The latest Journal Entries from Our Renewable Energy and Travel Blog at Footstops.com en-us Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:42:10 -0700 Copyright 2008, Bryan Rite @ Footstops.com Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:42:10 -0700 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 240 http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/ ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5734/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5734/ Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:42:10 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5733/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5733/ Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:40:53 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5732/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5732/ Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:38:29 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5731/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5731/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:36:47 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5730/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5730/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:34:18 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5729/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5729/ Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:30:46 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5728/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5728/ Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:28:52 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5727/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5727/ Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:27:22 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5726/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5726/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:24:20 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5725/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5725/ Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:22:34 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5724/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5724/ Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:43:54 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5680/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5680/ Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:45:51 -0700 {Rob} As I have been doing a lot of driving, wheeling and dealing and generally learning how to be Mexican I noticed that no one was taking me seriously. At first I thought that it was because I was white, or as t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5723/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5723/ Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:14:19 -0700 We split up the long drive from Real de Catorce to Creel, our next destination, by camping on night in the city of Saltillo and camping another two nights just outside of Chihuahua.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5679/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5679/ Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:05:44 -0700 In the mid 19th century, the Real de Catorce silver mines were producing over 3 million dollars a year and the town was bustling with opulent houses, luxury & silvers shops... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5678/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5678/ Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:03:38 -0700 As we left Querataro with no real destination in mind other than "North" I pulled out the map in attempt to pinpoint a destination and saw that San Miguel de Allende was not too far away. Remembering the traveller who had told us she ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5676/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5676/ Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:01:06 -0700 We decided to make a stop in the city of Queretaro because it is a Unesco World Heritage site. The only campground in the city was actually a hotel with a few RV plug-ins and they wanted twenty-five dollars a nigh... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5675/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5675/ Fri, 30 May 2008 20:44:38 -0700 Remembering what our friend Erna had told us the night before, we both whispered a small intention as we drove up to the Teotihuacan Archaeological site. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5674/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5674/ Wed, 28 May 2008 20:42:52 -0700 When we finally arrived at the village of San Juan Teotihuacan and were safely pulled into our campsite we both let out a sigh of relief. Almost every Mexican city has a by-pass route aroun... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5318/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5318/ Tue, 27 May 2008 13:29:16 -0700 We made it to Tepoztlan after 3 long days of driving. It was such a relief to make it back into the mountains and leave the hot and humid climate of the gulf coast.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5317/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5317/ Thu, 22 May 2008 21:56:27 -0700 Driving away from the airport, we decided to high-tail it back to Tepoztlan. Our video camera was broken (again) and we antici... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5055/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5055/ Mon, 19 May 2008 21:19:32 -0700 Sunday morning, Hector, Apurno and their son Bruno came to pick us up at our hotel. They were going to take us to some nearby famous indigenous villages. Our f... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5089/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5089/ Sun, 18 May 2008 09:44:07 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5088/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5088/ Sat, 17 May 2008 09:24:47 -0700 The last community that we would visit during the delegation was called Lucio Barrios. We left early Friday morning and drove about an hour north-east from S... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5087/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5087/ Fri, 16 May 2008 09:20:55 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5086/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5086/ Thu, 15 May 2008 16:06:26 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5054/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5054/ Wed, 14 May 2008 15:49:40 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5235/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5235/ Wed, 14 May 2008 15:44:03 -0700 Schools for Chiapas received a large grant from the Larson Legacy to fund the construction of several new basketball courts in the Highla... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5053/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5053/ Tue, 13 May 2008 15:22:33 -0700 Monday, week two of our delegation, we headed north out of San Cristobal and drove 1 hour to the Caracol called Oventik. Again, we were greeted with the sign "Usted Esta en Territorio Zapatista", but t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5052/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5052/ Mon, 12 May 2008 22:07:11 -0700 {Alright, I realize that you just received an inbox-full of email notifications about all the the blogs I have just posted. This is the last one for today... but I am madl... