I talked with David Voell, a young chef on his way to Italy to train as a butcher, learn Italian and complete a 3 year degree program at the Gastronomical Sciences Institute, a slow food initiative. Much to talk about but I must make my way to the heart of Humboldt County, perhaps pushing further to Willits CA.

Dave

Coos Bay to Ashland OR
The Overland Backwoods Route

July 28th

Leaving Coos Bay, I ventured south towards Gold Beach where I spotted a small but significant connection to the Inland I-5 and Ashland OR. I left by 9:00 am arrived in Gold Beach by 11:00. to a mass of boaters crammed into the mouth of the Rogue river. Just below the bridge entering town was a circulating spectacle of sport fishers, all neatly lined up single file to have their chance at catching the big one. We spend enough of our lives waiting in line to accomplish almost anything and when I think of fishing, I’m taken to some small river with a fly rod and a handful of flies (every time I’ve been fly fishing, maybe 15 times, I get really good at whipping the line overhead and snapping off flies), or it’s in a canoe in the ocean fishing for Rock Fish and if I’m really lucky, it’s aboard a larger boat trolling for salmon (I still haven’t caught one yet). So what is up with fifty boats brushing gunnels and crossing lines just to catch fish?

After a coffee and a bite to eat at the local natural foods store, I began to ask about the route up to Agness and over to Merlin. The looks I received were of shock and concern which made me want to make this trip even more. After consulting with the Forest Service as to the condition of the road, I filled up and made way for the hills. 40 miles to Agness of road that is 93% cornering . What concerned the locals as I mentioned this route was the condition of the single lane road that clings to the contours of the hillside and traverses ridgelines, following the Rogue and Illinois rivers. I couldn’t wait. Rolling into Agness, I was met at the only store in town by a handful of men sipping beer under the shade of a willow tree, the spray of sprinklers on the roof of the store occasionally wetting a passer by. I parked, peeled out of my long underwear and sat down with the friendliest people I had met on my trip so far. Butch and brother Bud had lived in the hills for 82 years and we talked for hours about life away from the city. In my travels seeking sustainable practices and food security, I never thought I would come across a community like this. Most people hunt for their meat and grow veggies for their greens. This is how it’s been since as long as they can remember. This was not about living off the grid in the face of a Peak Oil Crisis, this was about surviving.

I was able to photograph and gather audio so openly that I knew I was going to have to come back and spend a few days here and explore what is at the core of this tiny hillside town. Unfortunately, I was to busy with the audio and film cameras that I didn’t take a single digital picture. You’ll have to wait for the release of my final project for that one. Even now in writing these words, I will never be able to come close at describing the hospitality and warmth I received that day. I thought I should let you know that this is a very important place to me. Conversations about food, portraits of people in their environment, sounds of the space they call home. I feel like I’ve settled into a bit of a routine and that my project is revealing itself.

Leaving Agness, I explored the 50 miles to Merlin over the tops of mountains that in any other part of the world would be considered a horse trail. Yet this was a thin black ribbon of fresh asphalt, spiraling upward toward the clouds. Traveling that stretch of road was nothing short of breathtaking. I’ve been to similar places before in the Kootenay’s yet I was always traveling on ski in the winter or hiking in the summer. It was like some unreasonable Holywood Director pointed to the top of a mountain and said “How ‘bout that spot, let’s build a road up there” and it was done. I have to confess that I did take snapshots with the digi-cam but they are less than impressive. Mid-day light and hard to imagine vistas, I’ll let you be the judge. This was to be remembered in my mind’s eye alone.

*

*

After ascending the ridgeline, the road continued downward towards Merlin. I was met with the multitude of raft guides and speeding trucks, but not before I soaked a while, soaped my dusty skin and filled up my water jug in a small invigorating creek at the side of the road.

 *

Not thirty seconds later after my soak did I run over a snake sunning in the middle of the road. I returned to see that it was completely dead, prepared to kill it if it was seriously injured but found that I had narrowly missed the head of a sizeable rattlesnake. It took one look at me, let me know who was boss and slowly slithered to the roadside. Having descended the mountain pass, I was once again on the I-5 for a quick hop to Ashland. This town is amazing.

