Otesha UK : cycle tours

It all makes sense!

25th January 2012 by Guest

Felicity, of our Wild West ’09 cycle tour, talks about how Otesha has influenced her & the exciting new projects she’s been inspired to work on since!

Summing up how Otesha has influenced me is actually quite hard, simply because it has, in a bigger way than I could ever have imagined.

Back in Dec ’08 I applied for the role of Tour Liaison for Otesha’s 2009 ‘Wild West’ cycle tour. In an instant I knew it was an exciting opportunity, incorporating several of my key passions: cycling, performing & environmental issues. Staring right at me was my dream project.

After a trip to London & friendly interview, they gave me the role of Tour Liaison for Wild West ’09 (a 6-week tour of Wales from June-July). 10 days later I was flying to India to volunteer for 11 weeks, including time spent with The Centre for Tribal & Rural Development, a world away from the UK & all it has to offer. This was my second trip abroad volunteering in Tribal villages, having previously done so in Costa Rica. Understanding & knowing how a community can survive with no running water or electricity is humbling; add that to the daily threat of disease, poverty & natural disasters and suddenly I can no longer complain if I break a nail!

The Wild West Tour took me to some of the most beautiful & scenic places in Wales. Starting in Machynlleth we worked our way south along the coast, finally stopping in Merthyr Tydfil, an area of high deprivation & unemployment.

My memories of Wales & The Otesha Project filled me with such a warm sense of happiness it brings a huge smile to my face writing this. For six weeks the sun shone, the hills loomed & happiness followed wherever we went. I want to say it was tough & physically demanding but if it was, I don’t remember.

I do remember all the random places we slept – barns, fields, church halls & strangers’ houses. I remember all the friendly & kind people we met who humbled & inspired us. I remember rivers, fields, forests, towns, cities & the sea. I can’t decide if seeing dolphins in Aberystwyth, coasteering off St Davids or staying on a permaculture farm was my favourite experience – in fact it all was. Even the hills.

I’ve made friends for life, seen things that will stay with me always & proved to everyone that it is possible to get a tan in Wales.

And so life goes on. After Otesha I was filled with a feeling of great satisfaction as if it all suddenly made sense & I knew what I wanted to know. My next project was with a theatre Company called ‘Stuff & Nonsense’ working as a creative assistant for their new show ‘The Enormous Turnip’. I had another incredible experience working on this show & even to this day, the reviews keep coming in thick & fast with the latest informing us that it was Jackson’s Lane best selling Christmas show in their 35 year history.

As a firm believer in everything happening for a reason, I found myself going on yet another journey after this, although this time as ‘Youth Arts Development Manager’ for Hampshire Museums and Galleries Trust, working on a specific project called The EDGE Project; Engage, Discover, Generate, Enthusiasm.

I was chosen to lead a three year programme of events, exhibitions & performances for & by young people in various locations across Hampshire. The brief was as broad as I wanted it to be – I’m given freedom to deliver & create what young people want to do & see in these venues. I’ve hosted band nights & exhibitions, music workshops & fashion projects.

But by far my most important & biggest project to date has been GreenSpace. A couple of my young volunteers came to me with an idea to create an allotment. My ears instantly pricked up with excitement as I knew the idea had room to grow (excuse the pun!). I approached a local Art Gallery I was working with & GreenSpace was born.

November 2010 saw our first day on site clearing an area covered in brambles at the back of the venue. 26 people turned up to help the first day. After that it was planning & implementing the next stage.

The young people designed it to look as creative as possible, as well as having full disabled access & being practical. Donations were sought from all over the local area, including 32 planks, 20 tons of soil, various plants, child friendly wood chip & 2 compost bins. Subsequent donations saw us add to site with water butts, as well as being able to purchase tools for volunteers.

Over the course of 2010 we engaged with around 300+ people. We ran maintenance days, planting days, green workshops for children & young people. We had an extensive launch & registered as part of the Eden Project’s Big Lunch-with every event operating a ‘Bring n’ Share’ Lunch. We held a green exhibition, with 120 young people from the area exhibiting their green work. A harvest Supper & Art Cracker event saw us through to the end of the year & on to 2012.

