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Ecotopia Biketour 2012: Towards Degrowth (6th July – 19th September) – Join us!
We are very pleased to announce that registration for the biketour 2012 is open!
The Ecotopia Biketour is an eco-mobile do-it-yourself activist community which cycles through Europe each summer. This year our journey takes us through Catalonia, the South of France and Northern Italy and our theme is degrowth, challenging the damaging mentality of growth which overlooks real social and environmental values. We will visit projects, collectives and people who are experimenting with alternatives to growth, learn from each other and live sustainably! And we also have the challenge to get to cross both the Pyrénées and the Alps with the help of our trusty bikes :-)
The Route
Along our route of just over 2,000km we will visit ecofarms and growing projects, squats and social centres, intentional communities, cycle activists and bike workshops and take part in critical masses and actions against dirty developments. Our final destination is the international Degrowth conference in Venice (see http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/links). We will be travelling through some stunning scenery, national parks, beaches and mountains as well as some mad tourist spots at the height of the summer season and big bustling cities. Paired with all our personal experiences to share, this exciting expedition will be fertile ground for thinking and acting out degrowth ideas. We have some awesome camp spots and activities planned but, as usual, there is room for us to create the biketour that we want together!
When?
After a preparation weekend in Barcelona from 6-9th July we will set off on our adventure on Monday 9th July, arriving in Venice just over 2 months later on 19th September. You don´t have to join us from the start, you can join the tour at any point along our route but we think you should come for at least a week, so you have the time to adapt to group dynamics. Please let us know in advance where you plan to join us and when we can expect you to show up. The itinerary is a continuous work in progress but the latest information can be found here: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Route_2012
How to join
We would love for you to join us, if:
- you can cycle around 50 km per day (probably with some very hot days on hilly road
- you are interested in environmental and social justice issues and want to take part in actions
- you want to take part in consensus decision-making (communicating!) and
- you want to help with the daily tasks such as preparing meals, pulling trailers, washing up or tidying the sleeping places.
First: Read the info about the Biketour on our website & fill out the registration form asap:
http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/registration
Then: find out if you need visa for the countries we travel through: Spain, France and Italy are in the “Schengen” visa zone. Contact us, so we can see how we can help you to arrange your visa (see http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Visa).
If you’re on facebook, you can join the Biketour event here and our facebook page here… following us on Twitter is also possible!
Each person pays a small participation fee, those with a better economic situation more than those who have less money. This fee should help cover everything – organisational effort, various events, actions, workshops, three vegetarian meals a day and a place to put up your tent (more info on the website).
There are a lot of hints and tips we can give you for getting ready for the Biketour, but to keep this invitation to a decent length, you can delve into our website yourself (http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/) and look at everything there. And if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
One final thing to let you know is that we are looking out for people who are interested in coordinating the biketour in 2013, if you think you might be interested make sure you come along this year so you will get a feel of what this involves :-)
Hope to see you this summer,
Alice & Joâo Taborda
International coordinators Ecotopia Biketour 2012
Heard you need some translations? If I can help you out with German I’d be happy to give a hand, well two, or a brain would be more like it. Well anyway, contact me or better: Just send me what should be translated.
All the best,
Caris.
Great, thanks very much! I just sent you an email…
Hello Hello!
I speak in the name of the Serious Beans Project. We are a band from the Netherlands who’s members come from various places (Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Poland, Germany and Venezuela). We were planning on traveling by bike this summer, playing in the streets and promoting our first CD. Then, one of us discovered your project, and that’s my question, could we integrate your amazing travel? I’m not sure about the others what they think, but i think you guys rock! Of course we are super motivated people in general, one question though, you wouldn’t know where we could rent some bikes…also how can we transport a double bass…
Hope to hear from you soon!
Simon
Hola hola Simon y los habas graves! I just had a listen and you guys are awesome, what fun it would be to have a super musical biketour this summer :-) I think we could totally come together and have beans on bikes and make up some degrowth tunes! As for the renting of bikes, this is the big question of the moment as it seems lots of people don’t have them or can’t bring them but we are working on ideas and can let you know. The giant double base beauty would require it’s own trailer (I think that would work…), and I think I know who I could ask …. Would you want to come for the whole thing or just a bit? Would be great so let me know if you need my help persuading the others!!!!
that sounds awsome :D… you should try to join us at least for some time… if you plan to join in barcelona (or other major city) i think it’s better (and cheaper) to buy second hand instead of renting, for trailers we have already two trailler for the tour material that may fit some more things and i think we could arrange a third one if you really need it…
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Hola, soy de Cornellà y estaría interesado en unirme a vosotros a partir de la segunda semana (el 16 o 17 de julio) hasta Venecia. Pero tengo algunas dudas. Como se realiza el pago de los gastos? Una vez acabada la ruta o si por alguna razón no la pudiera acabar, los gastos de la vuelta corren a mi cuenta o hay algún plan de vuelta? Hay algún seguro en caso de accidente? Muchas gracias por vuestra atención.
ya te hemos respuesto por email :)…
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Dear Joao and all the family, how is going the bike tour?
I haven’t said nothing till now, because I was not sure of my plans. I think I can join you and I am really excited about the idea:)
I will be in Italy and when I come back with the bus on 5th or 6th august, i will stop on the road with my bike to join you. Do you think it will be easy to find all you? I am a little bit affraid about that, in case to be lost and don’t reach you…. where we could meet?I need to know that in advance to ask the driver bus if it could be possible.
Another think is that I am thinking seriously to live the ecotopia bike tour as another of my ruralsongwriter’s experiences, but I cannot go with my guitar because I can’t carry in my bike (too big) and take with me atrailer would be too heavy fo me. But I have been thinking in alternatives: the main is to buy a traveler guitar, smaller than the one that I use to have. I am discovering if it’s a good quality, but if it is, I think it will be worth because you told me that more musicians will join the bike tour don’t you?
I will join you on 5th afternoon or 6th agust, not sure yet the shedule of the bus,and I could stay with you until 16 august, not sure because maybe I have some concerts in Catalunya or not, this days at least.I have the lastsquestionsit will be really up (rise)these days in august the hills? Apart of the sleeping bag, everyone needs to bring the own tent?
I hope to hear soon from you and start with the preparation.
salut
Susanna