Dave

Astoria to Ashland 

The hot long way around over and down.

July 27th

I thought it would be great to travel inland and avoid Highway 101 which runs down the Oregon coast wandering the coastline,following the ocean. I envisioned RV hell so there was no way I was going that way. Why not the lesser traveled inland route with it’s myriad of backroad junctions and route numbers, picking from the map an endless supply of destinations? Remote pockets of lakes, meandering rivers and rolling farmland ... and did I mention 105 degree temperatures. Great idea Dave, good thinking.

Portland is a stunning example of green urban living. Green, as in every where you look, you’re surrounded by greenspace. Green, as in Portland is considered progressive in it’s energy initiatives, including Peak Oil protocols drafted by it’s legislature. Green, as in it apparently has a comprehensive transit system. Even I would consider this as a place to live an urban life. Outside of the core and surrounding hillsides, it was a different story. Industry all along the Mighty Columbia.

I was headed North to a junction to catch the 205 when I found myself back in Washington, Vancouver WA. Great, not only am I traveling the wrong way, I’m traveling the I-5 back to where I came from. I made a quick exit east, found another bridge south and was back on track. The route I chose was given to me by a motorcycle rider at the local camera shop. He was as enthusiastic as he was helpful and he had me convinced this was the route to take even though he mentioned being absolutely pelted by  some swarming swamp bug somewhere north of Ashland on Highway 97 a few years back. I could handle it.

The ride started off well, but It just kept getting hotterand hotter. When I re-examined my route map and calculated the total distance I was to cover inland of the I-5 was actually triple the distance I could be traveling if I would have went to the coast, I decided to let go of my inland rolling hill romance, opting for the more clichéd coastal route of convertibles and RV’s. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the route from Corvallis to Newport crossed the mountains to the coast and when I arrived the temperature dropped 20 degrees and it was time for my long underwear and hoodie under the leather.

The following 4 hours of riding were …….. well they were DIFFICULT because I had a hard time seeing out of my helmet due to an excess amount of fogging because ….. I COULDN’T STOP SCREAMING AND HOOTING AND HOLLARING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS. What an amazing coastline. My cheeks hurt from smiling and my voice was hoarse from …. well, you know. The motorcycle was christened Jose Alberto Amore Blackberry, and he is a good man. The name came from a Corb Lund song about a soldier in the Spanish Civil War who fell in love with village girl, had a two week romance and left,  never to be seen again. Jose Alberto and I were now travelling companions.

*

*

*

The cool dense coastal air became the perfect carburetion platform for power distribution on that little bike, and combined with corners you really can’t ride to fast, or fast enough around …. I was rollin'. Myself, my bike, the late evening light and a destination of Coos Bay, a place where my mother and her girlfriend at 19 years of age broke down for three days in a VW bug on their way to Mexico. The mechanic fixed the car just enough to limp it back to Canada …. yet it ran for another two years!!! She was so close yet somehow so far. I may have been Mexican. (sorry mom .... and dad)

*

Coos Bay was dark by the time I arrived and I chose a pint of beer and a few pieces of halibut before I was to bed down on an abandoned backroad above the highway. My first  campsite and what a spot it was, overlooking the highway and the pub I just came from but it was home. After a decent sleep, I awoke with the dawn to find myself pleasantly surrounded by blackberry bushes in full fruit. Breakfast of berries, homemade goats cheese compliments of my hosts the day before Christopher and Caren, some crackers, half a muffin and I was set. Check out the " Motorcycle Gourmet" (book release date pending).

*

Breakfast

 Off to Ashland and what was to be the overland ride of a lifetime.

 Dave 

Orcas Island to Astoria WA

July 25th to July 27th

Continuing onward.

I was becoming quite accustomed to the hospitality of Orcas Island. My hosts Michael and Sharon were supportive as well as instrumental in introducing me to the Island and its many encouraging inhabitants. Thank you to Phil at the library who sat with me and voiced his hopes at unifying an island of likeminded people trying to lessen their impact on the environment. Michael Greenberg was a source of boundless energy. His network is vast and his interests are many, all with the intent of educating people about their food choices in the face of a possible oil shortage. Thanks to Nate, the rogue market fruit vender who supported me with an endless supply of great berries and good energy every time I passed by. As well, John, who’s garden was amazing and his stories about childhood in Northern California climbing mountains were inspiring. And the Bullocks who stand as an example to the limitless possibilities one possesses when enough time is spent with oneself and attention is given to the land.