We have now started our second site at a local art centre, with our next day planned for a few weeks’ time. We received more donations & funding to expand & are planning many more sites for the future. We’ve helped to educate young & old about gardening, sustainability, recycling, growing your own & much more. (Check out GreenSpace’s Facebook and Twitter.)

To ask whether Otesha influenced me in shaping this project? I can safely say, 100%, it most definitely has.

If you’re feeling inspired to join a six-week Otesha world-changing adventure you can find out more and apply here. See you on the road!

Tags: allotment, alumni adventures, cycle tours, food glorious food, otesha, Wales
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Go west, young man! So he did.

18th January 2012 by Guest

Matt Wicks has been writing about his life-changing experience on our Wild West 2008 cycle tour for our friends at the splendid Do the Green Thing, who hit on the brilliant idea of telling the personal stories of people who have had incredible travel adventures without getting on an aeroplane. Here’s what Matt had to say.

Back in 2008 I saw an advert for the ‘Wild West’ cycle tour. I applied, raised sponsorship, and in August found myself in a field in Brigstock, where I met the 17 other participants. I was excited but nervous – I had never done anything like this before and was way outside my comfort zone.

My main interest was cycling. The previous summer I had cycled to Paris with friends and had a lot of fun. I also already had a keen passion for the environment, and was lucky to be able to take six weeks off from my job as an energy advisor. The tour turned out to be a great opportunity to meet new people and share experiences and knowledge.

For the next six weeks I worked, played, cooked, ate, and cycled with such a loving, interesting and fun group of people – everyone very different, but equally passionate about wanting to make positive change in the world. Friends for life.

Along the 700 mile journey we met so many inspiring and generous people, we camped in some wonderful locations, and ate so many fantastic meals. We performed and held workshops at schools, and at youth groups, communities and festivals through the Midlands and Wales. As a group we learnt about sustainable living through skill sharing, and through visiting permaculture farms, social enterprises and one Tracey Island style energy research centre. We also learnt about bike maintenance, cooking for large groups and consensus decision making.

At the end of each day, as a group we shared our highs and lows. The concept of sharing emotions and experiences in this way was something I was not used to, and almost alien in society today, but it was something that became very valuable. There were so many highs of the tour, and of course a few lows, but even the lows, when you look back, really added to the experience, to the adventure.

Although the tours are run and organised by the Otesha team, you still have great room to influence and shape the way the groups lives, from the food you eat to the route you take. We cycled in groups of four or five carrying everything we needed in panniers and our three trailers named Bob, Not Bob and the Slug. What freedom!

Our first week of cycling was pretty intense. We travelled all the way from Brigstock in the East Midlands to Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons, some 150 miles as the crow flies. I think we probably cycled almost double that as we weaved are way with visits to projects in Leicester, Coventry, Worcester en route.

We arrived in Crickhowell for the the Green Man Festival where we were due to perform our play only for the second time since training week. All went well (apart from the rain and mud!), we sang, danced, and had much merriment. From there we headed to St David’s in Pembrokeshire, then to Carmarthen, Swansea and finally Merthyr Tydfil.

For me the most daunting part was performing the ‘Morning Choices’ play. I was no theatrical type, in fact I was so worried about this side of the cycle tour that I blanked it from my mind – well, until training week anyway. I did it, and although I may not be found at the local dramatic society just yet, this was a great experience. The buzz of performing was something I had never felt before, at least not since my year 6 school assembly!

Since taking part in the Otesha tour I have joined the board of trustees. I have continued cycle touring, and I have been involved in a number of local projects. I will always look back with great fondness on the Wild West tour 2008.

If you would like to sign up for one of our extraordinary summer 2012 cycle tours, click here.

Matt’s article is also available here. If you’re after still more inspiring travel stories, you can also read about a bike ride to Morocco and a Pacific sailing adventure.

Tags: cycle tours, do the green thing, matt wicks
Posted in alumni adventures, cycle tours, Otesha's adventures, travel & transport | No Comments »

Teacher on tour

3rd January 2012 by Guest

This summer’s Tastetastic! cycle tour is open to all ages over 18, and we’ve timed it so that any teachers in England and Wales who want to take part can volunteer. Chris Hardy, a teacher at Fulham Cross Girls’ School, tells us about his experience on tour and what it has brought to his day-to-day life, including his teaching.

