Day 4 - Last Miles to Phoenix

We woke just before sunrise, well below zero, behind the boulders in Dead Horse State Park, Utah. After a warm up sprint around Laura we began heading south on Highway 191. None of us could resist the opportunity to get out of the car and absorb the beauty of the desert’s arches and panoramic vistas. With amazing sweeping roads, we finally had an opportunity to stretch our legs, long boarding south into Monument Valley. As the sun began to warm the air we were forced to switch to open footwear, and we enlisted the skills of a local Navajo artist to add to Laura’s evolving design.

Our morning coffee stop at a “ma and pa’s” Twin Rock Café in the tiny town of Bluff proved to be fruitful. As we planned our day’s travel over coffee and toast, we were stoked to discover a literal gold mine of fine quality canola oil to keep us rolling all the way to Phoenix!!

The three of us have quickly adapted to the routine of the highway and the regular “grease” stops to keep Laura purring along the highway. If only she had a larger grease reservoir. At the end of the day a short stop provides a fantastic opportunity to break the monotony of highway travel and stretch, while reminding us how privileged we are to be able to run on an alternative fuel, a luxury that not all of us have. These stops are almost always certain to be accompanied by questions from inquisitive people about our journey and the cars fuel system. Everyone wants to sign Laura and give us their support.



We pulled into Phoenix at 2200 hours with just a few liters of grease down from Moab, exhausted from four long days on the road. After a somewhat extended and very animated encounter at a bus stop for directions, we arrived at my brothers house where we were finally able to eat and relax outside of the car.

Day 3 - Getting Grease in Utah

We drove all night and a slow sunrise welcomed us into the snowy mountains of Utah and Salt Lake City.

Coming into Salt Lake City we are determined to find some free flowing fuels, but we’re not looking for a gas station. Taco Bell, Arbies, or any organized restaurant that recycles their oil; these are our priority stops. We were disappointed to discover that the oil from Arbies was very dirty. The mountain air was too cold for the grease to flow properly and we were forced to buy some diesel. Unfortunately this also turned out to be very dirty, but we continued on to climb the Roan Plateau on Highway 6.

Using alternative or renewable energies is one of the ideas that powers Free Flowing Rivers. Traveling in a vehicle converted to run on biodiesel is amazing. If planned right you will not spend a cent on fuel, and it’s a great way to show your environmental consciousness, by re-using what would otherwise be considered disposable waste.



After a quick visit to Arches National Park we reached the Colorado River! Laura’s headlights were no longer shining our path as we rolled into Moab, holding the high beams with the 4 way blinkers going. Moab is an outdoor Mecca with multiple rafting operations and a selection of other adventure tourism operations. Laura needed to rest for a few hours while Steve set to work getting her running again for the boys. Rodolfo talked to some of the rafting companies, collecting info for a future event. Roger ordered nachos and beer for us and a group of local guides in the bar. Once on the road again we found some unused space under a phenomenal star show to spend a cold night before continuing south.

Day 2 - In and Out of Portland

John’s Café was our first stop.
The old Greek couple has been working the joint for over 30 years.
After finding out what we were doing, breakfast was on the house.
I went out to the car (Laura) to get our battery chargers and this hippy van pulls up next to me, all spray painted. We connected right away, there was definitely a psychedelic VW moment.
She (the van) just got back from Burning Man. We were happy to see them and Steve painted a blue wave on their side.
They were excited to do the same.

Our day was slower than we had planned.
We went to get an oil change and ended up adding new break pads too.
That gave us a couple of hours to walk around downtown Portland, and a lot can happen in that time.
Met the local girls at the outdoor shop.
Test-drove a Scion with some boys, they had a big promotion going on, and aaahhhhhh yeah we chatted with those girls too.
We got a $45 gift card to shop right there next to the test drive promotion place, and walked out with two shirts and a pair of runners.
(It was a cheap second hand trendy shop).
After getting the car back, we went back to the Scion place and sold everyone there on veggie oil. As usual everyone loved Laura, and signed her up.
We only drove out of Portland at 4:30pm.

Heading east on the I 84, along the side of the heavily dammed Columbia River, we moved past more than five dams in less than two hours.
For those that don’t know the Columbia River, it’s about the same size as the Fraser River, and the horizon of it’s valley is framed by a forest of power lines.

This river doesn’t flow, it’s stuck, imagine that.

If this is the future for our rivers, we need to find the balance. Seeing these dams in the Colombia River affirms the need to demand the support from corporations to invest in environmental education, sustainable communities, and in the development of outdoor sports.
The promotion eco-recreational activities doesn’t take much capital in comparison to what the hydro companies are making. Usually dams turn into big lakes where sailing, sea kayaking and even kite surfing can develop into a tourism industry generating additional revenue within the local community.

One of our goals with Free Flowing Rivers is to develop these outdoor community centers, where future generations will learn how to walk, fly, and flow with nature.

As the night gets colder and Mexico gets closer, our anticipation builds about doing the river race on the Papagayo River, and documenting this river before it turns into a massive outdoor community center.

Its Saturday night as we roll into Idaho and the music from the stereo is helping me to teach Steve and Roger some Spanish. Buenas noches, hasta manana.

Day 1 - Going to Mexico 2007

One Canadian, one New Zealander and one Chilean.
Loaded up with two kayaks, one surf board, and a pile of gear
To make our 1987 biodiesel VW really low and slow.

For the second time a Free Flowing Rivers team is driving south,
for the sake of our rivers,
our future generations,
and for a stronger active community.

We leave Canada behind, the great white north.
Land of white capped mountains, wild pristine rivers,
And home town of Bill 30, the Ashlu and the mighty Fraser River.

Our second Dam U river race just became history,
with a new record of attendance
29 teams
over 300 people celebrating in the name of free flowing rivers.

Water privatization and new hydro projects are flowing uncontrolled,
Over 180 projects going on just in BC
More than 300 future dam projects in Central America
And projects keep flowing into South America, all the way to Patagonia.

Going to el DF, now
You think they need power there ?
Mexico city is only around 35.000.000 people.

We are organizing the funeral of a river, and filming the birth of a dam.
The Papagayo River will disappear by 2013.
On November 3rd & 4th 2007,
Free Flowing Rivers will host the first Mexican Dam U river race,
an event for universities across southern Mexico.
We will promote this race and this river until it dies,
The community and the river will be destroyed, replaced by a massive lake (link dam pro)

La Parota Dam
Will be Mexico’s largest hydro-electric project.

Acapulco is demanding more,
This ocean side city that never sleeps, its just like Vegas.
Lots of lights, hookers and drugs.
This money making machine is supported by tourism ,
Neglecting a ring of poverty that struggles to survive.

This power station will be the link between the Central American grid to the USA grid.
The Mexican ex-president Fox approved the Plan “Puebla Panama Project” (PPP), which will “help the undeveloped south” by damming a series of rivers from Panama to South Mexico.
La Parota will be the largest dam of all.

Its time to call it a night, as we wait for our ferry to Port Orcherard at 11:45pm
Tommorow morning we are picking up a kayak at 7am, then heading to Phoenix.
Have a free flowing day.