*

Michael and Sharon

*

Michael and Sharon and Myself

My ambitious departure time of 7:15 was pushed back until noon. The skies clouded over and the view from the mountaintop was obscured leaving a soft white glow by which I photographed Michael and Sharon in their living room. Moments like that are not to be missed. The skies cleared once again and the scorching summer heat was bearing down. My only option with the looming late afternoon heat was to hit the road. Orcas to Port Townsend to Astoria. A few hard miles on some great secondary highways through the Hood Canal, uncountable clearcuts and the Columbia River valley.

Flying Skyfish

Clean Energy ???

My arrival into Astoria was to be later than expected yet I still made my 10:15 curfew, imposed by my new hosts Christopher and Caren. The curfew began to make sense when I realized that their priority was a soak in the spa and not waiting up for me. I arrived at their house and was welcomed with a room to rest and a towel for the spa. I could have asked for nothing greater.

The following morning my education began. Stacked like bookends, I was surrounded by the ever elevating piles of must read reading material causing me to lose sight of my breakfast of eggs and muffins and goats milk. Very local, very fresh. We discussed Chistopher’s interest in energy technologies and Caren’s passion for the garden and the chickens and the goats and not to be left out was their chicken herding border collie, Merlin. After an hour of talks, we made our way to the garden where Caren and I fed the chickens and watered the plants. I once again found myself amongst the veggies up to my elbows in rich black soil, thinning lettuce, cutting green onions, gathering beets and radishes, plucking carrots and feeding the chickens lettuce scraps. Life’s lessons learned in the lettuce patch. What a great way to experience a new relationship in an exceptional environment.

Christopher took over the reigns after lunch and continued on with our discussion about affordable, clean energy sources. He demonstrated his solar hot water heating system which provides water as hot as 170 degrees to his water system, lessening his demand on for energy. That water is then cooled to a manageable level where it is used throughout the house for hot water consumption. Adjacent to the solar hot water system is the solar energy system. This array of panels provides for roughly a quarter of the household demand for energy. With incentives from the Oregon Government, a system like Christopher’s comes with a cash back plan that makes the system affordable over the course of the panel’s 25 year lifespan. What is also remarkable, on those days when your household is consuming less than you are producing, that excess energy is fed into the grid and you, the producer are paid for that excess energy. Makes sense.

Christopher’s latest project? A 35 foot high, self contained, plug and play wind turbine. The dc converter, being positioned at the back of the blades, allows for a 220 amp service to be connected right at the outlet from the pole. As of yet, the project is still undergoing approval from the city as this is the first of it’s kind in the state but it looks to be moving along and Christopher hopes to have the turbine completed for the fall when the daylight hours become shorter and the wind on the coast gets more consistent. It’s always windy on the coast, especially when you’re riding a motorcycle without a windscreen. Having had my fill of reading material and practical hands on experience, I had to say good bye and think about what I had just experienced. I was bound for Portland for a quick stop for film and some audio equipment, followed by a trip inland down to Ashland OR.

Dave

The Bullock‘s Permaculture Farm

July 23 – Deer Harbour, Orcas Island, WA

While researching sustainable practices, one cannot travel too far on Orcas Island without hearing mention of the Bullock’s Permaculture Farm. After numerous recommendations and a few strong words ensuring I follow up on those recommendations – I made my way West to Deer Harbour in search of the Bullock Brothers.

Tucked away at the end of Channel road is a place I can only describe as being Pure. Pure family, pure honesty, pure connection to the land, pure magic and a pure intention on living an integrated, inseparable life with one’s natural and spiritual environment. If I was to describe these thoughts on purity to brothers Doug, Joe or Sam, I’m sure they would take my words, weed out all the unnecessary verbosity and plant again with a little simplicity.