I went on Otesha’s Wild West cycle tour in 2008, shortly before beginning my teacher training – and taking part in an Otesha cycle tour wasn’t only an amazing experience in itself, but it was hugely beneficial as a teacher.

Teacher Chris Hardy helps build an earthen structure while volunteering on cycle tour in 2008

I learned a huge number of skills in a short space of time. Not theoretical skills about behaviour management or educational theory, but real life skills about how to deal with a room full of people, how to grab people’s attention and how to get your message across in an engaging and entertaining way. Now I can bring that back to the classroom, it’s given me some valuable new tools and techniques.

As a tour member, you spend time living in a community, learn consensus decision making and cooking for large groups – brilliant skills for a teacher to have, and useful in your everyday life when tackling disagreements or making choices and decisions with others – including in the classroom.

You also learn how to plan and deliver a short play about sustainable life choices. This play is followed by various workshops, all of which you learn how to deliver on cycle tour.

They are mini lessons which are designed to be hands-on, engaging and educational. Having this experience before or during time teaching is invaluable and something I’m still thankful for now, two years on in my teaching career. It has given me flexibility and confidence in lesson planning and encouraged me to set up my own after-school activities and clubs.

Tags: Chris Hardy, cycle tours, skills, teachers
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Leah's cycle tour tales

14th December 2011 by Guest

A guest blog from the lovely Leah Kirby of Tartan Trail 2011. Find out what motivated Leah to join an Otesha adventure, and the impact it’s already having on her life just a few short months later.

Otesha had been a long time coming; during my years at university I had been involved and committed to a number of projects with the Permaculture Society and worked for the conservation charity the Fairyland Trust. Several friends had taken part in previous Otesha Tours and I was totally intrigued by the challenges of a cycle tour adventure, communal living and performing! In my daily life I enjoyed trips to the allotment, used my bicycle to wheel around the city and recycled at home. I even made my own draught excluder dog called Trev!

But for me what was integral to my motivation for coming on tour was the opportunity to facilitate educational outreach – to work with and mobilise young people to make them aware of the impacts their choices had on the world around them.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the thought of performing and leading workshops in the school, but by the end of the Training Week I not only found myself playing the lead role in the play, but also kitted out with lots of fantastic skills in workshop facilitation, consensus decision-making, conflict resolution, public speaking, essential bike maintenance and was updated with some sustainable know-how from the trusty Otesha Handbook and numerous discussions on anti-oppression, organic food and wind-turbines!

Before we knew it our Tartan team were wheeling into Edinburgh to start our mammoth journey across the Scottish hills and through the twinkling lights of the cities. Indeed living 24/7 with twelve others can make for a bumpy ride, but by working together using consensus and open discussions we managed to work through the problems we encountered.

Running the workshops turned out to be LOADS of fun and the young people we worked with were delighted and engaged with both the play and workshops, the teachers would tell us how amazed they were that the children had been completely absorbed in the adventures of Gilly. It was also extremely rewarding to receive such high praise after the workshops with one child shouting out ‘It was fandabudosi!!!’

When I think about the impact tour has had on me, I realise how much confidence I have gained public speaking coupled with developing sensitivity to dealing with people. I am currently searching for work and I find myself far more confident when meeting new people or facing a nerve-racking interview. I have also noticed the difference in my physical fitness and how much more energy I have to complete daily tasks as well as continuing to enjoy cycling everyday! I also am trying my best to avoid big supermarkets opting for the local green grocer and finding seasonal and where I can organic produce, as well as getting my staple grains/tins from workers co-operative initiatives.

Being a tour member has inspired me to get the wheels rolling for my own project ideas, which I hope to make a reality – it now feels far more possible with the help and support that is available from the Otesha Team and Alumni Support.

I wish to work with a friend who specialises in textiles to run workshops to unravel and reveal the processes at play within the textile industry, developing a series of workshops that stand up against throwaway culture by re-conceptualising daily objects and utilising reclaimed fabrics and traditional craft processes.

I was directly inspired by the fashion workshop on tour and the need to share my love of making tetra-pak wallets! It was also a visit to Starter Packs community initiative in Glasgow, which had a profound effect on me. Sarah and her loyal team found practical approaches to recover the symptoms of social marginalisation – poverty and homelessness. By providing packs for individuals going into new homes, basic items that we generally regard as fundamental to a dignified standard of living.

