General Archives - Page 23 of 34 - Taylor Scott Nelson

General, Road Trip

Eco-Road Trip – City of the Sun Pt. 1

April 7, 2018 No Comments

City of the Sun Pt. 1 & Mexico Bike Adventure – Summary:

Who: Sheila Bjeletich; Juan Rascon
What: Left the state of Arizona; Arrived at City of the Sun in Columbus, New Mexico; Biked across the Mexico border into Palomas to visit a host family and nonprofit; Biked back across the US border after the Mexico tour
When: Saturday, April 7
Where: Columbus, NM; Palomas, MX

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

My Travel Story:

Leaving Arizona, I spent the day driving through the desert into New Mexico on my way to the City of the Sun in Columbus, New Mexico, with the aim of getting there in the middle of the afternoon so we could go into Mexico and checkout the nonprofit projects my host was involved with.

I arrived at the City of the Sun, which initially looked like a mobile home park up front – but as I drove towards the back of the community, there were less manufactured mobile homes and more alternative architecture structures, tiny homes and creative compounds.

General, Road Trip

Eco-Road Trip – The Canelo Project

April 6, 2018 No Comments

The Canelo Project – Summary:

Who: Bill Steen
What: Got lost without GPS/Cell reception; Visited the natural buildings of the Canelo Project community
When: Friday, April 6
Where: Elgin, AZ

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

My Travel Story:

After leaving Avalon Organic Gardens & Ecovillage, I spent the day driving to The Canelo Project in Elgin, AZ. While it was a beautiful countryside of grassy plains and desert parries with mountain ranges dotting the horizon – I had no cell phone reception to call or search for my GPS location – so I spent several hours lost in the area, going down wrong roads, waiting for free-range cows to cross the road, and circling back to high hills to get one or two cell bars to make calls.

I finally find the right road a few hours later, much to the exasperation of my host, and this was another destination with a long road seemingly to nowhere – passing camping grounds, a ranger station and over several cow pastures.

General, Road Trip

Eco-Road Trip – Avalon Organic Gardens & Ecovillage

April 6, 2018 No Comments

Avalon Organic Gardens & Ecovillage – Summary:

Who: TaliSeen JahRing
What: Toured and had lunch at the Avalon Organic Gardens & Ecovillage
When: Friday, April 6
Where: Tumacacori, AZ

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

My Travel Story:

I started the day with a personal tour led by TaliSeen JahRing, the Farm Manager of Avalon Organic Gardens & Ecovillage (AOGE), an impressive ecovillage model with stacks of sustainability initiatives and green projects, built on a strong Christian foundation, spiritual exploration, vocational learning and training, and organic permaculture practices.

On my way to AOGE, I pulled over at a rest stop to take a phone call, and came across this rock – which really set the tone for the day!

General, Road Trip

Eco-Road Trip – Wind Spirit Community

April 5, 2018 No Comments

Wind Spirit Community – Summary:

Who: “Don”
What: Visited the Wind Spirit Community
When: Thursday, April 5
Where: Winkelman, AZ

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

My Travel Story:

My second stop of the day after The Bee Oasis was after a long drive through the desert canyons and mining towns to Wind Spirit Community (WSC) in Winkelman, AZ. (This was another community with a long road seemingly to nowhere, but I pushed on and finally made it without any GPS navigation.)

A picture from my drive to Wind Spirit Community, which resembles the general terrain I was driving through.

I stopped in a mining town rest-stop and took a picture of the old refinery factory on the hillside.

General, Road Trip

Eco-Road Trip – Bee Oasis

April 5, 2018 No Comments

The Bee Oasis – Summary:

Who: Don Titmus
What: Visited the Bee Oasis urban permaculture homestead
When: Thursday, April 5
Where: Mesa, AZ

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

My Travel Story:

After saying goodbye to my mom until I returned to Texas, I left Mountain Shadows golf resort in Scottsdale, and headed south to The Bee Oasis, a 1/4 acre, urban permaculture homestead in Mesa, Arizona, owned by Don Titmus, a British transplant, and his daughter Lily.

“It include about 500 sq ft of organic veggie gardens, chickens, rainwater harvesting, composting, an edible/functional landscape and much more as a sustainable model in the PC community. Don’s homesite is a teaching space; he has tours, classes and workshops. It is a great place to experience an alternative life. Don also has a Xeriscape Garden Maintenance business, and is also a Conscious Dance DJ.” – Bee Oasis FIC Profile

General, Road Trip

Eco-Road Trip – Biosphere 2

April 5, 2018 No Comments

Biosphere 2 – Summary:

Who: N/A
What: Toured the University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2 research complex
When: Thursday, April 5
Where: Oracle, AZ

Quick Resources:

My Route:

Planning my Eco-Inspired Road Trip Blog Post

My Travel Story:

Rushing over from the Wind Spirit Community in Winkelman, I barely made it to the last group tour at the University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2, the world’s largest enclosed earth system science research facility, in Oracle, AZ.

The tour began in the ‘actual Biosphere’ (Earth) so I had to walk through the on-site housing facility, known as “The Village,” which comprised of 28 furnished 3-to-5 bedroom casitas for students and faculty, and incorporates sustainable practices like rainwater harvesting and solar energy.