*

I was expecting a traditional farm with a long dusty driveway lined with willows leading to the farmhouse, outbuildings flanked by golden fields of mid summer grasses surrounded by white picket fences and the occasional horse ranging lanquidly in the hot mid-day sun. I couldn’t have been any further from the truth and I actually rode right by the farm twice for as far as my eye could see I saw only green, a green that welcomes you once you are within its hedgerows.

*

Arriving by motorcycle, I was met by the younger brother Sam who encouraged me to remove my helmet and reveal myself as a newcomer to his family’s land. Obligingly, I made my introduction, explaining I was on the road documenting sustainable practices and food security issues and could I perhaps have a look around? He agreed and within minutes I was up to my elbows in soil, Guild Planting a group of Italian Plum trees.

Guild Planting: By supporting a tree such as the plum with helper plants such as a nitrogen fixer, a shade plant, one for a windbreak if needed, a water storing plant and a deer repelling plant (one that is strong enough to take the brushing of a deer’s antlers) you are ensuring that the tree has the best possible network to help it reach maturity. This is guild planting. I was encouraged to explain why I thought the trees were lined up on a path towards the swimming pond. Stumped, older brother Doug revealed that because the trees formed a natural causeway toward the pond, travelers by would be inclined to observe the condition of the trees when walking past, make adjustments to the watering cycle, pick the occasional fruit from this snack fruit tree, all while traveling to the pond for a late summer swim. This is where permaculture was starting to sink in. Not only do you take the necessary steps to help the plant grow, but you also include this plant in your cycle of life, integrating it with your environment, creating a dialogue with all that surrounds you.

*

It is why certain plants are higher up on the hillside, why you build your house next to the vegetable garden, why your snack fruit trees area easily accessible, why your chickens roost near certain trees. The possibilities are endless and once you begin your conversation with the land, how and what you do on the land becomes your very existence. The late afternoon sun beat down and my mind wandered. I began to think about the Indigenous peoples of the world, and how this communion with nature was simply ... Life.

*

Overcome with an indescribable sadness, my thoughts were of knowledge lost due to the genocide of the First People’s of these lands. Knowledge that is lost forever save for a small group of committed individuals both inside the indigenous populations and out, who are desperately trying to record and revive this unique and invaluable knowledge……

.... I slowly returned to the farm and was comforted by the familiar smells of compost and warm wet soil, the sounds of chickens and roosters and sprinklers and the warm glow of the late afternoon sun blending with the water and the willows overhanging the lake. It was getting late. Having been in the soil for a few hours I hadn’t taken a single picture. After sharing a meal with the family, I was invited to return the next day and explore some more, an invitation which I happily accepted. I'll return once again at the end of my trip to visit the Bullocks, get my hands dirty and share a meal with the families. Something I am looking forward to as I make my way south to LA.

Dave

Next stop Astoria.

Bellingham To Orcas Island

Route 11 – 65 miles

July 21st

    I left Bellingham and was sp[it out  onto the I-5, something I promised myself I wouldn’t do. Interstate highway riding on a motorcycle is like going to the gym and sitting on a stationary bike, watching the weather channel and filing your nails. It may even be worse. I was pressed for time and wanted to catch a boat to the island so I went against my better judgement and pulled away. 30 seconds into the ride a pink head with mohawk popped out of a spray bombed (graffiti) station wagon and pointed to my bike. I immediately pulled over and saw that my kickstand was down. Not to pleasant when you’re at highway speeds and cornering, it can be quite a jolt. I hopped back on and found that I was nearing the off ramp to Chuckanut Dr. also known as highway 11. (I can remember my brother and I laughing hysterically as pubescent boys do when they see a road sign that has even the faintest suggestion to anything that can be interpreted as sexual).

    I took the exit and was transformed in green rolling canopy covered secondary highway. To my left was Larabee state park and cars pressed against the hillside, to my right through the leaves was the Puget sound. I couldn’t stop laughing and hollering. Just 3 minutes earlier I was on the I-5, now this…. magic. The corners were relentless. 30, 25, 20, and the odd 15-mile/hour corner with some rugged guardrail to stop a plunge into the trees and ocean below. Good ol’ Don Jorge was up to the task after an amazing tune up from the boys at Main Jet Motorsports in the Koots. I finally had 6th gear.