So not only was the organisation a benefit to people, it was coupled with awareness to the environment as most of their furniture, fabrics and crockery had been donated, reclaimed and thus recycled. It was the textile studio at the back of their store that captured my imagination – the piles of beautifully textured/patterned reclaimed fabrics – which had me desperate to grab some scissors, a needle and thread and get crafting!

Without my two-wheeled Otesha journey and meeting so many inspirational people from many walks of life, what I might have thought of as just a dream has transformed into a feeling of empowerment – to recognise my ability to carve out my own path and help to create the more sustainable world I wish to see.

Summer 2012 Cycle Tour applications are now open – find out more and sign up here.

Tags: alumni adventures, Bikes, consensus decision making, cycling, otesha, tartan trail
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Cycle into Summer 2012

5th December 2011 by iona

Do you want to make the world a better place next summer? Silly question, here’s your chance to become part of a sustainable mobile community…

Join one of Otesha’s fifth birthday summer cycle tours! Pedal across the UK visiting schools and youth clubs, organic farms, fascinating sustainability projects and plenty more. Join an inspirational team of other volunteers, excited to share and learn anything and everything about environmental and social sustainability. Get skilled up in everything from bike maintenance to consensus decision making and learn lots about sustainable and group living.

This year we’ve got three thrilling tours on offer, and a few firsts in the world of Otesha cycle tours. I suppose you want to know what the firsts are don’t you? Well, we have:

our first ever food-themed, three-week cycle tour
our first ever cycle tour performance of the Otesha play in London
a tour for anyone over 18!

And now you probably want to know where and when we’re going, don’t you?

Six week performing, workshop-delivering, wondrous cycle tours (age 18-28):

Totally Coastal …does what it says on the tin! This tour will stick close to the picturesque coastline of south-east England. Pedalling across lowlands and up and down small hills, the team will be heading to the heart of East Anglia before venturing into London for our cycle tour debut in the capital, and a grand finale performance! (15th June – 28th July)

Western Quest Whiz around the west on your bicycle this summer. Starting in south Wales, this tour will pedal a wee way north into England and then back south through the rolling hills of Somerset and Devon before meeting the pirates of Penzance. (10th August – 22nd September)

Three-week, food-themed, workshop-delivering, volunteering and learning extravaganza (age 18+):

Tastetastic! Lick your lips and get in gear for our first ever food tour. Tantalise your taste buds on our Tastetastic! tour as you pedal across southern Scotland for three weeks exploring food sustainability. (4th – 25th August)

If you’re 18+ and passionate about creating a sustainable future, then we’d love you to ride with us. It’s first come first served, so apply early if you want to guarantee a place.

Watch this space for tales from our cycle tour alumni. In the meantime follow the links on this blog to find out lots more on our website.

If you have any questions or would just like to have a chat about the tours, then give us a call on 020 7377 2109 or email cycletours@otesha.org.uk. We always love to hear from you.

Tags: cycle tours, cycling, food glorious food, learning, performance, skills, sustainability, sustainable food, sustainable living, workshop
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Tartan Trail – The Finale

27th September 2011 by Tartan Trail

The long feared cycling day proved to be wet and challenging from the start- perhaps due to the tail-end of a certain hurricane (cheers America). We lost Colin very early due to an exploded tyre (don’t worry, we found him again!) as we headed over the mountainous moors in gale force winds and driving rain. It was hard to keep eyes open in the rain, however we managed to keep our spirits high by singing silly songs (ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIIIIIFE!) and making impromptu and secret stops to tea rooms. Luckily, no-one was swept away in a cyclone and we all made it, limbs intact, to the Allanton Peace Sanctuary just outside of Dumfries.