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4978/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4978/ Sun, 11 May 2008 14:18:22 -0700 We decided to break up the drive from Roberto Barrios to San Cristobal by making a few stops along the way. Our first stopover was Mis... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4977/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4977/ Sat, 10 May 2008 13:47:58 -0700 On several occasions I’ve complained to Rob about the amount of tools, supplies, and miscellaneous stuff that he insisted that we bring with us on our trip. Of course I appreciate that if we were to break down on the side of the road, ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5004/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/5004/ Fri, 09 May 2008 13:37:50 -0700 {Big thanks to my mother Annette for her input into this blog. I took and adapted her group email about Palenque to save myse... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4976/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4976/ Thu, 08 May 2008 13:49:14 -0700 The Roberto Barrios Caracol itself covers about 2 acres of fenced land with approx 15 to 20 buildings. The two buildings facing the road have beautiful painted murals on ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4975/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4975/ Wed, 07 May 2008 17:07:42 -0700 Tuesday started at 5:30 am in the morning. As we were going to be working outside in the Medicinal Plant nursery, we wanted to get some hours in befor... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4944/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4944/ Wed, 07 May 2008 16:47:16 -0700 We have spent the last few nights camped at the Roberto Barrios Caracol. Caracol is a Spanish word meaning “snail shell”. As the snails shell is a spiral, the name ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4943/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4943/ Mon, 05 May 2008 07:10:48 -0700 We left Villahermosa and headed towards Palenque. In Palenque we would be meeting up with the Organization Sch... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4902/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4902/ Sun, 04 May 2008 18:10:01 -0700 We actually made it. We hit the road by 7 am and drove and drove and drove. The drive through the Sierra Norte was absolutely beautiful. After a short climb over the crest of the Sierra Norte we started to descen... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4901/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4901/ Sat, 03 May 2008 20:16:44 -0700 {Rob} Michelle and I drove back into Oaxaca to get the lab tests performed that Dr. Fernando had requested. I had been feeling fine and the blood in my stool had disappeared and... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4737/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4737/ Thu, 01 May 2008 08:05:32 -0700   In the highlands of the thickly forested Sierra Norte Mountains, northeast of Oaxaca city, 8 rural Zapotec villages have cre... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4735/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4735/ Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:46:21 -0700 We decided to get a little closer to nature and leave Oaxaca city for a two-day excursion into the highlands of the Sierra Madre. On our way there we passed through the famous weaving village ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4734/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4734/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:46:44 -0700 We decided to make a day trip from Oaxaca, to explore some of the fascinating valleys, craft towns, pre-hispanic ruins and bustling markets of the ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4733/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4733/ Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:22:41 -0700  Some footage from the Market in Oaxaca: ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4732/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4732/ Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:07:33 -0700 We decided to wake up bright and early and squeeze in a visit to the famous Monte Alban ruins before bringing Chris to the Airport ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4730/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4730/ Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:09:37 -0700 {Rob} We left the coast and headed inland and upwards, to Oaxaca City. The road from Puerto Angel (Zipolite... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4729/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4729/ Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:05:16 -0700 We agreed to put in a long day of driving and at 4 oclock, start looking for somewhere to camp. I was reading in the back seat when I looked up and realized that it was already... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4728/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4728/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:29:38 -0700 {I've posted nine new blogs, but am only sending out one email. Please scroll ahead to check out what else we've been up to} We picked up Chris, Rob&rsquo... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4726/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4726/ Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:04:30 -0700 The first order for the day of our departure was to attempt to bleed our van radiator of air. The temperature indicators still seem to be showing that we are nearly overh... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4584/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4584/ Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:30:42 -0700 After four weeks it is time to pack up again, move back into our van and hit the road. We have had such a lovely time in the T... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4583/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4583/ Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:29:54 -0700 We received yet another invitation from Candida to join the family for another event. With my limited Spanish, all I understood was that there was going to be a bi... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4582/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4582/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:28:43 -0700 We made arrangements to attend a temascal at the Ecovillage, to be hosted by Andres, another resident of Huehuecoytl and a practicing Shaman. Andres, originally from ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4581/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4581/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:32:03 -0700 Just down the hill from the Farm, not more than a five minute drive, is the Ecovillage Huehuecoyotl. Although we had bee... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4580/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4580/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:24:59 -0700 We received an invitation to attend Candida’s two grandson’s baptism, which happening in a suburb of Mexico City. She also... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4579/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4579/ Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:27:35 -0700 Huile has a cleaning lady that comes once a week to go over the house, her name is Candida and she lives with her family in Ocotitlan. I took the opportunity to practice my ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4578/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4578/ Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:34:09 -0700  Rob shows all you "Green"gos how to make mexican compost! ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4576/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4576/ Sat, 05 Apr 2008 11:34:44 -0700 Last week, after yoga class we started conversing with the instructor and mentioned that we were mechanical engineers with a background in renewable energy. Zayan, the instr... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4575/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4575/ Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:28:53 -0700 One of the first tasks that we were assigned at the farm was to harvest some medicinal herbs. I ended up really enjoying this task and learnt a lot about the various natural remedies that have been used for ages.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4573/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4573/ Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:24:27 -0700 {*** I have just completed an intense blog writing marathon, found internet and am posting 12 new blogs!...And so, if you are curious about the many fabulous stories from our time in the Tepotzlan region don’t forg... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4572/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4572/ Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:05:06 -0700 Granja Tixib is located in a tiny hamlet called Ocotitlan nestled amongst craggy cliffs and jagged mounta... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4304/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4304/ Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:44:13 -0700 When we arrived at Granja Tixib we were promptly toured around the site by Jack and Ellie, the two Wwoofers we were about to replace. Ellie is from Scotland, and Jack from New York. They were ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4303/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4303/ Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:55:15 -0700 We arrived at Granja Tixib on Monday morning, the 17th of April. “Granja” means farm. “Tixib” is a Mayan word meaning “at the end of the rainbow”. Here we will be spending the next few weeks. What are we d... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4201/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4201/ Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:45:02 -0700 We arrived in the city of Morelia on Saturday afternoon and had decided to make a stop here based... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4148/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4148/ Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:04:10 -0700 I think that I’ve come up with a new match making test. It’s a sure-fire way to determine your compatibility with your partner. I could probably make millions with this… The good news is that Rob and I passed, although it was prob... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4147/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4147/ Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:50:32 -0700 Thursday the 13th we hit the road early, and based on a recommendation from Mark and Nancy were headed for a small town called Amatitan,... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4146/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4146/ Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:29:44 -0700 {Well, I should start off by explaining that Rob and I just slipped out of the time warp that we suddenly found ourselves in. I can hardly believe that two weeks have gone by since I last wrote a travel blog. Many interesting things have... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4145/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/4145/ Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:13:36 -0700 Yesterday morning the ferry arrived in Mazatlan. Thankfully the seas were especially calm, Rob and I felt fine and rested. It took some time to get the ferry docked and unloaded but by 10 am... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3955/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3955/ Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:16:36 -0700 A very early morning started our day yesterday as we had our longest day of driving and the last stretch to complete, another 550 kms to the city of La Paz. The first few hours of the drive were especial... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3953/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3953/ Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:36:50 -0800 It’s hard to believe but the destinations just keep getting better. Yesterday, after several days of driving through desert we arrived at a phenomenal beach called P... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3952/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3952/ Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:39:06 -0800 I can hardly begin to describe the excitement that we experienced today. We spent thirty minutes playing, scratching and petting a 20 ton gray whale and her young calf, who swam alongside our small dingy boat in the Laguna Ojo de Liebr... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3951/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3951/ Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:39:48 -0800 In attempt to get us past the halfway point on the peninsula and into the Baja California Sur, we got back on the highway today. Most of the drive was travelling through the rest of the Parque National del Desierto Central de Baja Cali... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3899/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3899/ Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:16:59 -0800 After a first night on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and a second night playing in Sand Dunes, it only seemed fitting to spend our third night... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3898/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3898/ Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:12:46 -0800 Our second day began at a stop at a small farmers market, basically a small street lined with vendors of all sorts: fruit, veggies, clothes, electronics and other random objects. We picked up a few things and headed on our way. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3897/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3897/ Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:53:02 -0800 We enjoyed a delicious crepe breakfast this morning prepared by Graham and hit the road before 9 am, destination: Mexico! I picked up our Camping Mexico book and decided that it would be a good time to read the Chapter on “Preparing ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3896/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3896/ Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:12:10 -0800 We picked up my brother Gilles and his girlfriend Kristin at the San Diego Airport this morning. Gilles and Kristin will be travel... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3895/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3895/ Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:10:59 -0800 We arrived at Rob’s grandparents on the 26th of February and spent two lovely evenings with them. Rob took the opportunity to get a few last things working properly while I was able to run a few errands and pick up a few things that ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3894/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3894/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:10:05 -0800 Although it added a few hours to our drive, we decided to take the scenic coastal highway, referred to as the Big Sur. Not only did the temperature start to gradually rise (I put shorts on!!) but the view was breathtaking. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3814/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3814/ Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:22:31 -0800 Next was another very long drive down the Interstate 5 (I5) highway with the destination of San Francisco in mind. This highway is the... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3809/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3809/ Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:55:06 -0800 Michelle and I spent an evening in Corvallis, home of Oregon State University, hanging out with Jesse, an engineering student we met at ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3805/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3805/ Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:50:03 -0800 After two long days on the road, Rob and I were craving a little exercise and fresh air. We decided to head east towards the Columbia River Gorge and hike up the Multnomah Falls.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3804/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3804/ Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:10:50 -0800 Forgetting about the time change we found ourselves at the border crossing at 5 am instead of 6 am as planned. The border... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3803/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3803/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:09:17 -0800 Today Rob and I started our six month journey through Canada, the US and Mexico in our pure plant oil burning westy. We left Calgary at 6 am (ish) and arrived in White Rock BC, just north of the US border at 8 pm. It was a long day but we were gla... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3726/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3726/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:10:23 -0800 Needed a blog entry and map spot to start our trip!... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3728/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3728/ Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:13:48 -0800 It’s hard to believe, but Rob and I finished our six month internship at the Nordic Folkecenter and have been back in Canada for just over two weeks. We spent the two weeks in a mad rush to prepare for part II of... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3727/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3727/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:30:11 -0800 At the end of November, Rob and I had the pleasure of attending the 2007 European Solar Prize Awards in Berlin (...we are just a little behind... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3595/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3595/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:17:21 -0800 For the past thirty years the staff at the Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy (NFC) have worked at constantly pushing the limits regarding the integration and adoption of renewable energy. Their achievements have continued to show the public ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3304/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3304/ Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:08:25 -0800 [A Colleague from the Folkecenter and close friend, Melissa Valgardson, has also been maintaining a blog about her time here. She recently wrote a great article about electric cars and agree... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3111/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3111/ Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:30:14 -0800 Just over a month ago, I (Michelle) sat through a presentation regarding the “Myths of Agrofuels”. Most of the information was new to me, and I found the facts presented rather astonishing as I had always thought of agrofuels as a legiti... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3077/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/3077/ Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:56:42 -0800 The change to Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in Denmark created a decentralized heat and power structure that gradually can be transitioned entirely to renewable energy. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2933/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2933/ Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:35:08 -0800 I saw things in Cairo that I thought were only true in the movies. This whirlwind trip has been a real eye opener for me, an enormous culture shock... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2699/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2699/ Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:06:13 -0800 I recently embarked on a short, unexpected adventure to the ancient country of Egypt. The Folkecenter received a contract to teach a course in ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2681/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2681/ Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:04:44 -0700 Rob and I were very happy to host Robs parents, Jon and Thea, for a few days here at the Folkecenter at the end of October. Keen to expose them to... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2358/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2358/ Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:27:05 -0700 Rob's mother Thea and I spent a relaxing day enjoying the sun, cycling around and enjoying the beautiful fall scenery in the nearby vicinity of the Folkecenter. In particular, we rode bicycles to the nearby Ydby Heath where we "stood... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2665/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2665/ Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:15:54 -0700 We've received some feedback that some of you would like to receive an email notification each time we post a new blog. Footstops provides a subscribtion service at the following address: ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2589/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2589/ Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:06:11 -0700 Plant Oil Processing The Folkecenter has a demonstration lab which contains all of the equipment to press, filter and test vegetable oil for engine use. As Europe... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2528/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2528/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:30:02 -0700 One of the reasons that Michelle and I found the Folkecenter was because of plant oil. Just over a year ago, Michelle and I converted our VW Westfalia van to run on used vegetable oil, usually from deep fryers.... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2353/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2353/ Sun, 28 Oct 2007 05:35:33 -0700 As most of Robs friends and family know Rob has three loves in his life: 1) his wife, of course 2) good beer 3) Renewable Energy Well, being at t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2404/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2404/ Sat, 27 Oct 2007 17:21:51 -0700 The Biodome is a large dome located here at the Folkecenter that combines a hydroponic greenhouse with an aquaculture system. It utilizes an integrated approach... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2343/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2343/ Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:20:31 -0700   {After initially publishing this blog I came across a Vancouver-based company, Finavera Renewables, looking to develop a wave energy project (I think that it may be the first commercial application in C... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2500/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2500/ Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:07:45 -0700 If you are looking for the photos from my recent trip to Spain, I decided to create a separate Trip Journal. ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2724/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2724/ Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:39:28 -0700 [Rob recently connected with Katrin Klingenberg, the Director of Ecological Construction Laboratory in Illinois and one of the founding members of ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2172/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2172/ Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:27:19 -0700 Michelle and I were featured in an article published in the Calgary Herald on Friday, the 5th of October. Check out the ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2317/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2317/ Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:07:07 -0700 We had a really great time at Oktoberfest. Gilles, Rob and I took to the train into Munich on Monday October 1st, to check things out. Ten hours, two roasted chickens, twelve steins, eleven and a half liters of beer (to account for the half... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2221/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2221/ Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:51:11 -0700 Last week we traveled to Bavaria, in Southern Germany, to spend a week with our adopted German family, the Lieperts and the Kastners. It also "happened" to be Norberts 40th birthday and i... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2220/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2220/ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:12:06 -0700 The title pretty much sums up our week.   I supose John Lennon may seem a little out of place.     The story here is that John Lennon actually came and spent a month in the very rural region of Denmark (called Thy) that... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2168/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2168/ Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:44:15 -0700 Rob and I attended the Husum Wind Energy Conference on September 18th. The largest wind industry trade show in the world is held every second year in Northern Germany in a small t... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2105/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2105/ Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:42:00 -0700 We left the Folkecenter at 3pm on Thursday the 13th of September. Fourteen hours later we arrived in Berlin. Don't believe the straight line drawn on the Google earth map! We certainly did... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2082/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2082/ Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:38:09 -0700 When we first got to Copenhagen we were shocked that there were more bikes then cars... and coming from Calgary (a city designed for cars) this was very impressive. We both k... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2010/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2010/ Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:09:21 -0700 The Nordic Folkecenter (NFC) is full of wind turbines, some big, some small and even more that don’t work. There is a Test Field with platforms and foundati... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1994/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1994/ Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:23:09 -0700 Here at the Folkecenter there are numerous vehicles running on alternative fuels. Pure Plant Oil (PPO)... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1840/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1840/ Sun, 26 Aug 2007 08:27:48 -0700 Today we visited three coastal villages, all within an hour drive from the Folkecenter. Vorupør is the largest and liveliest of the resort beaches in Thy (the region of Denmark that we are in). We were surprised by the number of surfers an... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1767/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1767/ Fri, 17 Aug 2007 05:29:45 -0700 Probably the best way to get a feel for the place we are staying at is to check out the virtual tour on the Folkecenter website: http://www.folkecenter.net/gb/tour/ For now, the main... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1766/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1766/ Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:43:24 -0700 We arrived in Copenhagen on Tuesday August 7th, weary from our overnight flight and discovered that the city was about to be overrun by hundreds of skinny runway models, thousands of beautiful people, and tons of supporting media, journalists and ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1765/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1765/ Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:33:08 -0700 Not much to say here other than we started our one year voyage on August 6th, 2007 and caught an overnight flight from Calgary, through London to Copenhagen. Our adventure begins... ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1724/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/1724/ Mon, 06 Aug 2007 02:10:02 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2725/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2725/ Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:33:53 -0800 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2714/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2714/ Sat, 03 Nov 2007 09:09:31 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2713/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2713/ Fri, 02 Nov 2007 09:09:07 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2703/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2703/ Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:08:37 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2701/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2701/ Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:08:15 -0700 ... Read More at Footstops.com http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2719/ http://www.footstops.com/michellestcyr/blog/2719/ Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:07:46 -0700