Rollin' 

 The highway descended the mountain and poured out into vast farmlands of potato and corn, bordering on the ocean and the I-5 which was rapidly approaching to my left. As the two highways neared, my pace quickened and the temperatures rose once again, drawing me back on to the route I left an hour earlier, thankfully for only a brief engagement. After a quick exit I was on my way to Anacortes and the ferry to Orcas.

I arrived at 5:35 for the 5:30 boat, sped to the front of the line, rolled on, parked the bike, took off the sweaty leathers and was nearly knocked out by a fist holding an ice cold Dos Equis. New friends everywhere!!  We sat and chatted about the Kootenays, the ocean, motorcycles and living the good life. What a great way to start my trip. This new friend (sorry, can't remeber your name) hopped on a zodiac to a remote island, I rolled away from the ferry with a sense a well being that is my first friendship of the trip.

On the ferry

Orcas is amazing – too amazing and comfortable if that is possible.

Bus and driveway

Sheep farm on the way to the Bullock Permaculture Farm 

Like many of the other Gulf and San Juan Islands there is a sense of purpose that comes from living within the defined boundaries and limitations of an island. One has to be part of a community to live happily in such  close quarters. I’ve been here for 3 days and could easily stay 10 more. I’ve been the guest of Sustainable Orcas Island where we previewed a Peak Oil movie and followed with a discussion led by Michael Greenberg on the issues of sustainability. My hosts Michael Hirwicz and Sharon Abreu have been gracious in the accommodations. A view of Vancouver, Victoria, the Olympics, Mnt. Rainer and the San Juans greets me each morning.

Sundown on Orcas

    The community has come together to build a bandshell that utilizes the materials and labour available on the island. I was fortunate to photograph the installation of the Green Roof on one of the last days of the project. Designer Patrick Carey of HADJ Design tells me that the city of Stuttgart, Germany has enacted bylaws that requires all new construction to make use of a green roof design and apparently Chicago Illinois is not far behind.

Mike and Patrick Installing the Green Roof 

I’ve also been visiting with the Bullock brothers (http://www.permacultureportal.com/) who have been pioneering Permaculture just west of Deer Harbour for 25 years.

 “permaculture can best be described as an ethical design system applicable to food production and land use, as well as community building. It seeks the creation of productive and sustainable ways of living by integrating ecology, landscape, organic gardening, architecture and agroforestry. The focus is not on these elements themselves, but rather on the relationships created among them by the way they are placed together; the whole becoming greater than the sum of its parts. Permaculture is also about careful and contemplative observation of nature and natural systems, and of recognizing universal patterns and principles, then learning to apply these ‘ecological truisms’ to one’s own circumstances.”

                                                                                                                                                Wikipedia 2006

Deer Harbour

Their farm is spectacular, their knowledge is exceptional. I’m back out there this evening (July 24th) to continue my photography although I feel I am only  scratching the surface. I will return.

I think I may need to shake things up bit which is why I’ll be making my way to LA faster than originally planned. If I make it there within the week, it should allow for a more leisurely return trip home. As it stands, I feel like this project is far too massive for my short visits so I’d rather travel home slowly than allow it to rush me by.

Dave

 One handed cornering

Vancouver to Bellingham

45 miles

July 21st 2006

Blaine

What a great day to ride the bikes. I traveled with Patrick Hemingway to Bellingham,Washington where we met with the local the Bellingham Sustainability group at the home of members Dave and Allison Ewoldt. Patrick was onboard to document the first few days of my trip and put some highway miles on his motorcycle, I was starting a six week photo assignment.

All was going well until Patrick pulled up lame with an awful grinding sound coming out of his clutch. We were in Bellingham, and that would be as far as he was going to make it. Turns out he needed a little more oil – lesson learned.