Looking rather wet and bedraggled we chanced upon the lovely Glenda, and later on Uma, who ran the Peace Sanctuary. Taking pity upon us Glenda ushered us into the Sanctuary’s rather lovely mansion and very very very kindly gave us all beds in dormitory rooms usually housing groups coming to work on various social, environmental and philosophical aspects of peace. She later told us she wouldn’t have been able to sleep if we were all out camping in the hurricane! Equally exciting we were given the use of a really homely kitchen and dining room and… showers and a washing machine. So much luxury I almost cried. Our time in Dumfries was spent doing the usual Otesha activities – we performed at a primary school, and did workshops at a secondary school. This proved to be a bit scary as teenagers tended to have grumpy faces on, but we all agreed that the workshops were of utmost importance as the pupils were our target audience and tended to understand the themes a bit better, even if they seemed less engaged. We also had the honour of volunteering as marshals with the first stage of the ‘Tour of Britain’, a cycling race similar to the Tour de France. Despite a cold and wet wait certain people really enjoyed watching some rather fine pairs of legs whizzing past!! At the same time there were questions about whether the amount of support vehicles (30 vehicles for 90 riders plus whole police cavalcade) was wholly necessary.

We were all very sad to leave Glenda, Uma and all the others at Allanton Peace Sanctuary, but good times must come to end and we mounted our faithful steeds for our last cycle ride as a group (sniff sniff). And what a final ride it was! After leaving Dumfries we cycled south down the bird filled river and along the wild looking estuary. Long flat stretches provided gentle rides for some and racing tracks for others! After passing the infamous town of Gretna (no- there weren’t any Otesha marriages I’m afraid) we reluctantly passed into England and headed to Carlisle.

We arrived in high spirits to the tranquil organic farm belonging to the determined farmer Susan Aglionby, which was to be our final destination- a field to camp in, and a classroom in which to meet and cook. Susan runs the farm with the help of intern Emma, producing both cattle and lamb (which I’m told are very tasty from Colin, Arthur and Andres) but also runs environmental education and support work with young and vulnerable people.

The next morning we spent a lovely time in the local school. We decided to go all out in our finale performance, which resulted in numerous onstage giggles. Despite this the messages definitely came across and we all had A LOT of fun in the process!!! After the wonderful time in the school we returned to base for a walk around the farm with Susan. Despite some conflicting views on vegetarianism the whole group was very impressed by the amount of work she puts in to her organic venture. In return for her generous hospitality we did some work weeding her yard, aided by Colin’s music and discussions about how best to change people’s behaviour. That night many of us patronised the local pub to sample ale and take part in Mike’s pub quiz, quite unsuccessfully.

And so, the final day had arrived. A big sadness hung over the group, but I think everyone was looking forward to the future, whether it was seeing family and friends, starting new jobs, going on foreign adventures or getting back to their beloved rugby club. Iona from the Otesha office arrived to help us wrap up, giving feedback, sharing our experiences of tour and talking about our futures. That night the cooking team excelled themselves with a 3 course meal from around the world. Everyone dressed up in their finest exotic finery, played games and exchanged secret friend gifts, and reveled in each others company for the last time. The next day we all exchanged sad goodbyes, promises to stay in touch and all boarded trains to pastures new.

So here we are, it’s all over. I’m sitting in my parents’ warm and dry kitchen in Wales reminiscing about the amazing adventure we all went on. Of course there were low points – group conflicts, punctures, rain and boredom of porridge. However the highs far outweigh these. Lifelong friendships have been made, and experiences and lessons have been learnt. Thinking about the young people we have reached is phenomenal – hundreds of kids heard our messages about how little actions can have massive impacts in the world and will hopefully think about this as they grow up. Not only that but I think many in our group will really address the same issues in their own lives, whether it be eating organic food, obtaining recycled and second hand goods and clothes or buying fairtrade bananas. I’m just off now to catch up with some old friends so I shall have to leave it here. Will I be borrowing the car to drive the 2 miles to town like I usually do? Hell no! I’m gonna get on my faithful bike and cycle with the wind in my hair, reminiscing about all my two-wheeled adventures!

Thanks for following our blog! Love, Peace and Bicycle Grease! Over and out.

Luciana (Goose), on behalf on the Tartan Trail massive- Colin (Coljop), Dina Dino, Jenny Tree, Jenny A, Catherine (Hunter Gatherer), Kimberley (Eco), Zoe (Zo-ane), Leah (L-pop), Arthur (Arty), Andres and Lucy Colbizzle xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Many thanks to the Postcode Trust for their generous support of this project which has enabled us to reach over 1000 children and young people across Scotland.