Dave, Allison, Sandy and yes … another Dave, that made three of us, met in the Ewoldt’s living room amongst a mountain of moving boxes to discuss sustainability in Bellingham. What followed was an hour roundtable discussion that saw such topics as Economics, Food Security and Community Action covered. We could have spoke for hours but the Ewoldt’s were in the middle of a move to Tucson where they will be continuing their sustainability work so we cut the talk short. Good luck to them both on there move. On to Orcas and Sustainable Orcas Island...

Dave and Allison

It's 8:30 am, July 21 -

I'm with photographer Patrick Hemingway who is documenting the first leg of this assignment. We are minutes from our departure. First stop Bellingham and then on to Orcas Island for the weekend, followed by Port Townsend. Thanks goes out to friends, family, Relocalize Groups and the random help that I've had along the way. Check in soon for updates on the adventures !!

 Paddy-Man Dave-Man 

Dave

The day has arrived and I’m on my trip documenting the Routes of Relocalization. I've come to Nelson B.C., a small town tucked away on the side of a mountain located in the West Kootenay's. This is the place that I also call home. A place where my family still gardens, my brother and his wife raise their two girls and my friends are busy with careers and family of their own. This is also a place where a group of motivated Kootenay locals have started transforming the way they are experiencing their food.

Nelson is a town that sits off the beaten path. To get here is by no means an accident. Leaving Canada's major east west travel route, the Trans Canada Highway, you venture south through soaring peaks and fertile valley bottoms, following glacier fed rivers through farmland. Once here, you are 7 hours away from any major Canadian city and completely reliant on an automobile to travel any significant distance. You are somewhat isolated.

A group of Nelsonites is hoping to address that isolation, and they are doing so through the most basic of our necessities. Food. This diverse network of individuals is forming to educate the West Kootenay region on issues relating to their food. Issues such as the vulnerability of their food supply, biodiversity, community building and feeding those in need. This group has been in existence since the late 70's but is taking on a fresh identity with a resurgence in food issues globally.

John Steinman, the host of Kootenay Co-op radio's DECONSTRUCTING DINNER – (http://www.cjly.net/deconstructingdinner/) invited me to attend a potluck the group was holding. This was John's fist formal meeting with the group and being a newcomer myself, we were both unsure of what to expect. To my surprise, we were welcomed by a diverse cross section of people, each of which had an intimate connection to food. Nestled in the back yard of a beautifully restored Uphill home, the table was set amongst overhanging trees and the well tended garden, overlooking Elephant Mountain and Kootenay Lake. The wind whispered quietly through the trees and the sound of chimes could be heard amongst the conversation. What a great start to my documentary trip, and what better people to surround myself.

There was representation from the academic, governmental, advocacy, youth and media groups. Our timing couldn't have been better as we sat to eat within minutes of our arrival, but as is often the case in the late spring in the Kootenay's our idyllic gathering was welcomed by a short but torrential downpour that sent us scrambling indoors to continue the discussion.

Because this group is re-defining itself, the focus of the evenings meeting centred on how to present the group to the public and I sensed the overwhelming theme was to ensure that this group appeal to all walks of life since food affects each and every one of us. After an hour of talks, decisions were made, grants were to be written, a name was close to being decided upon and a fall "Stone Soup" forum was in the works. Progress is clearly being made and it was an honour to be a part of that process.

Action at the community level is so rewarding. There will always be differences in ideas and how things should be run, but because food issues affect each of us, I feel it was easy to reach a common ground when there were differing opinions and it was refreshing to see such a diverse group of people joining together to address their concerns with how food is represented within their community.

More to come from Nelson as this is where I’m working on my motorcycle and awaiting parts to continue this trip...

Dave

Wouldn't you know that I've spent the last 2 days wrenching away on my motorcyle and fixing of all things ... a leaky gas tank. After the initial overhaul and tune up, the bike appeared ready for the road. In my haste I failed to fill the gas tank up to the full mark, opting to fill a few dollars here and there to get me by. It's been hot in Vancouver, low 30's (celsius) and the afternoons have been sticky. I was riding to a friends place when I noticed the smell of gas. Gas that was pouring all over a hot engine, ready to combust and consume the motorcycle that I just bought a few days earlier.

I found myself at a very busy intersection covered in gas, running around with a leaky gas tank in hand. The heat was warming the tank and the fuel was being propelled out the pinhole leak. I was dumbfounded. Here I was, two weeks from my trip to visit the Relocalization Groups, and I was covered in gasoline. Believe me, the irony was not lost on me, as a matter of fact, it was greatly amplified. In the heat, my mind starts to wander  with the fumes from my motorcycle, and in the back of my mind, I imagined riding into  ...

...Eugene Oregon or Big Sur to visit the Relocalization Group. I arrive and extend a hand to greet the members and I see the welcoming faces change quickly to sadness when they smell the gasoline leaking from my tank......

Call it more like a nightmare. I quickly gather my thoughts, fix the leaky tank and ride home to get out of my clothes.

The fact that I will be travelling on a motorcycle for my trip is something I've given a great deal of thought to. I've been free from a vehicle for almost two years and I'm pleased to say that Vancouver has an excellent bike route network which I use almost daily. Public transit in the city is also to be commended with the majority of the downtown routes being electric. So on a trip to document the effects of Peak Oil, why am I riding a motorcycle and not riding a bicycle? I guess I'm not quite there yet, but I will be and that is a committment I've made to myself.  Change does not happen over night, but it's important to realize that it does happen and we are all a part of it. This is what I hope to document in my travels.

With images and stories, I hope to show that all around us, even outside of these Groups are people making a difference, and that difference needs to be communicated. This transition will affect each and every one of us regardless of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity and education and I feel that this is where the strength of this movement lies. If the struggle is felt by all, then we all are motivated to make a change. 

What an amazing time this is. We have the opportunity to see change right before our eyes and it starts by simply opening our doors and welcoming it. Our resources are all around us. Growing gardens, sharing meals, encouraging dialogue and helping others. By including your community in the rebuilding process of transitioning from our reliancy on oil, you empower your neighbour  and strengthen your  neighbourhood. What a great place to start this transition.

David

 At that time of my last posting, my motorcycle trip throughout the Western United States to photograph and interview the Relocalisation Groups seemed a distant reality. Now, with only two weeks left before I leave, the excitement of this assignment is building and my awareness is sharpened, focusing on the finer details of this two month odyssey. Thankfully, I have the support of some amazing people who are doing all that is possible to make this happen. Collectivization.

One of the themes that has emerged during the planning of this trip is the idea of Collectivization and the realization that I am not an individual and I am not alone.  In the West, I am told to grow up, become independent of my family, start a career, make some money, buy a house, start a family, and work diligently toward retirement where I will one day be free to enjoy my life again. This is not my reality.

When I first pitched the idea of this trip, I was alone with an idea, something I had to work on for myself. But when I had committed to making this happen, I was met with a sudden enthusiasm from my friends who saw the importance of this assignment.

My friend Rae, who runs the Veggie Collective in Vancouver off her front porch was truly the catalyst. With her enthusiasm for food and dedication to providing her neighbourhood with healthy, affordable organic produce, I saw that it is possible for one person to make a difference. Through Rae I met her partner Keith who works on the energy farm at UBC. Keith is a presence, not only becuase he stands head and shoulders above the crowd, literally, but when you talk with him, he is present with you. I admire that.

Through Rae again, I met Mack and Eliza. Great parties, tons of fun building human pyramids in the back yard, but more importantly, two people who are dedicated to each other, their friends and their passions. Mack has been an enthusiastic audience, sitting through my brainstorming sessions about food issues, media and the importance of communicating your message effectively. He's also responsible for the technology behind Post Carbon and I should mention that they have a great  garden!!

Mack then put me in touch with Post Carbon Institute and Sarah and Shelby who have been instrumental in co-ordinating this trip. Sarah has sat through the many edits of my proposals and press releases and has patiently revised work that was draughted in the bleary hours before sunrise. For this I am grateful. And to the Post Carbon Institute staff for being supportive of my trip, providing me with access to this wonderful Network of groups.

I feel that the catalyst for change will start at the dinner tables, when we open our doors once again to our neighbours and their neighbours and we share a meal, we will realize that we are not alone in this big beautiful world, and when we realize that we are not alone, and not all that different from each other, we can start to live the life we long for.

David