Tags: Bikes, carlisle, cycle tour, cycling, fairtrade, food glorious food, organic, otesha, overland travel
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Tartan Trail – the penultimate journal entry (a.k.a. part 6)

27th September 2011 by Tartan Trail

So we left you with tales of chips in Tupperware and big hills en route to Glasgow. On arrival we were greeted with great gusto by Roz and Alice who quickly showed us into their big cosy house. To top off their already fab welcome they cooked us all an amazing curry and introduced us to the ancient Glaswegian tradition of sock-wrestling (i.e. ripping off someone’s sock by any means possible). Andina bravely took on Arthur and unfortunately lost, although she took half of his sock along the way. Next day we attended a community sustainable transport event and had lots of silly fun trying to master the crazy bikes they had hired. After which we upped-sticks to Toryglen community centre where we pitched our tents outside then had dinner on a REAL table (!!) kindly laid and decorated by the owners of the centre. We had fine fortune to meet a former Oteshite Kerry. She cooked us Cranachan, a traditional Scottish pudding that brings new life to porridge by adding whisky and (soya) cream.

Whilst in Glasgee we volunteered for an inspirational social welfare charity called Starter Packs, run by the upbeat Sarah. She and her team work tirelessly in a deprived area of Glasgow to provide support for people moving into social housing with nothing, upcycling furniture and providing other basic supplies. After a day working in their bustling charity shop and offices all were inspired by their ethos and passion for helping those on the edge of poverty.

During our time in Glasgow we delivered workshops and our ever-improving play to two primary schools in the local area, kindly organised by the fabulous sustainable community project Urban Roots. Fun was had by all, despite the occasional language problems (in Glasgow ‘why’ means ‘how’, which took a bit of explaining). We also visited a lively and enthusiastic Woodcraft Folk group in Scotstoun where we all amused ourselves recreating more ‘truthful’ enactments of adverts in our ‘Admania’ workshop.

I think everyone learnt a lot from Glasgow, especially working in more deprived areas where perhaps sustainable living is not top on people’s agendas. Despite the obvious problems the group was very motivated by the inspiring work of organisations such as Urban Roots and Starter Packs.

With this is mind we set off for a rather undulating ride to our next destination – Coalburn, an ex-mining community south of Glasgow. Despite some minor (or major) map reading errors and some very wet dejected Tartan Trailers, we were welcomed into the Talamh housing community, and very kindly given a warm and dry caravan to sleep in (it was a bit like sardine at bedtimes but we were very accustomed to each others snoring by now). Talamh is a community of around 15 people, housed in a house, caravans and trucks. It is an amazingly tranquil place with various organic gardens, woodland and fields. We were happily supplied with an outdoor kitchen, complete with a gas oven (!), sink and firepit- our host Anna and other residents popped by occasionally with homegrown veg and fruit, and freshly foraged mushrooms. The next day we all had a very well deserved day off. Some chose to explore the area on their two-wheeled steeds, some took a leisurely shower at the swimming pool, while others lazed around and did absolutely nothing in the rarely seen sunshine. The next day we performed and workshopped at the local primary school- which as usual went rather well. One kid swore “I’m never gonna buy a non-fairtrade banana again!”. Then, after a day of work exchange (plum picking and weeding) we all bedded down early for the longest cycling day yet- 50 (ish) miles to Dumfries.

T.B.C….

Many thanks to the Postcode Trust for their generous support of this project.

Tags: cycling, Glasgow, otesha, starter packs, sustainable, urban roots
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The Fifth Epic Tartan Trail Journal Entry

23rd September 2011 by Tartan Trail

Roll up, roll up, for the next edition of the adventures of the Tartan Trailers coming to you from Luciana and Lucy, the luscious liaisons. When we last left you we were just about to embark on the epic journey of mid-tour retreat. Upon arrival at Hugh Grierson’s farm near Perth we hung up our wet socks and dried out our soggy sleeping bags in a handy poly tunnel and settled into our new home. Mid-tour retreat was a time for us all to reflect upon our time on the road and come up with ways to make us even closer and more effective as a community. And of course we planned to have lots of fun! We kicked off with an intense play rehearsal where we all swapped around our roles. It was really funny to watch people build upon the characters that others had previously played and rehearsal halted many times whilst we all got over the attack of the giggles! The weekend was also spent doing more serious stuff like sorting out the inevitable conflicts that arose from twelve strangers living in each others pockets for 3 weeks (like the strange occurrence that Otesha time seems to run circa an hour behind the rest of the world!). Although this was difficult at times we managed to resolve many of the issues we had encountered and our little band of two-wheeled world changers was much stronger and closer as a result. The only downside to this weekend was the onset of an autumnal turn of weather. Evenings were spent huddled together for warmth in a big breezy barn, partaking in the big Otesha quiz (that included every single obscure fact that Luciana’s brain contains), listening to the guitar and ukelele or snuggling down to hear Zoe’s dulcet voice reading us all another chapter from the wholesome ‘Ecotopia’.

Although mid-tour retreat was very fulfilling and spirit lifting I think we were all very ready to get to Stirling where we would have an indoor place to warm our cold toes and noses, so we set off on our two-wheeled steeds with gusto (actually setting off EARLIER than scheduled). The cycle ride was AMAZING! We rode up onto the moors above Stirling, just us and the buzzards to enjoy the spectacular views all around. Andres bravely took a naked dip in a small stream whilst we all played poo sticks on a handy bridge. Congratulations to those who lugged the heavy trailers up the massive hill at the end. The icing on the cake was arriving at our accommodation and finding a lovely church room with an OVEN (!), LIGHTS (!) and a real toilet. Oh the luxury! In high spirits we settled into our big carpeted room and had a couple of relaxed play rehearsals before our performance at St. Ninians primary school the next morning. From our first real stage we acted our hearts out and had the kids giggling away, especially when Andres the cow mooed his way onto stage with Arthur attached to the back of him making up his back legs. That afternoon we got a free bike check from the extremely kind mechanics at recycke-a-bike (we made them an amazing recycled thank you card) and later we munched our way through vegan pizzas mmmmmm. Next day was our day off, used in a variety of ways. The speedy gonzalez crew (Andina and the boyz) went on a 60 mile bike hike while the rest of us went for leisurely swims and checked our emails. Civilised. Then I (Lucy) left to London for a job interview (sadly unsuccessful), not before handing lots of money over to Luciana to sustain the team in my absence and waving them off to Gartmore for fresh adventures.

Thanks for your enlightened scribbles Lucy! Luciana here again! So after a speedy and uneventful cycle ride (apart from one Everest style hill) we arrived in the beautiful village of Gartmore. Small but perfectly formed, Gartmore had it all – a community run shop, a handily placed pub with a variety of tasty ales and a teeny-weeny school with only 19 kids! It was in the playing field of said school that we pitched our tents much to the curiosity of the local kids. Myself and Catherine got stuck into fixing the rather overgrown willow dome whilst the boys settled down to well-earned game of footie. Next day we pootled over to the school to perform the play, complete with a brand new song. It was a hit with all 19 of the kids! After an old-fashioned school dinner we cracked on with three workshops, food, fashion and transport. That night we discovered we had run out of gas so the cooking team decided to patronise the local pub and came out with tupperwares full of chips which we scoffed in the nearby village hall to shelter from the rain. Morning came and thankfully the weather had dried up as we mounted our steeds once more and cycled over (some very big) hills and dales all the way to the big smoke of Glasgow…. Love from Luciana Banana, Leah-Pop, Jenny Tree, Jenny A, Lucy Colbiz, Zoe, Kimberley (Eco), King Arthur, Colin-der, Dina the Dinosaur, Andres, and Catherine xxxxxxx

Many thanks to the Postcode Trust for their generous support of this project.

Tags: cycle tour, ecotopia, fun, Glasgow, otesha play, Stirling
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Pinhole Pedalling

22nd September 2011 by iona

A couple of weeks ago, in true Otesha style, I went on a wee cycling adventure. I joined Sam (LeJog) and Louise (LeJog and East Coast) for week three of their travels, pulling a giant camera (distributed between two heavy trailers) across the south-west. We battled wind, rain, and a fair few hills to set-up a three-metre-square camera obscura, into which curious passers-by were then invited. The project used photography to celebrate beautiful and diverse landscapes…..and let’s not forget bikes. After a week of idyllic rural landscapes we reached Bristol and visited the wonderful Bristol Bike Project…

We made lots of bicycle portraits (of bicycles and their owners/creators), you can see them and read more about the ride and our visit on the Pinhole Pedaller blog!

Tags: alumni adventures, art, Bristol, Bristol Bike Project, cycling, photography
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